Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo - Black | Split Design, Palm Rest | Comfortable Ergonomic for Office & Home Use | Ideal for Long Hours Typing & Computer Work

Update #3 Oct 8_______________I've been using the replacement keyboard for a few weeks now and I've modified my rating (to 4...would give it a 4.8 but just not a 5). And yes, it's a keeper. All typos are now my own (although 40% of them are from when I've picked my hands up from the keyboard and don't look to see where I'm putting them back down again). I can type normally again. The space bar is fine. (And FWIW, for some reason I was stuck on saying it was LEFT but it was the RIGHT one that was so troublesome. I'm quite fond of the mouse. I'm not experiencing latency which I was getting occasionally with the previous keyboard. I'm no longer fumbling with a dependeny on the ENTER key taht was on the keypad. I love using the keypad when I need to use the calculator and having it aside when I don't. I have not thought much about the page up /down/etc positions of keys so they are not getting in my way.I'm not sure why I'm reluctant to give it a "perfect" 5. Perhaps someday I'll come back and change it.Update#2 Sept 20________________I've decided to give the keyboard another chance. I've ordered a replacement from Amazon to see if I can get one with a working spacebar, perhaps the other problems will go away? It's just unusable with the spacebar functioning so poorly.UPDATE #1, Sept 14___________________... 10 days....(captain's log?:) ) ... still no love from the left space bar. THere are things I like about this keyboard.Believe it or not, Ilike the numeric keypad being separate. It's like a fancy calculator. I like the ergo shape of the keyboard and the feel of the built in wrist wrest.I haven't gotten used to the FN switch. In fact, I tried muting the speaker and kept hitting the F2 key and never realized that it wasn't working because I had to change the FN switch.The space bar is a big problem for me but in addition, I feel that my typing has slowed down dramatically which is very bad.The position of the directional keys is also slowing me down, still.So now I am contemplating two options. An offer from a friend who upgraded from a fairly new MS Natural 7000 to the sculpt and *loves* the sculpt (I'm a bit envious...I really wanted this to work for me) has offered to send me the 7000. My other option is to set aside my desire to have an ergonomic keyboard and opt for a mechanical keyboard (either das keyboard ..favored by many programmers I know or the new CODE Keyboard).However, I think I will stick with ergonomic. Maybe I should look at logitech. I wish I lived somewhere that it was easy to try these out first hand.I will update again when I've made my decision.To be fair, I've talked with a number of friends who are also programmers who got this keyboard and absolutely love it. They are not having the issues that I'm having. While i think the spacebar is a defect of this keyboard, but the overall slowness for me is just too much and while a working spacebar will be a big improvement, I don't think that will be enough.ORIGINAL POSTING_____________________I'll start with the good:it's very cool looking and I love having it on my desk. It makes this geek feel sooooo stylish!I've come from many many years of using the *original* Microsoft Ergonomic Natural Keyboard (precursor to the 4000 which is precursor to the 7000). I loved this keyboard. But after a recent lightning strike that came so close to home, it has acted as though it were possessed by the devil. I ordered a 7000 to replace and one day later, saw the announcements of this one so was able to cancel the not-yet-shipped 7000 and pre-order this, site unseen and with extremely limited press reviews.I am not someone to glom on to new technology. The only other time I did that was after being stuck for 4 hours in Logan airport being brainwashed by the ad for the brand new IPodNano playing over and over again. I bought one within a week! Otherwise,well,let's just say I held on to my Blackberry for a long long time.But I wanted this one.I anticipated a learning curve as I got used to it. I'm still making a lot more typos than normal and it's annoying. I feel that it's slowing me down. BUt I also am confident that I'm still in learning curve mode.The one thing that is really bothersome is that the right spacebar sometimes ignores me. I have to pound on it. For some reason, I use my right thumb 100% of the time to hit the spacebar. I don't think I should have to retrain myself because of possibly faulty equipment. Oddly, I have read a similar complaint about the 7000 and was really surprised to find this happening in a much newer model.I'm a little concerned about the bizarre Function key switch. But I've hardly had to use it yet. Same goes for the fact that the FN keys and escape are so small. But none of it has caused me any grief thus far.As a software developer, I must confess that I am not a big key/combo user. I know a lot of developers prefer mechanical keyboards and drool over features like being able to map 18 key chords (okay, I exaggerate, that would take fingers & toes)while they are working. This is far from a mechanical keyboard. The keys are shallow. In fact, they are even shallower than the keys on my Thinkpad. I don't know if this is why I have so many typos (in addition to the space bar problem). My instinct is that i really would rather have ergonomic than mechanical. Now ergo, mechanical and backlit...there's the ticket! Oh, yes, I can't believe I acquiesced to yet another *black* keyboard that is not back-lit.The mouse was a bit of a shock at first. I had the Wireless Intellimouse Explorer 2.0 prior to this. I liked it a lot. While that is flatter and longer than the ergo mouse, I think that they provide the same feel to my hand and I'm guessing that the overall length is the same once you account for the difference in arc. With the ones, your fingers hang/curl more dramatically but it's just as comfy..maybe even more. Time will tell.I had already been using a mousepad with an elevated wrist wrest for years. I think it aligns even better with the new mouse than it did with the other.I also like that the mouse has a battery switch though I have to remember to use it. Oddly, my intellimouse raced through batteries while I never changed the keyboard battery for its entire lifetime.So for now (about 5-6 days in, with 3 being a holiday weekend where I did not do a lot of typing :) ), I'm a little frustrated with the keyboard and happy with the mouse. I will see if the space bar works itself out. If not I will try to see if Microsoft says it's just faulty and I should exchange it. The jury is still out on the FN key setup. I'd rather give this a 3.5 but I think a 4 would be misleading. I promise to update this review when I've spent more time with these devices.This is my second MS Sculpt Ergonomic keyboard. My first one (5+ yrs) started having issues with typing when connected to newer work and home computer with USB-C ports. I thought it might have been related to USB-A to USB-C or USB3 issues. On top of that I am using a dual monitor KVM that is USB2. As a result of my quirky issues, I started shopping for KVM's and ergonomic keyboards.Some other great options for ergonomic keyboards exist, but they are generally full size with the number keypad you rarely use, at least in my case anyway. Any mini keyboard without number keypad are standard non ergonomic keyboards. So.. before getting a costly KVM, lettering was starting to come off the keys on my old keyboard anyway, I purchased another Sculpt keyboard and .. I AM GLAD I DID. Solved all my problems with the ergonomic keyboard I love.My only comment, I wish it had backlighting. But not a big deal for me, would run down the battery faster anyway.I recommend, without using a full keyboard with your mouse to the right of that or in some distant location, this keyboard with a separate number keypad keeps your hands straight in front of you.This is a great wireless keyboard, with one potentially major flaw.I have had this keyboard for over 2 years. I am a storyteller and writer, and am working on becoming an author, so I type a great deal. Because of this, I moved to this ergonomic keyboard/mouse combo. It is very comfortable.The mouse is softish rubber on the side to the touch, but is a hard rubbery material. It it hard plastic on top, and where the mouse buttons are. I have long fingers, but not thick (my elderly father has quite thick hands from being in construction all his life) and it is comfortable to use for me, and my dad wouldn't have any problems either with the comfortable spacing of the mouse. It takes AA batteries, which are placed under the magnetic base of the mouse. I use the mouse a lot on a normal day (keyboard too) and for me, the batteries don't last SUPER long, but relatively long for a normal person's use. I personally bought a set of rechargeable batteries from Costco for the set and just rotate batteries, charging them as needed. I've used the mouse on a gaming mouse pad (I'm an enthusiast gamer in my spare time) (though this mouse doesn't replace my gaming dedicated mouse), pillows, sheets, t-shirts, towels, etc. moving between my home office just laying in bed using my bedroom pc/hdtv. The mouse seems to respond quite well on all of them. Again, I wouldn't use it for serious first person shooters when your team needs you to be right on target immediately, but for normal use, it's awesome. (The dongle is also under the mouse)I don't use the number pad often, but when I have it's quick, and can keep up with me fine. (I typed words until I had a hand injury at work at 150 wpm and data entry at over 9500 keystrokes per hour) Now it is too thin to take regular batteries, and I haven't used it enough to run out of juice, so I don't know how it'd do for someone who needs alot of data entry on that numpad.The keyboard is comfortable, but coming from a regular straight keyboard took a little getting used to. Once I did however, I was able to type a little faster, maybe 5 to 10 percent (which when you are working on multiple 100,000 word books is a big deal). Like the other items it responds well. The batteries don't last as long as the mouse, but they are AAA's, so that's part of it (yes, you need AA batteries for the mouse but AAA for the keyboard, hence the combo pack I bought at Costco). Now, I don't know if that's because of typing so much, or because if something is left on the keyboard and depresses a key (the keys don't take much to depress, which is good for ergonomics and fast typing), the keyboard keeps draining, even if the PC is off, the keyboard power can drain (mouse too if you for some reason are moving the mouse alot when your computer is off). So, I had to learn not to dump stuff on top of it when I was being lazy. But keep this in mind.The biggest problem with this set, is that there is a single dongle that plugs into your computer, and if this is damaged, your out of luck. Not a problem, you might think (as I did) that's not a problem, I'll simply put the dongle in one of the usb ports in the back of the computer. NOPE! I tried that, in every port I had, and it majorly messes up the ability of the set to work, the keyboard acts like it's drunk when you try to type, the mouse is all jittery. Not good. So you have to put it in a front port, and it sticks out a bit. Where I have to put my PC (I have a massive full tower HAF 932 Case for my gaming components) It sticks out where my body/legs go. So as much as I've tried to remember to be careful near it, I inevitably forget because I'm a spaz sometimes (lol) and bump it. Over 2 years, it's now dead as a door nail. It sticks out a bit more than most dongles, so I never got used to it. With logitech sets (which I don't believe are as good, and I have tried a few), you can get a replacement dongle. But with this microsoft set, they won't give you one. They claim they can't, which may be true, but I doubt it. But you can't get a new dongle, you have to buy a whole new set. That's a MAJOR flaw for some people. If you are more careful than I am, you might be completely fine.I personally, just ordered a second set. I now have a wrist injury and am recovering from surgery so the comfort and ergonomics of this set are very important to me, along with the speed it gives me compared to my plug in regular flat keyboard. As an aspiring author, I need the best and this is it. (It's also quiet to type on, which most people won't care about, but for me, I have multiple books spinning in my head and so many angles and options that any distraction could make me forget something before I get it out on "paper")I wholeheartedly recommend this set. However, because of the dongle flaw and the cost for buying a new set because of it, I just can't give it 5 stars. It is the best set I've ever used though and if your careful, or need the best, GET IT NOWEl mejor teclado y mouse ergonómico que he probado, tengo problemas de tendones en ambas manos y si me ha ayudado bastante, principalmente el mouse, vale la pena la inversión.El único detalle es que puedes tardar hasta 15 días en acostumbrarte al teclado y al mouse para poder escribir a un ritmo normal.El diseño me parece muy sutil, elegante y la verdad muy hermoso.El pequeño teclado numero nunca lo he usado.El mouse nunca puede faltar.Le hace falta un mejor empaque o comprar alguna funda externa para transportar el teclado.Compatible sin ningún problema con Windows (obvio es teclado de Microsoft)No lo he probado con algún otro Sistema Operativo.De las mejores compras que he hecho, no estaba seguro por el precio pero es la mejor solución para el dolor de muñeca para los que pasamos todo el día en la computadora. Te tardas un poco en acostumbrarte a la distribución del teclado y mouse, pero en menos de un día se resuelve todo. De haber sabido que la molestia y dolor se quitaría tan rápido, me hubiera ahorrado mucho en terapias, cremas, analgesicos, etc. Se los recomiendo. Por ultimo, para que el mouse este en la posición correcta necesitan un mouse pad con almoadilla ( yo compre esta Kensington K62402AM Mouse Pad) y la muñeca descansa perfectamente.Este es un reemplazo a un kit de Mouse y teclado que tenía que desafortunadamente derramé varias veces líquido en él y la última ocasión se descompuso. Aún así, resistió por lo menos, 5 derrames de café. Ahora ya tengo un mug de los que no se voltean y este reemplazo.Error mío, no me fijé que no tiene teclado en español. Pero a estas alturas ya me acostumbré a la reconfiguración de acentos, ñ, etc..Actualmente tienen un costo de 1,000 aprox, pero por mi urgencia a mi me costo 3,000... si me parece algo excesivo, por eso le pongo 4 estrellas.O produto não tenho nem o que falar! É sensacional.No começo é difícil de se acostumar, a gente vai errar umas teclas para digitar.Mas o conforto é indescritível!Quanto a entrega, apesar de estar prevista para dia 10 ou 15 de junho, chegou por aqui já no dia 28 de maio!Parabens!It has started typing multiple letters after few months , can anyone help ?