A decent compact wireless keyboard, but with a few quirks.

In my work, I sometimes run into situations where I have to use computers with only a monitor connected. In those cases, I have to bring a keyboard and sometimes a mouse along. I decided to make things a little easier for myself.

I chose this particular keyboard because it seemed convenient for what I needed.
Yes, I’ve seen keyboards that fold in half, but I liked this one better.
It’s wireless, but not Bluetooth—that’s exactly what I needed, because I wanted it to fully emulate a regular wired keyboard, meaning it would work not only in the OS but also in the BIOS.
But let’s take things in order.

It arrived in a standard yellow envelope, and a huge one at that—you could have stuffed about six of these keyboards into it. Inside, the keyboard was wrapped in a sheet of bubble wrap.
The keyboard itself was also packed in a box.


The box wasn’t crushed, which actually surprised me.
The back of the box is covered with promotional information about everything this device can do.
We’ll check that out later.


The package is very basic: the keyboard itself and a charging cable.
There’s no disc included, and it was detected in XP without any problems.
It also let me into the BIOS without any problems. I browsed through a few sections to check it out, then rebooted the computer. The keyboard was connected through a USB hub.
The manual lists support for:
Windows 2000, XP, Vista, CE, 7.
Linux
Android
Since the keyboard essentially works like a regular one, I don’t see any compatibility issues with other devices.


The package also included a manual in English, which I only found later…
But the print is so tiny that you’d better find a magnifying glass right away.
It says not to use the keyboard on planes, in hospitals, and so on.
It’s worth noting that the specifications in the manual matched the actual ones.
Still, the print could be bigger…


It looks very neat; no complaints there.
The keyboard has extra keys (accessed with Fn):
RF channel switching, Print Screen, volume and media controls, Delete, Win, touchpad control toggle, Ctrl+Alt+Del, Page Up, Page Down.


There’s a sticker on the back stating that it’s a wireless keyboard operating at 2.4 GHz, charged via USB, with a power consumption of 300 mA (I didn’t check this figure).
It also says on the bottom that this is a keyboard + touchpad + laser pointer. The last part came as a bit of a surprise, since I hadn’t even noticed it while choosing the keyboard.
I don’t have a cat, so I probably won’t get much use out of the laser pointer :).


There’s a slot on the side that holds the USB receiver.
It’s very hard to remove. I think if someone with a manicure is going to use it, they’d better not try without a tool.
But since I’m not a woman, I managed just fine on my own.
Though I’d say this might actually be more of a plus than a minus. It definitely won’t fall out by itself and get lost.


The end has a mini-USB charging port and a power switch.


The keyboard has four indicators.
Three of them are easy to figure out:
1 — Transmission mode; it flashes when you press a button or move your finger on the touchpad.
2 — Shows the battery charging status.
4 — Caps Lock.

I still haven't figured out what No. 3 is for.

The indicators aren't very well designed. There's a diffuser in front of the LEDs, which can make it hard to tell which indicator is actually lit.


In my previous reviews, people told me that comparing the size to a pack of cigarettes wasn't a very good idea.
Well, let's try comparing it with something else.


Since this is a portable device, I think its weight might be useful to know.
The specs listed 100 grams, but it actually weighs even less.


I didn't find any problems with the keyboard itself, but the laser pointer was aimed somewhat downward relative to the plane of the keyboard.
It's not like that was a deal-breaker for me, but it just seemed wrong.



After taking it apart, I came up with a few ideas and spotted some flaws.
Since I peeled off the rubber keyboard membrane, after gluing it back on, it bulges into a little tent when pressed: _/_.
I noticed that the laser power button is tilted slightly inward.
Ideas for further tinkering: disable the backlight LEDs and add bright ones at the end to make a small flashlight.
Reattach the rubber keyboard membrane to the circuit board with fresh double-sided tape.

So, to sum up.
Pros.
— The build is quite decent; nothing wobbles or creaks.
— The range is pretty good. I doubt many people have a room larger than the radio module's range.
— It has a rechargeable battery, not disposable batteries.
— The keyboard itself feels nice to the touch, with pretty good tactile feedback.
— The touchpad works very well. There were a couple of times when it seemed to lag, but maybe I just imagined it. It's quite comfortable to use.
— It has a laser for playing with the cat :)
— While using it, one of the cons turned into a pro. I needed the keyboard to control computers, and what admin can do without the familiar “three-finger salute,” i.e. Ctrl+Alt+Del? At first I tried pressing the usual keys, but it didn't work. I was about to complain, then I found a function key actually labeled Ctrl+Alt+Del.
— The touchpad can be used in either vertical or horizontal orientation (a manually switchable mode).

Cons.
— No Russian letters. I knew that from the start, so it's not really a drawback, more of a quirk, but it would be nice if the store offered a choice.
— The laser was installed crookedly; I fixed it myself.
The status indicator isn't very convenient. It's not a big deal, but it did detract from the overall impression.
— They skimped on the backlight LEDs. Typing in the dark is uncomfortable.
— The keyboard membrane isn't glued on very well (or rather, it was fine until I decided to take it apart), so it may come unstuck over time. This is mostly an aesthetic issue and doesn't significantly affect functionality.

The store chinabuye provided this product free of charge for testing and review.
By the way, this store sometimes offers various 5% discount coupons (they're easy to find online), so you can get it a little cheaper.

I hope this review is useful. I tried to describe all the pros and cons. If you have any more questions, ask away and I'll check.