BIOS: Technology Means Business

The new Logitech Cordless Desktop MX 5000 Laser (£85.27 ex. VAT), along with the diNovo Media Desktop Laser, are the company's first products to feature Bluetooth 2.0 Enhanced Data Rate wireless technology. The cool this about this new version of Bluetooth it that it can transmit three times as much data in the same amount of time as the previous standard, Bluetooth 1.2.

For example, to transmit a 1MB picture from a cameraphone to a PC would take about four seconds with Bluetooth 2.0 EDR, instead of 12 seconds. This faster rate means camera phones, PDAs and other mobile Bluetooth 2.0 EDR devices can synchronise more quickly, while the next generation of wireless stereo headphones and voice headsets featuring the technology can produce higher-quality audio. Or, in this case, keyboards and mice.

The first thing you notice about this keyboard and mouse package is that they're both ultra-trendy peripherals. In particular, the wholly-black keyboard has a low profile of only 22.3mm in height when placed on a flat surface, and it also incorporates Logitech's Zero Degree Tilt keyboard design which means the rows of keys are all the same height. According to independent studies commissioned by Logitech, the ergonomic benefit of a low-profile keyboard without any slope is that it may help minimise wrist extension which can be a cause of hand and forearm discomfort. Like most of Logitech's keyboards, the keyboard also features a detachable palm rest - giving people the choice of adding extra wrist support.

The keyboard is also littered with shortcuts keys and an LCD screen. The LCD screen can display e-mail and instant message (IM) notifications, favourite playlists and Internet radio stations. And by displaying certain information on the LCD - such as the status of the caps lock and F lock keys, volume levels and mute - the keyboard also alleviates visual clutter that would ordinarily be displayed on the computer monitor. Information on the screen can be navigated using the four buttons immediately below the screen: Up, Down, Back and Enter.

Another really neat feature of the keyboard is that its default screen shows the active account name of the Microsoft XP user and room temperature. The time and date are also displayed and are automatically synchronised with the computer. The keyboard also has four programmable smart keys, shows the volume level of your PC as it is adjusted along with the percentage of view when you zoom in or out of an image or document, and has a dedicated button that activates the Windows calculator - which appears on the LCD rather than on your monitor screen. Calculation results are automatically saved to the computer's clipboard so that they can be pasted into spreadsheets, documents, or other PC applications.

You'd be hard pushed to think it could get any better than this. Well, it does! Backlit touch-sensitive media controls on the keyboard's left-hand side let you navigate audio and video tracks, as well as alter volume levels and zoom in/out of documents. In addition, you can launch a media application, such as the bundled MediaLife software, by pressing the Media button.

The keyboard even turns your PC into a Bluetooth wireless hub, allowing you to conduct voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls with an optional Bluetooth headset, transfer pictures from a Bluetooth mobile phone, listen to music through Bluetooth headphones, and synchronise data between mobile devices and your PC - all without the hassle of connecting USB cords or any other kinds of wires - at a wireless range of up to 60-feet. There's even a synchronisation button that lets you synchronise your PC's calendar and address book with a mobile phone or PDA.

The Cordless Desktop MX 5000 Laser comes with Logitech's outstanding MX 1000 Cordless Laser Mouse, which delivers precision navigation in style. Sporting an outrageously comfortable design and no less than seven buttons an a scroll wheel, the mouse's sensor has the ability to capture 5.8 million pixels of detail each second, according to Logitech. Also, as with all Logitech laser products, the laser light of the mouse is nearly invisible and meets the Class 1 safety standard, so it's perfect for office deployment.

Thankfully, the Cordless Desktop MX 5000 Laser uses a rechargeable and non-removable Lithium-Ion battery, so you needn't worry about battery charges escalating (the keyboard uses four AA battteries). Logitech also supplies a matching charging station, which not only ensures the mouse is always ready to go, but also keeps it neatly docked on your desk. Both the mouse and the keyboard have an on/off switch to help preserve battery life, and each have an integrated battery indicator light to prevent any potential surprises caused by dead batteries.

Installation is a snap, although you do have to install a USB Bluetooth micro-receiver and Logitech's new SecureConnect software. Thankfully, all three devices are pre-synchronised and pre-paired during manufacturing so they're ready to go right out of the box with a secure link and without the hassle of a manual connection process. With SecureConnect, encryption is also completely pre-configured, so it's no longer necessary to enter a passkey to connect the components of the Bluetooth desktop. People simply plug in the Bluetooth micro-receiver and begin working. [9]