TAG | logitech control center
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What Is A Good Wireless Keyboard for My Hackintosh PC?
2 Comments | Posted by Victor Goh in Mac OS X, Review
See the Apple specific key labels!
When I first started using my Hackintosh PC, I had tough time learning to use the Mac OS X specific keys with a Windows keyboard. There were a lot of trial and error involved in figuring out which key was supposed to be the Apple command, function, control or option key. Remembering the Mac OS X short-cut keys was frustrating to say the least.
Recently, I decided to use my aging three and a half year old MacBook as a desktop machine. I have a 22″ Dell LCD Monitor that’s been idle for a few months since I connected my Hackintosh PC to my 42″ Philips LCD TV. What I needed was an external keyboard and mouse to complete my MacBook to desktop transformation. I love Apple products; and their new wireless keyboard and magic mouse looks lovely. But I didn’t want to spend so much on a keyboard and mouse.
Past Experience with Wireless Keyboard and Mouse
I’ve been using the plain entry-level Logitech Cordless Desktop EX110 keyboard and mouse with my Hackintosh PC for over 2 years. Though some letters on the keyboard has faded, everything else works fine. I still use it everyday with my Hackintosh HTPC from my sofa, 6 feet away, without any problems. Thumbs-up to Logitech.
I had a Microsoft wireless keyboard and mouse combo before the Logitech. It was an entry-level combo, but compared to my Logitech entry-level combo, the Microsoft keyboard and mouse performance was horrible. The keyboard and mouse batteries needed to be replaced every few weeks and it had lousy wireless reception. The keyboard or mouse wouldn’t work at the distance of 6 feet. After that experience, I said, “No more Microsoft hardware for me.”
The Search For A New Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo
And so, I started my search for a new Logitech Cordless keyboard and mouse combo. After some googling, I narrowed my search to two models of the current Logitech wireless keyboard and mouse combos.
These were the two models available at a nearby computer mall. I finally decided on the Cordless Desktop Wave because of it was designed for comfortable typing and it has labels for Apple specific keys. The cushioned palm rest and contoured keyboard really makes typing comfortable and natural. This reduces the stress on my wrists and should lower my risk of getting carpal tunnel syndrome.
The Logitech Control Center for Mac OS X
The Logitech Desktop Wave Set comes with the software, Logitech Control Center for the Mac OS X. The Mac OS X user gets to use all the extra keys on the Desktop Wave keyboard with this software. The extra keys mapping is configurable. I mapped the extra keys to open Expose, iTunes, Google Chrome, FrontRow, and iPhoto. The keyboard also has special keys for volume control; volume up and down, mute; and for iTunes play, pause, stop, skip forward and back. When used with the Mac OS X, some Windows specific keyboard has extra keys that does nothing, but all of the extra keys on the Desktop Wave are fully functioning.
A Satisfied Logitech Customer
Logitech has done it again. I continue to be a satisfied Logitech customer. The Cordless Desktop Wave is excellent as an external keyboard for my MacBook. For the hackintosh owner looking for a Mac OS X compatible keyboard, I would heartily recommend the Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave.
