Thin lines, sleek look, nice keyboard

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (LIN) - There are only 26 letters in the alphabet, but a lot more goes into making a quality keyboard then just the letters you type out. The Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000 that Microsoft sent me is proof of that. It excels in almost every situation, and looks good doing it.

Your standard keyboard is bulky, wired and unflattering. Gaming keyboards, meanwhile, add flair and excitement with fancy lights knobs and extra buttons, all in an effort to be more than normal. The Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard is all about less, in a good way. The keyboard is ultra-slim, .62" x 13.9" x 6.54". The included numberpad measures 4.02" 6.29" with the same thickness. When sitting on a desk, it truly stands apart with its good looks. But a keyboard shouldn't be judged in just outward appearances, so I put it through a grind of four different computing situations: I used it as a casual user would and as a gamer would. I tried it in the newsroom and as part of a home theater PC setup.

In the casual use, it was paramount to me that the Mobile Keyboard was comfortable to use. For browsing the internet and sending emails, you really can't go wrong. In this setting, I discarded the numberpad to a drawer, because there wasn't really a need for it. With no cable going to the back of your computer and a small profile, it takes up remarkably little desk space and still lets you do what you want.

Gamers generally hate anything that's wireless, though I wouldn't put myself in that category (as I've used a wireless mouse most of my gaming life). They'd rather be tethered to the computer to make sure there's no lag that could possibly put them off target. I spent a couple of hours playing Team Fortress 2 with the Mobile Keyboard, and made sure I played a class other than the Engineer so that I'd have to move around. I'm happy to say that it performed the way a keyboard should. There was no discernable lag while playing, and I was able to run forward and back, strafe and jump without any problems. You shouldn't be afraid of the Mobile Keyboard if you're looking to game on it. You can easily keep the numberpad nearby if you're in need of it, but I found that while gaming it was nicer to toss it aside so that I could have the mouse and keyboard closer together for a more natural posture.

In the newsroom, I needed to have the numberpad out because there are a number of macros that we have that require numbers to be hit specifically on the numberpad. This is the one situation where the keyboards layout became frustrating. Because I frequently use the home, end and insert keys while preparing newscasts, I found myself getting frustrated with the keyboard. There's a "Fn" key that laptop users will be familiar with. It needs to be hit in order to access the home, end and insert keys and it just didn't seem nomral or intuitive. I actually found myself discarding the keyboard in favor of a normal layout. So in a business situation, where you need those keys, it may not be the best option.

When I brought it home and tossed it on my couch, I felt like I'd finally found the perfect situation for it. I paired it with my home theater PC, and instantly it became my favorite couch keyboard. The Mobile Keyboard lacks the traditional media center controls, but does have a pair of volume buttons and a mute button. The reason I liked the Mobile Keyboard so much in the Home Theater PC setup is because of its size and looks. It still functions perfectly well as a keyboard, but doesn't look out of place underneath a glass coffee table or on an end table. Paired with a wireless mouse, the keyboard is a fantastic addition to the HTPC, wherever it is.

One word of caution though, there is not an included transceiver. This is a Bluetooth keyboard aimed at users that already have the connection on their computers. If you're pairing the device with a laptop, there's a good chance Bluetooth connectivity is already there. If you have a desktop, however, it's more likely that you'll need to pick up a USB Bluetooth receiver. I grabbed one off of eBay for less than $4 shipped. It was tiny and plugged into the back of my PC. Windows recognized it and installed the drivers without any issues and allowed me to pair the keyboard on any PC. I can understand why Microsoft chose not to include a Bluetooth transceiverin the box, because they wanted to keep costs to a minimum. Additionally, they're as up front about it as possible saying that the receiver is not included and that the keyboard is meant to be paired specifically with computers that already have Bluetooth connectivity, and part of the point is that people wouldn't have to carry a transceiver around..

Keep in mind this is a "Comfort Curve" keyboard, which means that it's slightly slanted. If that's not for you, or if you're not used to it and wouldn't want to switch, it might not be in your best interest. I ended up liking it, even though I don't use curved keyboards on a regular basis.

The Microsoft