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- Ronald Epstein
[SIZE= 28px]LOGITECH WIRELESS SOLAR KEYBOARD K750 FOR MAC[/SIZE]
[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]Reviewed by Ronald Epstein[/COLOR]
[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]September 2011[/COLOR]
Earlier this Summer I had the opportunity to attend a Logitech preview event in NYC where I was fortunate enough to be among the first to get a peek at upcoming products designed to work with Apple computers and tablets.
One of the many cool items I got to see was the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard 750. What immediately grabbed my attention about this keyboard was not the fact that it was wireless, but rather the fact that it didn't to rely on batteries nor electric charges. It's operating power came solely from LIGHT.
(Click on photos above for larger image)
The keyboard I received directly from Logitech did not include original packaging, so unfortunately, I am unable to show you that. However, what counts is inside the packaging which includes the Logitech wireless solar K750 keyboard, unifying receiver and wireless extender.
By the photos above you can see that this keyboard has a very slim, 1/3" thickness. It's also quite lightweight, making it perfect for travel. The only thing you need to do once you unpack the keyboard, is plug the small USB stick into your laptop or desktop drive. The keyboard instantly pairs with your Mac and within seconds you are ready to type. There is no software to install.
The Logitech Advanced 2.4GHz gives you an extended, wireless connection without dropouts. Once I plugged the USB dongle into my hub, I was able to operate the keyboard without problems from a good 6 feet away. Even when moving across the room the keyboard was still typing away without any drop in signal. So, distance between USB dongle and keyboard is certainly not an issue.
It's difficult for me to give you a fully unbias opinion of how much I like the feel of the keys beneath my fingers as I type. I have been spoiled for a long time using the Logitech diNovo wireless keyboard for Mac, which costs 4x the price of the K750. It is without question the best keyboard Logitech offers, and a huge step up in overall build and feel. I think the K750 has a much cheaper feel to it. Keys feel more abrasive to the touch and as you press down it has a more stiff than springy feel. Comparing the K750 to an Apple wireless keyboard, I found the same problems. Kind of hard to describe, but the K750 has a more abrasive, plastic feel beneath the fingers when typing across it. I definitely prefer the softer, springy feedback I get with the Apple and diNovo keyboards. That's not saying the K750 is a bad keyboard -- I just couldn't warm up to its tactile feel and I think that's definitely an outcome of using something more expensive.
What I thought was rather neat, was the availability of the Logitech Solar App. It can be downloaded for free from the Mac App Store. This app allows you to instantly check the status of your keyboard so you know how much charge it has and if it is receiving enough light. It can be instantly launched directly from the keyboard by pressing a solar "hot key" in the upper right corner. With minimal light coming into my office, I was quite pleased to see the indication given in the photo above.
I should note here that the keyboard comes in 5 different colors to suit your style: Silver, Blue, Black, Pink and Green. I had a very sinking feeling in my stomach upon unpacking this keyboard and finding out Logitech sent me one in pink. Not a masculine color for a guy, and not something I am going to feel comfortable keeping in my home office. On a positive note, this does allow me to show off an available color option outside of the standard silver and black.
[SIZE= 24px][COLOR= rgb(128, 0, 0)]Conclusion[/COLOR][/SIZE]
The Logitech wireless solar K750 for Mac falls short on quality of the wireless Apple keyboards that are included with their desktop machines. However, this keyboard is slightly less expensive than Apple's offering and doesn't require batteries, which puts this in a league of its own. There's no denying that not having to buy batteries for a keyboard that charges via direct or ambient light is an outstanding value. In fact, I plan to make this my traveling keyboard -- one that I never have to worry about charging nor having to buy batteries for. I just hope nobody catches me using a pink keyboard.
Sure...a high recommendation here and another innovative product from a company I love. Can't wait to show you what they have done next. Stay Tuned!
[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]Reviewed by Ronald Epstein[/COLOR]
[COLOR= rgb(0, 0, 205)]September 2011[/COLOR]
Earlier this Summer I had the opportunity to attend a Logitech preview event in NYC where I was fortunate enough to be among the first to get a peek at upcoming products designed to work with Apple computers and tablets.
One of the many cool items I got to see was the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard 750. What immediately grabbed my attention about this keyboard was not the fact that it was wireless, but rather the fact that it didn't to rely on batteries nor electric charges. It's operating power came solely from LIGHT.
(Click on photos above for larger image)
The keyboard I received directly from Logitech did not include original packaging, so unfortunately, I am unable to show you that. However, what counts is inside the packaging which includes the Logitech wireless solar K750 keyboard, unifying receiver and wireless extender.
By the photos above you can see that this keyboard has a very slim, 1/3" thickness. It's also quite lightweight, making it perfect for travel. The only thing you need to do once you unpack the keyboard, is plug the small USB stick into your laptop or desktop drive. The keyboard instantly pairs with your Mac and within seconds you are ready to type. There is no software to install.
The Logitech Advanced 2.4GHz gives you an extended, wireless connection without dropouts. Once I plugged the USB dongle into my hub, I was able to operate the keyboard without problems from a good 6 feet away. Even when moving across the room the keyboard was still typing away without any drop in signal. So, distance between USB dongle and keyboard is certainly not an issue.
It's difficult for me to give you a fully unbias opinion of how much I like the feel of the keys beneath my fingers as I type. I have been spoiled for a long time using the Logitech diNovo wireless keyboard for Mac, which costs 4x the price of the K750. It is without question the best keyboard Logitech offers, and a huge step up in overall build and feel. I think the K750 has a much cheaper feel to it. Keys feel more abrasive to the touch and as you press down it has a more stiff than springy feel. Comparing the K750 to an Apple wireless keyboard, I found the same problems. Kind of hard to describe, but the K750 has a more abrasive, plastic feel beneath the fingers when typing across it. I definitely prefer the softer, springy feedback I get with the Apple and diNovo keyboards. That's not saying the K750 is a bad keyboard -- I just couldn't warm up to its tactile feel and I think that's definitely an outcome of using something more expensive.
What I thought was rather neat, was the availability of the Logitech Solar App. It can be downloaded for free from the Mac App Store. This app allows you to instantly check the status of your keyboard so you know how much charge it has and if it is receiving enough light. It can be instantly launched directly from the keyboard by pressing a solar "hot key" in the upper right corner. With minimal light coming into my office, I was quite pleased to see the indication given in the photo above.
I should note here that the keyboard comes in 5 different colors to suit your style: Silver, Blue, Black, Pink and Green. I had a very sinking feeling in my stomach upon unpacking this keyboard and finding out Logitech sent me one in pink. Not a masculine color for a guy, and not something I am going to feel comfortable keeping in my home office. On a positive note, this does allow me to show off an available color option outside of the standard silver and black.
[SIZE= 24px][COLOR= rgb(128, 0, 0)]Conclusion[/COLOR][/SIZE]
The Logitech wireless solar K750 for Mac falls short on quality of the wireless Apple keyboards that are included with their desktop machines. However, this keyboard is slightly less expensive than Apple's offering and doesn't require batteries, which puts this in a league of its own. There's no denying that not having to buy batteries for a keyboard that charges via direct or ambient light is an outstanding value. In fact, I plan to make this my traveling keyboard -- one that I never have to worry about charging nor having to buy batteries for. I just hope nobody catches me using a pink keyboard.
Sure...a high recommendation here and another innovative product from a company I love. Can't wait to show you what they have done next. Stay Tuned!
