The Ideal Desktop Companion for Notebook PCs

The Logitech diNovo Cordless Desktop is designed for desktop use as well as for people on the move, who carry their notebooks with them everywhere they go, whether from city-to-city, office-to-home, or simply room-to-room. The new diNovo is a lower-priced version of the award-winning Logitech diNovo Media Desktop. It combines the sleek, low-profile design elements of the original product with the top-selling Logitech Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks and a separate cordless numeric pad. The result is a versatile modular ensemble that offers desktop comfort plus instant mobility, letting people easily pack away mouse and numeric pad and be on their way.

{mosgoogle}The diNovo Cordless Desktop comes at a good time for Logitech. Sales of notebook computers has been growing at a much higher rate than desktops, and last just month, notebook sales overtook desktop sales for the first time ever. The desire to be mobile is a key factor in defining today's PC market and the diNovo is a perfect product for this market.

Logitech believes this mobile trend involves a number of trade-offs for the consumer. When people choose a notebook PC as their primary computer, they sacrifice a certain degree of comfort and functionality. They accept compromises both in the layout and feel of the keyboard, and in the default pointing device, which is typically a touchpad or an track point tip. They also give up their numeric pad and are forced to use the much more awkward number key row.

The diNovo Cordless Desktop addresses these issues by providing a solution that is totally satisfying at the desktop, with a complete, full-function keyboard, mouse and numeric pad, or on the go, where mouse and numeric pad can be easily tossed in a briefcase or purse and taken along. The diNovo is an ideal keyboard and mouse for either a full-size PC or a notebook PC being used as a main desktop computer.

• An elegant, ultra-flat keyboard, with full-size typing layout and full-travel keys - much more comfortable for notebook users.
• A separate cordless numeric pad that doubles as a smart calculator and thermometer, displays time and date, and gives you more flexibly in arranging your desk space.
• A compact USB mini-receiver that plugs either directly into your PC or into the convenient USB desktop stand.

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The Keyboard

The full-size keyboard layout, with full vertical travel distance of standard desktop keys (3.2 mm) ensures easy, non-constrained operation and a familiar feel. Included on the keyboard are three hot keys for Internet, Mail and Search, media controls for audio and video, and enhanced F keys that provide one-touch access to common applications and useful functions.

Multifunction Number Pad

The diNovo Cordless Desktop ships with a separate cordless numeric keypad that doubles as a smart calculator, thermometer, and time and date display. The pad fits snugly beside the keyboard, on either the right or left side, providing complete flexibility in arranging a personal workspace. The numeric pad, which features a three-line LCD, also provides basic media control for audio and video. A removable cover protects the pad when it is placed in a briefcase.

The cordless mouse that is included with the diNovo Cordless Desktop package provides 800 DPI resolution and features Logitech’s proprietary FastRF transmission technology.

With a report rate of 125 reports per seconds, FastRF ensures that the mouse will consistently deliver corded performance without the cord.

The mouse communicates with the PC via a compact USB Mini-Receiver that plugs either directly into the PC or, in cases where the USB port is awkward to reach, into a convenient USB desktop stand. To ensure maximum battery life, the mouse features an on/off switch. For easy travel, mouse and Mini-Receiver are easily stowed in an included carrying case.

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{mosgoogle}Using The diNovo At Home

While the diNova Cordless Desktop can be used with any PC system it really is designed for notebook users who's primary computer is a notebook.

By using the diNovo with an outboard LCD monitor, you can turn your notebook into a nice little desktop computer. Just connect the LCD to the notebook's VGA or DVI port, then connect the diNova Cordless Desktop with the USB Mini-Receiver and you'll have all the feel and function of a full blown desktop computer.

This kind of setup is ideal for mobile users who have true desktop replacement notebooks. Today's notebooks are more powerful than ever. Some notebooks, like my new Dell XPS Gen 2, are faster than some of the fastest gaming desktops PCs. By combining my Dell XPS and the diNovo Cordless Desktop with a LCD monitor, I have the best of all worlds.

When It's Time To Hit The Road

A laptop user never stays at home for long. When it's time to pack the notebook for a road trip, the diNovo Cordless Desktop makes a good traveling companion - well the mouse and number pad does anyway, as most users will want to leave the keyboard at home. The diNovo mouse comes with a nice little travel bag that will also hold the USB Mini-Receiver. The diNovo number pad has a removable protective cover to prevent damage.

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Performance and Testing

I tested the diNovo Cordless Desktop with my Dell Inspiron XPS Gen 2 Gaming notebook. I use the system at home and on the road. When at home, I use the the XPS with the diNovo keyboard and have the XPS act as a desktop computer. When on the road, I took along the diNovo mouse and numeric keypad and use the XPS built in keyboard.

{mosgoogle}Setting up the diNovo Cordless Desktop requires no software if you're running Windows XP - just plug the USB Mini-Receiver into any free USB port and hit the connect button. Then it's just a matter of hitting the connect button on the diNovo keyboard, mouse and numeric pad. A total of six AA batteries (included) is required to power the diNovo Cordless Desktop.

Whether on the desk or on the road, the diNovo Cordless Desktop proved to be a very nice keyboard mouse combo. The keys have nice feedback but they're also very springy and they lack that clicking sound found on other Logitech keyboards. Compared to the keyboard on the Dell notebook, it was no contest - the diNovo wins hands down.

I like how Logitech added more functions into the numeric keypad. And those functions, like calculator, temp and time reading are available for use anytime - without having to be connected to the laptop. Unlike the keyboard, the numeric keypad doesn't have any foot pegs to raise the angle up. I guess Logitech felt this was not needed as most user don't use a numeric keypad as much as a keyboard. However, I felt it would have been nice to have those pegs, if only to line up perfectly with the keyboard when it's angled up.

The cordless notebook mouse offers a good weighted feel but lacks the enhanced ergonomics of the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse, which still remains our favorite mouse for mobile use. It would have been nice if Logitech included a second USB Mini-Receiver. This way, when you're on the road with the diNovo mouse and numeric pad, you can hook the keyboard to another computer back home - like a media PC.

Overall, I like the diNova very much. It's a very nice looking package that will compliment any computer room. The design is well thought out and nicely executed. What I don't like about the diNova is the price. The deNova Cordless Desktop just as expensive as Logitech's Cordless Desktop MX3100. However, the MX3100 is not portable. And being a full blown portable desktop keyboard and mouse is what the diNovo Cordless Desktop is all about.

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