Logitech diNovo Mini
by Logitech
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech diNovo Mini
Customer Review: Great device for freeing you up to be more comfortable...
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
The Logitech diNovo Mini is a sweet controller for your Media Center PC setup. I found that instead of being tied to a keyboard or a simplistic remote, I could use this instead and get a lot more functionality. Pretty much everything I'd want to do (web surf, text entry, etc.) can be done from the luxury of my couch. This is really what a remote *should* be...
In terms of styling, Logitech has done a great job. The smoked plastic cover gives the unit a sleek design that looks great when you're not using the unit. When opened, you have a full QWERTY keyboard in additional to a touchpad and special function keys for paging, Internet Explorer, and other various tasks. The keyboard does take a bit of getting used to, as they are lined up vertically instead of offset to the right for each row. But at least they are real keys and not a touchpad. The tactile response makes all the difference. Another nice touch is that the USB receiver you can use on non-Bluetooth devices stores nicely in the back of the unit with the batteries. No more hunting around for where you last left it.
Given my... "hacker" tendencies, there is one small thing I still want to try. If your PC or laptop is Bluetooth enabled, you can use the diNovo to control the cursor and application that's in use. My son and I had fun when I first got it, as he kept moving my screen cursor around before I could do what I wanted. I'm curious as to how much you could control other PCs or devices from a distance (say from 10 to 20 feet away). Is the speaker's presentation a bit boring? Speed up his slides a bit. Does he have an application open that accepts text? Enter your own. :) The possibilities could be endless! I may now have a reason to sit in the front row again. :)
Customer Review: Fantastic for it's size and purpose
Summary: 4 Stars
So far, unlike some other reviewers, I have not had a problem with it losing pairing. Do not even think of using this as a primary keyboard for a computer you'll be doing a lot of actual work on, as it's not designed for that use. Doing so won't break it, but you'll be limited by its size and lack of some buttons.
This is a great little keyboard for controling a computer used for entertainment purposes in the living room attached to a TV. The only issues I have with it are that it's not a full keyboard. I don't mean size, I mean missing keys. There are no F<N> keys, so no ALT-F4 to close an app, no F1 to open an app's Help, etc. There is also no Home/End keys for quickly going to the beginning or end of a line or list. It does have page up/down and arrow keys.
The touchpad does take some getting used to. First, the outer edge is not touch sensitive. According to Logitech, this is not a bug, it's a hardware limitation. Second, cursor speed is not exactly linear. If you slide slowly, the cursor will move a little bit, and you'll run out of pad before you run out of screen. But if you zip your finger across, you'll run out of screen before you run out of pad.
The media keys should work in the major media players in Windows, I've only tested it with iTunes and Winamp and have no problems.
It comes with a "mini" BT dongle to plug into your computer's USB port, but if you have BT already, either built-in or with a different dongle, you don't need to use the included one. There is a storage spot for it behind the battery compartment door.
I have not tested this, but there is also a switch in the underside to go from PC to PS3, it's under the BT dongle compartment. The keyboard does not appear to have any of the symble or color codes of a PS3 controler, so unless you know the keyboard mapping already for those, you'd probably want to use it in conjunction with either the six-axis or PS3-BD remote. The PS3, of course, has BT built-in.
Customer Review: Not recommended for PS3 control
Summary: 3 Stars
I have no doubt that the DiNovo Mini is brilliant with a PC. As soon as it arrived at my office, I had it up and running in XP without any more effort than plugging in the Bluetooth receiver. Mouse control, character entry, menu use, et cetera were all great.
Unfortunately, I bought this for my PS3.
I primarily wanted the DiNovo Mini for PS3 browser use. Browsing with a virtual keyboard is intensely annoying, so a keyboard is the only option for extended use. As a character entry and mouse control device, the Mini works great with the PS3. There are button mappings for the cross and circle buttons, allowing for basic selection and cancellation controls.
Where the Mini fails, however, is that it does not seem to have anything mapped to the triangle, square, and Start controls. Triangle is used to access menus all over the PS3 interface, including the PS3 browser menu. Want to access your bookmarks with the Mini? What you'll need to do is grab a PS3 controller to do it. Want to type in an URL? Pick up a PS3 controller, press Start, and then pick up the Mini and do your typing.
Outside of the browser, the Mini also fails as a Blu-Ray playback controller. To access menus during playback, one must use the square button. Again, not on the Mini so grab a controller to pull up that menu. Want to skip to the next chapter? The controls on the Mini do forward and reverse seek only when used with a PS3. Grab a controller and use L1/R2.
There are so many occasions when you're reaching for a controller that it makes the Mini near useless. For $150, I expected a lot more from a device that has a PS3 mode. I would have been better off buying a cheap little controller mounted keypad.
I think the keyboard itself is fantastic. Great form factor, loved the lighting schemes, and it controls a PC like a champ. But if your intended use is as an input for a PS3, do not buy it unless you're okay juggling both a controller and the Mini.
Customer Review: You can do better with a bit more research
Summary: 3 Stars
So I bought this keyboard to function as a remote for my Viewsonic VOT530 HTPC in the living room in September 2010. When I bought it, it was $130, which I thought was a bit overpriced.
The Pros:
This device is smaller than I imagined, about 30% bigger than a typical fold-out keyboard on a smartphone. Logitech's idea was nice, integrating a D-pad with the touchpad. Bluetooth connectivity definitely a plus. Setup was a breeze, and Win7HP recognized this device right out the box without driver installation. Of course, you should install the drivers that came with the unit so you can calibrate it.
The Cons:
The down button didn't work in D-pad mode. At first, I thought it was a calibration issue, but after toying around with it a bit more and doing some research, I found that the problem was common among these units. Logitech tech-support said to remove the battery, mash the keyboard to discharge the internal capacitors, and replace the battery and it should work fine. Although it worked, the d-pad functionality and responsiveness still lags behind other cheaper keyboards.
After using this daily for a few weeks, I'm thinking that a standard keyboard with an integrated touchpad/laser trackball would have been the better bet. I'm getting another HTPC for another room in my house, and I will not buy another Dinovo. I'm checking out the Gyration air remote right now.
Summary:
Overall, this unit works fine and accomplishes all the basic tasks of a keyboard. My complaints are mainly with the D-pad/mouse combo, because I think it was poorly designed. If you have large thumbs, the keys will not be a problem, but the D-pad will get up,down,left,right and click instructions confused, leading to a clunky experience with Win MCE or other HTPC front-ends. I think for the price, this unit is not worth it. Logitech had all the best intentions, but I think their D-pad design left much to be desired.
Customer Review: Simplify your HTPC experience
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Logitech's diNovo Mini is a neat luxury for home theater PC owners because it allows uses to take full control of their HTPC with one small, simple device. The clamshell shape can be held in one hand and takes up very little space on your media center. High eye appeal and diminutive nature is at the very least a conversation starter, as at first glance, it appears to be a tiny PC.
I have had it a few weeks now, and I am getting more comfortable with typing on the small keyboard, although it is a bit of a pain (I hate blackberries for the same reason). I don't do a lot of chatting or IMing, so I don't use the keyboard that much. People who do type a lot may not like the keyboard, but generally those are the same people who type faster on a blackberry than I type on a keyboard, so it's probably a non-issue.
At this price, it may seem like you are paying a lot for what amounts to a keyboard and a Bluetooth connection, but since it monopolizes the market and plugs a hole that has been missing for the HTPC functionality, it is not overpriced. It took less than 10 minutes for me to set up the device. The unit works with a PS3, but is not compatible with Xbox or Apple.
A neat option is the control pad which switches from the standard directional buttons to touch pad. Users will quickly see the benefits when they realize the touch pad works perfectly for navigating a webpage, but is not the right match for the standard windows menu tabs.
Overall, this is one of those gadgets you didn't think you need until you heard of it, and once you have it, you won't be able to imagine life without it.