Logitech diNovo Mini
by Logitech
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List Price: Our Price: $109.00 You Save: $40.99 (27%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $68.00 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech diNovo Mini
Customer Review: Miniature Key Board Perfect for HTPC controls
Summary: 5 Stars
When I set up my first HTPC in the living room, I immediately figured out that in order to switch from HULU to JOOST to You TUBE and search for playable content, I was going to need either a wireless mouse and wireless keyboard, or some slick remote.
Since I also own a Playstation 3 (which is controlled using blue tooth), I was in search of a remote that could handle that as well.
After a bit of research I bought the diNovo Mini to surf the web from my couch. I was pleasantly surprised by the easy to set up and easy to customize keyboard. Especially with the "clickable" circular touch pad (there's also an "Enter" key to mimic the mouse click function), and the light up phone like (but bigger) keyboard that has all the keys set up in intuitive places. You may need to adjust the mouse cursor sensitivity a bit in the set up process since the touch pad is pretty small. Otherwise it can take a couple of tries to get from one side of the screen to the other.
But there's more than one way to navigate the screens. The page up and page down keys work great, the tab is fully functional, and getting to links is generally pretty snappy.
While it a little slow typing on the small key board with my oversized fingers, it gets me where I want to be, and still manages to look good on the coffee table (it looks a bit larger than a Blackberry, and with the clamshell cover, is sufficiently protected from drops and spills). It has a good rechargeable battery life (generally recharge it once a week).
Gamers, this is not the FPS / RTS keyboard and mouse replacement for you(unless you like a lot of challenge).
But I highly recommend this to someone who want to control their Playstation 3 or PC which is connected to a TV from the comfort of their couch / bed where a wireless mouse and keyboard is not welcome.
Customer Review: The Mini Controller for the Youtube and Home Theatre generation ...
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Pros:
1. Light sensing keypad is way-cool.
2. A very simple and easy set-up.
3. Keyboard is responsive and easy to use. Fat fingers wont mind it at all and it's better than using your phone when you text.
4. The rechargeable battery seems to be operating fine and has the regular long life guarantee on it which is better than using a constant stream of disposable batteries.
5. Bluetooth Dongle storage is a plus.
6. A nice device that can and will eventually put all your fancy high-end remotes out to pasture.
7. Overall, a very nice product that delivers exactly what a person is looking for in this kind of product and ahead of the curve.
This is one of Logitech's better hardware offerings as of late.
Cons:
1. Loses connection frequently causing a lot of frustration and aggravation.
2. Slow response time that makes you ask yourself: `Did it lose its connection again?"
3. Connectivity is bit dodgy, obviously as it's now creeping up as the most reported problem from all the reviews.
4. The cover should flip back and out of the way, as it does get in the way and is annoying.
5. No scroll wheel -- a feature which would've made this really nice.
6. Connectivity is only at about 15-20 feet, so forget trying to cross your large Home Theatre system like I did.
These con's are all acceptable minuses for something this nice and this easy to use. I can't see going without it now.
Customer Review: A good enough solution for HTPC
Summary: 4 Stars
My family relies on HTPC to watch BD movies and soap opera of Asia through Internet. The original keyboard and mouse to control the HTPC were Logitech diNovo Cordless Desktop. Of course, the keyboard is large and we have to operate the mouse on the couch because it is not comfortable to operate the mouse on the small desk 2 feet in front of you from time to time. Therefore, I spent some time to find a better solution and finally got this tiny guy based on the criteria:
1. Build of quality. Well, you can get some mini keyboard with touch pad around $40. It seems these keyboards came from the same OEM company in China. Without any long term record, I will concern the quality of these products.
2. Size. Most of the time, we only use "mouse" and it does not make sense to carry around or put a big keyboard on your legs just because you have to use mouse. Therefore, Logitech diNovo Edge and PlayStation 3 Cordless MediaBoard Pro were out of my list. On the other hand, the keys will be small or some of the keys will be pruned to fit the small size of keyboard. That is a trade off every one have to understand before starting to complain.
3. Range. Our couch is about 7 feet away to the TV. Therefore, Bluetooth is the technology to go.
3. Easy to operate. Well, due to the size of this keyboard, I did take about a week to get used to and decide to keep it. The keys are small but responsive. You have to learn to use "Function" key to emulate left mouse click and some keys it does not have. The touchpad on this keyboard is small but is "good enough" to let you control the cursor on screen. The only problem to me now is, it does not have F1 to F12 keys and I need F2 key to get to the BIOS of my HTPC.
It is a good enough solution but not perfect. Anyway, it did delivery what I need now.
Customer Review: Impressive Handheld Keyboard Makes This a Sleek Addition to a Home Theater PC Setup
Summary: 4 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
Logitech continues to impress me with their product line, and the diNovo Mini is a sharp-looking, fully functional mini-keyboard that works quite well with my home theatre PC setup. This one differs from Logitech's diNovo Edge in that this is a handheld version. While I initially was not expecting this to be an important factor in my satisfaction with the product, the lightweight design is what really puts this over the top. With a non-slip grip surface on the back, the keyboard is contoured in such a way that it is comfortable to hold, similar to the well-balanced shape Logitech achieved with its HarmonyŽ One Advanced Universal Remote. I like how the USB mini-receiver conveniently stores under the bottom plate to prevent losing it.
I wish the same thought process could have been applied to the flimsy cover which I could see easily breaking off. The back of this item also holds the battery compartment, a button to connect Bluetooth if so desired, and a platform switch defaults to PC but allows you to switch for use of the diNovo Mini with the PlayStation 3. Even though it was not an issue for me, the fact that Logitech chose not to support the Xbox 360 will be a deal-breaker for many avid game players. However, it does have dedicated Windows Media Centre controls and an integrated ClickPad which acts as both touch and navigational pads. I also happen to think it looks terrific on my coffee table.
Customer Review: Great product --- IF it works!!
Summary: 2 Stars
I must first start by saying that I've worked with computers all of my life. I frequently troubleshoot and iron out issues with other people's computers, so I figured this would be a breeze. Boy, was I wrong. As a side note, I'm using windows XP Professional.
Initially, the product worked great -- for the first day or two. Inevitably though, it would stop working right in the middle of something. I would use it for 5-10 minutes, and then it would not work again. I put my USB keyboard & mouse out in the garage, only to have to bring them back in and plug them in 3 different times!! Boy, was I frustrated! I finally returned it to amazon, as Logitech tech support was no help (had already done everything they suggested -- remove & reinstall battery, make sure it's fully charged, remove and reinstall usb bluetooth receiver, try plugging receiver into different USB ports on computer, remove & reinstall most recent drivers, try to reconnect keyboard using buttons, etc.). The bluetooth light on the keyboard just continuously flashes red. I was ready to throw the thing across the room!!!
I did get a few minutes of actual use out of it when it DID work. I was impressed with the functionality. I use Hulu desktop on my HTPC/Media Center PC, and sit on the couch 17 feet away from my Panasonic 50" Plasma display. It was WONDERFUL not having to get up and run over to the couch any time the phone or doorbell rang, etc. It worked very, very well -- when it worked at all.
My hope is that microsoft will make a similar product that I can try. This was my first foray into using a Logitech wireless product, and I'm unimpressed with the setup & troubleshooting end of it. I've been very fortunate with Microsoft brand stuff so far, that I haven't had any issues. I realize that may someday change.