Cordless for freestyle computing

MANILA, Philippines - Hate cables? Go cordless.

Like it or not, most hardware comes with long and unwieldy cables. Power cords are necessary, but other untidy peripheral cords such as those for keyboard and mouse are no longer needed.

Wireless input devices used to be the stuff of James Bond or Agent 99, but not anymore. Wireless mice have crawled into the boardroom of power executives who, chances are, have also used wireless keyboards in their hotel suites. From there, the tailless gadgets quickly spread to become commonplace so that it’s no longer indulgent for you and me to use wireless input devices while working in front of our computers at home or at the office.

Big IT companies such as Microsoft, HP and IBM, to name a few, offered their own wireless peripherals as add-ons to their flagship products. Others like Swiss company Logitech specialized in them. In 1982, Logitech introduced its first mouse called the P-4 and, 26 years later, shipped its billionth mouse.

Today, the company is producing wireless keyboard and mice like the Logitech MK520 wireless keyboard and mouse combination, which is a good example of how elegant design and functionality can go together, even in common computer peripherals that we often take for granted.

The MK520 keyboard and laser mouse are controlled by the same tiny 2.4GHz USB receiver, which can stay in a notebook when on the move or in a desktop computer. The wireless link saves you the clutter of having cables strewn all over your work area.

The M310 mouse is big enough to rest your hand on top of it comfortably, with a soft rubber side grip and contoured design. An on-off switch at the bottom enables you to turn the mouse off when it’s not in use. A thoughtful touch: a slot inside the battery compartment can be used to store the USB receiver when it’s not attached to a computer.

The full-size K800 keyboard is elegant in black, with keys that have softly rounded edges. A sliver of clear plastic lines the edges of the keyboard, giving it a futuristic look, and a backlight comes on when the keyboard is in use, making it easy to use even in low-light conditions. Keys travel nicely when you type, without making too much noise.

The function keys have built-in media controls that allow you to play, pause or jump forward or backward on your media player’s playlist. There are also shortcut keys to launch common applications such as a Web browser or an e-mail program.

The keyboard and mouse combination works out of the box on a Windows machine, but you’ll need to download Logitech Unifying Software to get the Mac to recognize the keyboard. Some of the keyboard shortcuts don’t work on the Mac, and the assignments to the Ctrl, Windows, and Alt keys may throw Mac users off initially.

Logitech’s Unifying Software is unavailable on Linux systems. However, both keyboard and mouse worked out of the box on a test Ubuntu system.

Power efficiency differentiates the MK520 from similar products in the market, with both keyboard and mouse going to sleep when they are not in use. Logitech says the keyboard, which draws its power from two rechargeable double-A batteries, is rated to last up to three years without a change, while the mouse can run on one double-A battery for a year before it needs a change. Are the claims true? Ask me in three years.

What’s obvious now is how devices like the MK520 point to an increasingly wireless future. And it helps that wireless input devices are becoming more affordable with the MK520 going for only $99 (no local pricing available yet). But if better prices, clutter-free workstations and better mobility while working are not enough reasons to go wireless, how about a chance to look cool with, literally, no strings attached?