Ninjaneer
Update: The receiver has stopped working. Its not my computer because I have another one of these setups at work, and I brought it home to test out the computer. So it is definitely the receiver. I have spent over 6 hours on the phone or in chat sessions with various incompetents in the MS tech support apparatus. First, I tried to explain the problem to the Level 1 support lackey. You plug the receiver and nothing happens, the computer doesnt recognize it. It doesnt work in any of my 3 USB ports. My other USB peripherals all work including a different mouse. Its the receiver. It is dead. It needs to be replaced. Her solution, lets update any driver that could have anything to do with a keyboard or mouse. That didnt work. So I get elevated to a Level 2 support flunky. He recommends doing a system restore to the last known date that the keyboard worked. That wont work either, but whatever. Ill let them do what they need to do before they realize its hardware. So he does a system restore to, you know, get rid of all of those driver updates L1 did and some unrelated Windows updates that wont matter. He says hell call me back in 45 minutes to an hour after the system restore completes. He doesnt. He calls me over 2 hours later, at which point I had gave up and started cooking dinner, and leaves me a message to call me back another day. He calls me back, I show him it still doesnt work, and he starts talking about "Well, maybe we could..." and I tell him, "Slow your roll, its hardware, you need to replace the receiver. Arent you convinced yet?" He reluctantly agrees, and tells me I can go get some in person hardware support at my nearest Microsoft store over 1.5 hours away in another state. I told him that didnt really work for me, and he suggested I go to Amazon and request it. I asked how, he said that if I went into my orders there would be something I could click in the order to request a replacement, and I said I dont think thats right, but Ill try it. Of course it wasnt right. I get on chat support. I get a guy who seems like he is actually going to help me. He tells me "heres a request number, go get in touch with sales by clicking this series of things, give them the request number, and theyll get you taken care of." So I went to try that immediately, but the second thing in the series of clicks didnt actually exist on the page for me to click. I try to tell him as much, Im typing, and I know he can see it, just like I can see when he is typing, and basically says "K THX BYE!!!" and disconnects the session. Since then I have been stuck in MS telephone support hell. I think theres a note on my file or number that says "Make sure you f@ck with guy for a while and then hang up on him. AT NO POINT SHOULD HE EVER GET ANY REAL HELP!!!" I keep calling, getting passed around to different people, none of which can ever actually send me the part. Ive remained cordial, no cursing despite a deep burning desire to unload on them, and I keep trying. I dont understand. I would buy it if I could. Logitech sells replacements for their stuff for $10. But MS doesnt. I would have to buy a whole new keyboard and mouse set. Ive been on the phone with them while I write this. If this last person doesnt help (Im on my 7th call, and Ive talked to maybe 10 different people), Im going to go buy a Logitech set. This is ridiculous. Oh, they just hung up on me again. Guess Im done with them. Original Review: Great product. I really like the ergonomics. It helped relieve wrist pain I was experiencing from working on a computer 8-12 hours a day. The mouse is weird at first, but Ive gotten used to it. I thought the separate number pad was dumb at first, but now I like it. You can keep it out of the way when you dont need it, and you can use it on either side of the keyboard when you do want it. I trained myself to use it left handed so I could navigate the mouse with my right at the same time. This is really great for some tasks like entering lots of numerical data into a form or spreadsheet. The only problem Ive had is that the number pad has recently had an issue with losing connectivity briefly. Ill go to use it and Ill have to hit a number key 2,3,4...20 times before it suddenly wakes up and starts working again. The battery is only a couple months old after another battery lasting over a year so I dont think thats the issue. Its a minor inconvenience, but it is annoying.