Logitech Cuts the Cord

LAS VEGAS -- Logitech this week Friday announced a new keyboard and mouse product, which combines the company's existing MX1000 laser mouse and new MX3100 wireless keyboard into one package.

The announcement came at the International Consumer Electronics Show here.

The Cordless Desktop MX3100 comes with a laser-tracking mouse, which the company claims is better than the LED (light-emitting diode) tracking technology used in optical mice. The system's wireless keyboard includes special keys for recording and playing music and video on a PC, the company says. Additional buttons can be used for touching up photos and zooming in and out of documents.

Both the wireless keyboard and mouse will share one RF (radio frequency) receiver and will have horizontal and vertical scrolling capabilities. The receiver will also recharge the mouse, Logitech says.

The set will cost $150 and will be available online and at retail stores in Europe in March, and in the U.S. in April.

Getting the Point

Logitech also launched Cordless 2.4-GHz Presenter, a wireless presentation controller with an integrated timer and an LCD screen measuring 1 inch by 0.5 inch. Once the timer is activated, the LCD displays the time left on a presentation and the controller vibrates momentarily when five minutes and two minutes remain on the timer.

The device has buttons to advance or back up slides, activate the laser pointer, exit a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation, or even blacken a screen.

The Presenter communicates with a PC using a receiver that attaches to the USB port. The $80 presenter will begin shipping in the U.S. and Europe in February.

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