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Logitech diNovo Mini Keyboard
Price Range
$119.95 - $170.6

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Reviewed by: garbadgecat
Updated:06-24-08
Duration of ownership:
Strengths: Small, Cover protects it from accidental keystrokes, Bluetooth
Weaknesses: Could use remote charging dock and Universal remote control functions, its very pricey.
Overall Evaluation: Great little keyboard, its small but if you can thumb-type blackberry style your fine. It "fits in" with your remote controls and doesn't require a lap full of space. I bought it to replace a belkin remote keyboard and despite the price it is great.
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Reviewed by: bradbao
Updated:05-28-08
Duration of ownership:
Strengths: small, easy to use, back-lit
Weaknesses: mouse is hard to use, no good for other purposes
Overall Evaluation: bot this for my HDTV Media PC in the living room, and it works exactly as I expected.The keyboard is small, well, I use PDA and iphone all the time, so no issue here for me. The mouse is hard to control, will they can use something like the Track-Point of IBM or better touchpad like on notebooks.
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Reviewed by: hvfusioncl
Updated:05-24-08
Duration of ownership:
Strengths: Bluetooth, good range.compact good and bad.Rechargeable battery.Back lighted keys.Expensive looking packaging.Fine Engineering/COol design.Works out the box, no software installation necessary.
Weaknesses: Huge software package, close too 200MBytes.Price.Feels like a Delicate piece of plastic.Keys could be bigger.
Overall Evaluation: Biggest concern is the touchy keys, seem they will not hold up to normal everyday use. The price is sort of high. $120 or so. I'm glad I bought it cause it's a one of a kind. I wanted a bluetooth trackball so long, but had to settle for this. I know totally different device, but has a touchpad. Software is bloatware. You don't really need to install it under Vista/Xp. I think the instructions say you don't need the usb/bluetooth dongle but I can't get it to work without it, using the bluetooth built into the computer. Good Luck with your purchase decisions. I hope this device proves to be a valuable addition to my entertainment.
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Reviewed by: tekisme
Updated:05-21-08
Duration of ownership:
Strengths: very sleek. easy to use. nice compartment to hold bluetooth adapter.
Weaknesses: the mousepad takes some getting used to
Overall Evaluation: This is a great item especially if you are using it for an HTPC setup. It has great battery life and I love the fact that you can store the bluetooth adapter away if you are on the go.
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Reviewed by: HPALS
Updated:05-12-08
Duration of ownership:7 Weeks
Strengths: Full function remote, Good range
Weaknesses: Awkard location of PC/PS3 switch
Overall Evaluation: This is a useful device for use with home theater PC or PS3. Works on a bluetooth platform. Has a complete keyboard functionality. The change switch for PC or PS3 use is not conveniently located.
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Reviewed by: sierra_nevadas
Updated:05-08-08
Duration of ownership:3 Weeks
Strengths: Compact; cool factor; powers down when lid is closed; good range; backlit display
Weaknesses: SMALL!! Shift key for certain common functions is klutzy; connect button on adapter is small
Overall Evaluation: I wanted a compact keyboard for my HTPC with backlit keyboard. I wanted the diNovo Edge, but the keyboard does not backlight the keys. This is a necessary in a near dark media room. The diNovo Mini is certainly a cool looking device! It gets lots of comments when friends check out my media room. Installation was relatively easy. I was surfing within five minutes. The manual is fairly sparse, and makes no mention of how to perform re-connects of the keyboard to the USB adapter. I even had a hard time finding this on their web-site. Don't install the news/update software, because all it does is pop up all the time with ads!! I like the keyboard. It's not for heavy computer use, but perfect for some web-surfing and HTPC control. You can switch the mouse control from scrolling/touch to skipping via a toggle switch. My only gripe is that some of the media keys (sleep) require holding down the FN (function) key. I wish it was a direct key. Range is very good, and you can hold it in any direction. It powers itself down when you close the lid, thus saving battery life.It is overpriced, however. I would buy one for the PC in my bedroom if the price drops below a hundred.
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Reviewed by: Mason Storm
Updated:05-03-08
Duration of ownership:1
Strengths: Great size, long battery life, and nearly a complete keyboard and mouse substitute
Weaknesses: PC/PS3 switch inconveniently located; function keys could have been implemented by having more of the keys do double-duty as blue-colored "Fn" options
Overall Evaluation: I agree entirely with the review written in early April by another user. This is an awesome device - one of those rare PC-related purchases that will make you absolutely delighted, with a minimum of fuss. I would add that switching back from PS3 control to HTPC control has a glitch besides moving the switch inside the battery compartment: even after I went into the PS3's menu and told it to disconnect from the keyboard, and of course having moved the switch on the keyboard...it was STILL controlling the PS3, and not the HTPC! To go back to HTPC control, I had to delete the keyboard from the PS3's accessories list, and then re-pair the keyboard with the HTPC.
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Reviewed by: bmm89
Updated:04-28-08
Duration of ownership:
Strengths: When it works it's great.
Weaknesses: Tiny keys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Poor functionality - Logitech shouldn't have released this yet. Needs new drivers/software.
Overall Evaluation: The basic functions of the mouse and keyboard works fine without a need to install the software, just plug and play. However, the advanced function required to install their software.There is no instruction came with the box or on the Logitech website. The installation took a long time for it to discover the bluetooth device, so it seems like it hang but don't worry, it will come back. After the initial installation of the CD came with the package, it will download the upgrade from Logitech. If you let the installation completed without interruption the process, you would be fine.
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Reviewed by: caseyahenry
Updated:04-12-08
Duration of ownership:3 Weeks
Strengths: integrated cursor, keyboard, and media center controls; living room-friendly clamshell design; excellent battery life; PS3 compatibility
Weaknesses: frustrating touchpad control; dirt and fingerprint magnet
Overall Evaluation: When I recently purchased my first home theater PC (HTPC), my first order of business was to locate a keyboard & mouse that would be comfortable to use in my living room on a regular basis. I was frustrated to find only a few devices designed specifically to be used with HTPC systems, and none of those seemed adequate for the task. There were one or two devices that integrated keyboards and a touchpad or trackball, but the sheer size of these units made their use in the living room less than ideal. Just when it seemed as if I would have to settle for one of these options, Logitech released the diNovo Mini Keyboard.The diNovo Mini integrates keyboard and mouse functionality into a compact package; it features a palm-sized keyboard and a built-in touchpad that serves double duty as a directional pad. The fist thing one notices about the Mini is its size: it's tiny. The Mini includes a translucent black clamshell cover that closes when the device is not in use, which allows the unit to stylishly sit on a coffee table without taking up a lot of real estate or drawing much attention to itself--one thing that no other HTPC keyboard combo has yet managed to accomplish.The Mini includes a full QWERTY keyboard designed to be used for two-thumb typing (much like a BlackBerry Curve) and it is comfortably held in both hands. The keyboard is effective for quick tasks such as typing an email, web address, instant message, or username and password, but you wouldn't want to use it for any serious text input or document editing. Logitech has managed to squeeze almost complete keyboard functionality into the Mini; the only thing missing are the function keys, which are replaced by dedicated media playback and volume controls.For cursor control, the Mini includes a touchpad that is designed to be operated with the thumb of your right hand. It also includes a mode switch which enables the touchpad to function as a directional pad, allowing easy navigation in Windows Media Center. The touchpad can be frustrating. Moving the cursor across the desktop is fairly easy, but precise control is difficult. Clicking on an icon in the quick launch bar can be a frustrating experience, not to mention attempting to use the cursor to select a line of text. Likewise, the touchpad can also behave erratically when operating in its directional pad mode. During testing, I found that the touchpad would sometimes fail to respond to repeated downward presses. Granted, the diNovo Mini and its touchpad are incredibly small, but I would expect that a more responsive touchpad could have been used.The Mini is a Bluetooth device, and the package includes a Bluetooth transmitter that can be plugged into any free USB port on your PC. Installation is simple and straightforward: insert and charge the battery, plug the USB dongle into your PC, and install the included software. After installation, I did encounter a problem with my PC not recognizing the Mini after I rebooted, but following the troubleshooting suggestions in the manual quickly solved the problem.The Mini includes a rechargeable battery and an AC adapter, which plugs directly into the back of the unit. The Logitech software included with the device monitors the battery status and also allows users to fine-tune the sensitivity of the touchpad and the behavior of the cursor. Battery life is outstanding; I've been using the Mini for about three weeks, and it still indicates a good charge.As an added feature, the diNovo Mini is compatible with Sony's PlayStation 3. To enable PS3 functionality, however, you are required to remove the battery cover and switch the Mini from PC to PS3 mode, which could grow tiresome if you would like to frequently use it to control both devices. It would have been nice if Logitech placed this switch in a more accessible location.Aside from sometimes frustrating touchpad control, my only other complaint is how quickly and visibly its smooth surface collects dirt and fingerprints. Thankfully, Logitech includes a cleaning cloth in the box, but you'll want to make sure that you wash your hands before using this keyboard.Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase of the Logitech diNovo Mini. It allows me to effectively control my HTPC from the comfort of my sofa without having to struggle with a separate, full-size keyboard and mouse. Is this the perfect input device? No, but it is currently the best HTPC input device on the market. Period. If you have an HTPC in your living room and you're looking for a good keyboard, look no further than the Logitech diNovo Mini.
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