Once your signals hit the receiver, you can support Windows, Linux, Mac or Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii (supposedly). Hard to tell whether or not it can actually do all of these things, since the website looks like one a kid would make for his dad's business over the summer between Jr. High and High School, so we'll have to see for ourselves to be sure. [EFO via The Gadgeteer via Oh Gizmo]

From the concept shots and information leaks, both Microsoft and Apple's feature on-screen inputs for doing a lot of things, but they don't talk about text input. Is it going to be a virtual keyboard? Probably. But that doesn't preclude a USB port for a physical keyboard.

What would you use? Obviously, if you need to take this around town, on the train or in the car, you'd need to use the onscreen keyboard. But what about at home and at work? Which would you prefer to use? And why?

The problem with screen keyboards is that you actually have to look at the screen to hit the keys correctly. With real keyboards, touch typists have a physical reference to position their hands. That's why they type blind. With a flat screen keyboard, however, you lose the physical reference frame.

The patent for this screen keyboard, however, uses multitouch technology to automatically align the keys to the position of the hand. Since the keys are always in the same relative position to your fingers, you will always have a physical point of reference: Your own hand. That way, you can blindingly hammer your keys against the screen, knowing that your fingers will always hit the keys they are aiming for.

The patent also details the way this virtual keyboard would appear anywhere on the screen: Just place your hands as you would normally do while typing, and the keyboard will pop up. [USPTO via WMPowerUser]

Updates to the Comfort Curve design include a soft-touch palm rest and low-profile quiet touch keys. As for Windows 7, users can take advantage of a time-saving feature called Taskbar Favorites that allows easy access to open programs by mapping their location to a series of hotkeys and instantly adapting to changes. It also includes Device Stage support—giving users quick access to peripheral devices and a dedicated Windows Flip button for thumbnail previews on both the mouse and keyboard.

The Wireless Comfort Desktop is available now for pre-order on Amazon ($80) and is expected to ship later this month.

Microsoft Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 Makes Everyday Tasks Easier with Smart Features for Windows 7

New desktop set offers ultimate comfort made easy.

REDMOND, Wash. ¾ Aug. 4, 2009 ¾ More than seven in 10 Americans have felt discomfort from computer use,1 so today Microsoft Corp. debuts the ergonomist-approved Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000, which utilizes a Comfort Curve layout that encourages natural wrist posture with a slight six-degree curve. This new desktop set combines the Microsoft Comfort Curve keyboard layout with a soft-touch palm rest to make the PC experience more comfortable. Since the Comfort Curve design launched five years ago, more than 10 million units have been sold,2 and the design's ease of use continues to draw praise, with 94 percent of users recommending the keyboards.3 To complement the comfort, the Microsoft Hardware Group also created smart one-touch features for Windows 7 to help consumers make the most of their new Windows 7-based PCs.

"People are spending more time on computers than ever before, so comfort is very important," said Dan Odell, lead ergonomist and user researcher at Microsoft Hardware. "A Comfort Curve keyboard, like the Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000, provides an easy way to improve your typing ergonomics while maintaining your productivity."

Full Package: Comfort, Style and BlueTrack Technology

The design elements of the keyboard enhance its look and feel with an updated soft-touch palm rest; low-profile quiet touch keys; and a contoured, compact shape that looks great on any desk. The included Wireless Mouse 5000, with rubber side grips and an ambidextrous shape for comfort in either hand, features Microsoft BlueTrack Technology, which lets consumers go anywhere and work with confidence on more surfaces than when using optical and laser mice.4 Both the mouse and keyboard wirelessly connect to the computer via a reliable 2.4GHz mini-transceiver that works up to 30 feet away.

Smart Features for Windows 7

The Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 is the perfect companion for Windows 7 because it gives people smart ways to make everyday computing tasks easier. A new time-saving feature called Taskbar Favorites gives Microsoft keyboard users an easy way to access their open programs. Instead of the traditional My Favorites Keys with stored locations, Taskbar Favorites will map to the location of open applications on the improved Windows taskbar. The icons in the taskbar can be easily rearranged just by clicking and dragging; Taskbar Favorites will instantly adapt to the new icon locations. Other Windows 7 integration features include these:

o Device Stage. Microsoft Hardware mouse and keyboard products will support Device Stage, a Windows 7 feature that gives customers quick and easy access to common tasks, including product information, registration, settings and more for popular device categories such as cell phones, cameras, printers, portable media players and input devices.
o Windows Flip. Microsoft mouse and keyboard users can easily see a thumbnail preview of all open windows with the press of a button. A full-screen preview of the application will automatically display, enabling the user to better identify and select the desired application.

"Our goal is to have a strong ecosystem of compatible and innovative products," said Gary Schare, director of Hardware Ecosystem Product Management at Microsoft. "We're excited about the work Microsoft Hardware has done to light up the key features of Windows 7. For example, the Taskbar Favorites keys on the Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 complement our improved taskbar - helping to deliver a full end-to-end experience to make life on a Windows 7-based PC easier and more enjoyable."

Pricing and Availability

The Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 will be available later this month for an estimated retail price of $79.95 (U.S.).5 The product is available now for presale on Amazon.com and will ship when it is widely released. The Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 is backed by a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty from Microsoft. More information about these and other Microsoft Hardware products is available at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware.

[Amazon]

A study by The National Labor Committee, which is a worker's rights group that actually is not associate with the government, found very crazy (and very cruel) working conditions in a Meitai factory in Dongguan City. Here's a very small subsection of cruelties employees were subjected to:

• Workers are prohibited from talking, listening to music, raising their heads, putting their hands in their pockets. Workers are fined for being one minute late, for not trimming their fingernails-which could impede the work, and for stepping on the grass. Workers are searched on the way in and out of the factory. Workers who hand out flyers or discuss factory conditions with outsiders are fired.
• The assembly line never stops, and workers needing to use the bathroom must learn to hold it until there is a break.
• All overtime is mandatory, with 12-hour shifts seven days a week and an average of two days off a month. A worker daring to take a Sunday off-which is supposedly their weekly holiday-will be docked 2 ½ days' wages. Including unpaid overtime, workers are at the factory up to 87 hours a week. On average, they are at the factory 81 hours a week, while toiling 74 hours, including 34 hours of overtime, which exceeds China's legal limit by 318 percent!
• The workers are paid a base wage of 64 cents an hour, which does not even come close to meeting subsistence level needs. After deductions for primitive room and board, the workers' take-home wage drops to just 41 cents an hour. A worker toiling 75 hours a week will earn a take-home wage of $57.19, or 76 cents an hour including overtime and bonuses. The workers are routinely cheated of 14 to 19 percent of the wages legally due them.

Workers are also routinely penalized for random things, including these, which BoingBoing highlighted:

* "Infractions" punished with the loss of over two hours' wages (fine of 10 RMB—$1.44), including for-
—"Being 1 to 5 minutes late to start a shift…"
—"Not periodically trimming fingernails, which will affect product quality."
—"Not lining up correctly while punching time cards or at the cafeteria."
—"Wearing work shoes outside the work room after work."
—"Putting hands in pant pockets while inside the factory or workroom."

* "Infractions" punished with the loss of 4 ½ hours wages (20 RMB fine, $2.88)
—"…answering a personal telephone call in the workroom."
—"Not diligently working or raising ones head to look around when guests or cadres come to visit."
—"Putting personal objects on the work desk."
—"…listening to the radio while on the job."
—"Not parking bicycles according to company regulations; riding bicycles in and out of the company in a way not in accordance with company regulations."
—"Returning to the dorm after regulated hours [curfew]."

* "Infractions" punished with the loss of nearly seven hours' wages (30 RMB fine—$4.32)
—"Switching beds without authorization." (Dorm beds are assigned by management.)

* "Infractions" punished with the loss of nearly 1 ½ days' wages (50 RMB fine—$7.20)
—"Workers who arrive over one hour late…"
—"Riding the elevator without permission."
—"Plugging in electronics [using electricity] in the dorm room for personal use."
—"Using the company phone to make personal calls."
—"Producing products of low quality…"
—"Workers who…go to visit other workers during working hours."
—"Chatting at the workstation during work hours…"
—"Entering or leaving the factory area without allowing door personnel [security guards] to inspect [search workers]."
—"Treating supervisors with an arrogant attitude…"

* "Infractions" punished with the loss of nearly three days' wages (100 RMB fine—$14.40):
—"Leaving one's workstation without permission…"
—"Putting up personal notices…or handing out flyers."
—"Revealing confidential company or production-related information."

* "Infractions" punished with firing:
—"Violating labor discipline…and not obeying the company's work arrangements."
—"…Taking part in illegal organizations." [In China, this means independent unions; human, women's and children's rights organizations and non-state-sanctioned religious organizations.]
—"Not following the procedures spelled out by government regulations on stopping work, slowing work down, encouraging others to stop or slow down work."
—"Missing three days of work."
—"Disobeying China's one-child policy."
—"Not obeying company arrangements or directions or…collectively causing trouble as a group…"
—"Any behavior similar to that listed above or helping or colluding in such behavior."

If you think these conditions are obscene—and I think most of us should—contact details for the companies that contract Meitai for manufacturing are located at the bottom of the link. [NLCNet via Boingboing]

The XIM 2 gives Xbox 360 owners the ability to use a plug-and-play keyboard and mouse with their console. It's available from XIM's site for a steep $180, but then, the ability to shoot more things even faster and more accurately has to be priceless to somebody, right? It's available to order from their website, though you'll have to wait a bit for shipping. [Engadget]

Then there are the rest of the Spring Updates, which include:

Integration of Live Messenger buddy lists with the friends list, and text chatting while you're gaming or watching movies. That happens in a little overlay window, and it's as distracting as you'd imagine, but I welcome insane multitasking in my life. (I rarely watch a movie at home without a web browser open nearby.)

And background download mode that shuts down most of the Xbox 360, just keeping the HDD, ethernet, and some logic alive for DLing. When the transfers are done, the Xbox shuts down proper. Before then, the status lights will glow in a particular way that indicates its near-comatose but not yet powered down state.

Also...

•The Marketplace gets its own Blade on the top menu level. The blade is red, btw.

•New autodownload feature that'll grab Live arcade demos as they're available. Takes a gig or so.

•"Progressive download controls" let you ff, rw, and pause video as its downloaded from Marketplace, too.–Brian Lam

Xbox [Gizmodo]

April 8, 2007
Instant Messaging Comes to Xbox 360, Expanding the Largest Social Network on Television

Xbox 360 owners can connect with more than 260 million Windows Live Messenger users on Xbox 360, Windows-based PCs and Windows Mobile-powered devices beginning the week of May 7.

REDMOND, Wash. — April 8, 2007 — Your Xbox LIVE® friends list is about to get a whole lot bigger. Microsoft Corp. today announced the launch of Windows Live™ Messenger on Xbox 360™, connecting friends across Xbox 360 consoles, Microsoft® Windows®-based PCs and Windows Mobile®-powered devices. With this update to Xbox 360, friends and families can easily connect and chat directly from their television using Windows Live Messenger, a network of more than 20 billion relationships and more than 260 million active accounts.

Beginning the week of May 7, 2007, the Xbox 360 Spring Update will provide Xbox 360 owners worldwide with access to Windows Live Messenger features, broadening the communication options on the Xbox LIVE social network. Members of the 6 million-strong Xbox LIVE community currently send more than 2 million text and voice messages a day and can now use Windows Live Messenger to text chat with up to six people on their contact list at one time, while playing games, listening to music or watching movies. Text chat adds to the variety of options friends and families already have to communicate with on Xbox LIVE, including voice and video chat.

Current relationships on Windows Live Messenger and Xbox LIVE will be unified on Xbox 360 and users will see at a glance if their existing friends on Windows Live Messenger have gamertags, instantly expanding the breadth of connected experiences they can share online.

"Bringing the largest IM community in the world, Windows Live Messenger, to Xbox 360 makes sense, as Xbox LIVE has really become the largest social network on television," said Jerry Johnson, product unit manager of Xbox LIVE at Microsoft. "For our growing community of 6 million on Xbox LIVE, using Xbox 360 is a very social, connected experience. They are using Xbox 360 to play games, music and movies while simultaneously communicating with one another through video, voice and text chat. With this announcement we are simultaneously expanding the access of Xbox LIVE users to existing friends and family while introducing Windows Live Messenger users to the benefits of Xbox 360."

Beginning the week of May 7, users of Windows Live Messenger on Xbox 360 will text chat using the virtual keyboard accessible on Xbox 360, or by connecting a USB keyboard to the console. This summer Microsoft will launch a QWERTY text-input device, a new accessory that will connect directly into the Xbox 360 controller to support text and instant messaging.

Beyond Windows Live Messenger, the Spring Update for Xbox 360 includes hundreds of new features and enhancements including the following:

A richer Achievement notification pop-up will showcase the name of the unlocked Achievement and the gamerscore value without needing to leave the game to check the Achievements list.
Enhanced family settings features for Xbox LIVE communications enable different defaults for video chat and voice chat.

A new Xbox LIVE Marketplace blade lets Xbox LIVE members access the content they seek — whether it is game content or TV shows and movies (available in the United States) — from one place on Xbox LIVE.
Updates to Xbox LIVE Arcade allow owners to quickly see which Xbox LIVE Arcade games their friends are playing and join in the fun. Xbox LIVE members can also compare progress of leaderboard scores and Achievements directly with all friends on their friends list. Expanded Tell a Friend capabilities make it easier than ever to boast about Achievements and high scores.

A new option in Auto Downloads provides faster access to the entire collection of free, trial-version Xbox LIVE Arcade games.

New progressive download controls provide easy access to optimal viewing options by letting people fast-forward, rewind, pause and resume as their video is downloaded from Xbox LIVE Marketplace.

Extension of the background download functionality will allow owners to set their Xbox 360 console to turn off automatically after downloads are complete.

The Spring Update is free beginning the week of May 7 and is easily accessible to every Xbox 360 owner through Xbox LIVE or on Xbox.com.

Another Rumor: If there's a post with official knowledge of this hardware, it's rumored to come tonight. Or not. According to *reliable sources*.

[UPDATE: This actually turned out to be a very cool and more importantly very real device, coming this Summer. Whoo!]

More image after the jump.

(I've always wanted to say poppy cock on Gizmodo)
–Brian Lam

Xbox QWERTY [Gamespot]

Other neat features are the Windows Live Call button, Windows Gadget button, and a tilt wheel for scrolling. Plus the price is only $79, which means you can get two for the same price as the WED 7000s. – Jason Chen

As you can see (with more after the jump), it's a keyboard. With a Zune dock. What did you expect?

But as long as the keyboard is pretty decent, consolidating two gadgets—a dock and a keyboard—into one is always good in our book.

– Jason Chen

Thanks tipster!

Product Page [Microsoft]

So how good is it?

It's fantastic. Best improvement on this keyboard is, without a doubt, the magnetic dock. It's similar to the dock used in the 7000, but now has a magnetic clasp to hook into the keyboard. That means now both the keyboard and the mouse are rechargeable and wireless. Just dock the keyboard, oh, every few months or so, and you'll never run out of juice. Even the laziest of us can do this, and trust us, we're pretty lazy.

The great thing about this dock is that it doesn't just charge the keyboard, it's also got a built-in 4-port powered hub! You can even plug in the included USB Bluetooth dongle in one of the ports (especially shaped to hold it) so you won't have to give up one of your regular ports on your PC. Brilliant.

Microsoft's also swapped out the black, plasticy keys for a more silver/aluminum material which goes around the entire trim—which makes the keyboard more solid and less cheap. But underneath that finish lies a MacBook Pro-like backlight, which looks pretty spectacular when you're playing WoW at 3AM. The whole setup is controlled by a motion sensor in the wrist rest, which turns on the keyboard and backlight if you approach. The 7000 also has this sensor, but all that does is turn on the keyboard.

According to the industrial designer, they took design details from Cadillac and BMW and certain cellphones to shape the keyboard and mouse. If you're going to be inspired, might as well be inspired by the best.

The bad news is that many of the problems the 7000 had are still present in this version. Since it's essentially the same keyboard, that means the arrow keys are still too small, the touch-sensitive F1-F12 and escape keys are hard to press, the Windows key has been moved, and there's no num pad.

The guys we talked to claimed that the Wireless Entertainment Desktop series of keyboards are supposed to be used as media keyboards and not as productivity keyboards, hence the focus on styling and the difficult-to-use function and arrow keys. But, since we've been using this keyboard daily for our own blogging activities, we can attest that it makes for a more-than-decent productivity keyboard—even if you do have to look down to hit the escape key.

Would we recommend this keyboard? Only for people like bloggers, programmers or chat maniacs who are at their computer for 10+ hours a day. If you can deal with the difficult function keys, the lack of a num-pad, the small arrow keys, the weird Windows key placement and the gigantic price of $249, you'll definitely feel like you're typing on the ultimate keyboard. Otherwise, if you can do without the 4-port USB hub, the rechargeable keyboard, and the silver finish, head for the WED 7000 instead—which is available now instead of in May, like the 8000. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Microsoft]

We got our hands on an almost-final production version and took enough pictures of it to make you feel like you've already purchased it, sprinkled it with crumbs, and accidentally dribbled coffee on the ALT key. Review? Coming soon.

– Jason Chen

Despite losing its graphite grey look and thus, much of its panache, the keyboard manages to still look great while performing great.

The first question is, of course, how the keys feel. If you like soft, laptop-like keys like the Kensington Slimtype keyboard then you're going to be in heaven. The keys don't make a whole lot of noise, don't go down too much, and have just the right amount of spring-back so you can type fast. However, if you're a huge nerd and love the IBM M-type keyboards, then you're out of luck.

There are a few things off the mark in the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000, though.

• Touch sensitive F1-12, Escape, Home, End, Printscreen, Scroll Lock keys. Instead of regular keys, these things are just a raised line on the keyboard that you tap to activate. Not bad if you're in the habit of looking at your keyboard when you want to find a key, but horrible if you're a touch-typist. You can't feel around for the Escape key because just the fact you're touching the key registers it as a key-press. This means you'll have to interrupt what you're doing, look down, then hit the key you're looking for. Neat idea, but lousy execution.

• The Windows key's moved. After 10+ years of getting used to the Windows key being next to the CTRL and ALT keys, they've gone and moved them to a big fan circle down in the middle of the keyboard, below the space bar.

• The arrow keys are too small. About half the size of a regular key (1/3 of the size of some of the larger keys), these arrow keys are a pain in the ass to use. If you're editing text or doing any kind of keyboard work, you'll need the arrow keys often.

• No numpad. Just like a laptop keyboard, if you want a numpad you've come to the wrong place.

But all is not lost. There are some neat features Microsoft added that don't suck. There's a touch-sensitive pointer deal on the right side of the keyboard you can use in place of a mouse. Kind of like a touchpad, but smaller. There's a dedicated Media Center key, playback keys, record key, mute key, and volume and channel keys. Great if you're using this on a Media Center machine.

Then there are the Vista specific functions such as the Microsoft Live Messenger dialer, the Vista key, and the gadgets key. We don't have a copy of Vista here yet, but when we do, we'll update with what we think of these.

As for the mouse, well, it's a standard Microsoft mouse. Suffice it to say we usually buy Microsoft's keyboard/mice combos for the keyboard, then buy a separate Logitech mouse to use instead. Like all Microsoft mice, the scroll wheel has no grip and is way too smushy, the side keys are misplaced, and there aren't enough special keys.

If you're somehow a fan of MS mice, you'll be happy that the mouse charger works great. Instead of docking vertically like Logitech mice do, it's just a flat tray that hooks into grooves in the mouse. No slip and guaranteed contact every time. Plus it's symmetric, so weirdos lefties can use it too.

In short, we love the keyboard but hate the mouse. The keyboard could do for another round of design work—ditching those touch-sensitive keys would be a nice start—but it's definitely good enough to use on a daily basis. – Jason Chen

Product Page [Amazon]

I ripped its box to shreds getting it out of its casing. And then noticed that this isn't the backlit model. Still, it's the nicest Microsoft Keyboard I've ever seen for 4 other reasons. Besides being skinny it has nice 1) rubberized keys, 2) function keys are are touch only, and it has a 3) proximity sensor that turns the keyboard on and off as you sit down and get up from your desk. And its gorgeous. (4)–Brian Lam

Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 [Gizmodo]

The whole process seems pretty straightforward, and the results actually look pretty good. Call of Duty is responsive, and aiming seems much easier than using the joysticks. You'll have to use a wired gamepad, however, so Xbox 360 premium users are out another couple of bucks.

– Jason Chen

Product Page [Video Game Advantage]

The Bluetooth keyboard itself is quite nice. With a gentle ergonomic curve, its scissor-keys give you a pleasant tactile feel that's not too sensitive, yet not too heavy. The usual bevy of multimedia buttons appear in the peripheral of the peripheral, and can be programmed to work with whichever media player the user prefers (not Windows Media Player 11 for us).

The backlit keys dim in reaction to the ambient light. In addition, Microsoft has built in a proximity-sensing function that turns the backlight off after you've removed your hands from the keyboard, and turns it back on as your hands approach. This uses a static electricity sensor not unlike those used in laptop touchpads. We had heard of the proximity feature, and were hoping it would do magic, such as setting our instant messengers to "Away" status for us when we went to get another beer, but its range is only about six inches, so that's impractical.

Besides sensors across the bottom of the unit, the keyboard sports what we'll call a "clickpad" in the upper right-hand corner. Much like an iPod's Clickwheel, it's a touchpad with reactive corners. This can be used to navigate the mouse around the screen. There are also a left-click and right-click buttons on the left hand side.

Other notable controls include touch-sensitive function keys, a Call button to activate Windows Live for full-motion web meetings (with the right hardware), a Media Center button on the right, and a Windows Start button. Microsoft keyboards currently include a Start-menu button, but this one is centrally-located under the spacebar, and pulses when the backlight is off. By clicking it, the Start menu comes up. Start typing, and Vista starts searching. A cool feature, since Search is the buzzword with Vista. Also, holding down the button and hitting the tab-key will reorganize your windows into Flip 3D, allowing the user to cycle through them until they find what they want.

There are other pieces to the keyboard, but all typical, such as battery indicator and self-destruct, you know, the usual stuff found on wireless keyboards.

All of this interfac-inating is done via the one part that actually plugs into your PC: the dock. It also does duty as a Bluetooth dongle, a charging cradle for the keyboard and mouse, and a 2-port USB hub. It's finely designed and easy enough to be thought of as out of the way until you need it, and isn't distracting at all. The keyboard slides in neatly, while the mouse can be docked for lefties or righties equally.

All in all, it's a fully-functional, fun-to-use, high-end interface package that is efficient and pleasing to the eyes and hands. The $250 price tag might be a little much for most users, but for power users or those with special needs, it's not a bad way to go. It should appear on shelves soon, and it signals the start of many new Vista-themed accessories to come.–Matt Hickey

Photo Credit: Michael Ragen

Microsoft Releases Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 [internal]

Goofy names aside, this keyboard really does look pretty swanky. There's the matted black finish, wireless-ness, comfort-style split keys, backlight, rechargeability, proximity sensing for auto-lighting as a user approaches, and Bluetooth support. The release date is sometime late this year, and we can't wait. We're suckers for a sweet keyboard design. – Jason Chen

Ultimate Keyboard [Microsoft via Gearlog]

Microsoft unveils Mac-specific desktop product [MarketWatch via MacMinute]