Thursday, December 10, 2020

Holiday Gift guide Review: Kensington Keyboards


 



The Professionals' Choice™
From docking stations, to computer cable locks, to mice and trackballs, to ergonomics, we're proud to design, engineer, and build award-winning products that are trusted by professionals around the globe.

Features
  • Spill-proof keyboard resists coffee, water, soda and other liquids
  • Sealed membrane design lets liquid run through without damaging keyboard electronics
  • Reliable plug-and-play operation with wired USB connection
  • Built to last with a limited lifetime warranty
  • Black keyboard with 104-key layout
Multi-Device Dual Wireless Compact Keyboard
The Multi-Device Dual Wireless Compact Keyboard lets you connect and switch between up to three devices at a time (computer, tablet, or phone), using Bluetooth (3.0 or 5.0) or 2.4GHz wireless with 128-bit AES encryption. Smooth, responsive scissor keys include multimedia hot keys. Windows, macOS, iOS, and Chrome OS compatible. Low battery indicator, so you’re never caught off guard. Includes two AAA batteries. Three-year warranty.
  • Compact design makes it easy to take anywhere and great in tighter workspaces.
  • Dual wireless offers the flexibility of Bluetooth (3.0 and 5.0) and 2.4GHz wireless, with government-grade 128-bit AES encryption.
  • Connect up to three devices at a time (computer, tablet, or phone) and switch from one device to another in seconds.
  • Works with Windows, Mac, iOS, and Chrome operating systems.
  • Scissor keys deliver smooth, responsive typing. Hot keys provide shortcuts for common commands across compatible operating systems. Low battery indicator ensures you’re never caught off guard.
  • Get up and running instantly with the included AAA batteries. A three-year warranty means you can rest assured knowing you’re covered by Kensington.

Trusted for more than 35 years, we pride ourselves on three timeless core values:

Design

Through meticulous research, design, and engineering, Kensington solutions meet the ever-changing performance and compatibility needs of today’s professional.

Quality
The Kensington Engineering team has three decades of experience in high-volume manufacturing of hardware IT products. Rigorous test cycles and quality control means all products are tested above industry standards.

Support
Kensington’s clients are around the world, and include companies large and small. Every customer is treated as a top-tier professional, no exceptions.

Shop Kensington products at kensington.com.

Our Thoughts
Seriously, why did I not know about Kensington keyboards? 

Sometime in the last year, my fairly ancient PC started giving up the ghost. Which meant, of course, new EVERYTHING because just like the PC, everything else was ancient too (well, maybe not quite ancient, but obsolete technology at any rate). I ended up switching to a laptop to be more mobile when working on bigger projects but as I quite dislike (ok, hate, really!) laptop keyboards, I looked for a new keyboard to plug into the docking station.  Now, I like a full layout best - not these dinky little keyboards that frankly aren't any better than the laptop's keyboard. All I could find at the time was a gaming keyboard.  Which sounds like it could be fun, right? Except it's always backlit and changing color, which I find distracting and annoying.  But, sigh, what to do except deal with the backlighting, or use a tiny keyboard . . . so backlighting it was.  Until the offer to review the Kensington Keyboard for Life came in.  Giddy, I tell you.  Giddy! I am literally typing this review on the Kensington Keyboard for Life


The layout is perfect.  You know how keyboards come with little stands on the underside to angle it? Also perfect - the gaming keyboard's stands were just *slightly* shorter.  You don't really think about motor memory until something is just slightly off.  Call me a happy camper! It's super easy to install, too.  No drivers or anything extra to do - I literally just unplugged my other keyboard and plugged this one into its place in the docking station.  

Now onto the Multi-Device Dual Wireless Compact Keyboard. This is a fun little keyboard.  You can use it on up to 3 devices - and what's really neat is you can switch back and forth between devices at the touch of a button - the (darker gray) F10 key. There's even a little light indicating which device the keyboard is currently connected to. Pretty easy to set up - for each device, I turned on Bluetooth and it picks up the keyboard right away. My iPad connects automatically, while my iPhone I have to tell to connect. The keyboard runs on two AAA batteries (which are included) and has an on/off switch. 

While a full size keyboard will always be my preference, I like the  Multi-Device Dual Wireless Compact Keyboard better than a virtual keyboard, although it is a bit unwieldy to carry two things around when you're really on the go. With both speech and motor apraxias, my son types for communication and this will make it easier for him to type when we're on the go. While he is able to type on the iPad's larger virtual keyboard, the iPad shoved into a purse can get quite heavy and this lightweight keyboard will allow him to use just my phone instead of trying to type on the phone's tiny keyboard.

Sometimes I do sit at the table, texting or messaging on both the iPad and iPhone depending on how many conversations are going on at the same time. I can have both devices propped up like two little monitors and switch between who I'm typing to by touching the F10 key. 

Kensington has a ton of different products for whether you're at home, at work, at school, or on the go. Check them out at kensington.com!





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