Microsoft Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 Promises Relaxing Use, Windows 7 Shortcuts

Logitech isn't the only company with new PC peripherals today; Microsoft have announced their new keyboard and mouse set, the Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000, which bundles a "comfort curve" keyboard and their Wireless Mouse 5000.  As well as promising reduced discomfort from regular use, the set include various Windows 7 features.

Those features include "Windows Flip", which displays thumbnail previews of all open windows at the touch of a button, and Taskbar Favorites, which maps open apps to shortcut keys using the position that they're on the taskbar rather than a preset order.  There's also compatibility with the new Device Stage peripheral manager in Windows 7.

Both the keyboard and mouse connect via a 2.4GHz USB dongle, with a quoted 30ft range.  The keyboard has a soft-touch palm-rest, while the mouse uses rubber side grips and has an ambidextrous shape, together with BlueTrack technology for improved accuracy.  The Microsoft Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 will go on sale later in August priced at $79.95.

Press Release:

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. Aug. 4, 2009 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:

• 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.

• 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.

About Microsoft Hardware

For more than 26 years, the Hardware Group has employed innovative engineering, cutting-edge industrial design and extensive usability testing to create products of exceptional quality and durability that enhance the software experience and strengthen the connection between consumers and their PC. Microsoft Hardware leads the industry in ergonomic engineering, industrial design and hardware/software compatibility, offering consumers an easier, more convenient and more enjoyable computing experience. In 2008, the Hardware Group debuted the world's most advanced tracking technology — Microsoft BlueTrack Technology — allowing consumers to track on more surfaces than optical and laser mice. More information about the Hardware Group is available at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware.