According to Adesso, the two batteries should last about three months under normal use. However, if you use the power switch on the bottom of the keyboard to shut it off when not in use, you should be able prolong the battery life.
Connecting the keyboard to a PC is easy. Simply plug in the USB wireless receiver and you're ready to go, with no pairing or software installation required. It's also compatible with all versions of Windows, and even works with Mac OS X.
The keyboard broadcasts on a 2.4GHz frequency and may be affected by Wi-Fi devices, microwaves, cordless phones, and so on. According to Adesso, it has a range of about 30 feet. In our testing, we were able to use it at a range of about 50 feet, but your range may vary depending on RF interference. The wireless connection does not use security encryption, which may leave your key presses exposed to anyone monitoring the same radio frequency. If you're concerned about security and still want a wireless keyboard, we recommend you use a Bluetooth keyboard or one of Logitech's keyboards with its new Unifying USB receiver, such as the K340 or K350, as they both use 128-bit AES encryption. However, for the average person, its lack of encryption may not be a concern.
At $79.99 from Adesso, this is one of the more expensive compact keyboards we've seen, especially compared with Logitech's $50 to $60 price range for its wireless keyboards, which have encryption and a much longer battery life at three years. For home theater use, we recommend Logitech's K series of keyboards. You'll have to buy a separate mouse to get the same functionality as with the Adesso keyboard, but you should get a better experience and ergonomic design. However, we found several online retailers selling the WKB-3100UB for about $55.
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