Lenovo Multimedia Remote with Keyboard user reviews

Pros Sits nicely in the hand.

Cons No backlight on the keys
Trackball moves slightly when you lift your thumb off it
Flimsy mouse button switches

Summary Despite its other drawbacks, I loved this thing right up to the point where I used it to play Angry Birds and busted the left mouse button switch. Lenovo needs to use heftier switches in the next version. I probably won't buy another until they do.

Pros The whole family had been using this for a year now. It's inexpensive and reliable.
It's not perfect, but not all bad either. The ambidextrous design is great and the track ball moves well. I'm generally pleased with it.

Cons It really needs a lighted keypad (with ambient light sensor of course) and the key clicks are do not always produce output on certain keys without pressing hard enough. The right and left-click buttons need to react at the outside areas, rather than right

Summary If Lenovo could improve the keyboard issues, light it, and change the battery compartment design so it doesn't fall off so easily when dropped, it would truly be the best media center remote on the market.

Pros Minimalist design, easy to setup and use, no drivers required.

Cons Cheap, poor quality feel, overpriced (if you pay full price)

Summary If you have a computer hooked up to your TV, this is a great option. I use Plex on a Mac Mini and it's not the most useful for that since the Apple remote handles everything great, but for anything else it's awesome to have a full keyboard and mouse in the palm of your hand. I also have an App on my iPhone that does the same thing but it's a pain to use sometimes and it's nice to have something dedicated. The plug and play setup is so simple it's almost unbelievable. No drivers or even a keyboard setup required. It worked as soon as I plugged it in. The receiver doesn't require line of sight so that's great too. There is a little spot for the dongle in the battery compartment which is great because that thing would get lost so fast if it didn't.

It feels natural in your hand and using the keyboard and mouse is simple with one hand. If you're trying to do advanced or speedy typing, this isn't for you (get a full sized keyboard) but it's better than typing on most cell phones with keyboards. The media keys work great too (although again not in Plex). The only problem I had is the light, plastic feel feels really cheap and poor quality. For $70 that Lenovo is asking for it, I would expect higher quality. The fact that they can discount it almost 60% means they built it cheap and are making a killing on margins. Lower the price a bit Lenovo.

I got this using their holiday deal meaning I got it for $25+shipping. At that price, I can hardly complain. I would never have paid the $69+shipping that Lenovo is asking for it though.

Overall, a great device and I recommend it to anyone who hooks up their computer to their TV.

Pros Has all the normal keyboard keys plus dedicated media keys. Back has a nice non-slip surface. Receiver is tiny, so it doesn't stick out very far even if you use a front USB port.

Cons Front is glossy, so fingerprints are picked up eaisly. Not lighted. Both minor cons.

Summary I got this yesterday and already love it. It's not made for typing the next great American novel, but for navigating the web and running a media center computer, it's great. It will even do a good job of typing a quick e-mail or tweet (if you're into that). At first I thought the keys were a bit small for my big thumbs, but they are slightly convex and provide good tactile feedback, so it's quite easy to type on. My speed is not as fast as on a normal keyboard (I'm neither a touch typist nor a "texter") but sufficient for the purposes stated above.

No need to install drivers. Device was recognized by Windows 7 as soon as I turned it on.

The track ball is accurate, but unless you're used to using one, it coild take some getting used to.The control panel allows you to adjust the pointer speed, trails, etc.

I replaced a full-size wireless keyboard and mouse with the Lenovo and, needless to say, it takes up a lot less room and is a lot more convenient. Plus, only need two batteries instead of four.

I got it for $41.99 USD after applying a coupon code I found on an Internet search. Even at MSRP of $61, it's worth it.

Try it...you'll like it.