Introduction

   For those of you who thought that a keyboard is just a keyboard and thus barely any innovations can be added to this old-school device, the Redmond based software giant, proves, once again, that’s not the case. A few months after the introduction of Microsoft Office XP, Microsoft comes back with a new hardware product, a keyboard, dedicated to be used with its top notch Microsoft Office software suite. Though this new keyboard doesn’t feature a revolutionary design, the enhancements are somewhere else. Indeed this keyboard has been incredibly streamlined for productivity with the end user in mind. This new keyboard is clearly the perfect companion for those of you who spend a lot of time writing stuff on their computer. So let’s see how this new typing device can make our lives easier.

Features

Features and Functions with the Microsoft Office Keyboard

• Single Touch Pad -  One-touch access to everyday commands. Cut, Copy, and Paste. Back and Forward for quick Internet browsing. Application Toggle to switch between windows.
• Office XP Integration -  Access to Office programs, such as Word, Excel, and Outlook. Task Pane key opens the Office XP task pane, putting relevant features for common tasks just a touch away.
• Enhanced Function Keys (F Keys) -  Simplified F key commands give you access to common tasks, such as New, Open, Close (documents), Reply, Forward, or Send (e-mail).
• Keyboard Scroll Wheel -  Move around in documents easily without using the on-screen scroll bar, saving time and effort.
• Improved Number Pad -  Common numeric functions such as "=", "(", ")", BACKSPACE and TAB are conveniently positioned above the number pad for easier input of formulas in Microsoft Excel.
• More Customizable Keys -  Reassign most of the Hot Keys and function keys to perform a command or open a file or Web page.
• Sleep* and Log Off Hot Keys -  Put your computer into "sleep" mode (such as suspend, standby, or hibernation) right from the desktop.

Microsoft Office Keyboard (click to enlarge)