Product Review: Microsoft Arc Keyboard

We picked up a Microsoft Arc keyboard to check it out.

Firstly, we do have a bit of a beef with Microsoft keyboards that gives Logitech the advantage: Where is the Mouse Right Click button?

On Logitech keyboards we can hit a key or combination of keys to bring up the right click menu wherever the mouse cursor happens to be. For keyboard users this is a big time saver.

Microsoft does not have that button on this keyboard. So, right away the mouse hand is moving back and forth between the mouse/touchpad and keyboard for that right click menu.

The keyboard itself looks to be purposed for mobile carrying as it is rather compact:

The SSD sitting on the keyboard is a standard 2.5” Intel 320 Series.

While it does take a bit to get use to the keyboard’s key layout due to the compact size and the arc of the key set once that hurdle is overcome it is actually quite easy to use.

The keys have a solid feel to them with excellent feedback. One knows that a key press has happened.

The catch with that for those of us that are used to keyboards with a much lower spring load in the keys is that we will miss a number of key strokes around the edges both due to that and the arc until we get use to using it.

In the end this keyboard is great for mobile folks that require the ability to type a lot of information into their systems.

As far as being a daily driver the Logitech MX 5500 is probably one of the best all around keyboards to work with along with the MX Revolution mouse that comes with the MX 5500 kit.

For the wrist conscious the Microsoft Wave keyboard takes a load off of the curvature that a straight keyboard causes in the wrists and thus reduces pain there after a long day’s typing.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
Co-Author: SBS 2008 Blueprint Book

*Our original iMac was stolen (previous blog post). We now have a new MacBook Pro courtesy of Vlad Mazek, owner of OWN.

Windows Live Writer

Vista Tip: A quick way to logoff or lock your workstation

That Start Button on the keyboard is pretty handy!

Whether you use the mouse, or your keyboard, here is a really quick way to logoff your Windows Vista machine:

1. Click the Start Button or hit the Start key on your keyboard.
2. Type: Logoff [Enter]
3. Done.

Nice and simple eh?

Oh, need to walk away from the system? One quick way to lock your workstation is to CTRL+ALT+DEL --> [Enter].

An even quicker way:

1. Hold the Start button on your keyboard and hit the L key.

Yes, this key stroke series works with Windows XP as well. :)

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

*All Mac on SBS posts are posted on our in-house iMac via the Safari Web browser.

Mac on SBS - Some keyboarding basics ... Right click?

Okay, so the very, and I mean, very first think I noticed with the "Mighty Mouse" that came with this iMac is that it doesn't have two mouse buttons.

Whatssup with that anyway? :D

Fortunately, when I was first walking into MacLand I was on an iMac at our client we are doing a Tech Assessment for and one of the most knowledgeable Mac users was right behind me. I was able to turn to her and ask her any question that I needed to ask and she readily had the answer. Thanks for that Frances! ;)

So, what do we do for that Right Click?

CTRL + Click does it. CTRL + Click on anything like we are used to in the Windows environment and we have a menu to peruse.

One small caveat with this setup unless one plugs in a two button mouse: The CTRL + Click disappears in a Parallels virtual machine (VM) or in a Remote Desktop connection.

When working with a Parallels Windows based VM, or on an RDP connection the keystrokes become: SHIFT + CTRL + Click.

Houston, we have lift off! :D

Some other Mac-Windows (listed Mac to Windows) differences for those of us who use their keyboards primarily:

• Alt/Option + Arrow Key operates the same way as CTRL + Arrow Key in Windows
• Adding the SHIFT key to either then highlights the words
• Apple Key + C, Z, X, etc. operates the same way as CTRL + C, Z, X, etc.

As with the Windows environment, any task that has a keyboard shortcut will have that shortcut listed to the right of the task's menu item.

From the Parallels Forum: CTRL-Click not working.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

*All Mac on SBS posts are posted on our in-house iMac via the Safari Web browser.

RDP into a Multiple Monitored System & Can't Find My Window?

My system has multiple monitors running on it. I use multiple monitors because they facilitate my ability to manage multiple servers, clients, and run multiple applications efficiently.

There is a catch to that setup though, when I need to RDP into the system, all of my open windows will not show up in my only available RDP desktop window. The RDP window will always open up to whatever Monitor 1 has on it. Monitor 2, 3, 4, etc. will not show up.

To get to your open window do the following:

1. Click on the open window's button on the taskbar
2. Hit the ALT key on the keyboard.
3. Hit the Space Bar.
4. Hit the M key on the keyboard for "Move".
5. Hit any one of the Arrow Keys on the keyboard once to lock the mouse pointer to the unseen window.
6. Move your mouse with the now attached open window to your RDP desktop window.

Voila! You can now see the desired window.

An alternative method is to click on "Move" after Right Clicking on the program window's Taskbar button.

If you remember which monitor the not-seen window is on, it is just a matter of mousing in the direction of your principle monitor.

Closing and then opening the program will not work because the program's window will open up in the previous location/monitor.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

Office 2007 Keyboard Shortcuts for Office 2003 Users

While in Excel, I got this message as I went about my usual keyboard shortcut to do something. This little gem popped up to let me know that I can continue with the way I would have done it, or cancel out:

That's a nice touch for us keyboard shortcut users.

Here's another screen shot of what happens when you hit the ALT key:



The ALT+Letter combination possibilities come up. This gives one the chance to get familiar with the new ways of keyboarding around the interface.

So, after hitting the ALT first, then the H to bring up the next set of keyboard strokes within the Home tab, we come up with the following:

There are certainly a greater number of steps to achieve the same tasks as before, however, there are now a whole new set of keyboard shortcuts for commands that one would have had to manually create in Office 2003.

And, for ALT+F we find our old File menu under the Office Symbol:

We have the traditional key strokes, and then a few new ones for some new sub menus.

The blue lines represent previously opened files in Excel, Word, etc. I do like the fact that we are no longer restricted to 9 previously opened files.

The learning curve involved with the new key strokes is not too steep. It will not be too difficult to pick up for those of us who use our keyboards more so than our mouse to get around a program's interface.

Happy Keyboarding!

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists.