Logitech, known for their computer accessories including mice, keyboards, and web cams has thrown their hat into the Wii ring.  One of the products for the console is the Cordless Keyboard for Wii.  Is it up to par with the rest of their products or does it simply not measure up?

Right off the bat when opening the Cordless Keyboard for Wii, it was noticeably small.  In fact it reminded me of my Averatec 2150 laptop keyboard which I have no problems typing on.  The build quality is strong and the keyboard looks nice with a white polish that matches the Wii nicely.  It would be a good coffee table keyboard because of the size.  While holding it, I barely noticed the weight of it at all. When batteries were inserted, it added a bit of weight which Logitech claims puts the overall weight at 1.5 lbs.  In the back of the keyboard is the battery compartment along with a slot for the wireless USB transmitter.  There’s also a switch to turn the keyboard on, a small green power indicator LED, and a sync button.

Setting up the keyboard is simple and is done by plugging in the USB transmitter to one of the USB ports in the back of the Wii.  Unfortunately the sync button is on one particular side.  If you own another USB device such as the WiiSpeak peripheral then you’ll need to make sure it’s on the right side so the button faces outward.  This only needs to be done once however since once the keyboard is synced, you’ll never have to push either of the sync buttons again.  I synced up the keyboard to my system and was off to the typing races.

The keys while typing have a flat but springy feel to them.  Not quite the bounce my G11 keyboard gives, but enough where your fingers aren’t wanting to keep keys depressed.  A few keys seem too small for certain hands, namely the directional, FN, OK, and Page keys.  If you have large hands you may accidentally hit two keys at once, but other than that the keys seem to be sized for most hands.  The only real concern I see is the fact the function (FN) key is to the bottom right of the number pad.  Due to the size there’s no room for a traditional 10-key so using the FN key provides that.  To activate the keys however it’s an odd reach with your pinky or opposite hand if you wish to 10-key type.  This is a minor concern however considering the limited usage of Wii browsing.

After I concluded with a few typing tests, I decided to check the range. I went approximately 25 feet away into the kitchen and the keyboard was still responsive.  This is probably due to the 2.4GHZ wireless transceiver which is the same technology as a Wavebird controller for the GameCube.  Unless you’ve got a rather large home theater that seats fifty, I don’t see range ever becoming an issue with the keyboard.

When surfing the web in Internet Channel, it was a much easier experience with text entry than simply the Wii Remote.  Being able to type made surfing quicker and was no longer a tedious task.  The zoom keys worked without a hitch along with the arrow, back/forth, and OK buttons. You’ll have to keep the Wii Remote close by for certain operations such as clicking a link, but considering you’d be performing close to the same maneuvers on a PC, it’s not so foreign.

While exploring Animal Crossing: City Folk, gone were the letters written to the village folk that had a few characters of gibberish.  Now I wrote them long amusing bits of advise that I know they’ll never understand but will always cherish.  Communicating with someone while they’re in your town via Wi-Fi Connection is also easier, but be aware of the game’s 20 character text limit for each line.

If you’re looking for a stylish peripheral that’s actually useful for your Wii, I’d say the Logitech Cordless Keyboard for Wii is a good fit.  The few minor quirks aren’t enough to detract from the overall package that you’re getting in this keyboard.  For some the price tag may be a bit steep, but the product is officially licensed, is quite sturdy (even after a few rough drops it functioned perfectly), and looks simple and elegant.