Microsoft has unveiled three new desktop platforms in the form of the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000, the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000, and the Wireless Desktop 6000. All three desktops come with innovative new technologies and designs with features that can be used in conjunction with the upcoming Microsoft Vista OS.
In addition to the keyboard/mouse combos, Microsoft has also unveiled a new desktop mouse called the Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000 .
We’ll start with the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000. This is the first ever rechargeable backlit keyboard designed for both Windows Vista and Entertainment PCs such as Media Center environments. The features are extensive including:
- Rechargeable mouse and keyboard – there’s a new Microsoft charging hub which allows you to charge both the mouse and keyboard in one easy to use place
- 2.4 GHz Bluetooth technology support
- Battery Status indicator
- 4 built in USB ports
- 4 way scrolling using tilt wheel technology
- high definition laser technology
- Instant viewer
- Magnifer support
- Brushed aluminum design
Keyboard features
- The keyboard features a navigation pad for built in cursor control from your sofa
- Built in Windows Start Button
- Thin curved design
- Windows Live Call Button
- Compact Industrial Design
- Windows Gadgets Button
- Media Center button
- Intellifent Backlighting
- Media Control
- “My Favorites” Hot Keys
- Intelligent Power systems
Next up is the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 – just a notch below the 8000. This desktop also features a new curved design and comes with the following features:
Mouse and Keyboard:
- Rechargeable Mouse
- Wireless Freedom
- 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® Technology
- Battery Status Indicator
Mouse features:
- 4-Way Scrolling
- High Definition Laser Technology
- Instant Viewer
- Magnifier
Keyboard:
- Windows® Start Button
- Ultra-thin Comfort Curve Design
- Navigation Pad
- Windows® Live Call Button
- Media Center Start Button
- Compact Industrial Design
- Windows Gadgets Button
- Media Controls
- “My Favorites†hot keys
Finally.. in a more boring design.. there’s the new Microsoft Wireless Desktop 6000. This system features a comfort curved design and basically looks like current Microsoft keyboard designs. Features of the 6000 include:
- Battery Status indicator
- High definition laser technology
- ultra thin comfort curve design
- Windows Live Call button
- Zoom
- Windows Gadgets button
- Windows Start Button
- Reversed slope palm lift
- Detachable palm rest
- Support for media center
- Enhanced F Key functionaloty
- My Favorites hot keys
The final piece is the new Wireless Laser Mouse 8000 which is Microsoft’s first rechargeable mouse. It introduces a new design with metal accents. Comes with a horizontal charging station and incorporates Bluetooth technology. Other features include:
- Performance Slider
- Instant Viewer
- Quick Charging
- Faster performance
- Five Customizable buttons
- High Definition Laser Technology
The 8000 will sell for $249.95. The 7000 will sell for $149.94 and the 6000 will sell for $99.95
The Wireless Mouse 8000 will sell for $89.95
Microsoft Hardware Brings to Light First Rechargeable Wireless and Backlit Desktop
REDMOND, WA USA 02/18/2005
New hardware desktops and mouse combine style and performance.
REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Microsoft (Nasdaq:
MSFT) Hardware is evolving and transforming the desktop computing
experience with the industry’s first wireless rechargeable and backlit
desktop, the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000, dubbed the “ultimate
keyboard” when it was unveiled in June. Today the company is shedding light
on this groundbreaking desktop in addition to launching two other new sleek
desktops — the Microsoft(R) Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 and the
Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 6000 — along with its first rechargeable
mouse, the Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000. Whether users are finishing
a report at the office or sitting back to watch a movie in comfort at home,
the innovative technologies these products harness offer the flexibility to
move between work and fun with comfort and ease, and in ultimate style.
“We are pushing the envelope on hardware design to meet the new ways
consumers are using their PCs at home and in the office. Keyboards and mice
are no longer just about typing and clicking — they are an extension of
the individual’s personality,” said Dan O’Neil, industrial designer with
Microsoft Hardware. “The Hardware team took both visual and interaction
cues from Windows Vista(TM) to help create this unique product line that
keeps up with consumers’ performance expectations, comfort needs and style
preferences with better recharging, real metal accents, a symmetrical form
language and intelligent backlighting to continue leading industry
innovations.”
The Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 and the Wireless Entertainment
Desktop 7000 are masterful combinations of futuristic industrial design and
productivity-enhancing features. These stylish desktops are only an inch
thick, yet are filled with deluxe enhancements that allow users to work and
play where, when and how they want. Both desktops take advantage of Windows Vista to allow users to easily accomplish everyday tasks, instantly find
what they are looking for and enjoy the latest in entertainment. New
features that bring key Windows(R) XP and Windows Vista functionality to
users’ fingertips include these:
– The Windows Start Button offers one-touch access to the Windows Start
Menu, with search functionality built in for searching the Internet or
the PC.
– The Gadget Button reveals or hides the personalized information
consumers use most, such as weather and sports.
– The Media Center Start Button allows users to instantly access media,
including movies and music.
– The Windows Live Call Button provides users with the easiest way to
start an instant messaging session or a video call — it’s speed
dialing for webcams.
Superior Wireless Sets Users Free
The desktops tap into the most innovative wireless technology with
2.4GHz Bluetooth(R) technology. Featuring First Connect Technology, the
desktops will work on PCs right out of the box — there are no setup
hassles. For added convenience, the transceiver supports a variety of
Bluetooth profiles for connections to multiple Bluetooth devices. Even with
multiple wireless connections, users will find virtually no interference as
a result of intelligent technology that “hops” when it encounters a trouble
spot.
All Work and No Play?
To complement their many exciting productivity features, the Wireless
Entertainment Desktops shine when it comes to entertainment. The transition
between work and play is effortless with the new keyboards; with up to a
30-foot range and compact design, they are ideal for on- and off-desktop
use. For hassle-free entertainment, both desktops feature a navigation pad
on the keyboard, which allows users to control the cursor from wherever
they are. Users can kick back and relax on the couch and watch a movie or
flip through a collection of favorite songs; with the integrated navigation
pad, there is no need to get up to find the remote control or mouse.
Backlighting Gets Smart
The Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000, previewed in June as the
“ultimate keyboard,” will take entertainment to the extreme with its smart
backlighting features. When users want to kick back, they can simply dim
the lights and use the keyboard to control the TV show they just
downloaded. The automatic backlighting lets them easily see all the keys
without compromising the relaxed atmosphere. With its ambient light
sensing, the backlighting is automatically adjusted based on the amount of
light in the room. It also features proximity awareness to sense when the
user walks away from the keyboard, which prompts it to turn off to conserve
battery life and turn back on when the user returns.
Recharging Redefined
The Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 is also the first rechargeable
keyboard that will allow users to power both the mouse and keyboard in one
easy-to-use charging station and remain fully functioning while charging.
The keyboard slides under the horizontal charging station and the mouse
rests on top, providing a space-saving and sturdy recharging solution.
Microsoft designed the horizontal docking station based on internal
research showing that users preferred that design to current vertical
charging offerings.(1) To enable extra convenience and enhance the
entertainment features, the docking station is equipped with three
available Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0 ports for devices such as digital
cameras, MP3 players and Microsoft LifeCams.
Paired with the new Wireless Entertainment Desktop keyboards is
Microsoft’s first rechargeable mouse, the Wireless Laser Mouse 8000. The
new mouse is the ultimate in sophistication, introducing a chic design with
metal accents. It charges on the horizontal charging station, providing a
sturdy base for mouse recharging and a blinking light for charge
confirmation. The Wireless Laser Mouse 8000 delivers the ultimate Bluetooth
experience and incorporates several new standout features:
– Performance Slider. Users can optimize performance for intense PC tasks
or lower it to extend battery life.
– Instant Viewer. One-click access enables users to view all open windows
and applications at once.
– Quick charging. The mouse fully recharges in less than 90 minutes.
– Faster than wired. Users will experience virtually no latency.
The Wireless Laser Mouse 8000 also includes Microsoft’s proprietary
High Definition Laser Technology and five customizable buttons, including
the Magnifier and Tilt Wheel.
Performance and Comfort in a Sleek Design
Rounding out the new sleek desktops is the Wireless Laser Desktop 6000,
the perfect combination of sophistication and efficiency. The desktop is
also only an inch thick and includes many of the performance elements of
the Entertainment line, including the Windows Start Button and Gadget
Button. It features Microsoft’s Comfort Curve Keyboard design with a
cushioned palm rest that encourages natural hand and wrist positioning, an
easy-to-use layout for enhanced comfort and productivity, and an optional
5-degree reverse slope in addition to the standard 0-degree and positive
tilts.
The included Wireless Laser Mouse 6000 features Microsoft’s High
Definition Laser Technology, which delivers more responsiveness, more
precision and smoother tracking, even on uneven surfaces, as well as the
new Instant Viewer, Magnifier and Tilt Wheel tools.
Pricing and Availability
The new Microsoft products introduced today will be available for the
following estimated retail prices:(2)
– Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000: $249.95 (U.S.), available February
2007
– Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000: $149.95 (U.S.), available January
2007
– Wireless Laser Desktop 6000: $99.95 (U.S.), available September 2006
– Wireless Laser Mouse 8000: $89.95 (U.S.), available October 2006
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