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Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

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Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#171

Post by Kjeldahl »

pooriaazimi wrote: post #169
Kjeldahl wrote: post #154

Logitech never bothered to fix the driver problem on the similar/previous OSX Bluetooth keyboard K811 where switching between Cmd-Tab and Cmd-Shift-Tab does not work correctly (you can not change direction while the app selector is open). If this is important to you (it is to most devs at least), make sure you check/verify that this bug has actually been fixed in the driver they ship with K480.

Ordinarily, Cmd+` switches between windows, but when you're Cmd+Tabbing (when the switcher is active), Cmd+` is essentially the same as Cmd+Shift+Tab (i.e., it selects the previous application). It's actually much more convenient to press Cmd+`, if you get used to it :)

That's possibly a valid workaround (can't test - my K811 keyboard is at the office) which on my international keyboard is not nearly as convenient as just depressing shift with my pinky, but it does not change the fact that the K811 keyboard is not able to do what the standard Macbook keyboard does. And the fact that Logitech is aware of the obvious bug but is not interested in fixing it.

Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#172

Post by ZenoArrow »

jonalmeida wrote: post #170
ZenoArrow wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Downvoting me without commenting suggests I hit a raw nerve. To me it's sad that the meaning of 'innovation' has become so watered down.

I think it's because you have misunderstood the convenience of having three separate bluetooth profiles that can be switched with a simple toggle i.e. I bet I can switch from device A to device B faster than you can repair.

I don't doubt that the switching is quicker, but it's not that much quicker, and considering the frequency that the switch is needed whilst it's a nice feature it's not much of an advantage. How often are you going to be typing on a tablet and a PC at roughly the same time? Perhaps it's for people to get around the Internet firewalls in their workplace, but if the workplace rules are super draconian I doubt you'll be allowed your own gear anyway.

I am glad that Logitech are thinking of new features to add to their devices, but I resent such small improvements being seen as innovative and worthy of the HN front page. Is that really what innovation has come to, a bluetooth toggle switch? Are we really prepared to set the bar that low?

Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#173

Post by matt_heimer »

MrUnderhill wrote: post #168
insaneirish wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Here ya go: http://www.aten.com/products/productItem.php?model_no=cs533 I haven't used it, but I have looked at it for the same reason.

Any idea if the opposite exists: a dongle that appears to the host as a USB keyboard/mouse, but actually pairs with a bluetooth keyboard/mouse? That way you could use a bluetooth keyboard with dumb KVM switches (or other USB hosts) that don't support bluetooth themselves.

You just plug the USB dongle for the keyboard/mouse into a KVM. Works for the Logitech unifying receivers and the Logitech Bluetooth receivers.

Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#174

Post by schainks »

The K760 is awesome for typing, and solar powered. The K480 switches between devices and can mount a mobile device. The K810 has a backlight.

Can these three things be conveniently combined? Make it the size of the k760, but with the backlit keys and a longer mobile device mount. The result might not be pretty, but would definitely be something I'd use for my multiple mobile devices + development use case.

Edit: typo

Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#175

Post by StudyAnimal »

schainks wrote: post #174

The K760 is awesome for typing, and solar powered. The K480 switches between devices and can mount a mobile device. The K810 has a backlight. Can these three things be conveniently combined? Make it the size of the k760, but with the backlit keys and a longer mobile device mount. The result might not be pretty, but would definitely be something I'd use for my multiple mobile devices + development use case. Edit: typo

Plus it needs mechanical switches. Otherwise it is just a low-end device.

Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#176

Post by com2kid »

ZenoArrow wrote: post #172
jonalmeida wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's because you have misunderstood the convenience of having three separate bluetooth profiles that can be switched with a simple toggle i.e. I bet I can switch from device A to device B faster than you can repair.

I don't doubt that the switching is quicker, but it's not that much quicker, and considering the frequency that the switch is needed whilst it's a nice feature it's not much of an advantage. How often are you going to be typing on a tablet and a PC at roughly the same time? Perhaps it's for people to get around the Internet firewalls in their workplace, but if the workplace rules are super draconian I doubt you'll be…

> How often are you going to be typing on a tablet and a PC at roughly the same time?

Very frequently.

A lot of my social communication happens through my phone, SMS and a plethora of mobile only communication platforms means that I am very frequently switching between my laptop and phone all day long.

> I don't doubt that the switching is quicker, but it's not that much quicker

Turning a knob is much faster than going into the settings menu on a phone (or on a computer!) and re-pairing. Repairing on a laptop can easily take 10+ seconds end to end from opening up the proper setting screen to BT scanning to actually finishing the pairing process.

Compare that to less than a second for turning a knob.

And again, this is something that I might be doing multiple times per minute.

Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#177

Post by Kjeldahl »

pooriaazimi wrote: post #169
Kjeldahl wrote: post #154

Logitech never bothered to fix the driver problem on the similar/previous OSX Bluetooth keyboard K811 where switching between Cmd-Tab and Cmd-Shift-Tab does not work correctly (you can not change direction while the app selector is open). If this is important to you (it is to most devs at least), make sure you check/verify that this bug has actually been fixed in the driver they ship with K480.

Ordinarily, Cmd+` switches between windows, but when you're Cmd+Tabbing (when the switcher is active), Cmd+` is essentially the same as Cmd+Shift+Tab (i.e., it selects the previous application). It's actually much more convenient to press Cmd+`, if you get used to it :)

Well, the good news is that at least the alternative method you mention works fine, even on the K811.

Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#178

Post by MrUnderhill »

matt_heimer wrote: post #173
MrUnderhill wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any idea if the opposite exists: a dongle that appears to the host as a USB keyboard/mouse, but actually pairs with a bluetooth keyboard/mouse? That way you could use a bluetooth keyboard with dumb KVM switches (or other USB hosts) that don't support bluetooth themselves.

You just plug the USB dongle for the keyboard/mouse into a KVM. Works for the Logitech unifying receivers and the Logitech Bluetooth receivers.

You have too high thoughts of my kvms :) It's a Blackbox KVMoE system which seemingly only understands standard USB keyboard/mouse. I guess it depends on the USB stack in the actual switches. I will have to try with a pre-paired Unifying receiver though, perhaps that works.

Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#179

Post by MrUnderhill »

jeletonskelly wrote: post #70
ekianjo wrote: post #20

I see that they never fail to ignore Linux.

It made me sad to see that too. I'm just hoping it will work like any other bluetooth keyboard for linux because there doesn't seem to be any reason it shouldn't.

The similar K810 works brilliantly in Linux. Mario Scholz has written a small tool to switch between media and function keys[1], I wouldn't be surprised if it works for K840 too.

[1] http://www.trial-n-error.de/posts/2012/12/31/logitech-k810-k...

Re: Logitech K480 – Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard

#180

Post by annnnd »

Kudos wrote: post #166
annnnd wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Of course, there are quite a few stands for a mobile device, so this shouldn't be a problem. I am not sure I would want to have the "monitor" so close to my eyes anyway...

I'm not sure how close you're imaging sitting to it, but it's about as close to you as a laptop display would be.

Yes - that's too close for me, at least for daily usage.
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