Logitech K400 Plus Wireless Touch With Easy Media Control and Built-in Touchpad, HTPC Keyboard for PC-connected TV, Windows, Android, Chrome OS, Laptop, Tablet - Black

Review of Logitech K400 Plus Wireless Touch With Easy Media Control and Built-in Touchpad, HTPC Keyboard for PC-connected TV, Windows, Android, Chrome OS, Laptop, Tablet - BlackSince I trust Logitech keyboards and mice, I opted to order this to be used as an alternative to my Firestick remote when the remote doesn’t cover all the features. This wireless keyboard connected right away to the “almost hidden” dongle provided. It allowed me to type, have a mouse, and do lots of functions that I couldn’t do before and the others much more easily. I like that it takes 2 AA batteries (cheap ones are included). It’s lightweight, but it is slightly larger than anticipated. There is no backlight feature, which would have really added to the value of this. As I stated earlier, the dongle is almost hidden. So don’t quickly unpack this keyboard and toss the box. I included a photo of where the dongle is placed in the box. It says it works up to 10 meters (33 feet) away from the dongle via Bluetooth, but I have not tested how far away it will work. The price was reasonable.

This review is for the Logitech K400 Wireless Touch TV Keyboard.----------------------------------------------------------------Update, July 20, 2023This wireless keyboard still functions like new, but there is one additional quirk discovered since the original review below. Quite often when using the volume controls on the keyboard to raise or lower volume, those two buttons will instead turn off sound entirely. It's a mild nuisance, and only requires pressing the adjacent volume on/off button. Still love this keyboard and use it nearly every day!----------------------------------------------------------------October 12, 2021Wireless keyboards have been around for many years with many brands now available. As far as function, they're all pretty much the same. I've used a few of them over the years and have been happy with this particular device so far.This Logitech K400 Wireless Touch TV Keyboard performs just as you'd expect, with a full-sized standard keyboard layout and a built-in touchpad on the far right. It's perfect for controlling my old laptop that is now connected to my TV. The farthest away I've used it is about 15 feet from the laptop and it has worked flawlessly at that distance. The keys have a nice feel when depressed, providing adequate soft feedback when fully depressed, without clicking. The touchpad is adequate but does have some quirks as described below.The transmitter operates in the 2.4 GHz band, so theoretically could interfere with your wireless network and other wireless devices, although I've used this keyboard extensively and haven't noticed any issues.The Function keys are claimed to be customizable to create shortcuts. I don't have a use for that capability, so haven't tried it and can't comment on how it's implemented. I've only used this wireless keyboard on Windows 10 computers, but the specs say it works on 'Windows 7, 8, 10 or later, Android 5.0 or later, Chrome OS'.The Volume buttons immediately above the touchpad come in very handy. Be aware though, they control system volume and not the volume of individual applications. To control the volume of a single application, use the on-screen controls for that application.The keyboard is a good weight to operate while holding in my hands and seems plenty sturdy for daily use, but not for unnecessary roughhousing - as you might expect. It operates on 2 AA batteries which last a long, long time, taking several months of daily use to deplete. (And that's without turning the power switch off.)USABILITY NOTES:=================SIGNAL STRENGTH -The signal seems to be very strong, but the keyboard must have a line-of-sight, unobstructed view of the receiver. For instance, when using the keyboard in my lap the signal doesn't reach the receiver if my legs are crossed or my knees elevated so the front of the keyboard can't quite 'see' the receiver. Similarly, I've found that if the keyboard front is facing 90 degrees away from the receiver, the signal is not received. Not big issues, but they may be important to some people.TOUCHPAD QUIRKS -1. As stated above, the touchpad does have some quirks. On two occasions the touchpad all of a sudden started to ONLY control screen magnification - increasing and decreasing as I dragged one finger across the surface. I've never determined the cause but in one instance, only removing the battery remedied the strange behavior.2. The touchpad seems to be particularly sensitive to moisture or oil from the skin on my fingers. Meaning, it sometimes simply stops working properly until I thoroughly wipe my fingers with a dry cloth. This is a common issue when using touchpads, but this one is more sensitive than any others I have used, or currently use.MYSTERIOUS YELLOW BUTTON -1. The yellow button at the upper left of the keyboard is poorly documented and I've seen many posts asking what the heck it does. After more research than expected I found it simply functions as a left mouse button, and I've found it most useful when holding the keyboard in my hands. That way, fingers on the right hand work the touchpad and the left thumb presses the yellow button to select things. After about 5 minutes of practice it seems natural.2. Some Windows OS menus and windows won't respond to the yellow button. There doesn't seem to be any predictable pattern as to which items will or will-not respond to the yellow button - but when that happens, the left button under the touchpad must be used.FOUR WAYS TO SCROLL A WINDOW -There are four ways to scroll a window; Pick the one that seems most natural to you.1. Press and hold the Function [FN] button while dragging a finger up/down on the touchpad.2. Position the arrow pointer over the scroll bar slider; Press the Yellow Button; Drag your finger up/down on the touchpad.3. Click the mouse pointer on an inactive part of the screen, then use the Up and Down buttons in the lower right part of the keyboard.3. As with most touchpads, drag two fingers horizontally or vertically.I use this keyboard daily and have been very happy with it. It has a few quirks, but nothing close to a deal breaker. If you need a wireless keyboard, give this one a try.Highly recommended!

I spend my life tying and working with computers and online. I have used a Gyration air mouse and wireless keyboard for many years. I had the early model that was designed to run Windows Media Player. It worked great and I used it for probably 7 years with no trouble - quality product and I had no complaints whatsoever. That media mouse was much more accurate than the later models, and though I bought the newer ones, they sat on my shelf because of this major flaw. However, recently, the drivers began misbehaving - I suspect because of some hacking issue and I had no option but to retire both and load an old image of my system from scratch - not good. I could not come up with a way to stop it misbehaving, even on an earlier save of the machine. So, I found this little keyboard and bought it hoping it would be OK. So far, so good. I've never had logitech drivers go berserk on me. They seem to do drivers well.This keyboard types well and has good tactile feedback. I use it on an old Belkin laptop desk for stability - it helps a lot. It is a bit small to really use on your lap and it is light enough it would bounce terribly, making typing unreliable at best. But, it is easy to move and seems well made. I have typed for decades and it keeps up with me well. The small keyboard has some shortcomings compared to a full keyboard, but it has some things that they do not have as well. I'm getting used to its peculiarities. I would honestly like a traditional style keyboard on the same scale, but with both touchpad and dedicated number pad, but I haven't seen any. I hate using the numbers at the top of the keyboard - very slow and inefficient for doing any math related tasks. But, it is what it is. The FN key has to be used to access End and Home and Page Up and Down. This is also extremely annoying to me - it will NEVER be as easy as dedicated buttons and the FN key is next to the Windows key which has always been in a stupid place on most keyboards - it is far too easy to accidentally bump it and have unknown chaos erupt and you have no idea what you actually did. Very badly thought out if you intend to actually type with it. That is mostly what I do with a keyboard, but other people, I have no idea.There is no real manual included in the box - 2 very short and basically non-informative pamphlets (one of them disclaimers and warranty legalese) that could have been MUCH more useful.. The main useful thing they mentioned is you can use 2 fingers together to scroll with the touchpad. You have to go to the logitech site to see what it can really do. I can't believe printing is that expensive... Give a person a small key reference for their table for God's sake! I shouldn't have to look up how to use this online at this price point or print out a cheat sheet which does not exist for the more esoteric functions. To you marketing people out there - do not make customers work for anything that should be straightforward. It is bad business practice - period. There is a point at which greed on your part hacks people off. Your product department spent a lot of time developing these things and you don't even tell people why they should like them in the box - really bad business management. You would have failed in my classes. That said, it was pretty much plug and play. It installed flawlessly and has been working fine so far. It doesn't have anything close to 7 years on it yet, though, so I cannot vouch for longevity.I am a designer, so I am very critical of design and execution of products. Much of this keyboard they got right. Some of it could be much, much better. I believe products that are used constantly should be extremely well thought out. So far I have yet to see a really well designed wireless keyboard for serious entertainment/TV/internet/business use. This one does a decent job, but is really not much better than my 7 year old one and in fact worse on some issues. I probably should give it 3 stars for lack of imagination, but it works well for basically what it is designed to do, though there is much room for improvement. I am hoping it becomes less annoying. I hate the FN key keyboards - really a terrible design. Nobody should have to hit 2 keys to get to the end of a line - stupid as hell. People who do not type will not understand this, But if you do - you know exactly what I mean. So, it is lightweight, seems to talk to my computer well, but is very annoying to use for real typing. The touchpad is OK. Could be better or worse. It is average. If you have a widescreen tv hooked to a computer, you will want to go into settings and speed up the mouse - as it leaves the factory you have to swipe, swipe and swipe again to cross the screen. If you have two screens it will be far worse.I do like that it runs on 2 AA batteries. They hold a charge well and for a long time. I only use rechargeables in electronics and the trend to AAA is pointless on something like this and it only takes up two slots in my charger instead of 4. Good decision on the designer's part. Until I can find a better one, this will do. But, if you people at logitech are reading this - seriously? Think about how it will be used! Then design it, not the other way around. And ask somebody who actually types and uses the internet/TV functions to use it before you make it a production model. The world is waiting for a superb multipurpose keyboard and NOBODY makes one. There is profit waiting for the company that does. If I could, I would, but I don't know a manufacturer who would listen to me, sadly. If you are looking for a keyboard that works and is pretty good, this is such a device. I can recommend it as no worse than others I have used, but it is not close to what I really want. This review was typed on it.