Logitech Cordless Desktop S530 for Mac

Something for your Mini, sir?

First UK Review It's been some years since I used a desktop Mac so as a PowerBook user, I've grown accustomed to working on a flat keyboard without the benefits of a numeric pad and a full array of function keys. Having used Logitech's new wireless S530 keyboard and mouse combo, however, which not only granted me the freedom to sit back from the screen, but gave me larger, more typing-friendly keys, I may find it hard to go back...

But to begin at the beginning. Opening the S530's box reveals a single-sheet installation guide. Beneath it you find the keyboard, kitted out in white and silver-look plastic the better to match Apple's desktop and mobile Macs. There's a similarly hued mouse in the box, along with the USB wireless receiver and its neat white docking cradle. For once, batteries are included - there's a pair of AAA and AA Duracells in there, one set for the mouse, the other for the keyboard.

Installation could barely be more simple: fit the batteries in mouse and keyboard, plug the receiver into a spare USB port, press its Connect button then, in order, the Connect buttons on the mouse and keyboard. Immediately, Mac OS X recognised both devices and, after answering the OS' question about whether it was a US, European or Japanese keyboard, I was up and running.

All the standard keys and mouse buttons work at this point, courtesy of Apple's own keyboard and mouse software, but there are plenty of other buttons on both devices, all activated by installing Logitech's Control Center (CC) software. CC calls up Logitech's Device Manager application, which allows you to configure all the extra keys just by selecting them, choosing a behaviour from a pop-up menu and fine-tuning the action. Changes are implemented immediately.

It's easy and intuitive, and it doesn't take long to adjust as many or as few of the default behaviours to suit. Alas there's no way to attach an AppleScript to, say, not only run Mail, but force it to check for new messages. You can turn your scripts into applications, of course, and set the keyboard's buttons to trigger these, but it's a slightly clumsy solution, running one application to call up a second.