The Final Step

Today Microsoft announced a new series of Mice and Keyboards optimised for use with Windows 8 desktops and tablets. The Wedge devices are designed to be mobile, provide a great user experience and innovative design.

The Wedge Keyboard, has an updated layout to incorporate new buttons for quick access to Windows 8 features such as the Charms and uses the new Metro style windows logo. It’s designed to be thin and light while still providing a full keyset. The keyboard ships with a cover which protects the keys but also magnetically attaches to the Keyboard and powers on the device once removed. The cover doubles as a stand for your tablet device when not attached to the keyboard.

The Wedge Mouse, which could easily be mistaken for a doorstop, is “small enough to fit in your pocket, [yet] is designed to complement your Windows experience in all its forms, providing four-way touch scrolling and navigation at your fingertips.” The mouse pairs with your device via Bluetooth with no USB transceiver. If you forget to turn it off it powers down with your device in order to preserve battery life.

Microsoft also announced the Sculpt Touch Mouse and Sculpt Mobile Keyboard. The Sculpt Mobile Keyboard have a comfortable curved design similar to previous Microsoft keyboards and have the same key layout as the Wedge Keyboard. The Sculpt Touch Mouse features a four-way touch scroll strip to allow easy scrolling in Windows 8.

Finally Microsoft announced an update to the Touch Mouse, which launched last year, to support a range of gestures designed for Windows 8. This update will support all existing Touch Mouse models so no need to upgrade the hardware.

All these products will be available before the release of Windows 8. You can read the full details of these products in Microsoft’s press release.