Lenovo N5902 Enhanced Multimedia Remote with Backlit Keyboard (57Y6678)

I had previously picked up the Lenovo IdeaCentre Q190 Desktop (Silver) as what I had hoped would work as a reasonably priced HTPC unit for my bedroom TV. It didn't quite live up to my specific expectations, but the computer did come bundled with this remote. While I ended up buying a Mac Mini late 2012 instead of the Lenovo unit, I was definitely impressed with the remote, especially with the media controls. With my old PC setup, I was using the CE Compass Mini Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad Mouse PC Remote Control HTPC remote. That unit worked fine for most needs, but it seemed to be chomping through batteries more and more as time went on. It definitely served its purpose, but with the migration to OSX, I needed something with a Windows Key (since this was mapped as Command, which is frequently used). Admittedly, I could just remap the key to one of the function keys, but the feel and function of the N5902 was simply better. It was remarkable enough to warrant me buying this unit on its own. Windows 7/Windows 8 Takeaway: - This unit was designed in consideration of Windows. Everything works perfectly. - Multimedia keys work great with many (if not all) applications. - Mouse tracking is great on both operating systems, but with Windows 8 it's kind of a pain in relation to Metro, especially to bring up the charm bar. - Remember: the scroll pad is your friend in Windows 8 Metro screens. I kept futzing around with the mouse to do a lot of swipe type behavior (move over to the right/left). After goofing around for a while, I realized that the scroll pad was a way better way to navigate quickly in Metro. OSX 10.8 Takeaway: - There are no native drivers for this keyboard. It will generally work just fine, but multimedia keys do not work. I have not figured out how to map these keys accordingly. Note that lack of native drivers should not be a surprise since Lenovo didn't bother with the preceding model Lenovo Multimedia Remote with Keyboard N5901 . - Alt Key does not seem to pass through during boot sequence. If you're using Boot Camp, you may need to have a different keyboard handy if you want to bounce between two different operating systems. - Everything works fine otherwise. I did have to bump up the mouse tracking speed a bit to compensate for the small trackpad, but I still have the granular control for fine movement. Fast swipes will translate to big jumps on screen (which is helpful if you're using this on a TV). Unit Takeaway: - Keyboard is satisfying. There is good button response. While it's not great for blind typing, I can usually tell when I've missed a character. - Mouse tracking is good given the optical trackpad. A larger trackpad would feasibly be better for heavy mouse usage, but if you're doing a lot of work that requires heavy mousing, you'd be better off with a wireless mouse. - As I've seen in reviews for both the N5901 and this unit, there are occasional moments where there's a little bit of mouse tracking lag (you swipe the trackpad, don't the cursor move on your screen, and then suddenly a big jump when you swipe again). This is not a deal breaker for me, especially since it doesn't occur all that much. Competing models like the Logitech Mini PC Entertainment Dinovo Keyboard, Built-in Touchpad Controller With Unifying Receiver, Also For Google TV And Logitech Revue, Windows Media Center,PC,Mac Mini,PS3 Playstation 3, & Samsung Smart TV has the same issue according to reviews on that product. - The Left/Right mouse buttons are a bit large. Action occurs closer to the inside of the buttons - the outside portions are mostly just for visual flare (no action when you attempt to depress) - As reviewed by others, the backlight is brighter in the middle, but lighting extends to the other buttons to be visible enough. The extreme left of the keyboard is the least lit when compared to the rest of the keyboard. Overall, I'm quite happy with this remote. If you need a Windows/Command key, this is a better solution than the competing Logitech Dinovo. If that's not a critical button, I suppose the Dinovo could also work for you. Both are priced about the same (March 2013).

So before I wrote a review on this keyboard, I wanted to wait a bit so I could get used to it. I've had it for around 3 weeks & I must say I couldn't be happier. 1st off it's extremely comfortable & light in your hands. The keys feel sturdy & you don't feel like the unit will break if you drop it from 4 feet onto a hardwood floor. The backlit feature is really nice & the softouch backing is also a nice... uhh.. touch... All of the media keys up top, (Volume, Stop, Play, RW, etc) all work perfectly & immediately with iTunes. For some odd reason, the IE button does absolutely nothing for me & I'm running a PC with IE installed. Odd. Using the mouse button can get some getting used to. Attempting to drag & drop things WILL drive you nuts UNLESS you turn on the "Clicklock" function on your computer. That way, when you hold down the mouse button, it automatically 'locks' the items to be dragged. Then hit it again to disengage. Also, for those of u(s) that use a huge screen for our compy's, the best thing to do is to turn the speed of the mouse WAY up. Makes navigating much easier. Just a few cons for maybe the next model. First, the backlit feature is nice but it doesn't stay lit for very long. So hitting a random key to turn on the light can hamper the experience. There IS a button to turn the light on (to the left of the spacebar) that I honestly I didn't know that existed until around last week. Now you know. Also, they designated the "FN" button for commas, question marks & say apostrophes, however the "SHIFT" key is used for exclamation points, ampersands & parentheses. Just a bit of inconsistency there on Lenovo's part. Even WITH the cons, (which can be easily overcome with time), this keyboard is absolutely perfect for people that don't want a sea of wireless stuff all ove their living rooms. Perfect for entertainment centers. I love all my gadgets & this one fits my lifestyle perfectly.

Love this remote. The shape makes it easy to hold and it works with all of my electronic devices that have a USB port including my home built custom kodi boxes. The only improvement I would ask is for the keyboard lighting to activate when my thumb glides over the sensor used to move the mouse so that I don't have to push a key on the keyboard to activate the keyboard lighting. Also to have the keyboard lighting stay on for 2 or 3 times longer than it already does, so that would be about 5 to 10 seconds after the last key is pressed.

perfect transaction, as expected