Microsoft's latest keyboard goes beyond the PC, looks to control your TV

Microsoft All-in-One Media Keyboard
Looks a bit like Apple's keyboard and trackpad combo (credit: SlashGear)

While Microsoft is best known for Windows and associated hardware, it's also a widely renowned peripheral maker, and its latest product aims to control just about everything, including smart TVs and Android tablets.

Combining a full-sized QWERTY keyboard with a multi-touch trackpad, the All-in-One Media Keyboard is a peripheral perfect for couch potatoes. With it, users can control smart TVs and set-top boxes by clicking and typing from afar.

The device connects via radio frequency signals set to an included USB dongle that users can plug into a their smart TV or media streaming box.

The RF dongle works with most devices that have a USB HID compliant port, including the Roku 3 and Apple TV, but nothing too small and stick-like such as the Roku Streaming Stick and Google Chromecast.

How does it feel?

SlashGear got an early hands-on with the keyboard and said that overall, it's a bit mushy. However it has more than a few nice features including a row of media function keys along the top.

Along with the usual left and right clickers found underneath the trackpad, there's also an additional left-click on that side of the device for easier navigation.

Meanwhile, on the bottom of the keyboard lives a removable battery door hiding two AA batteries and an extra magnetic cubbyhole for stowing the RF receiver.

The All-in-One Media Keyboard is compatible with both full and RT versions of Windows 8.1, 8 and 7, along with OS X 10.7 Lion through 10.9 Mavericks. An oddly specific batch of Android - 4.03, 4.12, and 4.2 - are also compatible with the keyboard. It will be available starting tomorrow for US$39 (about AU$41).

  • Now that you have a remote for it, what's the best smart TV money can buy?
Kevin Lee

Kevin Lee was a former computing reporter at TechRadar. Kevin is now the SEO Updates Editor at IGN based in New York. He handles all of the best of tech buying guides while also dipping his hand in the entertainment and games evergreen content. Kevin has over eight years of experience in the tech and games publications with previous bylines at Polygon, PC World, and more. Outside of work, Kevin is major movie buff of cult and bad films. He also regularly plays flight & space sim and racing games. IRL he's a fan of archery, axe throwing, and board games.

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