Logitech diNovo Mini - REVIEW

Adam Turner
Monday, 14 April 2008 12:14

Your IT - Entertainment

Logitech's tiny diNovo Mini is designed for use with media centre PCs, but unfortunately it doesn't replace all the features of a media centre remote control.

Above the QWERTY keyboard is a string of multimedia buttons - Volume Up, Volume Down, Mute, Record, Skip Back, Stop, Play/Pause and Skip Forward. There are also dedicated Channel Up and Down buttons along with a the MCE "Green" button and a Back button. These will get you through most tasks, but annoyingly you're missing Guide, Info, Fast Forward and Rewind buttons.

The lack of the Info button is particularly frustrating because if you're navigating through a list of programs with the trackpad in cursor mode and you press right-click to call up info on that item, you're actually executing a right-click where the pointer is on the page rather than on the program you've selected. This means you have to flick the trackpad back into pointer mode and move the pointer over the item you want to call up the info on.

You could reassigned some of the keys, or create custom Hot Keys, but of course an easier solution is to memorise a few MCE keyboard shortcuts. Ctrl+G calls up the guide while Ctrl+D calls up Details (which you might know as the Info button). Rewind is Ctrl+Shift+B and Fast Forward Ctrl+Shift+F, which isn't as complicated as it sounds because you can easily hold down the Ctrl+Shift buttons with your left thumb.

While keyboard shortcuts might compensate for the few missing buttons, after a while you'll find yourself pining for your universal remote control - especially if you own a sexy Logitech Harmony remote. If all you want to do is change channel or adjust the volume, it's much easier to use a remote while keeping your eyes on the screen. Of course the diNovo Mini's other key drawback is it doesn't have an infrared port, so you can't use it to switch on your television or control any of your AV devices. As such, you'll always need your remote control at hand so you'll probably only reach for the diNovo Mini when you need a full keyboard.

Unfortunately the user experience on the PlayStation 3 isn't as good as with a PC. It's let down by the fact the keyboard doesn't corrolate well with the PS3 buttons. Activities such as browsing through photos and rotating images are much easier with the PlayStation 3 controller. Frustratingly, the volume buttons don't seem to work and the diNovo Mini keyboard probably wouldn't make a great substitute for the optional PS3 remote control.

The diNovo Mini is designed to compliment your remote control, not replace it. It's a shame Logitech hasn't built an IR port into one end and put some remote control buttons on the outside, offering the option to open the lid when you want the full keyboard. A hybrid diNovo Mini and Harmony universal remote would be the ultimate lounge room companion and we'd buy one whatever the price tag. If you're looking for a wireless remote control for a Mac media centre, you might want to consider using an iPod Touch with Remote Buddy.

Logitech's diNovo Mini is the sexiest lounge room bling we've seen in some time. The use of Bluetooth 2.0 is a godsend after years of infrared lounge room keyboards and the form factor is just right for the coffee table or the arm of the couch. The plastic cover protects the keyboard nicely and it's solid enough to survive a few tumbles, although it does pick up smudges easily. If you're sick of balancing a wireless keyboard on your lap while watching television, the little diNovo Mini could make a big impact on your lounge room.

Logitech's diNovo Mini retails for $AU199.95. For more details visit logitech.com