Having purchased a PowerBook G3 recently, I decided to also purchase a mouse and keyboard for my daily office usage. I wanted something simple and fairly inexpensive, but I was new to USB input devices (having had only ADB machines until now). I started by ordering a Kensington Mouse-in-a-Box USB/PS2 (www.kensington.com, around $20), and a MicroConnectors Graphite keyboard (www.microconnectors.com, around $50). Both were purchased from an online catalog store, not directly from the company.

First, the Kensington mouse. It is an ambidextrous two-button mouse with a middle scroll wheel, and comes with software and a USB-to-PS2 converter, in case you need to use it with a non-USB PC. I installed the mouse and the software, and was up and running in minutes. I liked the Kensington software, but ran into problems using it. If you have the Kensington drivers installed but the mouse is not connected, the trackpad is affected. In my case, the trackpad was no longer usable — there was erratic movement and the pointer was hard to control. As I do not always have a mouse installed, this was an issue. I decided to use Alesandro Levi Montalcini’s USB Overdrive control panel (www.usboverdrive.com, shareware $20) instead of the Kensington software to see if the same issues occurred. This control panel allows you to configure USB mice, game pads, and joysticks. To my delight, the mouse worked perfectly - and the trackpad was not affected when I removed the mouse. Success!

My first keyboard choice was the MicroConnectors “Graphite” keyboard. It is a simple full-sized 105-key extended keyboard that comes in six Apple-inspired translucent colors. The color and styling was very cool, and I was eager to plug it in and put it to use. The keyboard worked perfectly well, and I had no performance issues with it. The keys, however, were loud. VERY loud. So loud, in fact, that within five minutes this keyboard was back in a box and shipped for a refund. I simply couldn’t imagine hearing the terrible clacking sound that was produced by the keys. The web site description says the following: “keys are quiet and soft, making typing much easier and faster.” If that’s what they call quiet, I’d hate to hear their version of loud.

For my second attempt at a keyboard, I chose the Macally iKey (www.macally.com, around $50). It comes in ice/bondi or ice/graphite colors. The iKey is another simple, no-frills 105-key extended keyboard with two USB ports and a 5’ cord. It, too, works perfectly well — and has wonderfully quiet and responsive keys. I was very happy with the iKey, and it remains my USB keyboard of choice. At the time of this review, Macally was also offering a new, more powerful keyboard: the iMediaKey. I have not had the opportunity to review this keyboard.

An added benefit of using USB input devices is that I can also connect both the keyboard and the mouse to my occasionally used PC. USB is hot swappable, but I decided to purchase a USB switchbox to make the switching faster and easier. I purchased the Compucable USB Data Switch (www.compucable.com, around $30). It allows up to 4 machines to share the same USB devices — just be sure that both machines have the drivers for those devices installed in advance. The switch box only comes in bondi blue (at the time of this review), but I really didn’t mind. Again, this device performs well and as advertised — simply plug the devices into the hub, plug the hub into your computers, and use the front knob to make the switch. No USB cables are included, so be sure to buy enough cables to support your configuration. Both the Kensington mouse and the Macally iKey work on my Windows 2000 machine without any software.

Overall, this was an easy purchase. If you have the need for a simple two-button scroll mouse, the Kensington can’t be beat for $20. And the iKey is a wonderful extension to the PowerBook, with quiet and responsive keys. Steer clear of the MicroConnectors noisy keyboards, unless you and/or your fellow office workers have good ear protection.

Filed under: Reviews