The Logitech Wave is a smart looking keyboard made to be comfortable to type with by having the keys in a waved shape in the middle and by including an integrated cushion at the bottom of the keyboard to rest your hands. Even the numeric keypad is slightly wavy and these wavy shapes supposedly help you position your hands. That is assuming you touch type like I do as I can't imagine it making much difference to non-touch typists aside from looking nice! The cushion is made of a rubbery material, which isn't too squishy but feels quite nice to rest my hands on. This is better than having those removable palm rests that come with a lot of standard keyboards.

The keyboard itself is a USB wired keyboard although it did come with a PS/2 adapter if you didn't want it to take up a USB port. There's also a wireless edition but I didn't want it as it mean that the CAPS, Scroll and NUM Lock indicator lights would not be on the keyboard itself to save power. On the wired version, these are located just underneath the numeric keypad. The keyboard is very stylish looking and maybe only a bit bigger than a standard one. It has two separate stands underneath so you can choose how high to tilt the keyboard. Also, didn't want to pay extra for the wireless option. It cost me around £35 at the time. It seems to be around the same price today.

Aside from the usual keys, it also has a bunch of extra buttons down the left side, across the top and two at the top right of the keyboard. It has Zoom, the full set of multimedia buttons (play/paus, stop, volume controls, etc) as well as buttons to open Gadgets (the Tools/Widgets down the right if you use Vista/Windows 7), Pictures and Music folders, the Media Centre (if you use a version of Windows that includes it), and even a program switching button. Lastly, on the right, we have a calculator and a PC power button. In addition to these, it has extra Fn functions that let you use the F Keys (F1, F2, etc) while you hold down the Fn to perform a different task. These include Word, Excel, Calendar, a, b, and c to perform the task of you choice, Internet, Instant Messenger, Email, Internet Search, Search PC and even an Eject button, which I rather like as it's quite unique to be found on a desktop keyboard. These buttons (besides the multimedia controls) can be customised to do something else via the Logitech SetPoint software. This can be installed from the included CD or downloaded from the Logitech website. Either way, this is easy to do.

I like the look of the keyboard and I like how comfortable it is and how quickly I can type using this keyboard. I like how they've included the media buttons, the calculator button, the Fn functions and how easily they can be customised to do something else if need be. However, I don't like a few things they've done with the layout. First thing is the Home and End keys, instead of the Home key being above the End key, they are now side by side. The End key is no longer in between the Delete and Page Down keys. Instead, it is above the Page up and Page Down keys. The Delete key is the size of two keys in height, which I wouldn't have particularly minded if it didn't mean the Home and End keys would have to be relocated.

Another little annoyance is the 'Right-click' key. This is usually located on the right side, in between the Alt Gr and Ctrl keys. When pressed, it opens up the menu that you would get if you did a right-click. I sometimes used this but annoyingly, Logitech have moved this to the Print Screen button as a 'Fn' function so I would have to hold the Fn button and then find the button at the top right of the keyboard. I'm guessing not many people use it but for those that do now and again, it's annoying. The Fn key is now in the right-click key's original position.

Bad points aside, the keyboard feels very robust and is spill proof, meaning spilling your drink over it does not necessarily mean a new keyboard. The keys can be easily pried off, using something pointy, if the keyboard is in need of cleaning, although the media keys are bit trickier to take off. Looking underneath the individual keys, it is obvious that any liquid that happens to seep down between the keys will be trapped off and unable to seep further down to where the electronics are due to the design. The button underneath the key is protected by a wall. I have indeed, spill a drink over the keyboard, a sticky one at that, and it has survived (I'm using it now). Albeit, the SPACE and right cursor keys got a bit sticky causing the cursor to run away but a couple of further cleans remedied the problem.

SUMMARY

PROS

- Good quality keyboard
- Comfortable to type with
- Lots of extra buttons, Fn keys plus media buttons
- Spill proof
- Good support from Logitech for software updates

CONS

- Some keys are in non-standard positions, which can take getting used to

VERDICT

It's a comfy, stylish and robust keyboard from Logitech. If you don't mind the couple of key location changes, then I can highly recommended. Alternatively, go with the wireless one, which also comes with a mouse.

Thanks for reading!

*Also on Amazon under Derren. Ciao under same name.