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Chuckaluphagus
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Logitech K480 bluetooth keyboard

Thu Aug 24, 2017 12:22 pm

I saw that the Logitech K480 was going for about $25 on Amazon last week, and my existing Bluetooth travel keyboard had dead keys, so I made the purchase. Thought I'd write about it here.

First impression, right out of the box: the K480 is enormous in comparison to other travel keyboards I've seen. It is, effectively, the size and weight of an ultralight laptop computer all by itself. I'm a big guy, and I'm not really going to care about an extra 2 lbs. in my backpack when I'm traveling, but it's not to be discounted.

The keyboard has a long, neon yellow-green, silicone rubber-lined channel above the keys, and that's meant for slotting in and positioning your phone or tablet. I have a 10" Samsung Tab A, and it fit in their nicely and stayed stable while working. The channel is slim - phone or tablet, it's likely that you'll have to take it out of its case in order to fit.

Actually typing on the K480 is great. The keys are large and have a comfortable resistance, the stroke is large enough that fingers don't bottom out and get tired, and the advantage of it being such a large device is that there's room for a large key pitch. The weight means that it does not move a millimeter while you're banging away on the table, and neither does whatever device you've placed in the channel as a screen. I was able to type full speed (about 60 wpm for me) immediately, without any trouble at all.

For all its bright styling and oddly rounded keys and contours, this is a keyboard meant for getting work done, not just for pecking out an e-mail or two on the road. It seems to be very solidly built as well. My conclusion is that I'm definitely keeping it.
 
blahsaysblah
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Re: Logitech K480 bluetooth keyboard

Thu Aug 24, 2017 1:25 pm

I got in store as it was last one, all the keys were in right place, and bluetooth for $30. But my eyes were too big for my head, it doesnt have any Fn keys. So i returned it. Also, i guessed the large price match was because they were charging 2014 prices(when it came on Amazon, though i swear when i looked it up i thought it was from 2012). So just double check the BT protocol levels, especially if its for travel to foreign places, you might be sending your keys in pretty much clear text as far as you know.
 
Chuckaluphagus
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Posts: 906
Joined: Fri Aug 25, 2006 4:29 pm
Location: Boston area, MA

Re: Logitech K480 bluetooth keyboard

Thu Aug 24, 2017 9:02 pm

Yours didn't have function keys? Mine has the full row of F1-F12, albeit they're the secondary functions accessible via the Fn key. They do work fine, though.

Bluetooth version is 3.0. Got the link information from my computer, it says it's encrypted, but I'm not sure of how strong that is. Thanks for the warning, I'll read up.

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