OK, it's a keyboard, and what does this have to do with AV info? Well more than... because in these times of convergence, one is litterally drowning into a sea of hybrid devices that were, only a couple of years ago, perceived as belonging to entirely different worlds, i.e, PCs, games, TVs, DVDs, HDDs, MP3 etc. Have a look at any electronics shop window, and you'll know what I mean. Recently, keyboard makers have entered the game as well, proposing more sophisticated devices than ever, wireless, laser, Blue Tooth, some looking as if they've been produced for "Alien, the return", and very, very big...
Logitech is well known in this area, for a long time. Who hasn't typed or played with one of their mouse, or game pad? The G15 has been specifically designed for game addicts and, if your boss isn't too PC minded, you can even bring it to the office and play there (have a look at your employment contract beforehand though...)
This one is big too, and comes with an intriguing LCD screen - Ta da. It is a beautiful beast, partly mettalic blue covered. First, there are those mysterious clefts (?), or handles (?) on the top, which make it look like those huge radios of the nineties, without anyone understanding what they're here for. Second, as I said, big, and that's no mystery, you have to be able to put all these programmable buttons on the left side. At the center, two USB ports (USB 2.0). It has a -switchable- backlighting, which is soft blue as well.
Alien look...
The three groups of six macro-keys on the left are all progammable, and there are three mode keys, which are used to switch the 18 macros from one set to another.. Total: 54 macros, not bad! Should you ask, why and who in hell would need so many buttons and macros? Well, I've asked my teenager of a son, and I shouldn't have, because (1) I was taught a comprehensive lesson of gaming and (2) he immediately put the G15 on top of his XMas list... and called his grand-ma on the phone. He explained, in particular, that the macros support profiles, which is more than convenient for game players. Macros can be recorded during the time of the game or using the software application. So be it, I am convinced, as he is...
Another feature is this flippable LCD screen, you can't miss it. This is a programmable tool as well, gamers will use it to display info like their life status, number of enemies down, chat, ammos, and others. But ortherwise it also provides you with basic info such as time, CPU/memory usage. More useful than you'd think. You can bet that a vast community of users and developers are already preparing more tools and bizarre soft for this LCD. All other keys are regular, standard keys, so no worries here: media keys, with a volume wheel and support for media players, while the LCD will display the track No.
The software package is nice too, it allows for profiling programs, while several game profiles are delivered as is, and will probably never be used by true game addicts, wo will want to customize everything.
On the practical, everyday usage side, well, it is a nice keyboard, soft, airy keys, and although quite big, it deserves its volume because of the so many programmable combinations it allows. As abovementioned, it is discreet enough so that your boss doesn't even notice it is primarily made for gaming. You can go for it.
Pricing around £40 in the UK.