A few years back, Lenovo released the Lenovo Multimedia Remote N5902, which was a great remote control for a home theater PC. How does the all new Lenovo 500 Multimedia Controller? Read my review to find out!
At first glance, you might be wondering where the trackpad on this controller is, since it doesn't have a dedicated trackpad like on the original Lenovo multimedia remote. With this new remote, Lenovo has taken a page of out Blackberry and turned the entire keyboard surface into a trackpad.
Back to the basics: the controller gets its juice from two triple A batteries, which Lenovo claims can last up to eight months. There's a microUSB port, but it's only for firmware updates (you can't charge the device with it). It connects to your computer with a USB receiver (no Bluetooth option) and Lenovo claims up to 65 feet of range with this receiver. One thing I want to note is that this receiver is longer than other mouse or keyboard receivers I have, which could be why I'm able to getting really good range on this unit.
In my testing, the controller works perfectly on both Windows and Mac OS, just that some of the function keys won't work on Mac OS. There's no need to install drivers, as it's all done automatically.
In my testing, the controller works perfectly on both Windows and Mac OS, just that some of the function keys won't work on Mac OS. There's no need to install drivers, as it's all done automatically.
Trackpad
As mentioned before, the entire surface of the keyboard is a trackpad. That means you can seamlessly slide you fingers over the keyboard, and tap the surface for a left click. It also has gesture support, so you can scroll with two fingers, pinch and zoom, or scroll up with three fingers for multitasking. The execution of the trackpad is great: the scrolling responsiveness is extremely smooth, and responds as you would expect it to. There are two buttons on the bottom for left or right click, but I feel tapping the keyboard surface is way easier and more efficient.
The new remote is much more efficient to use than the older N5902. WIth the N5902, you need to swipe your fingers across the small black trackpad to move the cursor, which takes a lot more time to move the cursor across the screen compared to the new controller. You'll also need to use the left and right buttons, as you can't tap on the trackpad for a left click. There is a scroll bar on the bottom, but it's pretty far away from the keyboard.
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In general, I find the new multimedia remote superior to the old remote when it comes to tracking. It takes less time to do the same actions on the new remote, and also means you can type on the keyboard and scroll simultaneously on the new remote whereas you'll need to move your hand down to the trackpad on the old remote.
Here's a video demo:
Here's a video demo:
Keyboard
The keyboard is fine on the remote, it's what you'll expect from a low-profile keyboard. The fonts on the keyboard are large and bright, which makes it easier to find what you need.
I like the layout of the new remote more than the old remote; specifically because the left shift button is drastically larger. It makes capitalizing text so much easier, as it's in my natural position, compared to the old remote's tiny shift key. The new remote also has its Home, PgUp, PgDown, and End buttons integrated into the arrow keys (which is on the bottom, where it should be).
One important thing to note is that the old remote has a backlit keyboard, whereas the new remote doesn't. This can be a bummer if you use the remote in low-light situations.
One important thing to note is that the old remote has a backlit keyboard, whereas the new remote doesn't. This can be a bummer if you use the remote in low-light situations.
Conclusion
If you have a PC connected to the living room TV as a home theater setup or for gaming, I would say this is an absolute must-have. It's small and compact, easy to use, and way more intuitive than other multimedia remotes on the market. Especially for $42, this is a great bargain.
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