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While this keyboard is really built for Windows and MS applications, the buttons can be programmed for your custom applications. </p> <p align="left">After putting Sunbeam's driver CD into my optical drive, the software installed automatically. After a reboot, an icon appears in the System Tray. Clicking on the icon, loads Office Keyboard key manager.</p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/proseries_keyboard/keyboardss.gif"><img src="atruereview/proseries_keyboard/keyboardssth.gif" width="350" height="126" border="0" alt="Sunbeam Tech Pro-Series Keyboard"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> </p> <p align="left">Clicking on a button within the Keyboard manager allows you the option to reassign assign it. It can be reassigned to a new pre-defined shortcut such as loading a DOS window or phone dialer. It can also be assigned to open a program, which is what I had to do to make the Office buttons work with <a href="http://www.openoffice.org/">Open Office</a>. As a side note, for those of you haven't, take a look at Open Office, as an alternative to MS Office. </p> <p align="left">The keyboard manager adds some flexibility with the extra buttons, but using the media buttons with Winamp, or the Internet buttons with Firefox didn't work. What would have been better is a way to assign keyboard shortcuts like Alt+F to a button, so they would match your application's keyboard shortcuts.</p> <p align="left"><strong>Lighting & Usage:</strong></p> <p align="left">To turn on the lighting effects, the scroll lock must be on. I thought this was very weird and even comfirmed it with Sunbeam Tech to make sure. Not that anyone I know of uses the scroll lock, but at the same time, one more button wouldn't hurt. The scroll lock could be a useful feature to some power Excel users, or other programs that work with it. The lighting effects were very good. The keyboard was evenly lit and the LEDs that indicate lock status were bright, but not overly bright like the <a href="http://www.atruereview.com/xraider/index.php">Flexiglow X-Raider Keyboard</a>. </p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/proseries_keyboard/11.jpg"><img src="atruereview/proseries_keyboard/11th.jpg" width="250" height="88" border="0" alt="Sunbeam Tech Pro-Series Keyboard"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> </p> <p align="left">Using the keyboard has been a good experience. It took a little bit for me to get used to because the keys on my natural keyboard were spaced out a little more. The keys were firmer than other illuminated keyboards I have used and I would say they are slightly firmer than my laptop keyboard. Pushing them down is easy and there is a slight spring back, so you know you have hit the key.</p> <p align="left"><strong>Conclusion:</strong></p> <p align="left">As an illuminated keyboard, Sunbeam Tech's Pro-Series Light-Up keyboard is a great keyboard. As a Microsoft Office / Windows keyboard, it is also excellent. If you are looking for a quick short cut keyboard for other applications, this might not be the keyboard for you. In fact, it is only missing the ability to assign multiple key commands to these buttons. If it could do that, then you could reassign the buttons to meet individual applications shortcuts. </p> <p align="left"><strong>Pros:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Soft lighting effect</li> <li>Lots of short cut keys</li> <li>Ability to reprogram keys to open other programs</li> <li>Scroll wheel on keyboard</li> </ul> <p><strong>Cons:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Cannot program key combinations</li> <li>No wrist support</li> <li>Scroll lock on when using lighting</li> </ul> <p><strong>Ratings:</strong></p> <table width="227" border="0"> <tr> <td width="105">Installation: </td> <td width="183">Excellent</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Price: </td> <td>Very Good</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Packaging:</td> <td>Very Good</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Compatibility: </td> <td>Good</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Overall:</td> <td>Good</td> </tr> </table> <p>(Ratings Possible: Terrible, Very Bad, Bad, Fair, Good, Very Good, Excellent)</p> <p><a href="atruereview/proseries_keyboard/keyboard.php"></a> <a href="proseries_keyboard/keyboard.php">Previous (Description)</a></p> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </div> <div id="footer" class="clr"> <div class="rk-1"> <div class="rk-2"> <div id="the-footer"> <script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? 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