Logitech Launches Unifying Receiver

Author	Hugo Jobling
Published	4th Aug 2009

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Sure, peripherals aren't usually exciting, but they are necessary and with wireless keyboards and mice are becoming more and more prevalent it's pretty shocking that Logitech hasn't created the Unifying receiver already. The simple premise: a single dongle which can connect to multiple peripherals freeing up USB ports - a valuable commodity on many laptops and desktop PCs.

Up to six peripherals can be connected to a single Unifying receiver at any one time, with the first syncing automatically and additional devices being added via a software package. The dongle itself has a similar design to the 'nano' transceivers Logitech has been offering for a while now - extruding a mere 8mm - the idea, as ever, being that the receiver can be left in a laptop permanently. The wireless connection itself is still proprietary 2.4GHz and 128-bit AES encrypted so there's little chance of anyone gleaning any passwords typed on a connected keyboard.

Hardly unsurprisingly the Unified receiver will only work with a range of new, compatible, peripherals. Those include the ergonomic, Wave-like, Logitech Wireless Keyboard K350 and Logitech Wireless Keyboard K340; the Logitech Marathon Mouse M705 and Logitech Wireless Mouse M505. The keyboards should launch in September, while the M505 should arrive in August though the M705 won't be available until 2010.

Link:
Logitech.

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ilovethemonkeyhead said on 4th August 2009

will it work with the xbox 360 controller?

reason being, the wireless one asks for a ridiculously long RF receiver - on a laptop it defeats the purpose of wireless. ... more

Matt G Baish said on 4th August 2009

@Chris; "small step in the right direction" But isn't wireless USB is a big step completely to a solution?

@ilovethemonkeyhead; I assume you mean to u... more