Why You Can Trust CNET Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 review: Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760
Logitech one-ups Apple with a solar-powered keyboard that works seamlessly with your Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
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Meet the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760, the successor to Logitech's first solar keyboard, the K750, which earned a CNET Editors' Choice.
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
From a design standpoint, the K760 is more compact than the K750 and more closely resembles Apple's own Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard with the addition of the strip of solar cells at the top of the unit. It's sleek and stylish and will certainly fit in well with any Apple products you own. It's ostensibly designed for Apple products, but it works with Bluetooth-enabled Windows computers and Android tablets/smartphones, though it does have a Mac-centric layout with a couple of Mac-only keys.
The key feature upgrade here is something that Logitech calls "Bluetooth connectivity with easy-switching capability." What that means is you can pair multiple devices -- such as a Mac, iPad, or iPhone -- and quickly switch among them with the push of a button without having to reconnect.
The K760 shares a similar design to Apple's Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard, but it's significantly larger.
To test it out, I paired the keyboard with an iMac, iPad, and iPhone. To switch among the devices I simply pressed the "1," "2," or "3" function keys at the top left of the keyboard (each has a Bluetooth logo on it). A blue LED lit up when I touched the button, letting me know I was now paired with its corresponding device. It worked flawlessly and is a nice option if you're working with a couple of different Macs or a Mac and and iPad. I don't see all that many folks using this with their iPhones or iPod Touches, but the option is there.
Like the earlier K750 and Logitech's just-introduced Solar Keyboard Folio for iPad, you can charge this keyboard in any light whether it be lamp light or sunlight. Logitech says that -- when fully powered -- the keyboard works for at least three months, even in total darkness (based on average use per day of 8 hours).
The keyboard on/off switch and solar panel.
The one drawback to to the K760 is that it just isn't very mobile-friendly. Some people like to take their Apple keyboard on the go, and the smaller and lighter Apple Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard is about 30 percent lighter and smaller (0.7 pound vs. 1.1 pounds for the Logitech). That doesn't mean you can't tote the K760 around with you, but this is probably better suited for a more sedentary life in a home or office.
As far as ergonomics go, this model has the same Chiclet-style keys as the Apple Bluetooth Wireless keyboard and the look and feel of the keys are very similar, though not identical. I found the Logitech keys a tad stiffer and preferred Apple's keyboard a touch more, but the difference was minor. Of course, if you don't like this type of keyboard and its Chiclet-style keys, this probably isn't for you.
The underside of the keyboard.
The price tag on the Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 is $79.99, which is the same list price as the K750's and only about $10 more than Apple's Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard. For more travel-centric folks, Logitech also makes the $50 Tablet Keyboard for iPad (the keyboard also comes in a model for Android tablets), which includes a stand for your tablet that doubles as a carrying case. That keyboard is more compact and doesn't have the solar-recharging feature.
In all, I liked this wireless Bluetooth keyboard a lot and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. Yes, it's a little pricey, but the fact that you never have to change the battery will certainly save you some dough over the years and in the long run makes the K760 a better deal than Apple's Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard.