This review is for the microsoft wireless optical desktop pro, which includes the `wireless natural multimedia keyboard' and the `wireless intellimouse explorer 2.0'.

Pros: Comfy
Cons: Range, Software compatibility

I purchased this product in Sept, 2007. I had trouble from the start with the keyboard, and it's long ago enough now that I kind of forget what the problem was, but I know the software did not mesh with my laptop (Dell Inspiron E1405). If I had the software installed and used Fn F8 to go from laptop screen to external monitor, it created the effect of constantly depressing the Ctrl button, and I would have to uninstall the software to stop this. I talked to people from microsoft and they had no solution. So I have not had the software installed since then. That means that all those buttons up top are useless. Might as well have gone with a cheaper set.

Also, the range seemed ok at first, but for the last year or so at least, the range has been roughly one foot. If my mouse is further than that from the receiver, it's useless (this is with fresh batteries). Same with my keyboard (which may have a range of less than a foot!). This makes it awkward to set up and doesn't let me position myself as I would like. It may be that there's interference from other objects, but I don't think so. When I move the receiver farther from my computer & monitor, but only about 14" from my keyboard, the keyboard won't work. That just seems pathetic to me.

I'd recommend getting something other than this product. It's not worth the price.

4 star rating after 150+ reviews made me think this must be a really good product. But I find it otherwise. It's not that bad too, but I'm a developer and I didn't realize how much of a headache certain features, of keyboard specially, can be. I bought this to work on my desktop (the company provided kybd & mouse are really bad).
Good: Soft keys, a good responsive mouse.
Some irritating things:
a.) Mouse battery power -- the battery got exhausted within 2 months of use. And when that happens the S/W doesn't give you an appropriate warning. The message shown is: "Some mouse settings might not work until you connect a Microsoft mouse to a USB port on your computer or set up a Microsoft mouse that uses Bluetooth technology." This message set my heart beating at a higher pace thinking that a 2 month old mouse is dead. It finally turned out that the battery power was over.
b.) SQL Server 2005/ Windows crash: With the mouse driver installed I started experiencing the "blue death" screen. It took me quite a good amount of investigation to find out that it happens only when I'm working on SQL Server 2005. And then I found out that it's because of the mouse driver (iPoint.exe). After I removed iPoint.exe I haven't faced a crash. But that takes away all the good touted features of the mouse (zoom etc.).
c.) F-Lock: I had read of this thing over here but didn't realize how bad it would be for me till I used it. I'm a developer and hence I work with Function keys most of the time. And to be surprised with an "Open File" dialog is not a good thing when you are trying to debug. Also, with the F-lock in ON position (so that the function keys work) you can't take a screenshot. This kills me when I'm debugging. A really bad feature and I am yet to figure out if there's a way to tweak the registry to turn the F-lock permanently ON (but the print screen will still be a worrying point for me).
d.)Key acceleration & mouse signal: I've observed that randomly the keyboard would become hypersensitive and a warning signal shows up showing that it has lost the strength. And all the while the kybd & mouse is no farther than 6-7 inches from the receiver (no objects in between). This gets irritating when you suddenly see that "new" has a bit too many "wwwww"s.

From a software developer perspective I highly discourage anybody from buying it.

I got this set from my wife as a present, and it replaced an old MS Natural Elite (one of two) that I had been using for a few years.

Initially it seemed to work great but then I started to have problems with the mouse's left button. It started to require a hard push rather than a touch to activate, finally stopped working all together (the button).

Then the keyboard started to activate the find function in Firefox and inputted random letters WITHOUT my input :( This was a major annoyance when doing work or when typing!

I sent it to my local computer shop to have service, and they reported that the printed circuit was not repairable. So I tossed it, and pulled the old Elite back out of storage and my old wireless Logitech mouse, and for the last 6 months have not had any such problems with them.

Needless to say I am very disappointed with the quality. However, that did not stop me from being getting another keyboard recently...a MS 4000, wired keyboard.

I owned a white, wired version of this product years ago and now I can't stand the flat boards. The arch in the middle is perfect and the features at the top for volume, email, play, internet etc. are great. This wireless one worked perfect from about 5 feet but I noticed that at around 6 feet the mouse will start to lose it. I've had this keyboard for at least a month now and so far the batteries are holding up. I don't use it everyday though so I don't know how long it'll last for people that are on the computer 8 hrs a day but I'm sure it'll last as long as a normal wireless keyboard. Its very durable and I'd highly recommend it.

I am very happy with this keyboard and mouse. It is much more comfortable on the wrists.