Skip to main content

Microsoft’s new keyboard is aimed at the living room, and claims to survive liquid spills

microsofts new keyboard is aimed at the living room mskeyboard
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Not all wireless keyboards are necessarily built for living room use as well. They can be too bulky, plus, if they’re particularly large, handling them for lengthy periods of time can be uncomfortable. That can especially be the case if you have people sitting to either side of you. These are some of the ills that Microsoft attempts to address with its new “All-in-One Media Keyboard.”

Microsoft’s All-in-One is a wireless keyboard with a built-in touchpad, and can be used in conjunction with HID-compliant smart TVs and game consoles, including Xbox devices. It features customizable hotkeys, which allow users to configure certain buttons to perform specific actions based on how they use their gear. Microsoft claims that the keyboard is very liquid and drop-resistant, “so it can withstand the bumps, drops or spills of everyday life.” The keyboard comes bundled with a Wi-Fi USB dongle, which you need in order for you to use it. Plug the dongle into the device you want to pair it with, and the keyboard starts working in about a second.

The All-in-One is compatible with Windows 7 though 8.1, and Windows RT 8 and 8.1 as well. For non-Windows users, the keyboard also supports Mac OS X 10.7 through 10.9, along with Android 4.2, 4.12, and 4.03. We look forward to putting the “All-in-One Media Keyboard” through its paces, which will include liquid spill tests.

Microsoft’s All-in-One Media Keyboard will be available later this month for $39.95.

What do you think? Sound off in the comments below.

Editors' Recommendations

Mike Epstein
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Michael is a New York-based tech and culture reporter, and a graduate of Northwestwern University’s Medill School of…
Power up your tech game this summer with Dell’s top deals: Upgrade for a bargain
Dell Techfest and best tech on sale featured.

One of the best times to upgrade your tech stack, be it your desktop, a new laptop, or some high-resolution monitors, is when great deals are to be had. Well, I'm here to share that thanks to Dell's top deals, you can power up your tech game and have most of the summer to make it happen. Maybe you're happy with your current system or setup. That's excellent, but you're likely considering upgrading somewhere, and that's precisely what these deals are all about. Dell has a smorgasbord of deals on laptops, desktops, gaming desktops, monitors, accessories, and so much more. We'll call out a few of our favorite deals below, but for now, know that you should be shopping this sale if you're interested in anything tech-related.

 
What summer tech should you buy in Dell's top deals?

Read more
I love the MacBook Pro, but this Windows laptop came surprisingly close
Apple MacBook Pro 16 downward view showing keyboard and speaker.

There are some great machines in the 15-inch laptop category, which has recently been stretched to include the more common 16-inch laptop. The best among them is the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which offers fast performance for tasks like video editing and the longest battery life.

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is aimed not only at other 16-inch Windows laptops but also at the MacBook Pro 16. It offers many of the same benefits but at a lower price. Can it take a place at the top?
Specs and configurations

Read more
How to set an ‘Out of Office’ message in Microsoft Teams
Person using Windows 11 laptop on their lap by the window.

Many people use Microsoft Teams regularly to communicate with colleagues both inside of the office and remotely. It is considered one of the most efficient ways to ensure you can stay in contact with the people on your team, but what if you need to let people know you’re not readily available? Microsoft Teams has a method for you to set up an "Out of Office" status for your profile to let staff members know when you’ll be gone for the afternoon, for several days on vacation, or for an extended period.
Where do I go to set up my ‘Out of Office’ status for Teams?
It is important to note that your Microsoft Teams and Outlook calendars are synced. This includes your out-of-office status and automatic replies. So, whatever you set up in Microsoft Teams will reflect in Outlook. Similarly, you can set up your out-of-office status in Outlook, and it will be reflected in Teams; however, the former has a more straightforward instruction.

First, you can click on your profile icon in Teams and go directly to Schedule an out of office, as a shortcut. This will take you to the settings area where you can proceed. You can also click the three-dot icon next to your profile icon, then go to Settings > General, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. There, you'll find out-of-office settings and click Schedule.

Read more