We compared Microsoft's Office Keyboard to a white whale in our review a year ago; the new color scheme makes the Natural MultiMedia Keyboard a white whale with a blue fin -- and, surprisingly, just a good old PS/2 interface instead of USB connector, so you can't use it with some of the newest USB-only notebook or desktop PCs. Nor can you detach the palm rest to reduce its 10 by 19-inch footprint.

It looked radical in 1994, but chances are you've encountered Microsoft's "Natural" or ergonomically split keyboard layout by now. Even if you haven't, the design's keep-your-wrists-parallel left- and right-hand divide takes surprisingly little getting used to (although we were obliged to stop slouching low in our chair and using our right hand for the B key). You'll want to prop up its swiveling feet and take some extra care or precision the first day or two, but should soon be at virtually full speed, enjoying the soft-without-being-mushy typing feel.

Like the Office Keyboard, the Natural MultiMedia turns the cursor-control sextet sideways, with Home alongside instead of above End and a double-sized Delete key. The last is marginally handy, but we fumbled occasionally, and the Insert key's doubling for Print Screen clashed with Microsoft's decision to assign the F1 through F12 function keys new functions, such as Undo for F2, Redo for F3, and Reply for F7. Since we're hardwired to hit F12 for Save As, we had to press the "F lock" key that restores the default function keys, but then discovered the Alt-PrtScn application-screen-capture shortcut didn't work.

But many users will like the new function keys, and nearly everyone will like the top-row special keys. A trio at the top left open the My Documents, My Pictures, and My Music folders, while three at the right launch your e-mail client, Web home page, and Windows Messenger (a.k.a. .Net Messenger).

At the center, volume up, down, and mute keys are handily arranged with play, pause, and next/previous track CD control buttons and a key to launch Windows Media Player. Finally, buttons above the keypad launch Windows' Calculator and its logoff and sleep/suspend functions respectively.

If you're like us, you'll want to reassign a few of the above to launch other programs or utilities. And once again, Microsoft offsets its near-comical "What? Surely you're not running anything other than Windows and Office, are you?" defaults with excellent software for changing them -- IntelliType Pro 2.2 gives you plenty of options (for F1 through F12 and the bottom-row Windows and menu keys as well as the top-row launch buttons) and makes it easy to customize things.

All told, Microsoft's new blues aren't quite the ultimate ergonomic input devices -- for that, the company would probably tell you to wait for the super-fancy, premium-priced Bluetooth wireless keyboard/mouse combo it's shipping later this fall. But they strike a good balance of flexibility and affordability for anyone looking to jettison a boring PC-standard-equipment desk set.

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