Most of us have or will soon make the move from using a desktop to using a laptop. However, as anyone who has ever used a laptop (and especially those who are on a netbook) will tell you, the keyboards suck – in general that is. It’s not their fault necessarily; it’s just a matter of form over function. Still, there’s no denying that they are cramped and the cause of many typos for the thick-thumbed among us. Plus the lack of a proper number pad is inconvenient and does anybody like the mouse pad?

Good news. The geniuses over at the Microsoft think tank Hardware Group have made things easier for laptop users with the arrival of the Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000 and the Bluetooth Number Pad. While the concept of a portable keyboard is nothing new (we’ve seen pants as keyboards, rollup keyboards, and laser keyboards), they’ve usually been on the gimmicky side. Now, Microsoft’s new Keyboard 6000 falls in line with more traditional keyboards in that it’s solid and with that in mind Microsoft claims that this is the “thinnest keyboard ever.”

Despite its thickness at the rear (it’s slightly thicker than a AAA battery) and tapering toward the front, I can’t help thinking that a portable keyboard like the Keyboard 6000 defeats the purpose of having a portable computer. Sure, there are no wires to contend with, but you still have to pack it up and pull it out whenever you want to use it, which makes no sense outside of the context of using your laptop at a workstation. The Bluetooth Number Pad on the other hand, makes total sense.

Undressing the Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000

As stated, the Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000 is thin. It’s also compatible with Bluetooth-enabled notebooks and desktops. The keyboard also features the Comfort Curve layout, which means that the keys are laid out in a way that gives a more ergonomic approach for your hands and wrists (the curve is about six degrees). Both the keyboard and the number pad became available last month (October 2009) and retail for $89.95 and $44.95 respectively.