Microsoft offers keyboard with 128-bit encryption

[Emil]

Microsoft has unveiled the new Wireless Desktop 2000, a keyboard and mouse combo for $40. You can buy it now from Microsoft.com, though you should note that it requires either Windows XP (excluding Windows XP 64-bit), Windows Vista, or Windows 7.

The Wireless Desktop 2000 includes Microsoft's first keyboard that features Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) 128-bit encryption – the same technology trusted by the US government to secure their wireless connections and which industry leaders consider to be one of the most secure encryption standards. AES is a unique pre-programmed 128-bit encryption key designed to help prevent your keystrokes, which are transmitted over-the-air, from being intercepted and deciphered. The keyboard also includes a pillow-textured palm rest for added comfort and caters to multitaskers with Taskbar Favorites for Windows 7.

The included Wireless Mouse 2000 features enhanced side grips, an ambidextrous design (meaning it can fit either hand), and also includes a Tilt Wheel for easy side-to-side scrolling. It uses Microsoft's BlueTrack technology, which means it can works on virtually any surface (except glass and mirrored surfaces). All of Microsoft's keyboards and mice come with a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty.

This appears to be a decent keyboard and mice combo for the price, but the addition of encryption is puzzling. Is Microsoft trying to tap into the paranoid market?

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/44096-microsoft-offers-keyboard-with-128-bit-encryption.html

 

[z0phi3l]

If you are that paranoid, you wouldn't be using a wireless keyboard to start with, looks like a big waste of money

 

[TomSEA]

"...but the addition of encryption is puzzling."

Boy, no kidding. I don't get it. And won't get it.

 

[Benny26]

Gotta say, I wouldn't mind stroking her keys...

That's a nice keyboard.

 

[gwailo247]

Once again MS shows its lack of originality. This is clearly just a rip off of the Enigma machine.

 

[Cota]

gwailo247 said:
Once again MS shows its lack of originality. This is clearly just a rip off of the Enigma machine.

And once again Ms has proved his lack of common sense to copy useless ideas

 

[Zilliak]

z0phi3l said:
If you are that paranoid, you wouldn't be using a wireless keyboard to start with, looks like a big waste of money

Lol aka if someone is parked outside your house and your using a wired or wireless they can see what your typing....with this they can't. Make sense?

 

[LookinAround]

I've always been under the impression that the range between wireless keyboards and transceivers was rather short (and more akin to line-of-sight).

1. Short / line-of-sight range is the case for my Logitech wireless keyboard. Once i leave the room with transceiver the keyboard is no longer detected
2. Why would anyone want or need a long range wireless keyboard anyway? It's not like this is a keyboard that one would take on the road or use in an internet cafe

Or am i missing something??

 

[captaincranky]

I've always been under the impression that the range between wireless keyboards and transceivers was rather short (and more akin to line-of-sight).

In my experience, the useful range is far than that. At least with the M$ wireless keyboards I own.

The disturbing thing about them is this; when I have two machines on the same frequency, a mouse click or key stroke will wake another machine from sleep, maybe 15 + feet away, but the useful control range is much shorter than that.

 

[gwailo247]

And once again Ms has proved his lack of common sense to copy useless ideas

Not that useless. A lot of the breakthroughs that allowed the Allies to crack the code of the Enigma came from failure of the humans using the machine to follow proper protocol, for instance using the name of a girl to start each message, or always using a sequence like qwerty. That's just about on par with people leaving the default password on a router, or using a very predictable password to safeguard their account.

 

[Guest]

Who sits around intercepting keystrokes from wireless keyboards? That would require some extreme proximity, so why not just stand over someone's shoulder and watch them type? >.<