I got this for playing around with Ubuntu 7.10 Linux on the PS3 and writing messages & browsing the web in the XMB. It works quite well actually. Very easy to pair with the PS3, and it stays synced. I even turned it on while in CoD4 to type some names for my custom classes, since they mysteriously disappeared again … found it after 1 or 2 seconds, very quick.

I’m much more willing to send and reply to messages in the XMB now. The built in mouse pad works well too. On the far right there is a scroll sensor, very easy to browse web pages now. You can actually use the mouse pad to navigate the XMB too. You can tap the mouse pad to click on links in web browsers, or even to select things in the XMB.

Now on the Linux side, I found some instructions for getting it synced and it worked, mouse pad and all. But I accidentally hit the reset button on the back which is very easy to do if you grab it just right. So it lost connection to Linux, I had to repair it. Since then I have put some tape over the reset button, lol. Problem solved 🙂

One thing that bugged me though. When booting into Linux you have to hit enter to start the booting process, but at that point it doesn’t see the bluetooth keyboard. So I have to hook up a usb keyboard just to hit enter! Then I can use the bluetooth keyboard to log in.. There may be a way to sync the bluetooth keyboard so I don’t have to usb keyboard just to hit enter once! Hitting enter doesn’t bug me. It’s that I need a usb keyboard just to do that.

Side note on Linux, PS3 firmware 2.10 broke the wireless in Linux 🙁 Please Sony correct this or let us Linux users how to fix it.

It has some keys marked on the keyboard as x, circle, triangle and square. But it has no start or select button. I wish it had dedicated PlayStation buttons but not a huge deal. There are some media playback buttons at the top: reverse, play, forward, and BD/DVD Menu. But if I was watching a movie I’d rather use the actual PS3 remote control. But it’s nice it’s built into this keyboard.

Out of curiosity I tried this keyboard with my iMac and it works. You can also use a mouse in addition to this keyboard with the PS3 / Linux / or iMac. I don’t have UT3, so I can’t test if it works playing PS3 games.

Overall I really like it, matches the look of the PS3 well. Typing and using the mouse feel good. It’s lightweight, does feel a little cheap. Not to pricey (about $60 from Amazon). If I had to rate it a 89 of 100.

You can view full size photos here

This review is based on a retail copy of the PS3 version of Logitech Cordless Mediaboard Pro provided by Logitech.