It's a familiar problem. Which model to buy? Should I go for the regular or should I pay a little bit extra and get the deluxe model? Well, it always depends on whether or not the higher price is worth the difference in features. Today we are going to evaluate both the Microsoft Wireless Optical Desktop Pro and the Microsoft Optical Desktop Elite for Bluetooth. The Bluetooth model is about $50.00 more expensive than the Pro, but is it worth it?

We will cover all of the minor differences between both products later in this review, but the major difference needs discussing now. One has Bluetooth, the other doesn't. To discuss Bluetooth in its entirety is well beyond the scope of this article, but it does need some explaining.

Brief Introduction: Bluetooth

Bluetooth is a common name for a specific wireless standard. Unfortunately, there are several different wireless standards, the most common being "Wi-Fi" (aka IEEE 802.11x). If you or your friends have set up a wireless network, they are using one of the several 802.11 standards. Bluetooth, on the other hand, is meant to be a cable replacement for devices such as cell phones, PDAs, cameras, speakers, and of course keyboards and mice. The two standards are complementary, meaning they don't compete with one another. Think of "Wi-Fi" as Internet and network only, and Bluetooth as everything else. You can even use both wireless technologies in the same computer at the same time.

Bluetooth operates on the unlicensed 2.4GHz frequency range, as does hundreds of other products, such as phones. Interference can and does happen, but you will never notice it because Bluetooth has built in procedures for identifying and eliminating the interference factor.

Just as a fun fact, the name comes from Harald Bluetooth, a king in Denmark in the 900s who was renowned for his ability to communicate and united Denmark and Norway.

So now that you have an idea of what Bluetooth is, why should you want to connect your keyboard and mouse to your computer with it? Well, the Bluetooth USB receiver that comes with the package can be used to connect any Bluetooth device. So if your cell phone, PDA, watch, camera, speakers, printer, or headset supports Bluetooth, you can communicate to your computer with it. We succesfully loaded our contact list from my Sony Ericsson T616 cell phone onto the computer. As an example, if we were to lose the cell phone, our contact list would still be safe and sound. Even if you don't currently own any Bluetooth devices, the chance that you will own one in the future is fairly high.

If you aren't concerned about connecting any other peripherals to your computer, Bluetooth still offers a benefit that the Wireless Optical Desktop Pro doesn't have, and that’s range. You can use this keyboard and mouse up to 30 feet (10 meters) away from the receiver, even if it’s in another room or there are objects in the way. The Wireless Optical Desktop Pro can operate up to six feet from the receiver, and can operate through objects as well.

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