I’ve just returned from a breakfast meeting at Microsoft’s swanky new digs in Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour where a bunch of scruffy journalist types were given a hands on demo of a bunch of new and existing products from their peripherals department — keyboards, mice, webcams, headsets that sort of stuff. Some of it, the Wireless Entertainment Desktop 7000 and Habu gaming mouse for example, I’ve already reviewed (see the April 2007 issue), the best stuff however is still in the works.

Besides some rather scrumptious nibbles we also had a video call hookup with various product bosses in Redmond Washington. While the Microsofties wouldn’t tell us if the partnership with Razer will spawn any further gaming products after the Habu mouse and the Reclusa keyboard, it does at least look like Microsoft is finally taking PC gaming peripherals seriously again. After jettisoning their excellent Sidewinder business years ago PC gamers were left feeling decidedly unloved at that point in time. Even so, don’t be expecting a return to the Sidewinder glory days of old because according to Bill Jukes, Product Marketing Manager, Entertainment and Gaming Devices Division, there are no plans to resurrect the old line of joysticks (no money in that apparently), instead keyboards, mice and Xbox 360 controllers that plug into a PC are where it’s at these days.

Here’s a rundown.

Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000
The top of the line variation of the Entertainment Desktop range includes a wonderful backlit keyboard and a magnetic docking station that recharges both the keyboard and mouse and includes a three-port USB hub. Since it’s designed with the living room rather than the office in mind the keyboard has a fancy-pants touchpad thingy that you can use instead of the mouse (for those times you’re reclining in your lounge watching TV via your Microsoft powered home theatre PC). I got to spend a few brief minutes trying it out and can report it’s comfortable, incredibly well featured, rather sexy and, most probably, mind-blowingly expensive. While official prices haven’t been set it’s shaping up to be in the $499 bracket which places it squarely in competition with Logitech’s super-cool Dinovo Edge.

Microsoft Reclusa
One for the gamers. The, perhaps aptly named, Reclusa is also backlit (Microsoft recognize the strange fascination we PC gamers have with the dark), features programmable buttons, macros, bumper buttons, jog dials and even a detachable padded wrist rest. Realizing that gamers tend to care not for wireless-ness the keyboard is of the wired variety and includes sexy sounding gold-plated USB ports to plug extra peripherals into. Microsoft continue their collaboration with Razer through the inclusion of Razer Hyperesponse Gaming Key Action to reduce latency.
There was no demo unit of this keyboard to try this morning so we’ll have to wait till the proper review unit arrives so see how it goes. At this stage it looks like it’ll retail for around $129 placing it, again, in direct price point competition with Logitech and the G15 gaming keyboard.

Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000
A wired USB webcam with 2 megapixel resolution costs $189 and is designed to clip conveniently to the top of your notebooks display. As with the 1.3 megapixel VX-6000 it’s heavily skewed toward interacting with Microsoft products such as Windows Live Messenger and Vista although it will of course work with other software too.