Pros
Everything you want for a good keyboard: comfortable, functional and features-riched.
Cons
Function Keys mess up by default (F-Lock can't set to default)
The Bottom Line
Excellent keyboard for "Email and Word Processor" users. F-Lock key feature is extremely annoying. If you use function keys, avoid this and any keyboards with F-LOCK.
Full Review
What's Good?
1, It has an excellent sets of 9 accessories keys. They are labeled as webcams, emails, shopping, home page... etc They are useless by default (who needs a "shopping" button?) but can be easily programmed to user assigned programs like word, excel, or whatever.
2, It has a "deluxe feeling" for the keys, not too hard, not too soft, just right, feels much better than cheapy keyboards.
3, It has an excellent volume dial to control the volume of the computer (That's a major feature I'm looking for).
4, The iTouch software (version 2.15) seems to be functional and convenient (except for the f-lock key, more later). You can easily configure the accessory keys to a web page, a menu, an internal function or a user program.
5, Multi-media keys works as expected (play, stop, forward, backward). It seems to function for most media players.
6, It looks good.
So what's wrong?
The major issue is the function keys (F1,F2,F3... etc) don't act as function keys by default and it is by design and can't be fixed.
Each of the function keys has stupid pictures on it, like New ,send, forward, reply, undo, redo etc.... and F1, F2, F3 are printed in small letters at the bottom.
I could live with those stupid pictures. The only problem is they act like those stupid pictures by default (and sometimes random), unless you press the "f-lock" (which is reset every time the computer is off or suspended).
So, by default alt-f4 dosn't close the window, F1, F2, F3, F4 all have unexpected and arbitrary functions depends on what programs you use.
Well, if all you use is only outlook and word (or any email program and word processor), then the keyboard is perfect for you. But Logitech (and Microsoft too) seems too stupid to realize that a computer can be used much more than emails and word processors. There are millions of programs out there and this keyboard only works for two types of programs by default. So the function keys don't work or working only partially on many programs I use (e.g. dreamweaver, vb, java, photoshop, many utilities etc)... Doesn't even work well with Microsoft Explorer. The "reply", "send", "forward" labels seems ridiculously stupid when using programs other than emails. And those undo, redo keys are pretty meaningless to experienced users (doesn’t everyone use Ctrl-Z?)
The most horrible thing is this is not a bug. It is a "feature". It works the same on all new Logitech and Microsoft keyboards. It seems a consumer can't avoid this "feature" unless they buy a cheapy keyboard.
So, every time I boot up my computer (or bring up from suspend), I have to press the F-lock to disable those stupid "features". Logitech's itouch allow the keys to be programmed as "pass-through" so they are supposed to behave as normal function keys. But they don't. Most keys works as normal when set as "pass-through", but some keys don't, namely the alt-F4 doesn't work. The only way to make it work is to press the f-lock. That's one keystroke too many. I have configured my computer to bring it up by one keystroke (all new motherboard support power up by keyboard keys), now is down to two keystrokes. That's way too much work (and the F-Key is in a very inconvenient upper left corner, the same size and color as other "accessories keys").
It's extremely inconsiderable for Microsoft (I think Microsoft is to blame, Logitech is just a stupid follower) to force this f-lock stupidity on users and leave them no choice (disable by BIOS, registry or driver would be nice). This is not a software configurable keys, so no driver fix seems to work. The support in Logitech think it's a nice feature and never wants to fix it. There's a registry hack to disable the f-lock feature on Microsoft keyboards. Logitech keyboards have a similar registry hack (using XP and 2k keyboard scancodes) but not compatible with iTouch software.
So bottom line? I probably will refund the keyboard just because the function keys don't work as function keys by default and might do it multiple times (buy, refund, complaints, buy refund complaints...) as a protest unless I can find some ways to configure that key.....
Other minor complaints (that I can easily overlook).
1 User key seems to be too close to "escape" key and f-lock key.
2 Media key is kind of useless and can't be configured.