Pimp my MK802 Android 4.0 Mini PC ~ Astone R3 Motion Air-mouse Remote Control with Mini Keyboard Review

Astone R3 Motion Air-mouse Remote Control with Mini Keyboard
I had earlier shared about getting a mini wireless keyboard/touchpad for use with the MK802 Android 4.0 Android Mini PC. If you find that the touchpad is too small for the thumb to navigate, there is another option available. This option is a much more interactive one, but needs a little getting used to.

Have you heard of an Air Mouse?
If it seems foreign to you, an Air Mouse functions like the Nintendo Wii Remote. It using in-built gryoscopic mechanism to navigate the mouse. There difference is that with the Air Mouse, you do not need a sensor attached to your screen. I realized that it is there is no review of the Astone R3 Motion Air-mouse Remote Control with Mini Keyboard, so I decided to do up a quick one of this "R3MOTE".

R3MOTE review
The  Astone R3 Motion Air-mouse Remote Control with Mini Keyboard comes in a simple packaging that shows life-size images of the controller.
The R3MOTE is an optional accessory when you purchase the Astone Android TV box.
The  R3MOTE utilizes innovative free space motion-sensing which transforms hand motions into natural, responsive cursor controls. The  R3MOTE is a 3-in-1 device: remote control, air-mouse and keyboard. It connects to your USB host via a receiver dongle via 2.4GHz wireless and has an excellent range of up to about 30 metres. The  R3MOTE  is powered by advanced Li-ion batteries that has can standby up to 600hours and auto-sleeps. Recharging the R3MOTE is fast and easy with mini-USB port.

Accessories include a very simple user manual, wireless receiver dongle, mini-USB cable.

R3MOTE

The R3MOTE comes in a sleek piano-black finish and looks very similar to the remote of an aeroplane entertainment system. One side is the controls for the Air Mouse.

Flip to the other side for the QWERTY Keyboard.

R3MOTE In the Hands

Hold the R3MOTE like a TV remote and navigate the mouse cursor using Air Mouse like how you would use the Nintendo Wiimote.

Verdict on user experience

The Good: The R3MOTE is feels very comfortable to hold in the hand. The Air Mouse is also very easy to use, if you are familiar with using the Nintendo Wiimote. The sensitive of the R3MOTE is almost comparable to the Wiimote. However, the sensitivity can never beat a mouse or trackpad. Nevertheless, I could move the mouse cursor easily and select the small close button "X" on the browser without any complaints. The positioning of the left mouse button has been carefully thought of and makes point and select easy with a thumb press. Flip over to the keyboard, the air mouse goes into a temporary inactive state, hence you wont have the mouse cursor running around while you are punching in the keys. This is a carefully thought of feature as well. The cursor and left mouse buttons are carefully placed on the Air Mouse to be within the thumb's reach. After getting used to the Air Mouse, it is now easier and more fun to navigate using the R3MOTE. It also makes the user experience more ergonomic compared to the the A.C. Ryan Wireless Mini Keyboard/Touchpad.

The Bad: All is not good as the R3MOTE does have its disadvantages. I am slightly disappointed that there is no dedicated Home button and Menu button on the Air Mouse. If you are not familiar with playing Nintendo Wii, you may get slightly frustrated. The keyboard is not a full Windows keyboard. You do not have dedicated "Start Button". The "Home", "www" and ".com" keys do not work on the Android and PC at all. There are no dedicated number keys, hence you need to toggle the "Fn" key. When you are in the keyboard mode, you lose the left and right mouse buttons. I would still prefer the keyboard of the A.C. Ryan Wireless Mini Keyboard/Touchpad. The R3MOTE is quite long, and when grabbing the keyboard with both hands, my thumbs are not long enough to reach the middle of the keyboard.

R3MOTE & Wiimote

Same, same but different

Photography & Editing by William Tan

©2012