I use a full Linux machine as my media box, I simply use too many file formats and odd bits and bobs to use a specialised and limited media box, that in turn means a normal media remote just does not cut the mustard, that said, a full size wireless key board is cumbersome and gets on my nerves, so when Mark Barton brought the Lenovo N5901 to my attention, it was straight to eBay to get one.

I have now been using mine for a couple of months (hence it looks a bit grubby in the photos) so a mini review is in order:

Pros

• • Excellent battery life
  • Tiny transmitter/Receiver
  • Equally good for left and right handers (a rare thing)
  • Exceptional build quality
  • Works very well on Linux
  • Always on, so you don’t have to click a button to turn it on
  • You can store the transmitter in the back battery compartment

Cons

• Tracker ball rattles
• Keyboard layout not designed along “most used keys” format

Summary

I am very happy with this as a remote, I mainly just use the media keys and mouse, but to be able to type in a URL or password without getting up and locating the main keyboard is welcome, but the media keys are a tad precise. ie, the pause/play button is the audio specific version rather than the generic one, it has also stood up to being trodden on a couple of times and I am so pleased with the build quality that it made Lenovo a contender when I was looking for my new laptop.