Wireless Keyboard

the apple wireless keyboards (with or without numeric pads) work well; the larger ones give you access to useful mac-centric functions such as ejecting discs, pause/play in iTunes, volume control, and so on.

I really like the new magic mouse. It's smooth in operation and the ability to do gestures on the top is very useful (two finger swipe for going back a page in Firefox as an example).

Battery life on both is very good, and when you have to change batteries, they use AAs, which are easy to find.

(I may be slightly biased -- I spent 17 years at Apple)

A wireless mouse is small enough to be mistaken as property of the toy box when in wrong hands...

Plus, I already have too many remotes on the coffee table.

Looking at Apple branded hardware, I couldn't find an "all-in-one" solution. I'm thinking combined keyboard/mouse functionality on a single device.

... have both types of kb's mentioned above and they work great.

... or

I run my mini as a server and control it from my laptop.

I've got VNC set up on the mini, but can't seem to access w/ my XP box or Win7 box. What software are you using from your laptop?

One word: GYRATION.

They have some very nice gear.
I use a gyration keyboard/mouse for my HTPC setup. I've had it for about eight years!
Yup..mine an original design and STILL going strong!

The keyboard is small. No need for full size. It feels like an IBM thinkpad keyboard.

The mouse not only acts as a regular laser mouse on a normal surface but is 'free air'. You dont need a surface. It's gyroscopic. You press on an underside button and just 'wave it in the air'. Left/right buttons and wheel on top.
Its a very nice design.

The receiver is a single lil box (RF reciever not IR..no need for line of sight for both the keyboard and mouse) and uses a single USB port.

I highly recommend gyration gear for an HTPC setup.

I'm unsure it it works with apples, but you may want to check out logitec's HARMONY remotes.
I have one..LOVE IT! Its setup to control every tv/deck in the house.
They have various models and different price points and features. Some include RF.

Its actually very intuitive with the 'activties' button.
You can program its user buttons how ever you want.
Plus it can be done online. They have a database with a scabizzilion devices. You dont have to do each individual function(which is VERY time consuming).
Once you get the basic devices loaded, you can tweak it at will.