The device is like a small keyboard with 21 keys and three shift states allowing you to bind lots of commands to the device. If you are a gamer who travels often to LAN parties, this is an excellent device for you. To change shift modes you slide an analog switch on the upper left corner of the Saitek Cyborg Command Unit. As you change modes the backlighting color of the gamepad changes to so you know what mode you are in at a glance. The backlighting changes through green, red, and yellow colors.