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Sakino · May 18, 2006, 01:21 PM

My old 5 year old mouse finally died out and I was looking into getting a new mouse for my 1.67 al pb. I was looking into getting something wireless. Should I pick up a bluetooth or USB? I would like it to be portable, as I am on the go quite bit. I would be using it to play world of warcraft also. There any suggestions?

Thanks
Sakino

Harry Schaefer · 03:46 PM

I very much like the new wireless mouses with the receiver set as a detachable unit under the mouse and when in use plugged into a USB port. One of these is the Microsoft Laser mouse 6000. I have found that when i have a larger receiver (that doesn't plug into the bottom of the mouse) I get easily confused as to which mouse to which receiver and more difficult to turn off battery drain equally rechargeable batteries have not been a great success for me they conk out at the wrong time. Help that helps. Harry

Velocity211 · May 18, 2006, 02:50 PM

Logitech MX700, it's about three years old now. I use the Apple Wireless BT Mouse when I'm not at home.

amazing · May 18, 2006, 03:27 PM

Logitech v270 bluetooth, 2 button, no drivers needed (natch.) Uses AA batteries with on/off switch, comes with a padded travel case. Small, easily tranported. Will be using the same 2500 mAh NIMH batteries as my camera--but you can find AA batteries anywhere.

azt33 · May 18, 2006, 04:12 PM

Logitech MX900. Love this mouse, but it is discontinued I think. The only minor point is that it has no on/off switch. But other than,

armyantz · May 18, 2006, 07:07 PM

hrmmm, I guess I'm the only one that uses the trackpad

Liquidity X · May 18, 2006, 07:49 PM

I have one of these: http://www.radtech.us/Products/BT600.aspx , use it when i know I am gonna be doing photoshop or maya or fcp, use the TP for most none graphic suff.

Sakino · May 18, 2006, 08:00 PM

Originally Posted by Liquidity X

I have one of these: http://www.radtech.us/Products/BT600.aspx , use it when i know I am gonna be doing photoshop or maya or fcp, use the TP for most none graphic suff.

How does it feel?

kcmac · May 18, 2006, 08:07 PM

Mighty Mouse.

uicandrew · May 18, 2006, 08:57 PM

i love using my mx900 bluetooth mouse. it has a lot of buttons, which I use for expose. expose just makes me so much more efficient. also, not having to use a dongle is absolutely wonderful. i always worry about forgetting about the dongle and then damaging my usb port if i pick up the powerbook from the wrong side.

one thing that makes the mx900 mouse really great is that it comes with a dock that you can drop the mouse in to charge it. there is a red flashing led on the top of the mouse that blinks if it is running low on juice.

Sakino · 09:11 PM

I'm kinda sold between Liquidity X and Harry Schaefer's suggestions. I forgot about microsoft selling mice and never thought about RadTech.
So the two products I am looking at....
BT600 from Radtech: http://www.radtech.us/Products/BT600.aspx#
The nice thing I like about this is its BT, but I am dreading to hear what the battery life is like on this. I'm also wondering how it feels.
Wireless Notbook Laser Mouse 6000 from Microsoft : Link Tech Specs
This also looks really nice too. Its USB, which I don't mind.

Any suggestions? Like I said the main purpose is probably to play World of Warcraft when I am on the go. I usually just use the trackpad since I have become really quick with it.

Thanks

phantomo · May 18, 2006, 09:28 PM

I have one foot on the Dark Side. Using Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000 from Microsoft now. It has smooth tracking, smooth scroll wheel and I programmed left and right scroll as page up and page down which is very convinent. I've tried Logitech V200, they are very good as well, smaller receiver, clicking scroll wheel compare to the M$ but it requires 2 AA instead of 1 on the M$ one.

You can try Logitech V270 or V400.

Sakino · May 18, 2006, 09:47 PM

Originally Posted by phantomo

I have one foot on the Dark Side. Using Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000 from Microsoft now. It has smooth tracking, smooth scroll wheel and I programmed left and right scroll as page up and page down which is very convinent. I've tried Logitech V200, they are very good as well, smaller receiver, clicking scroll wheel compare to the M$ but it requires 2 AA instead of 1 on the M$ one.

You can try Logitech V270 or V400.

Thats good to hear. I guess I am just holding out to see what the battery life is like on the BT600. If it isn't so good I will also be putting my foot kinda into the dark side.

MRTrauffer · May 18, 2006, 10:06 PM

Logitech "Smart Mouse" MX-610

Sourbook · May 18, 2006, 11:27 PM

Using a mouse on a powerbook is just wrong.

kcmac · May 18, 2006, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by Sourbook

Using a mouse on a powerbook is just wrong.

True enough.

I use mine quite a bit during the workday (when I'm not being forced to use a PC

)
so I like using the mouse in this desktop mode. When I travel or am sitting around the house etc, it is trackpad all the way!

hndsmman · May 19, 2006, 01:04 AM

I use my Logitech MX518 straight from my gaming rig.

Harry Schaefer · May 19, 2006, 01:43 AM

I too like to use the trackpad a lot of the time. For some photo applications a mouse is helpful

The_Man · May 19, 2006, 09:37 AM

I tried the Logitech 270 Bluetooth but found it too jumpy and poor tracking and the auto-shutoff was annoying (took too long to wake up). I returned it and got a Targus USB with the retractable cord and like it. Bluetooth would be great but i have yet to find one which tracks as accurately as a plug in model.

amazing · May 19, 2006, 02:28 PM

For when I'm not travelling, I use a Macally Q-ball, a 5-button scroll-wheel trackball. I even used to haul it around with me, until I damaged one. That's when I got the Logitech v270--but use that one only for travelling. Too small to be ergonomically comfortable for long, long periods.

If you're travelling and need to closely watch battery power, a usb mouse is the way to go, assuming that you'll be turning off airport and bluetooth (which makes a big enough battery life difference to be worth doing.)

Anyway, the one feature on the Macally software that has absolutely spoiled me: One click of the scroll-wheel, either up or down, does one complete page up (or down.) It's absolutely essential for reading lots of webpage--because incremental scrolling is disorienting and headache inducing. Kensington used to do it under OS 9, but have dropped that feature in OS X. I wish other mfgs would implement this feature...

Travelling must-have's: small, lively, lightweight, no cord and no extra receiver to lug, good battery life, durable (pouch), 2 buttons minimum, scrollwheel.

Desktop must-have's: ergonomic comfort, lots of useful buttons and good features, lively. Optional: wireless (receiver OK since you're stationary) and some prefer trackballs (like me.)

masugu · May 19, 2006, 04:23 PM

I LOVE my Microsoft WIRED Intellimouse. Right mouse button functionality is nifty! Wired is much better than wireless...

Sakino · May 22, 2006, 12:27 PM

I decided to got with the MS mouse because its LASER, and the Radtech was optical. I will tell you what I think about it after I have used it for awhile.

kalani79 · May 22, 2006, 01:26 PM

Does a bluetooth mouse exist that has a recharger cradle that plugs into an AC outlet and not a USB port? My dream mouse would do that so as not to take up a USB port but still be conveniently rechargeable.

uicandrew · May 22, 2006, 01:40 PM

sounds reasonable. however, a downfall of the laser mice is that i think they suck up batteries like there's no tommorow.

i had a wireless laser gaming mice from logitech and it came with 2 swappable rechargable batteries. (so you could charge one and use one simultaneously and instantly swap them). i thought that was really neat until i realized why they did it.

the batteries lasted for a couple days. (i'm talking 2-3 days), and not even using games. it could be because it was laser, or maybe the gaming mice has special settings that make it more sensitive (higher dpi) that makes the batteries drain more.

i ended up trading with a fellow macnn member for a logitech mx900 bluetooth mouse. very fair trade. mine was pricey, but his was discontinued.

let us know

uicandrew · May 22, 2006, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by kalani79

Does a bluetooth mouse exist that has a recharger cradle that plugs into an AC outlet and not a USB port? My dream mouse would do that so as not to take up a USB port but still be conveniently rechargeable.

yes, the logitech mx900 mouse. (that is the one i have.) the cradle has both a usb cable and a ac adapter attached, but you don't need to plug the usb cord in. you can just use the ac adapter if all you want to do is use thte cradle as a charger.

the cradle also doubles as the bluetooth receiver for computers without builtin bluetooth

phantomo · May 22, 2006, 10:09 PM

a downfall of the laser mice is that i think they suck up batteries like there's no tommorow.

Hm... not a conclusive statement. I am using M$ Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000. It uses 1AA battery and I am still on the first battery since I owned this mouse for 2 months.

amazing · May 22, 2006, 11:02 PM

kalani79: just use NIMH batteries in any bluetooth mouse that uses AA batteries. I'm using 2700 mAh in mine.

uicandrew · May 22, 2006, 11:26 PM

Originally Posted by phantomo

Hm... not a conclusive statement. I am using M$ Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 6000. It uses 1AA battery and I am still on the first battery since I owned this mouse for 2 months.

then it is probably the "gaming" part of the gaming mice that decreases the battery life.

Harry Schaefer · May 22, 2006, 11:47 PM

I too haven't had a battery life issue but I don't do games. harry

kalani79 · May 23, 2006, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by amazing

kalani79: just use NIMH batteries in any bluetooth mouse that uses AA batteries. I'm using 2700 mAh in mine.

I would do that, but ideally I would like to have some sort of cradle in which I could sit the mouse whenever it is not in use instead of having to take out the batteries and put them in their own charger.

amazing · May 23, 2006, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by kalani79

I would do that, but ideally I would like to have some sort of cradle in which I could sit the mouse whenever it is not in use instead of having to take out the batteries and put them in their own charger.

Well, I use the same batteries in my camera, so there's always some charged ones on hand. And if you're travelling there's always alkalines available. Just like I'm not likely to get a camera with a proprietary battery, I'd rather not have a mouse with one. There's some nice, small NIMH battery chargers available, just as easy and more universal to carry as any proprietary charger.

haakon73 · May 23, 2006, 11:06 AM

I personally use a Mighty Mouse now, but I am a massive fan of the Logitech MX1000 Laser Bluetooth Mouse. It seems large, but when you hold it you won't want to use anything else. I have never had an issue with it traveling (until the day mine was stolen). Works great, probably the best mouse in the world.

uicandrew · May 23, 2006, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by Matt Hoult

I personally use a Mighty Mouse now, but I am a massive fan of the Logitech MX1000 Laser Bluetooth Mouse. It seems large, but when you hold it you won't want to use anything else. I have never had an issue with it traveling (until the day mine was stolen). Works great, probably the best mouse in the world.

the mx1000 laser mouse is NOT bluetooth, at least in the US. the best bluetooth mouse (with the recharging cradle) in my opinion is the mx900 bluetooth mouse. it isn't laser, but it sure is bluetooth.

teknopimp · May 23, 2006, 11:51 AM

i use the trackpad for the most part. if i'm working at home then i use a mighty mouse.

molala · May 24, 2006, 07:04 AM

I use either the trackpad or a Wacom Graphire 3 tablet - much easier to use than a mouse.

bdwhite · May 25, 2006, 10:14 AM

Kensington StudioMouse (Wireless). It's a two-button silver w/ charging cradle. Rather bulky, and at $90 I feel like I may have had other options. It's cheaper now, and the best part of it is the scroll "wheel" is replaced with a small touchpad strip for smooth scrolling. Works wonders with CS2 and internet browsing.