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kensington bluetooth mouse
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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just got the pocketmouse bluetooth optical.
took a second to pair it to my powerbook, and works great.
downloaded the kensington mouseworks software, configured a few things.
note that kensington does not support this mouse with the software, but it works just fine.
nice tracking, nice options (in the software).
smaller than my logitech, but comfortable.
no cable! highly recommended (i got it at bt boutique ; peter was very helpful.
not so light to carry (2 aa batteries), but i am only using it at my desk (and use my trackpad, with sidetrack (at versiontracker) installed...scrolling from the trackpad, etc!
no cables rocks...!
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"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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final report, day 2.
love this thing!
tracking is great, love using it on the arm of my chair!
& no usb plug hanging off the side of my powerbook.
bluetooth is the way to go!
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"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2000
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fisherKing: Thanks for your report on the Kensington BT mouse. Bluetooth is simply awesome! I bought an Apple Wireless Mouse (and Keyboard) with my 12-inch PowerBook to get started with BT right away. I figured that Apple's homegrown devices would also give me the best compatipility out of the box. However, I find both Apple input devices to be terribly un-ergonomic.
I hate the fact that Apple forces me to use my keyboard at an angle. My wrists hurt after just a few minutes of typing, even with a nice gel wristpad in front of the keyboard. Same goes for the Apple mouse. I'm used to resting my hand on the non-moving part of a mouse, and simply clicking with my finger(s). With the Apple mouse, I have to move my whole wrist. That's carpal tunnel syndrome waiting to happen!  So, I'm looking for a new BT mouse and keyboard.
The Kensington BT mouse looks nice, but I'm afraid it will be too small for my taste. How's the size compared to other mice? As for a new BT keyboard, none match Apple's compact and beautiful design. But with Apple's lack of ergonomic consideration, I will have to look elsewhere.  I'd appreciate any suggestions.
Escher
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"The only laptop computer that's useful is the one you have with you."
Until we get a 3 lbs sub-PowerBook, the 12-inch PowerBook will do.
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2000
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Escher: it's for those same reasons I started looking at Logitech's DiNovo bluetooth setup. It's pretty much as flat as they get and they look pretty nice too. But I've yet to see one on display so I can test it out before buying, and at $199 I'd wanna at least touch it before dropping that much on a keyboard/mouse.
Also it's not explicitly Mac supported, so I doubt the special keys (or the cool LCD display) will work. But I have read at least 2-3 posts on various Mac boards saying the keyboard and mouse work fine with the standard BT.
Myself, I ended up buying a Microsoft wireless combo and with the driver support, all the keys work perfectly which is pretty nice.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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for me, the kensington feels fine; a little smaller than the logitech i had, but took about 10 minutes to get used to.
the macmice looks good, but...wont be available until september.
whichever mouse you go for, bluetooth (especially with a powerbook) is the way to go...no usb dongles!k
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"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2000
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Originally posted by cmoney:
Escher: it's for those same reasons I started looking at Logitech's DiNovo bluetooth setup. It's pretty much as flat as they get and they look pretty nice too.
cmoney: I hadn't read or heard about the Logitech DiNovo setup. It does look great. The separate numeric keypad is a major plus. It is indeed very flat. A charging station for the mouse is another plus factor. But IMO the bezel around the keyboard is unnecessarily large (at the top and sides). $200+ is quite steep indeed, but the perfect input combo would be worth it. Hope you can find one to try it out.
Escher
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Last edited by escher; Jul 25, 2004 at 01:02 PM.
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"The only laptop computer that's useful is the one you have with you."
Until we get a 3 lbs sub-PowerBook, the 12-inch PowerBook will do.
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2000
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Originally posted by fisherKing:
for me, the kensington feels fine; a little smaller than the logitech i had, but took about 10 minutes to get used to. the macmice looks good, but...wont be available until september.
fisherKing: I'll definitely keep the Kensington in mind, because I think the Logitech seemed very large when I tried it out at my neighborhood Best Buy a couple of months ago. I also want to check out the BT500 and Microsoft's mouse offerings. (I love the WheelMouse Optical on my Wintel box and wish MS made a Bluetooth version.)
whichever mouse you go for, bluetooth (especially with a powerbook) is the way to go...no usb dongles!k
Absolutely! Bluetooth is so convenient that right now I would rather deal with Apple's un-ergonomic mouse and keyboard than give up BT. But I will most likely replace them with more ergonomic BT devices as time and money allow.
Escher
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"The only laptop computer that's useful is the one you have with you."
Until we get a 3 lbs sub-PowerBook, the 12-inch PowerBook will do.
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2000
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I found a good review of the Logitech DiNovo. Sounds like a very impressive input combo. It doesn't look like there are Mac OS X drivers though.
By the way: Does anybody have experience with sharing Bluetooth peripherals between a Mac and a PC? My Wintel box and PowerBook (in clamshell mode) already share an external 17" LCD. It would be pretty neat if they could share keyboard and mouse as well.
Escher
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"The only laptop computer that's useful is the one you have with you."
Until we get a 3 lbs sub-PowerBook, the 12-inch PowerBook will do.
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
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Originally posted by escher:
I'll definitely keep the Kensington in mind, because I think the Logitech seemed very large when I tried it out at my neighborhood Best Buy a couple of months ago. I also want to check out the BT500 and Microsoft's mouse offerings. (I love the WheelMouse Optical on my Wintel box and wish MS made a Bluetooth version.)
Stay away from the Microsoft Intellmouse Explorer Bluetooth. That was one of the first Bluetooth mice on the market, and it's not very good. It doesn't have a power switch, and it doesn't have the auto-off that the Kensington PocketMouse Bluetooth and the Macally BTMouseJr have when you turn off Bluetooth. It does fall asleep if you don't use it for a while, but it seems to take a while to get it to wake up again.
The BT500 is nice, but it's a bit small and uses AAA batteries, so battery life may not be as good as the Kensington or Macally. I carry almost every Bluetooth mouse on the market, so feel free to come to BT Boutique to take a look.
Peter
BT Boutique - For All of Your Bluetooth Wireless Technology Needs
www.btboutique.com
Technohappymeal
www.technohappymeal.com
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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well...
first issue with the kensington.
if i put my powerbook to sleep, using the pocketmouse, the screen goes black, then comes back on...with a "connection lost" image onscreen.
so much for perfection!
may have to use the trackpad (or close the lid, if the 12" pb is not burning hot)...
still loving the mouse tho...
edit: yikes! used the trackpad to sleep the pb, and it STILL woke a second later.
BUT...turned off "allow bluetooth devices to wake computer"...and all seems to be well, after all... 
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Last edited by fisherKing; Jul 25, 2004 at 05:47 PM.
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"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2000
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Originally posted by fisherKing:
if i put my powerbook to sleep, using the pocketmouse, the screen goes black, then comes back on...with a "connection lost" image onscreen.
so much for perfection!
fisherKing: You see, that's why I'm glad I bought the Apple Wireless Mouse. Since I updated the firmware it has worked flawlessly (and the Wireless Keyboard too).
The mouse above, the Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse Blue, visually looks like what I want, namely a symmetrical two-mouse button with scroll wheel. But of course it's not Bluetooth.
Peter: Thanks for the tip on the MS IntelliMouse Explorer Bluetooth, I don't really like its "ergonomic" shape anyway. Good point on the BT500 running on AAA batteries as well. Sticking with higher capacity AAs indeed makes more sense.
In ergonomic terms, my Kensington Mouse-in-a-Box Scroll (pictured below) is my all-time favorite. Unfortunately it is mechanical and wired. In this day and age, optical tracking is a must. And obviously I'm looking for Bluetooth as well. Too bad...
Escher
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"The only laptop computer that's useful is the one you have with you."
Until we get a 3 lbs sub-PowerBook, the 12-inch PowerBook will do.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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check out my edit above.
all is well in bluetooth-land...
and am still recommending the kensington (the macally seems fine too...cheaper, but also smaller; i like the aesthetics of the kensington as well)
otherwise, the one to wait (and wait?) for could be the macmice...
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"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Status:
Offline
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Originally posted by fisherKing:
check out my edit above.
all is well in bluetooth-land...
and am still recommending the kensington (the macally seems fine too...cheaper, but also smaller; i like the aesthetics of the kensington as well)
otherwise, the one to wait (and wait?) for could be the macmice...
I recommend the Kensington for people who absolutely need to configure all of the buttons. Since the MouseWorks supports chording, you can theoretically map 4 additional functions by pushing combinations of buttons simulteously.
However, it's hard to beat the value of the Macally mouse, which is only $49. The Kensington and Macally mice are about the same size. I think the BT500 is a bit smaller, which can be a problem for those with small hands. When MacMice releases their Bluetooth mouse, it will also cost $69.99, which for a lot of people may be a bit much to pay for a small mouse. I'm not sure how good the MacMice software is, but if it wasn't for the Kensington software, I would also think the PocketMouse is too expensive for most people as well.
Peter
BT Boutique - For All of Your Bluetooth Wireless Technology Needs
www.btboutique.com
Technohappymeal
www.technohappymeal.com
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Mar 2000
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Originally posted by fisherKing:
edit: yikes! used the trackpad to sleep the pb, and it STILL woke a second later.
BUT...turned off "allow bluetooth devices to wake computer"...and all seems to be well, after all...
check out my edit above. all is well in bluetooth-land...
I'm not quite sure I understand. Personally, I want my BT devices to be able to wake my PowerBook. That way, my PB remains closed in clamshell mode. For me, the whole reason for BT peripherals is to avoid using the PB's internal keyboard, even just to wake it up.
The MacMice mouse certainly looks nice. But I can't quite figure out how the two buttons work. Do you move the whole half-shell to click, like with the Apple mouse? Or does just the front part bend down, but the rump of the mouse stays still like in a traditional mouse?
Escher
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"The only laptop computer that's useful is the one you have with you."
Until we get a 3 lbs sub-PowerBook, the 12-inch PowerBook will do.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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ah...i'm using the by mouse with the powerbook only, not closed (with an external monitor & kybd).
so you can set the mouse to wake the pb (in the bluetooth pref pane), and should be fine.
i wonder about the macmice mouse as well...maybe not the actual picture? does not look like 2 buttons...
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"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
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Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: ~/
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I have a Belkin bluetooth mouse for my PC at the office.
Its not too bad. It is for right-handers only, however. It is a full-sized mouse, not a mini. My hands are on the smaller side, and I find the mouse just a bit too big. Those with larger hands will probably find it quite comfortable. I've had no connection issues when used on my PC, and I've tried it on my PowerBook a couple of times and have not had any issues either (though I've not used it on the Mac for any long periods of time). Battery life is pretty good - about 3 weeks on two AAs with daily use.
I've got a Bluetake BT500 in my laptop bag for my 12" PowerBook. For a mini-sized mouse, its great. Good range, excellent tracking (better than many wired optical mice), good wheel response, great battery life, on/off switch, and near-instant re-pairing when opening the PB lid and turning the mouse back on. I've never had to forcibly re-pair the mouse to the Mac (even after I changed the mouse's batteries). The BT500 would be a bit more comfortable if it were slightly larger, but to be honest, anything bigger would take up too much room in my laptop bag (my own opinion).
I'm also waiting for a nice looking, two-button + scroll, symmetrically shaped, standard sized, bluetooth mouse. As of yet, I don't think any exist 
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: brooklyn ny
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"I'm also waiting for a nice looking, two-button + scroll, symmetrically shaped, standard sized, bluetooth mouse. As of yet, I don't think any exist "
maybe i should get a job with kensington... 
the kensington pocketmouse bluetooth is slightly smaller than a standard mouse; but seems perfectly fine to me.
two buttons (plus the scrollwheel pushes in, plus "chording" ie pushing both L&R buttons)...
symetrical (i use it sometimes right, sometimes left)
and nice-looking.
check it out...
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"At first, there was Nothing. Then Nothing inverted itself and became Something.
And that is what you all are: inverted Nothings...with potential" (Sun Ra)
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
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Originally posted by fisherKing:
"I'm also waiting for a nice looking, two-button + scroll, symmetrically shaped, standard sized, bluetooth mouse. As of yet, I don't think any exist "
The Kensington PilotMouse Bluetooth might interest you. It just started shipping, so quantities are extremely limited, but we do have a few that can be shipped today.
Peter
BT Boutique - For All of Your Bluetooth Wireless Technology Needs
www.btboutique.com
Technohappymeal
www.technohappymeal.com
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