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Nodnarb · Nov 25, 2007, 03:27 PM

This is a straightforward simple question, but I have been unable to find a straightforward answer.

A while ago I bought the Logitech MX revolution (or something like that) because I wanted an external mouse for my macbook. I thought "bluetooth" meant it works with the bluetooth integrated in the macbook, meaning there's no need for a dongle. Sure enough, the mouse doesn't work without the dongle (and I can't find how to store the dongle in the actual mouse, as some have said you can do).

So is there a nice usable mouse that just works with bluetooth without a dongle? I don't have enough USB ports to have a mouse constantly in one, so I never use it but I would love an external mouse that doesn't take up a port. Any mouse I look for says bluetooth but how can I be sure whether or not it has a dongle or not (cause I'm sure that's not something they love to advertise).

Any recommendations?

SpaceMonkey · Nov 25, 2007, 04:05 PM

I think you might be confusing Bluetooth with wireless mice in general. The MX Revolution doesn't use Bluetooth at all. The dongle is a RF receiver. I would guess that the majority of wireless mice use those RF dongles -- most are not Bluetooth. The mouse should be advertised specifically as a Bluetooth mouse.

I've been using the Logitech V270, which is Bluetooth and has no dongle, for about a year and it has performed decently.

Christopera · Nov 25, 2007, 04:43 PM

It suprises be there is not a larger market for these. With all Mac's coming with bluetooth and an ever growing population of other laptops coming with this ability I can't believe that these aren't the hot new thing. I really don't want to get a MM but this logitech doesn't really look any more inpressive.

kikkoman · Nov 25, 2007, 08:20 PM

The V270 has been replaced by V470. I tried the V270 and was not impressed with the tracking. Hopefully the 470 improves in that area. I currently have the wireless MM and for the most part I'm satisfied with it. It tracks just like the wired version but I've already had to take it apart to clean the scroll ball.

Nodnarb · Nov 25, 2007, 09:51 PM

Yeah you're right I was confusing the RF and bluetooth, I was just thinking "wireless".

I agree, I'm surprised that majority of mice being made nowadays aren't wireless/dongleless, any computers made within the past few years should have bluetooth. It seems as if there are mixed emotions on that V270/or V470 and I also don't really want a mighty mouse, I had the wired one a while back and wasn't blown away.

It wouldn't be bad for a desktop, you can just pop in the dongle and never worry about it. But with a laptop, you have to plug/unplug, remember to always have it with you, and worry about not breaking it off. I guess I'll continue to look, if anyone else has any input over what kind they use, I would love to hear about it.

~bash $ · Nov 26, 2007, 12:25 AM

I keep wondering about why more aren't released either, and I'm kind of thinking it might have to do with something really pragmatic, like power consumption, bluetooth chips, or licensing the name or something heh.

Regarding a BT mouse, any reason you wouldn't go with the BT mighty mouse. I think it's very close to perfect.

Christopera · Nov 26, 2007, 06:15 PM

I am considering the purchasing of the V470 despite it's lack of ergo design.

The problem I have is that I run two external hard drives and would primarily like to run mouse at home where the hard drives stay. With only two USB ports I run the other firewire. I just hate tying up the usb ports with something redundent like a mouse.

Anybody know if I could put both the External drive and the usb mouse on a USB hub?

Cadaver · Nov 26, 2007, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by kikkoman

The V270 has been replaced by V470. I tried the V270 and was not impressed with the tracking. Hopefully the 470 improves in that area. I currently have the wireless MM and for the most part I'm satisfied with it. It tracks just like the wired version but I've already had to take it apart to clean the scroll ball.

I have a V470 (white). I'm not thrilled with the tracking. Seems "off" somehow. Not sure if its BT lag or what, but no such troubles with my BT Mighty Mouse.

SpaceMonkey · Dec 1, 2007, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by ~bash $

I keep wondering about why more aren't released either, and I'm kind of thinking it might have to do with something really pragmatic, like power consumption, bluetooth chips, or licensing the name or something heh.

It's really more because that for a very long time, Bluetooth simply wasn't very common on Windows computers. That is probably changing by now, but I think it's still the case that Bluetooth is almost never seen on the entry-level laptops that make up most of the Windows portable market. No incentive for most peripheral makers to expand their Bluetooth product lines.

slugslugslug · Dec 2, 2007, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by SpaceMonkey

It's really more because that for a very long time, Bluetooth simply wasn't very common on Windows computers. That is probably changing by now, but I think it's still the case that Bluetooth is almost never seen on the entry-level laptops that make up most of the Windows portable market. No incentive for most peripheral makers to expand their Bluetooth product lines.

That's probably true, but I found it really odd when Microsoft and Logitech both announced "designed for Mac" wireless desktop sets a few years ago, and they both used RF dongles. By that point, BT was standard on every Mac except maybe the lowest-end mini and the Power Macs. I finally gave up on waiting for Bluetooth versions and bought the Logitech, which looks great alongside white iMacs and Mac minis. But it makes me kind of bitter sometimes that I have to waste a USB port on a dongle.

keekeeree · Dec 2, 2007, 09:09 PM

I picked up a SlimBlade yesterday at Best Buy. I've wanted a Bluetooth mouse and liked the idea of a mouse/trackball combo. So far, I'm pretty happy with it.

Typical Best Buy experience though. I tell the saleskid that I'm looking for a Bluetooth mouse. He checks and comes back to me and says, "Yeah, we only have one. Follow me."

He reaches down and grabs a Microsoft mouse and tells me that's all they have and how cool it is because all the buttons can be reprogrammed. I look at the shelf and I see a Mighty Mouse and the SlimBlade I was looking for. I thank him for his "help" (at least he got me to the correct aisle) and sent him on his way.

SirCastor · Dec 3, 2007, 11:54 AM

Does anyone else find it bizarre that Mice have essentially flipped over the past 20 years? For a while, it was a ball on the bottom of the mouse. Now there's a ball on top...

Anyone know if it's the same tech driving it? (The little wheels for x and y?)
The mention of the SlimBlade and the MightyMouse got me thinking about that..

sabre 39 · Dec 5, 2007, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by ~bash $

Regarding a BT mouse, any reason you wouldn't go with the BT mighty mouse. I think it's very close to perfect.

I'm curious, do you use the multi-button features on the mighty mouse. I bought a BT mighty mouse a while back, but don't use it much now though, because I was never able to get the left-mouse-button, right-mouse-button behavior to work consistently. Did I miss something? Think it'd be improved now with 10.5?