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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > MX900 - impressions?

MX900 - impressions?
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Bruck
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2003
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Jan 13, 2004, 10:06 AM
 
I believe that the Logitech Mx900 mouse is available in some channels, does anyone have one yet, any impressions with the powerbook?
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Big-C
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Jan 13, 2004, 12:41 PM
 
I have it and I love it... But it could be better.

I have a very small working area (my computer sits on a lap desk and I sit on my bed - that's all the desk space I have).

The mouse sits in the charger next to me, so once I get comfortable in bed, I just grab the mouse off my nightstand and use it. For my circumstances, I love the convenience.

But, that's where the coolness ends, because I can't assign the mouse's extra buttons to anything.

My understanding from others on this board is that all the settings for the buttons are kept on the base station, and if that's not plugged into your computer, you can't assign actions to the mouse's other buttons. So all you get is the left & right buttons, plus the scroll wheel & click. All other buttons are non-functional.

Plugging things into my laptop are exactly why I bought the mouse to avoid, & I've never even plugged the base station into my computer.

IThis past weekend I went to Logitech's site, but no driver updates for the Mac yet...

If you're on a desktop & don't mind the base station being plugged in, you might have better success with it...
     
selowitch
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Jan 13, 2004, 01:43 PM
 
Call me irrational, but I hate buying anything that has buttons/features that are "sorry, not functional on the Macintosh." It engenders too much resentment. That's why I have to this point avoided the Logitech Optical Desktop for Bluetooth as a solution for using a PowerBook at my desk.

I like the Apple Wireless Keyboard, which works perfectly, but not the Apple Wireless Mouse b/c the latter has only one button and no scroll wheel. I might go for the Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer for Bluetooth or the Belkin Bluetooth mouse, but they are awfully big. I'd really prefer a laptop-sized mouse suitable for travel that has an "off" switch so I don't need to take out the batteries when I want to travel, which is what you must do with the Logitech MX900.

Not exactly convenient!
     
typoon
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Jan 13, 2004, 02:47 PM
 
Originally posted by selowitch:
Call me irrational, but I hate buying anything that has buttons/features that are "sorry, not functional on the Macintosh." It engenders too much resentment. That's why I have to this point avoided the Logitech Optical Desktop for Bluetooth as a solution for using a PowerBook at my desk.

I like the Apple Wireless Keyboard, which works perfectly, but not the Apple Wireless Mouse b/c the latter has only one button and no scroll wheel. I might go for the Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer for Bluetooth or the Belkin Bluetooth mouse, but they are awfully big. I'd really prefer a laptop-sized mouse suitable for travel that has an "off" switch so I don't need to take out the batteries when I want to travel, which is what you must do with the Logitech MX900.

Not exactly convenient!
Are there any BT or wireless mice with an off button? I've not run into one yet
"Evil is Powerless If the Good are Unafraid." -Ronald Reagan

Apple and Intel, the dawning of a NEW era.
     
selowitch
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Jan 13, 2004, 03:01 PM
 
Originally posted by typoon:
Are there any BT or wireless mice with an off button? I've not run into one yet.
Well, the Apple Wireless Mouse does indeed have an on/off switch. But no second button and no scroll wheel.

     
guigo
Junior Member
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Jan 13, 2004, 03:24 PM
 
MX900 uses bluetooth as wireless connection...

It's not for mac, yet...

It comes with a bluetooth hub, which is the important thing in my opinion, adding bluetooth to a PC

Unless they make a software for mac os X, if you are looking for a mouse, MX700 (cordless) and MX500 (with cord) are the best, with the same 8 buttons.

I have the second one and it's amazing how expose becomes more interesting with this.

I think it's incredible Apple don't release any mouse with more than just one button.

Best regards

Guigo
     
PCTek
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Jan 13, 2004, 03:29 PM
 
I bought an MX900 for the sole reason of having bluetooth-enabled multi-button mouse for my Bluetooth-equipped iBook.

Well, guess what, it SUCKS (for me, at least.)

1) there's no on/off switch. Then again, this is a desktop mouse, and when you don't want to use it, you stuff it in the cradle. That's no good for me, i'll never be using the cradle except to charge it.
2) None of the extra buttons work. USB Overdrive does nothing. What's the point of buying a multi-button mouse if the multi-buttons don't work.

My opinion is that if you're looking to get an MX900, save your money and get an MX700. It's the same exact thing, only it's RF instead of Bluetooth. Why get the MX700? You're going to be using the cradle anyway to charge it, the novelty of Bluetooth wore off QUICKLY when you can't use the other buttons on the mouse.

Save your money.
     
selowitch
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Jan 13, 2004, 04:02 PM
 
Originally posted by PCTek:
My opinion is that if you're looking to get an MX900, save your money and get an MX700. It's the same exact thing, only it's RF instead of Bluetooth. Why get the MX700? You're going to be using the cradle anyway to charge it, the novelty of Bluetooth wore off QUICKLY when you can't use the other buttons on the mouse.

Save your money.
Does the MX700 lack the annoying extra buttons? If it only has two buttons and both of those work on a Mac, I'd be pleased.
     
Ryan1524
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Jan 13, 2004, 06:55 PM
 
MX700 is Exactly like MX900, except it uses RF and not BT to communicate. but if i'm not mistaken, isn't MX700 claimed to be compatible with mac by the Logitech site? and the extra buttons are not annoying. they're incredibly useful. too abd they just don't work yet with a direct BT connection to the PB - i've heard of people who used the cradle and can assign Expose buttons to the MX900.
Ryan
     
SEkker
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Jan 13, 2004, 07:11 PM
 
I guess I don't understand. Not using some of the buttons does not seem a big deal to me. Plugging in an RF transceiver in a bluetooth notebook IS. Wireless should be that -- freedom from plugs and cables. A cradle to recharge seems like a nice way to go when the mouse is not in use.

Are these extra buttons an annoyance or hinder the use of the working buttons and scrollwheel?

My biggest complaint is I don't need the bluetooth transceiver, but you cannot seem to buy the mouse without it.
     
alex_kac
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Jan 13, 2004, 11:22 PM
 
The problem is that almost no PC has Bluetooth built in - unlike Macs. As such, Logitech has their mouse built with a bluetooth hub as part of it - where all the prefs are on the bluetooth hub .

Since Mac users have no need for that bluetooth hub, the buttons won't work. What needs to be done is Logitech needs to come up with an MX950 that does NOT come with a bluetooth hub and then I think it will all work OK (with the button settings properly handled by the OS and not the hub).
     
Ryan1524
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Jan 14, 2004, 03:30 AM
 
the MX900/700 was intended for desktop use, not a notebook companion. it has that huge cradle because it's assumed that the desktop won't be going anywhere and it cna be a base station for the mouse to recharge. it just so happens that they pack the BT hub that adds bt to most bt-less PCs IN the hub. the problem here is that apparently the button controls are stored IN the hub. if we're using it with the hub as in at home with a desktop, that's fine, but it creates problems when away on a notebook.

as for the buttons, the MX7/900 is one of the msot well designed mouse i've ever used. the buttons are very well placed and are not intrusive at all. they won't come in your way, but it just makes me feel bad that there's that many buttons but they're all useless when connected with a PB directly.
Ryan
     
Necrocool
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Jan 14, 2004, 05:55 AM
 
Who says they are useless??? I use all of them... the forward/backward and task switch as Expose.... backword thumb button to display all the windows... the forward thumb button to display desktop.. so i can easily drag items from desktop to a window without touching the keyboard... just go to the Sys Pref and assign Expose to mouse buttons 4-6
     
Ryan1524
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Jan 14, 2004, 07:37 AM
 
actually i was just re-iterating what some people stated above, since it seems like some people aren't getting the message.

anyhow, this is interesting. are you using MX900 WITHOUT the hub?? menaing direct BT to your PB?? if so, and the other buttons are still assignable, that's good news.
Ryan
     
jwkay
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Jan 14, 2004, 08:39 AM
 
anyhow, this is interesting. are you using MX900 WITHOUT the hub?? menaing direct BT to your PB?? if so, and the other buttons are still assignable, that's good news. [/B]
I use the MX900 with my Quicksilver WITH the hub, and with my Powerbook WITHOUT the hub. Works fine both ways.

You can assign Expose functions to all the mouse buttons (with OR without hub), and scroll wheel (plus up/down buttons) and right click work out of the box anyway.
William.
     
capetown
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Jan 14, 2004, 11:31 AM
 
I had both the apple BT mouse and the mx900. I actually had the mx900 first. Updated both firmware and drivers. It was not accurate and laggy.

I stuck with the Apple BT even though it only had one button and no scroll wheel. It is smaller, really comfortable and the batteries last forever.

I would go for Apple BT or nothing at all - not until Apple bring out a more advance BT mouse.

Cheers
     
Alpha-sphere
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Jan 14, 2004, 01:46 PM
 
I had a MS intellimouse explorer bluetooth and i find it laggy. The shape of the mouse is good and so are the two extra buttons but it's not useable for me. I'm used the a fast reacting PC mouse so i need something else. I pluged in a logitech optical USB mouse the other day and it was heaven compared to the MS mouse. So is the USB Apple mouse. I think i'll buy a Apple BT mouse and get an extra Griffin powermate for scrolling and right mouse button.
Powered by a 15" alu powerbook superdrive
     
Big-C
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Jan 15, 2004, 01:08 AM
 
Wow - I'm glad this topic got started! I didn't even try to assign the expose buttons, which yes, work perfectly!

Nevermind - the buttons work fine, even without the hub. I don't experience any lag or anything. The only games I play are starcraft and neverwinter nights, and I use this button while playing, and I don't experience any problems.

Thanks for the tip!
     
Ryan1524
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Jan 15, 2004, 01:30 AM
 
Originally posted by capetown:
I had both the apple BT mouse and the mx900. I actually had the mx900 first. Updated both firmware and drivers. It was not accurate and laggy.

I stuck with the Apple BT even though it only had one button and no scroll wheel. It is smaller, really comfortable and the batteries last forever.

I would go for Apple BT or nothing at all - not until Apple bring out a more advance BT mouse.

Cheers
that's too bad. the MX700 was extremely fast and i experienced no difference in comparison to using a wired mouse. there was no lag or any kind of delay and very very accurate. is it the slower data rate because of using BT?

has anybody else tried using the MX900? how's the accuracy and speed??
Ryan
     
jld
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Jan 15, 2004, 01:52 AM
 
I just got it for my XP box, and I like it a whole lot. The accuracy is excellent. I have heard that the frame rate is a little lower than the MX700 due to the BT bottleneck, but it's nothing I can notice. I was using a M$ intellimouse explorer before, and the MX900 much more precise than that, even thought the M$ mouse was wired.

I know the MX900 has driver problems with OSX, and that might cause skipping/lag/whatever, but I can vouch for the hardware. It works great. I'm going to wait until a driver is released for the MX900 for X, and then I might get another, because expose on a mouse would rock. I'm still using the trackpad on my PB though.
     
vandelay
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Jan 16, 2004, 11:40 PM
 
Has anybody here bought the MX900 as part of the Logitech diNovo Media Bluetooth Mouse and Keyboard set?
Any information about the functionality of the keyboard with a PowerBook would be appreciated.
     
Bilemshious
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Jan 17, 2004, 03:52 PM
 
so do all the buttons work on both the MS and Logitech bluetooth mice? is the buttons don't work . . . what's the point?
     
selowitch
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Jan 17, 2004, 04:41 PM
 
Originally posted by jwkay:
I use the MX900 with my Quicksilver WITH the hub, and with my Powerbook WITHOUT the hub. Works fine both ways.
That's neat. But how do you handle the switching of the "pairings" when you change from the tower to the laptop?
     
tooki
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Jan 18, 2004, 03:51 AM
 
This belongs in Peripherals.

tooki
     
   
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