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Bruck · Sep 29, 2003, 12:15 AM

I went to best buy today to do some mice shopping. I was hoping to find the "perfect mouse." I realized that my current USB/desktop mouse is getting old, the buttons have paint missing from them due to overuse. The mouse is one of the original Intellimouse explorers. I really love it, but I was wondering if I should replace it with an identical or an updated MS mouse, or something else. Still quite undecided. I have been reading that the MS Bluetooth mouse does not work well with macs, and maybe not even that well with PC's. Skipping and other problems seem common. I am suprised since wireless mice are fine and BT is supposed to grow to be so popular. I am wondering if the apple BT mouse will be problem free, and if so will it drain battery much quicker? If they Apple mouse is perfect, then I will have confidence that the upcoming logitech mouse will be perfect as well. (I have more faith in them than microsoft, since they are probably more concerned with their company's reputation, and will wait till the product is presentable) Now I am trying to decided if I should purchase 2 new mice, 1 BT and one USB Mx700's. Or use one BT mouse for both computers.

What do you guys do for mice when you have a desktop as well as a laptop?

aapljack · Sep 29, 2003, 12:41 AM

The mouse I have on my desktop Mac is a Kensington wireless studio mouse, which I highly recommend. It has rechargable batteries and a docking/recharge station that is also the transmitter. Three assignable buttons and a touch scrollpad. Very nice. I even got one at work.

http://www.kensington.com/html/3989.html

On the powerbook, right now, when I use a mouse, I use the latest apple pro mouse. I want to get the apple BT mouse when it is available at my local apple store. I want it for convenience since it has no base station. I don't mind the lack of a second button on it because it will be a backup mouse, so to speak. I use the trackpad most of the time.

-b

nagromme · Sep 29, 2003, 12:42 AM

Except for Apple's mouse, others have a BT pod included--so you're ready to go with them on your desktop as well as your PowerBook. I don't think the Logitech officially supports Mac, but I could be wrong. (The MS doesn't seem to, yet some say it works fine.) Belkin has a BT mouse coming Oct. 1 that DOES officially support Mac,

Apple's mouse won't be any different from anything else in terms of your laptop battery life. But since it has on Off switch, it's own batter life may well be better than others that may turn themselevs on in your bag.

I don't speak from experience--I'd prefer to wait and see more choice of BT mice, and more reviews.

Bruck · Sep 29, 2003, 01:08 AM

I think i'm gonna try to get a salesman to offer me a free "gift" in exchange for me not canceling my powerbook order when i call in to pretend to cancel my order tomorrow. My 15 has shipped, but my brother's 12inch has not yet. Someone else on this board got a free BT Keyboard just for attempting to cancel their order.

brainchild2b · Sep 29, 2003, 01:30 AM

how does the touch scrollpad thing compare to a scrollwheel? I was very curious.

cSurfr · Sep 29, 2003, 02:28 AM

I've got the new apple bluetooth mouse, and couldn't be happier. With my 12" albook this thing is perfect. No adapters, posts or anything else protruding from my powerbook, as that's the way it should be. I really don't know why anyone would want a wireless mouse, and have to plug an adapter into their portable...kinda defeats the portability option imo. If rechargable batteries are your thing, then go buy a 4 pack and you will be set. I think the on/off switch on the new mouse will make a huge difference in battery life. Time will tell.

cs

nagromme · Sep 29, 2003, 04:42 AM

I like those silver Kensington scrollpad mice but have never used one--only held them in a store. The shape and look are great.

My feeling, though, is that the scrollpad is a neat idea, but you lose the physical notching that can be felt with a real wheel. Plus, a real wheel can be clicked down and spun, giving you two scroll speeds. I think I'd prefer the old-fashioned wheel.

videian28 · Sep 29, 2003, 09:58 AM

the apple bluetooth mouse would err....COULD be awesome

to bad apple has not figured out that 2 buttons are better than one...and GASP!!!!! people like scroll wheels!!!!

/sarcasm off

Bruck · Sep 29, 2003, 10:17 AM

Well tried for the free gift. Turns out, that since my brother's 12 inch powerbook(yet to be shipped) is an "upgrade" offer, meaning i ordered the 12 2 weeks before the new ones came out and they upgraded me, he was unable to issue me a free gift of any kind since the profit margin on my machine is already lower i guess.

Either way, he also told me that my powerbook was out for dELIVERY TODAY!!!

x user · Sep 29, 2003, 10:32 AM

Originally posted by Bruck:
Well tried for the free gift. Turns out, that since my brother's 12 inch powerbook(yet to be shipped) is an "upgrade" offer, meaning i ordered the 12 2 weeks before the new ones came out and they upgraded me, he was unable to issue me a free gift of any kind since the profit margin on my machine is already lower i guess.

Either way, he also told me that my powerbook was out for dELIVERY TODAY!!!

But the old 12" costed MORER!

Cards1 · Sep 29, 2003, 11:06 AM

Originally posted by videian28:
the apple bluetooth mouse would err....COULD be awesome

to bad apple has not figured out that 2 buttons are better than one...and GASP!!!!! people like scroll wheels!!!!

/sarcasm off

I too wish it had two buttons and a scroll wheel. However, I do own a new BT Apple mouse and am very happy. I have done some research on the Microsoft BT mouse and it does skip. Where the Microsoft mouse and Apple differ is the fact that the Apple mouse uses frequency hopping that I believe increases the sensitivity and does not allow the mouse to "skip" on the screen.

Also, not having to carry a cable, attachment, etc. if very nice. Just take the mouse out, turn it on, move it a little, and it will start working! How could anything be simpler?

aapljack · Sep 29, 2003, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by brainchild2b:
how does the touch scrollpad thing compare to a scrollwheel? I was very curious.

The touch scrollpad works great. It takes about a day to get used to. The thing that really sold me on the touch pad was that you can push on the top or bottom of the pad and the window will continuously scroll in that direction. So you can manually scroll up and down or have it auto scroll to get to a certain part of the page faster.

-b

nagromme · Sep 29, 2003, 05:34 PM

That does sound like a good feature of the scrollpad. Can you program four game functions? Two for flick up/down and two for hold up/down? (I like putting 3 to 4 functions on my scrollwheel for games.)

BTW, I THINK Apple's frequency hopping's purpose is to allow several computers to be brought close to each other and have all their mice still work without conflicts. Sounds like an important feature!

todrain · Sep 29, 2003, 10:09 PM

Logitech MX900. I'm sure that if it doesn't work with a Mac out of the box, they'll make it work with a software update.

I have a MS Intellimouse Explorer with my PowerBook now, but it's the corded one. I tried their wireless one, and it's aweful. I have not used the bluetooth model, but the feedback I've gotten is pretty much the same. Logitech seems to make much better wireless mice.