Computer mice worth laying your hands on
It’s the most used, yet underappreciated technology you use: the computer mouse. Let’s face it, your hand spends more time on this little piece of machinery than it does your steering wheel, TV remote, favourite beer...or dare we say it, your significant other. So, why are you using the same ‘ol mouse that shipped with your computer? It’s like an audiophile who keeps the preinstalled factory deck in their car.
Tsk Tsk.
Whether you use your PC for work or play, or a bit of both, we thought we’d highlight a few recommended peripherals worth laying your palm on. Some are straight-forward models, while others specialize in a particular function and a couple of the following are just plain strange.
You say you want a Revolution?
Winner of a CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Innovation award in the Design and Engineering category, the Logitech MX Revolution ($149; www.logitech.com ) is a comfortable and cordless mouse that lets you fly through large documents and websites with fast speeds, thanks to its MicroGear Precision scroll wheel. For added convenience, this mouse offers extra buttons such as a thumb wheel on the side that lets you easily toggle between open applications and a dedicated search button that launches your favourite web or desktop search tool. Thanks to its rubber-coated sides and sculpted design, this ergonomic mouse also feels great to the touch.
4-in-1 gadget
Consider it the Swiss Army Knife of computer mice: Microsoft’s Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 ($125; www.microsoft.ca ) is the first notebook mouse that functions as a 2.4 GHz Bluetooth laser notebook mouse, slide presenter, laser and digital pointer and media remote control – all rolled into one. Therefore, you can use this mouse like any other or pick it up to click through a PowerPoint presentation (and use the laser pointer to highlight something on the slide) or to change songs in your music playlist up to 30 feet away from the PC. Also available is the Logitech Air Mouse ($159), which can also be used on the desk and in the air – including wrist-based gesture commands to control your media from afar.
Thin is in
This falls into the “Why didn’t I think of that?” category. The MoGo Mouse (US $49; www.newtonperipherals.com ) snaps inside the laptop’s PC Card or ExpressCard slot, which stores and recharges it, and then can be used when popped out. These Bluetooth-based MoGo mice from Newton Peripherals also have a little “kickstand” that flips open to elevate the credit card-sized peripheral for use. If your laptop doesn’t have integrated Bluetooth, you can snap in a small USB receiver. The latest versions of the MoGo mice also offer wireless presenter functionality for boardrooms or media control to access your laptop’s music, photos and videos.
Game on!
By partnering with celebrated PC peripheral company Razer, Microsoft has created a high-performance mouse for all your Windows games. Perfect for 3-D shooters, real-time strategy (RTS) games and role-playing games (RPGs), the Habu ($84.95) is a “laser” mouse that offers incredible precision (reading 2,000 dots per inch), high-speed motion detection, incredible comfort and programmable rubber-coated buttons. While it's a wired mouse for superior performance (and with a gold-plated USB connector!), it actually feels like it's wireless thanks to the thin and flexible wire. You'll also love the glowing blue highlights for low-light, late night gaming sessions.
Blown away
Similar to its award-winning gaming controllers, the Nyko Air Flo Mouse ($25; www.nyko.com ) is a breeze to use – literally. That is, whether you’re working, surfing the Net or playing PC games, this clever computer mouse blows cool air through tiny pores on its surface to keep you from overheating (with adjustable air flow intensity). While not cordless, this ambidextrously-designed mouse for righties or lefties is quite comfortable, plus it works with both Windows and Macs and includes optional software to program commands to the buttons. “Cool” idea, no?
It’s the most used, yet underappreciated technology you use: the computer mouse. Let’s face it, your hand spends more time on this little piece of machinery than it does your steering wheel, TV remote, favourite beer...or dare we say it, your significant other. So, why are you using the same ‘ol mouse that shipped with your computer? It’s like an audiophile who keeps the preinstalled factory deck in their car.
Tsk Tsk.
Whether you use your PC for work or play, or a bit of both, we thought we’d highlight a few recommended peripherals worth laying your palm on. Some are straight-forward models, while others specialize in a particular function and a couple of the following are just plain strange.
You say you want a Revolution?
Winner of a CES (Consumer Electronics Show) Innovation award in the Design and Engineering category, the Logitech MX Revolution ($149; www.logitech.com ) is a comfortable and cordless mouse that lets you fly through large documents and websites with fast speeds, thanks to its MicroGear Precision scroll wheel. For added convenience, this mouse offers extra buttons such as a thumb wheel on the side that lets you easily toggle between open applications and a dedicated search button that launches your favourite web or desktop search tool. Thanks to its rubber-coated sides and sculpted design, this ergonomic mouse also feels great to the touch.
4-in-1 gadget
Consider it the Swiss Army Knife of computer mice: Microsoft’s Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 ($125; www.microsoft.ca ) is the first notebook mouse that functions as a 2.4 GHz Bluetooth laser notebook mouse, slide presenter, laser and digital pointer and media remote control – all rolled into one. Therefore, you can use this mouse like any other or pick it up to click through a PowerPoint presentation (and use the laser pointer to highlight something on the slide) or to change songs in your music playlist up to 30 feet away from the PC. Also available is the Logitech Air Mouse ($159), which can also be used on the desk and in the air – including wrist-based gesture commands to control your media from afar.
Thin is in
This falls into the “Why didn’t I think of that?” category. The MoGo Mouse (US $49; www.newtonperipherals.com ) snaps inside the laptop’s PC Card or ExpressCard slot, which stores and recharges it, and then can be used when popped out. These Bluetooth-based MoGo mice from Newton Peripherals also have a little “kickstand” that flips open to elevate the credit card-sized peripheral for use. If your laptop doesn’t have integrated Bluetooth, you can snap in a small USB receiver. The latest versions of the MoGo mice also offer wireless presenter functionality for boardrooms or media control to access your laptop’s music, photos and videos.
Game on!
By partnering with celebrated PC peripheral company Razer, Microsoft has created a high-performance mouse for all your Windows games. Perfect for 3-D shooters, real-time strategy (RTS) games and role-playing games (RPGs), the Habu ($84.95) is a “laser” mouse that offers incredible precision (reading 2,000 dots per inch), high-speed motion detection, incredible comfort and programmable rubber-coated buttons. While it's a wired mouse for superior performance (and with a gold-plated USB connector!), it actually feels like it's wireless thanks to the thin and flexible wire. You'll also love the glowing blue highlights for low-light, late night gaming sessions.
Blown away
Similar to its award-winning gaming controllers, the Nyko Air Flo Mouse ($25; www.nyko.com ) is a breeze to use – literally. That is, whether you’re working, surfing the Net or playing PC games, this clever computer mouse blows cool air through tiny pores on its surface to keep you from overheating (with adjustable air flow intensity). While not cordless, this ambidextrously-designed mouse for righties or lefties is quite comfortable, plus it works with both Windows and Macs and includes optional software to program commands to the buttons. “Cool” idea, no?
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