Is your mouse an important part of your life?! (Logitech Wheel Mouse Optical)

Member Name: GR-Design

Product:	Logitech Wheel Mouse Optical
Date:	26/10/01 (161 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Infrared, Webwheel thing, 5 year warranty

Disadvantages: Cheap clickety buttons

I’ve just bought myself a new mouse, I broke mine last night while I was in a bit of a temper with the poor old PC, so decided I had to get myself a new one instead of putting up with the numerous spares I have lying around the loft floor (yes our lofts got a floor, wow!).

My old mouse had done me proud, well as proud as a mouse can do someone for a good 3 years so decided to stick with the Logitech name, plus, as you’ll have noticed if you read my keyboard opinion, I like Logitech anyway. I had a look round the website (www.logitech.com) and gasped at the prices. I don’t want anything to high tech, I don’t need vibrating mice, I don’t really need a cordless one, I’m always sitting at my desk, all I want it a wheel and something that feels nice in my hand (heyyy, get your mind out of the gutters, although that’s where mine seems to reside!). I found the Logitech Wheel Mouse listed as £29.99 and thought this one would do me, didn’t bother ordering from the site and instead went into town and got one from a computer shop for the same price as the Logitech website advertises them.

It looked quite groovy in it’s box actually. A cool blue colour with silver buttons, but when I got home and opened it I found that the bottom and sides of the mouse are made of a blue transparent plastic, so you can see the insides, not that you really want to, but it impressed a geek like me! I actually forgot that this mouse was of the infrared type until I took it out of the box aswell, which was a bit stupid of me, but hey, I’m just parting with the cash, I don’t look at what I’m buying really. The thing that struck me first and foremost was how light it was compared to mice with balls (my mouse has no balls?! What’s that say about me?!). It’s lighter than a packet of super noodles, but heavier than the sachets of flavour you get inside them, I’d actually weigh it for you, but I&#
8217;m not that sad, and it probably tells you on the box somewhere anyway.

The best way that I can describe the shape to you is like the Logitech Pilot mice if you have ever used them, they are basically the ‘cheap’ Logitech mice. It has a curved back, but unlike my old Mouseman + mouse, you can use this mouse either left or right handed as it has curves in all the right places and is basically symmetrical in shape, so in either hand it’s going to feel the same.

The mouse has 3 buttons in all and a webwheel. I’m actually downgrading myself as my old mouse had 4 buttons, but I only ever used the two main ones anyway. The 3rd button on this mouse is found by pressing the wheel, and you can set this button up to do various different tasks, and infact, nearly anything you want it to do, it will do. When you click the button, you are presented with a picture on screen which you can then select a function from, and believe me, this is very groovy! On the left hand side of the picture you have got options for internet actions, like forward, back, favourites and on the left hand side of the picture, there are 5 links, which you can set up yourself for easy access to your favourite webpages. However, all of these can be changed to suit you best, so within one click, you have 10 functions to choose from quick and efficiently. Do I have to explain the wheel? No? Good…

Ok, so the infrared bit, yes, it’s already blinded me twice, but hey, I like gadgets and I will play until I really hurt my eyes. Underneath the mouse, where the ball is normally situated, you have a small hole where you can see the little camera and just below that, there is the infrared beam which shines out of the mouse at a 45 degree angle (hey see, I’m getting all technical now!) When the camera detects movement, the infrared will take over making it easier for the camera to take photos and your cursor will move. That’s basically
how it works I think. Now, as the mouse sides and bottom are transparent you can see the red light, which makes your mouse look quite groovy! However, when your not using your mouse, the infrared switches itself to a dull beam, and as soon as a slight movement is detected, it will light up until movement stops. I suppose it saves a bit of power somewhere, and also, stops you having a red bedroom!

The mouse itself, in my humble opinion does feel a little on the cheap side, although it isn’t. The left button feels cheap and makes a cheap sound when you press it, however the right button doesn’t make the cheap sound and makes a nice clicking sound and also has a nice clicking feel. However, the right mouse button does have it’s problems. It’s just far to sensitive. I have found myself pressing it without meaning to and even just resting your finger on it you have to be careful not to press it and this could be hazardous for a games player! That’s the only thing I don’t quite get on with yet. However, I have to say that rolling the wheel is a big improvement on my old wheel and feels a lot better. Actually moving the mouse around feels better aswell and it glides effortlessly across most surfaces, as new mice do, but as this mouse has no ball connected with your desk or mouse mat, it should make gliding more effective anyway.

Yes, the infrared works on most surfaces. So far I have tried it on my cheek (I’ll try the other cheeks later if theres enough requests), my trouser leg, my desk, carpet and all have them have worked, if a little bit wobbly in some areas!

The software supplied with the mouse is a breeze to install and will basically let you set up your mouse so it’s right for you. I.e you can set up the function of the roller wheel, and when you roll the wheel, how many lines you move down the screen etc, so it’s just a case of finding a happy medium for your own usage. You can also
set up how fast you want your cursor to move and different pointers etc. Probably the best thing about the software is the facility where you can plug in another Logitech mouse, and it will detect it, as long as the software was created after the mouse was launched.

Above all, this mouse has a 5 year warranty, and that is a long time for a warranty!!

Overall then, as I have probably bored you to tears by now, this is a nice mouse, works well and is relatively well priced. The only thing I do have that annoys me is the cheap feel of the button and that damn annoying sensitive button, however, I’m sure I’ll get used to it all. 4 stars from me then.

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