Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000 (Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000)

Member Name: Nigel1

Product:	Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse 8000
Date:	23/01/09 (176 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wireless and rechargeable

Disadvantages: awkward side buttons and charging issues

The Microsoft Wireless Laser mouse 8000 has a sleek black and grey design. The mouse itself is comfortable to use with indented sides to easily rest your thumb and finger on.There is a scroll wheel near the top which also can move from side to side to allow for sideways scrolling which can be done directly from the mouse itself if so desired, without using the cursor to move it.
There is a docking station which cradles the mouse and recharges the batteries, however there are a few issues with this. Firstly , there is a small circular indent at the bottom of the mouse which fits over the out dent on the docking station. However unless you match the two up precisely then the mouse will not charge up.

It can be difficult to tell if the mouse is seated properly and sometimes I have to move the mouse on the station several times until I am sure of its rightful position. And talking of charging the batteries that is another issue with this brand of mouse. When placed in the docking station for a recharge the light at the top of the mouse flashes red(meaning a charge up is necessary) and then is supposed to turn to green when the mouse is fully charged. However, when I place my mouse on the station it stays green for a few minutes then continually flashes red and never changes back to green (its fully charged state). I have researched this complaint on the internet and found that there are a lot of people with this make of mouse who are having the same issues as me. Despite it never turning to green however, I find that it is still charging up despite the flashing red light saying otherwise.

Another concern are the two side buttons. I use them for forward and backward but they are configurable to represent any action of your choice, but the problem is they are situated too far back from where your finger and thumb rest on the mouse and as a result you have to take your hand off the mouse and move them down slightly in order to use these buttons which is frustrating.

The mouse is completely configurable however.You can change the button assignments of the left button, the right button, the wheel button and the right and left side buttons (which I already mentioned as being in a slightly awkward place) to an assignment of your own choosing.

The mouse feels smooth and robust in use and connection is wireless through a USB Bluetooth dongle.

Summary: A decent mouse but there's certainly better available

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