At last, a BLUETOOTH Mouse worth it's name...

[ian]

I'm a bit happy today - just received my (wait for it...) Microsoft Intellimouse for Bluetooth and it's GREAT. I just gotta tell everybody about it.

Whilst not being a particular fan of Microsfot products, this beats the pants off previous offerings - and as I've been scouring the fora for hints about decent Bluetooth rodents, here's me two cents worth.

I have pretty average size hands, and this fits - really. Everything falls where it should. Ergonomically v.good - this not unnaturally makes the mouse an average size - don't go thinking it's a microscopic Logitech offering - bit it's not enormous either.

It's super light, even with the two AA cells - this is a must if you're used to lugging mice across mice pads all day long - heavy feels solid, but tends to break my wrist.

The cell turns itself off after a while, and as such battery consumption is supposed to be increased a whole lot (I'll have to see) It's true it needs a second to "wake-up" after it hasn't been in movement for a while, but for the extra battery time, I'll happily live with this. (There's no on/off switch as on some cordless mice)

The Blutooth receiver (USB) has been reduced in size dramatically compared with other manufacturers/previous incarnations and although I don't actually need this (it runs happily on the BT from my T42) I can see the advantages in terms of lugging around superfluous bits and pieces.

The scroll wheel has no clicks or detents - it's a smoothy, and it goes sideways too (for those of us without 1400x1050 displays) which makes looking at the whole page on some sites a great deal easier.

The only thing I would personally have added would have been a thin zip-up pouch like those supplied with some Logitech mice. Why? Because now I've got it I want to use it everywhere!!

[Max]

Glad to hear you like it!!

I've been using it for around 2 months, and second almost everything you said. I can't say much about the battery life, because I take 'em out when I transport it. Though I do move it from work to home and back everyday and I am on the first set of Energizers, so I guess the life is good.
I haven't tried the enclosed usb bluetooth adapter, I really like that I don't need it.

take care

[Guest]

Hey ian, how has the battery life been? I'm about to be in the market for a BT mouse...

[ian]

Well as you can see by the date of my first post (Dec 13) we're into 2005 and still going strong - this is obviously helped by the fact that the mouse turns itself off after a certain period of inactivity. I use the mouse every day (although I'll admit that Christmas day was perhaps quieter than most!) so that makes it about 6 weeks so far...The battery monitor tells me that the state of the batteries is "good" (green)

[Guest]

what happens when you run out of battery - how much does a replacement cost?

[ian]

There's nothing particularly special about 2 AA cells - although I admit I can't remember how much I pay for them...

[wuy30]

I have been using my MS BT combo since Oct, for the keyboard, I have yet to replace the battery yet, for Battery, I have changed it once, that's using it almost 8 hrs a day (sometime more, sometime less). I only have one small complant, which is the scroll wheels when you press down to auto scroll, they placed it too far up, I have a hard time to click the scroll wheel. I do wish the mouse is even lighter, playing game with it makes my hand tired after a while.

Other then that... my write doesn't hurt anymore, I can sit far away from my NB to work, and the range is excellet.

[Guest]

coupla questions:
* is this the model that has horizontal scroll - does it work well?
* does it work reliably with the T42 bluetooth (I read somewhere that the MS mouse needs its own bluetooth device, which disagrees with these posts?)
* is the bluetooth that comes with the mouse fully functional, ie, can it be used in another laptop (T22)? again, i heard on the www that the MS bluetooth is 'crippled' and very restrictive.

[ian]

I count three questions - which 2 do you want answered?

A: The horizontal scroll works well enough - this said I have the screen set at 1400x1050 and at that resoultion I get to see the entire page anyway...
B: I was (perhaps misguidedly) fairly sure that Bluetooth was Bluetooth - therefore why would there compatability problems between a MS mouse and the T42? I have both and can reassure you that they work fine together - added to which I have a BT adapter on one of my printers and that works too...
C: I use the BT "dongle" (USB) on another laptop in my office - this allows it to share the printer (see 'B' above) - this also works fine
D: I used to drive a Fiat UNO so what the hell do I know about anything - take it or leave it...

[Guest]

many thanks for the info. the answers make sense but one can never be too careful with an ms product - best to hear from an actual user than rely on common sense

one more quick question: some online reviews of the mouse say you need to un-install some default mouse drivers before using the bt-mouse. is this true? (for win2000 or XP) - i want to make sure i can still use a wired rodent if necessary ...
many thanks.

[ian]

Didn't install or uninstall anything, everything seems to work (even my secretary?!) but I was wearing odd socks that day - hope this helps

[wuy30]

coupla questions:
* is this the model that has horizontal scroll - does it work well?
* does it work reliably with the T42 bluetooth (I read somewhere that the MS mouse needs its own bluetooth device, which disagrees with these posts?)
* is the bluetooth that comes with the mouse fully functional, ie, can it be used in another laptop (T22)? again, i heard on the www that the MS bluetooth is 'crippled' and very restrictive.

1. Horizontal scroll works well enough for me, don't use it too much though
2. I used it with my T42 built-in BT, and works really nicely... I did NOT install the MS driver, I did install the MS software though, it let you customize the mouse.
3. Don't know... never use the BT USB adaptor, since I have BT built in.