The iMac recently purchased came with the normal Apple 1-button mouse. While the 1-button thing is an adjustment in itself, the size of the Apple mouse is tiny. We purchased the Apple wireless (Bluetooth) mouse with the unit, but this is the same size as the corded one. I’m not quite sure the perfect way to use the Apple mouse – I spend a lot of time pushing it with just my fingertips – but it’s been a little less than satisfactory. It does track wonderfully, however.

To make the adjustment easier we plugged in a Microsoft “Wireless Optical Mouse Blue”, which is a non-Bluetooth wireless mouse that requires a little “base station” plugged into a USB port. This mouse fits in your hand a little better, although its too small and its tracking on the Mac was spotty. So, we’ve been looking around for a better mouse.

CompUSA had on sale the new Logitech “Laser” mouse. This is a similar to the Microsoft product – non-Bluetooth RF connection to a USB connected base. However, there are a couple of interesting features. First, it has rechargable batteries built in which it charges from the base station (works like a Palm Pilot dock), so no scrambling for AAA alkalines in the middle of the night. Two, it is a physically larger unit that fits better in your hand, although a right-hander’s hand only (asymetical shape to it). Three, it has about 8 buttons on it – scroll wheel including side to side, 4 way button on the side of the scroll wheel (like a ring outside it), three buttons under your thumb, then the normal 2 buttons under your fingers. Finally, the optical technology is laser based and not the normal red/blue LED found in other optical tracking devices.

The laser technology is definately a step up from the normal optical technology. The tracking is dead on – never a skip or a lag. The tracking also works whether the surface is reflective or not. The documentation states that it is tracking “20 times” higher resolution than normal optical technology, which allows for finer, more accurate tracking. The laser seems to be outside visible light, so one down side is no cool glow from the mouse.

The number of buttons on the mouse would obviously make Apple nuts. The mouse comes with a control panel which allows sensitivity adjustments as well as changing the action for the various buttons. The pre-set configuration normally has them for scrolling, zooming, “forward” and “back” in a web page, and to step through applications like an alt-tab keystroke. Don’t see a need to change them now, although gaming would obviously change that desire.  (Follow up – multiple buttons are an absolute need for Halo)

The installation was easy. The only unusual part is the need to charge the device prior to using it. Took about an hour. There is a tiny wall wart (real tiny, doesn’t block other outlets) which plugs into the base, plus the USB connection. Worked immediately without the software install.

LEDs on the top (3) tell you the charge status on the batteries. The mouse seems to conserve power pretty quickly with no motion.

The Good: Tracking and usage is amazing. No sponginess like some cordless mice, and it tracks the same whether I have it on the mouse pad or the desk. This desk is a semi-gloss wood finish which normally causes some tracking annoyances with the other optical mice.

The Bad: None.

The Annoyances: None.

So far, only used it a few hours, but its an impressive device if you can get it for the same price I did.

Overall: Function A+, Value B+

In wanting to look at voice of IP applications, I wanted to pick up a headset that was a little higher quality than the El Cheapo brand I had picked up at a swap meet at one point. Best Buy had this particular model, priced around $25.

The good: the headphones sound pretty good, with fairly wide stereo response. They are also extremely light, with a “behind the head” configuration and are very comfortable to wear. They fold up very small, and would easily fit in a shirt pocket if the boom mice wasn’t attached. The mike is on a flexible stark and also pivots around where it attaches to the left headphone. There is an attached foam windscreen, and a generous length of cable which would make the headset usable for a desktop system where the computer isn’t necessarily close to the user. About 14 inches from where the cable attaches to the headset there is a small plastic control unit that lets you adjust the mic level and the volume level of the headphones. The control has a small clip on the back for attaching to your shirt.

The bad: like many low end headsets, the microphone seems to very weak output. With the Windows control panel cranked all the way it still doesn’t generate much of a signal into the computer. Seems like to get quality microphone input you need to spend money for some kind of higher end mike with an integrated amp, or plug into some intermediate piece of equipment to boost the instrument level output up to a line level.

Overall: Function C+, Value B+