Customer Reviews

HDE (TM) USB Finger Mouse Optical Laptop Notebook PC 1200DPI

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(30)

 

 

When I use my laptop, I just don't like to use the touchpad. It's difficult to maneuver, and especially when I am dragging something, I always seem to have problems dropping things or not being able to let go of the things I am dragging. So I wanted a small USB mouse to go with my laptop.

I bought a small (cheap) optical mouse with a retractable USB cable, and although it worked for a very short time, the wire started to have jittery connection, and that frustrated me more than anything else, I quickly gave up, and I was looking for an alternative. When I was buying a cheapo bluetooth dongle for my old HP laptop, the vendor I bought the bluetooth adapter had this strange looking "finger mouse". The item was cheap enough ($10) so I ordered one. The mouse came in a blister pack, but the packaging was very cheaply made. I was worried that I may have overpaid for this cheap looking thing. Nothing was wrong with the product itself once opened, but if I saw this in a store, I may not have even tempted to buy one. It looked that cheap.

Anyway, once I opened the package, this little miniaturized night scope looking thing came out, and I put in the USB connector to my PC. As soon as I connected it to my PC, the mouse lit up with red laser, and the PC recognized it as an optical mouse, and it was ready to be used in a few seconds. For some reason, I was so surprised by the amount of light mouse was emitting from the red laser. I checked the package picture, but the red light seems so faint in these pictures. If you own one of those optical mouse and flipped over the mouse, you'll see the laser area (I think the light is actually very bad for your eyes, so avoid looking directly at it). That's what this mouse has on one end. It actually makes sense, but I just didn't connect the two together. But that means you could be shining a red light to someone else's eyes with this mouse, so you'd have to be careful when you have this thing attached to yourself.

Then I wrapped the velcro band around my index finger to use this thing. In my first attempt, I wrapped velcro around my finger so tight, I was cutting all blood circulation to my finger. So I loosened it, and started to use the mouse. Ok. My thumb had to move far to press the button, and my thumb could not reach the scroll wheel. Moving the middle finger slightly to rotate the mouse helped, but that made my middle finger sore. Also the movement of the mouse is cumbersome (the mouse is attached to your finger by this velcro and there are a lot of movement, but you would want to hold the mouse to steer it), and I was not really liking the experience since top side of my index finder was getting sore after only 5 minutes of use (by being rubbed by the mouse). So I grabbed the mouse like I do with a pen, and that would actually place my thumb at a perfect position to press the buttons and use scroll wheel. Because the optical element is probably the same as any other optical mouse, so the mouse can be used on pretty much any surface, except something too glossy (like a glass and mirror, or white laptop's casing...), and top of my trousers or jeans, my left arm, brown lunch bag, anything really would work as a mouse pad.

Since I changed the way I hold the mouse (the way it is shown in the picture with velcro around the index finger is just so ergonomically horrible... The package does tell you NOT to use it for more than an hour, since it could cause permanent nerve damage!!) this little mouse has been just incredibly easy to use. The mouse is very easy to navigate and maneuver, almost easier than a regular optical mouse. I had to file down two little feet that are sticking on the other side of the buttons to make it easier to hold. Since then I've removed the metal wire (I guess it was holding the velcro in place??) and velcro, and use it as a travel mouse. I think whoever is manufacturing this thing should keep the same design, get rid of the horrible velcro and take out the two little feet sticking out... I just don't know why this thing isn't more popular, really. This is a perfect mouse on an airplane, train, even cars, or one of my most frequently used place, on my couch. For $10, I'd recommend this to anyone who owns a laptop. Much better and easier than one of those tiny trackball things, or so-called "pen mouse" things... But just don't use this product as advertised on your finger for a long time or you'll risk nerve damage to your finger!

Well velcro is one of the problem, but another problem is the red light. Because the light is always on regardless of whether the mouse is on some surface (so that the light isn't escaping), I keep flashing myself with the light. I don't really mean to look at the light, but I can't help it. I hope it had some kind of switch to turn the light off when it's not in use....

So all in all, even with above mentioned problems, I'd rate this with 5 stars. I think this thing is innovative enough, and with a slight modification, it could be an excellent product.......

This is a great travel mouse. I can use it on any surface, including my pant leg or the palm rest of my laptop. The learning curve isn't bad; took me about 2 minutes to get used to the angle and tilt. It's really compact, and I can type on the keyboard without removing it. It saves me alot of time.

The price of this item is so reasonable that if you frequently use a laptop, I suggest giving it a try. It lets you use a mouse rather efficiently without a mouse pad or hard surface. It also lets you type a bit while wearing it. I wouldn't use it if I had a lot to type, but it's great for surfing the net.

It takes a bit of getting used to. The best way I've found is to strap the velcro ring to your middle finger and hold it like a pencil. The interface is kind of interesting with the right/left/scroll controls at your thumbs. This is a great device for reading blogs/scanning pages as can easily scroll up and down with a click of the thumb.

On the other hand, I had to take it off to write this review since it really impedes typing. This makes it impractical for most tasks. I used it alot the first week I got it (out of obligation perhaps) but found it being tossed to the side since I had to keep taking it off and on. Pressing the right/left buttons is more of a struggle than it should be. Lastly, the optical beam is obnoxiously bright. When you

I'll leave with this...it has its virtues and it will impress your techie friends. However, I wouldn't buy it with the expectation that it will replace your traditional mouse. Not a bad product, but not particularly useful.

Forget about using the velcro. Instead, hold in palm of hand and operate scroll wheel and clickers with thumb. Laser works well on small{less than 2" square} flat, fabric surface of chair arm-just lift mouse about 3/4" off the surface and with 3 strokes you can move pointer all the way across screen. I don't know why these aren't more popular for web surfing as using it is virtually effortless.

This is not a bad concept for a product, but the quality is a bit crappy. You have to hold the optical lens basically on the work surface before it will work. Not ideal. I give an A for effort, but the execution and actual design sucks. I would not recommend this product.

The concept is good. In fact, it worked pretty nice once I attached it to a thick whiteboard marker, that not only helped me on having it on the right position, but also to have the annoying red light pointing to the desk and not into my face.

It was cheap and the concept is interesting, that's why I got it. I'd like to have something like this that:
- would have the shape of a thick whiteboard marker, having buttons with the exact pressure resistante for letting me push left/rigth button only when I need, not just because holding it between my fingers,
- would have some sort of pressure or proximity sensor on the tip, so it turns on the annoying red light just when I'm using it, and
- have some kind of stand support, because the other downside is that you always have to find the "north" every time you pick it up.

On the bright side, it runs over almost anything: hands, leg, desk, paper, floor...

So, if you need an ergonomic, or at least useful pointing device, this is not the one. If you are a computer geek (or at least curious like me...), well, you can spend a couple bucks and give it a try.

I just recieved my order and have been playing with this mouse all day. I don't have much to add to what the others have said: it works great, has a braided cord, i can't use it on my finger and will remove the velcro and metal wire so I can just use it like a pen/marker.

I have no problems with the x/y axis so far. You just have to hold it appropriately.

One thing I feel I must comment on is the packaging. It arrives in a blisterpack type of package that reads "3D The Lord of the Rings Optical Mouse"

Lord of the Rings? Other than that name, there's nothing LOTR about the packaging or the unit at all. I wish I knew what that was all about. Like another reviewer said, from the looks of the packaging I would not have bought this if I'd seen it in a store...unless I looked closer and saw that "Lord of the Rings" part. That's just absurd enough to get my attention.

The unit doesn't feel as cheap as the packaging makes it look either. Works great, I highly recomend it, and at this price there's no reason not to try it out.

[EDIT - November 2009]: the left click button broke back in September. I managed to rig it to work with some tape. I guess you get what you pay for, but I still love the little thing.

Agree 100% with KK. This mouse should be more popular - hold it like a pencil. It feels good quality and its got an ok length USB lead.

Pros - very nice small mouse with lots of positions. Dirt cheap.
Cons - velcro strap probably unnecessary. Very bright lazer - can be annoying sometimes if the mouse falls over. Needs a nice shiny surface to be of best effect but I've used it on my knee with ok results.

If you are looking for an ergo mouse then the Wow-pen Joy is better imo, but if you are looking for a great portable mouse then this is it.

The mouse performed fine, and was easy to "plug and play".
I found it easier to use on my right middle finger instead of the index. It is cumbersome when typing, and not the easiest to work with elderly fingers. I do not see how anyone could use it left handed.