Customer Reviews

IBM 19K2002 Optical Navigator Mouse

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

About a week ago, while on a mouse hunting expedition at the local computer store, prompted by my utter failure to successfully come to grips with a well-known optical wireless mouse, I decided that my layout wasn't right for the wireless route and opted to return to the cord. With that in mind I began searching the shelves for a particular (again well known) model which happened to be out of stock.

Well, needing a mouse and feeling adventurous I opted for the new IBM Optical Navigator Mouse. Retailing at $35 to $40, it's in a comfortable price range for optical mice in general.

Setup was a piece of cake. The drivers and included Mouse Suite software were a breeze to install. As is typical nowadays, the mouse can be run from a USB or a PS2 port.

Once it was hooked up I experienced the big surprise (having done my usual poor job of box reading). The scroll wheel glows with a really - I mean REALLY! - cool blue light. What a thrill. I just love seeing it sitting on my desktop in the dark!

The mouse body is shaped much the same as the newer Logitech types, with a deep undercut area for your thumb. Though clearly not for left-handers, this thing is comfortable as it can be for a righty like me. It's actually a 4-button setup, with the usual two top buttons and (unusual blue)scroll wheel. The fourth button is a thumb button which, unlike most such buttons I've encountered on other mice, is almost completely out of my way until I need it. The mouse is all black (or at least a dark, dark gray) with dark rubber-textured sides.

It's an optical mouse (duh!)and glides as smooth as silk. Not too heavy or light in the hand. I use a slightly textured black mousepad and couldn't be happier with the movement. Scrolling was extremely smooth, too. The wheel has a good smooth feel to it.

The optical sampling seems superb. There is no jerkiness or lag whatsoever. This is the most precise mouse I've owned (and I just ditched a Razer 2000 for it!!). The software allows the usual myriad of adjustments and button assignments.

I know it's just a mouse, but it really is one of the most pleasant computer hardware surprises to have come my way in a long time. Not only is the IBM Optical Navigator a great product from a price and performance standpoint, it's one of the coolest looking things out there.

I consider the mouse to be one of the three key components of a computer system which will greatly affect your enjoyment and productivity (keyboard and monitor, are the other two) so quality is important. As a result, I have been hooked on Microsoft mice since 1991. When optical mice came out, I switched over to a MS Explorer and thought I had found the perfect mouse...until I bought the IBM Optical Navigator. It surpasses the MS Explorer by a wide margin.

The ergonomics are superb. This mouse fits so comfortably in your hand, better than MS. And, the buttons have that "just right" amount of resistance/click, travel and user feedback which MS mice have always had.

But the best feature about this mouse is its precision and accuracy of movement. I immediately noticed it and so did my wife. The pointer becomes an extension of your hand. I don't know how to describe it any other way...but it is distinctly superior to my MS optical mice (we have two other computers equiped with MS optical mice, also). This mouse is a sleeper and IBM should market it more effectively. It is that good.

Oh yes, even though the glowing blue scroll wheel does nothing to improve performance...it is a strangely sublime experience that is reason enough to own this mouse. I don't know why, but it is. Trust me.

I have been using this mouse for a month now and it has passed every test. The best part is the ergonomics, I spend several hours a day on a computer so this is a key point for me. The size, shape and texture are all excellent and side button placement is out of the way so you will not accidently hit it but still within easy reach.
At work I use a Microsoft Internet Explorer optical mouse, which is very good, but the nod goes to the IBM hands down in every catagory. Ergonomics, performance and appearance.
And I have to be honest, the blue lit scroll wheel is totally cool and makes the mouse look impressive to others. The wheel itself still has that same rubbery feel, so nothing was sacrificed to make it illuminate, which was one of my concerns because I purchased this mouse from pictures and reviews.
Installation of the mouse and it's software was as easy as it gets. I tried it on both the USB and PS2 and could not see any performance differance.
The one and only down side is for gamers, like me, when you move the mouse excessively fast from side to side the pointer just sits there. I can not fault the mouse for this because I hooked up a Microsoft Optical and it did the exact same thing. This seems to be a quirk with all optical mice, not just this one. You can adjust the ballistics to minimize the effect, and then just get used to moving your wrist a little slower and it plays just fine for most games.

Are you a person with larger hands? Does you hand hurt from using a small junky mouse? Do yourself a favor an BUY IT. I am not the biggest guy, but my hand was killing me using a regular mouse. This mouse is perfect. I bought this along with a padded rest for my wrist, and I can work all day in comfort(I am a computer guy and spend 8+ hours a day in front of a computer). My wife also likes it, and her hands are tiny. What you can't see in the picture is that the mouse is actually pretty tall, and overall I would say its 15-20% larger than a "Standard" mouse. It supports your hand and allows it to relax. Also, the scroll wheel glows blue and it looks really cool.

I don't want to go on and on, but this is one of those...items that will really improve how you feel working on the computer. Dollar for dollar one of the best computer related purchase I have made in years, and I have 5 computers! (and a lot of other computer junk:)

I recommend this primarily for the ergonomics. Avoid RSI.

PROS:
1) Ergonomics- hands are more relaxed and in more neutral handshake position
2) Side Button - Use as Auto Scroll, Magnifier, Back button etc. Customizable. Magnifier is good, instantly magnifies local area.
3) Can use on most any surface

CONS:
1) While pressing middle wheel, sometimes one of the other two buttons may get pressed as well. This is not a major problem and seems to be rectified in ScrollPoint Pro 800
2) I cannot program so that AutoScroll turns on when both left and right mouse buttons are pressed simultaneously. Again minor and a nice to have since it was present in my old mouse.

I agree with the comment that this is a comfortable mouse for people with larger hands...it's a saving grace, in fact. It is also a nice-looking device, matching style with function. I like the blue scroll wheel light and the feel of all the controls.

My only complaint is that something periodically goes haywire, and the cursor moves stubbornly and erratically on screen. It requires a reboot to get it back to normal. This could be a software driver issue. Then again, every mouse seems to have software problems. Maybe it's best not even to install it.

ps- I wonder if this thing would work on a Mac. I am making "The Switch". One thing for sure, I will buy a mouse with the same terrific ergonomic shape if I can find one.

I used to have a run-of-the-mill Logitech wheel mouse when I needed to upgrade to a USB model. This model has a pronated grip which is 2" high at its peak, a full .5" higher than my old Logitech. This made a difference in comfort for me...negatively. After a couple of hours, my wrist felt sore from having my hand arched up so high. A wrist rest with a thin mouse pad did the trick though. See I wasn't ready to give up on the glowing blue scroll wheel. The only other downside is that motion settings (how fast the mouse moves from one side of the screen to another) are not saved properly. They work for the active session but when you restart the computer, they are reset to the default value, which for some reason is the slowest. A real pain. I've got an e-mail into tech support. But for about US$30 for an optical mouse, it can't be beat. Although I did read somewhere that, ergonomically speaking, these arched mouses should be avoided in favour of flatter symetrical models. But none of those have a glowing blue wheel!

Updated info:
The motion settings were being hampered by the Logitech software for my previous mouse. The funny thing is that the IBM mouse software detected it and told me that it would uninstall it. It didn't. As with any replacement peripheral, uninstall the associated software and drivers before you run the install program on your new device.

A friend recommended this mouse, saying "it's a great mouse for people with big hands." I don't have big hands, but it's still very comfortable. I'm especially fond of the scroll wheel - the feedback is great, and the blue LED is pretty cool.

Nice shape, but in the first week I've experienced bad clicks. That is, I gently click the "left click", and I hear the mouse make a "click", I feel the gentle click, but the mouse does NOT send a click to the computer.

I much prefer MS intellimouse explorer, both with or without tilt wheel. The latest Intellipoint software 5.2 has great custom button asssignment like previous intellipoint software.

I agree with all of the positive reviews posted with one addition. One reviewer said that the button on the side of his mouse did not work (with a Mac) but that he didn't mind because he felt he would never use the button anyway. Let me tell you that I felt the same way about that button when I installed my mouse and in fact after I first installed the mouse I was accidentally clicking that side button all of the time - with frustrating results. However, once I became accustomed to the convenience of using that button as a back button - I can barely imagine living without it. I use that button ALL THE TIME, when surfing the web and also when navigating directories in Windows Explorer. Now whenever I use a mouse that doesn't have that extra side button, I find myself squeezing the side of the lesser mouse trying to find that button - much the same way as I often "rub" the spot between the two top buttons of an old fashioned mouse that doesn't have a scroll wheel.