Customer Reviews

IOGEAR GME321R Phaser RF Wireless Mouse with Laser Pointer

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We shopped around and what a surprise the best wireless mouse that you can buy for use while giving a presentation from your laptop via a projector or TV is also the cheapest. I like it so much I sometimes put the laptop on the coffee table and surf the web from a distance (it's a challenge to get around w/o typing!). You can't see it from the photo, but there is a gun-style trigger on the handle that works as a button. Using this clicking-n-dragging with the trackball is actually quite easy (hold the trigger with index finger, track the ball with your thumb). This is really not for precision mousing, forget CAD or Graphic Design! This doesn't really replace a traditional mouse or trackball as it's not suitable for alternating between mousing and typing. You have to hold this mouse in the air. It doesn't rest on your desk, so it's a pain to alternate between typing and mousing for regular use. I give it 5 stars for serving its purpose well. The range from the base seems quite good and the laser shows up from a long distance away.

Warning: Despite what you may read on other sites, this item is not USB compatible. The product comes only with PS2 connectivity, a technology which is not hot-plug-able and is increasingly harder to find on newer computers, especially laptops where you are likely going to need a device like this.

When I bought the phaser, I did a bit of research. On other sites, retailers said it offered USB connectivity as well as PS2. This usually means that it features an optional USB-PS2 adapter to make it compatible with the antiquated PS2 technology. As it ships, it contains no adapter, but only a PS2-capable base station. What this means practically is that people with modern notebooks can not use this device without additional hardware. If you do have an old PS2 port, or if you do invest in hardware to make it compatible with our system, you will still not benefit from the hot-plugability of USB, Bluetooth or FireWire-style connectivity. This means that in order to use the phaser without risk of crashing your system, you must restart your computer with the base station plugged in. This isn't a big deal if the machine you are using is a stand alone system in the presentation room - corporate contexts and university presentation rooms are good examples where you might just leave the computer running in place, with everything plugged in. But if you use a laptop to do your presentations, you can't really just wake up from sleep and give your presentation - you need to restart before your presentation with the base station plugged in. Without restart, a PS2 device like the Phaser may be recognized or begin to work, but you don't want to run the increased risk of crashing durring your presentation - so it's safer to reboot. This would not be the case with a hot-plugable (USB) device.

Advice for everyone: wait until iogear comes out with a phaser device compatible with modern computers using USB 1.1 or USB 2, or better yet a Bluetooth phaser with a USB receiver.

Pro 1: Since 1998,I've explored various options of using wireless mice (both IR & RF types) and a separate laser pointer, when I conduct lectures and corporate presentations - imagine right hand holding the wireless mouse and left hand on the laser pointer. This IOGear phaser is a definite handy 2-in-1 solution.

Pro 2: Outdoor operating distance = 17.2m/56.4ft. Indoor operating distance = 15.7m/51.5ft. I'm now able to walk around the lecture hall and still control the powerpoint slides! cool. See indoor/outdoor picture snapshots at tralvex.com/etc/iogear-phaser.jpg

Pro 3: IOGear Phaser doesn't requires any additional software driver, meaning that it would likely be still usable after a few more generation of MS OS (assuming that the PS/2 port is in use). I've to recently part with my favourite 4yr old wireless mouse/keypad "Sky Remote 102", as its drivers doesn't work on XP.

Pro 4: Last but not least, great ergnomics! Light weight, underneath trigger button, trackball & laser pointer.

Suggestion for IOGear: To consider a button for "Tab" key or a programmable button which would be irresistably useful, for us to toggle-out the slides to another app - video, mp3, browser, etc.

Cheers, Rex

PS: During my due diligence, I found a strikingly similar product called "Acrox Trigger" (at a lower price), from a Taiwanese company.

This RF mouse is dollar for dollar the best wireless mouse out there. It works better than others I've seen that cost much more. It fits very comfortably in either hand and all the controls are easy to reach. The trackball takes a little getting used to but once you get the hang of it it works very well. The range is adequate for my needs; however, the laser spreads out quite a bit. It projects a dot at least an inch in diameter at 30 feet. The mouse is so comfortable and easy to use I find myself using it even when it's not convenient, like kicking back and putting my feet up on the desk and surfing the internet. It is a pain to pick up and put down when you need to type though. Still, this is a very good mouse at a great price and I highly recommend it.

I have tried most presentation pointing devices on the market. The Phaser is better than some because it has a trackball instead of a minature joystick or hatswitch. But the Phaser appears to be built very cheaply. It uses mechanical rollers instead of optical technology, and the rollers, which are attached to flimsy little bent wires, easily lose contact with the ball. Perhaps I got a lemon. I returned mine and bought a Gyration Ultra.

This product works OK. It is a convenient package of wireless mouse / laser pointer and certainly beats having either 2 devices in hand or walking back/forth to laptop during presentation. My issue with this device is the trackball. It either moves the cursor too much or not at all. To keep it running in a decent mode, the trackball must be taken out and cleaned ~4 hrs. Maybe a rubber trackball, instead of a hard plastic one, works better.

The remote is beautiful, but I could not plug the receiver into my (less than 1 year old) laptop. I was able to plug it into my desktop computer, which is 2 years old. The GME321R has a PS-2 receiver, my laptop is not compatible with it. Apparently the GME322R does have the USB receiver, with a PS-2 adapter included. The laser is very strong. I am now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the GME322R model :). The description of the GME321R does not explicitly state that it is not USB-compatible, so be careful to chose the correct model for your system.

Wait a minute! A new device that simply plugs into the PS2 port, has no software, needs only a couple of lines of directions, works the first time around, and even comes with batteries? This doesn't sound like a computer product! Yet this very inexpensive device works perfectly to provide remote controlled Powerpoint slide shows with its built in mouse and laser pointer. The laser has a tiny shadow, but the "Phaser" otherwise works just as advertised, and it also fits the hand comfortably.

I am not a techno wizard. I am in the investment advisory business and was recently invited to address a large group in another city. My normal presentation is delivered using a laptop and a standard mouse. However, due to the size of this group, I quickly realized I needed something that would allow me to STAND away from my computer and still be functional. THIS MOUSE IS EXACTLY THAT! The online description is truthful. I opened the box, popped in the batteries, plugged the receiver into my mouse slot in back of my laptop and GO! The instructions are 1 minute long. It told me to goto Control Panel and adjust my mouse settings - SNAP! Off we go! The Laser Pointer feature is sharp - nice clean tiny red dot. The "trigger click" design is a nice ergonomic touch. Super product! It even looks cool - right out of Star Trek! Thanks for saving my presentation!

I tried this device on 3 computers. xp, 2000, and 98 SE. Track ball would only give horizontal motion. IOGear support had me try deselecting scroll wheel on the mouse driver. No good. Maybe I received the 1 in 1000 bad ones....but a lot of wasted time. As with everything else with this outfit, AMAZONs return process top notch painless and quick.