Customer Reviews

Labtec Mini Wireless Optical Mouse

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

I'm one of those who always rolled his eyes at the idea of wireless mice, especially for laptops. The idea that someone would need a radio-controlled device to communicate with a computer that was two inches away seemed ridiculous.

Well, it's not. If you hate trackpads (I do), and can't make yourself spend the $500 premium for a laptop with a pointing stick (I can't), you want a wireless mouse for your laptop. I learned this the hard way, by first buying a wired mini mouse for my new laptop. I soon learned that wireless mice aren't silly at all.

That mouse cable which isn't much of a problem for a desktop becomes a huge hassle with a notebook, since it has to be unwound and rewound for every work session. Worse, each winding twists and kinks the cable more, and you eventually wind up with a rat's nest that's always in your way.

So I knew I had to get another mouse, but wanted as few things to schlep as possible. Most wireless mice require that you add three things to your travel kit: the mouse, the transmitter, and a carrying bag. Not this one; since the usb transmitter stores inside the mouse itself, this mouse is it's OWN carrying case...that much less to worry about.

It's so cleverly designed it makes me chuckle with admiration. It's just a case of getting everything right.

_____

December 2004 update:

Recently the mouse suddenly stopped working and I had thought it had failed, but buried deep in Labtec's website was the fix: If this mouse appears to have died, replacing the batteries may not be enough to reactivate it. You might require the following steps, in this order:

1) Remove & replace fresh batteries.
2) Depress the small reset button on the receiver
3) Depress the reset button on the underside of the mouse.

This did the trick for me...simple enough, once you know about it.

I've been using this optical mouse with my laptop for about two months and I've found it most satisfactory. This mouse has several things going for it. Firstly, it's not as small as many other travel mice. The size is about 3/4 that of a regular mouse, which I prefer. Makes my hand less sore. This little guy also has a scroll wheel. However, the niftiest thing about this mouse is the receiver. It fits into a slot on the underside of the mouse when you're not using it, AND it breaks the battery circuit when in place. So your batter doesn't run down when you're not using the mouse, and you're not likely to misplace the little receiver. It's a little difficult to explain without seeing the set-up, but trust me: it's clever, and it works well.

This mouse is perfectly great. Like the other have said, it is accurate, easy to maneuver (great for gamers), and battery conserving. It automatically switches to conserving mode when you do not use it for some time (like screensaver of the monitor), it blinks instead of continuous emitting light. In case, you want to conserve even more energy, plug the receiver back and it would be turned off.

The in-the-mouse receiver is an innovative design. Absolutely great for all those who use laptops. People who use desktop would also love the idea of turning off the mouse while keeping the receiver ready in place in case you need to dash out of the house.

I have a desktop and a laptop and all what I have to do is to plug in the receiver. When I finish just turn it off and in the morning I am ready to go again.

About the battery, it is true that all wireless optical mice consume lots of batteries. However, a charger would solve the problem nicely. Make sure you have 4 AAA batteries so that when you charge 2 you have 2 other to use.

This mouse is awsome. The dpi is good....battery life is great and you don't misplace the receiver when traveling; because it GOES INSIDE THE MOUSE.

Ben (one of the reviewers). You put the wireless receiver inside the mouse to turn it off.

Anyway...good mouse for traveling

I bought one of these to try out because I liked the idea of the USB receiver that stores in the mouse. Grab the mouse out of the laptop bag, and you always have the receiver . . . . no digging around in the bottom of the bag for it. It uses two AAA batteries and battery life seems to be about the same as any other wireless mouse that I have owned or tested. Our network consultant advised me not to get to serious about it as it would probably break within a month. That was almost a year ago.

In my opinion, the selling point is the self-storing receiver. You press a button on the bottom of the mouse and it flips out like a switch-blade knife. It's like something you might see in a James Bond or Mission Impossible movie. The first month that I had one, I was helping the president of the corporation with a presentation. When his mouse wouldn't work, I grabbed the Labtec, said "Here, use mine", and pressed the button to flip out the receiver. A hush fell over the conference room, everyone leaned forward for a closer look, and the president said "Cool". That's the last time I saw that mouse. He won't give it back. I have since deployed about six of these to the road warriors within the company, and, so far, I haven't had to have any replaced.

I really like mine.

This mouse is the perfect compliment for anyone looking for a lightweight optical mouse to go with their laptop/PC. I have been using it for over a month now with no problems. The USB receiver is a tiny 1.5 inches long and it fits into the mouse itself for easy storage (see pictures). Battery life is average, about 100 hours for a single charge AAA 900 mAh rechargeable batteries. Mouse is well built with a nice soft click when you press the buttons. May not be suitable for avid gamers as it's only a 3 button mouse. I'm running Windows XP and it's a simple Plug n Play, managed to avoid using usual problems with installation CDs. Great product for the price.

This is a great little mouse. It has performed well for me the first time right out of the box and had been performing ever since.

Advantanges:

- It's lightweight
- Smaller than average normal mouse
- Optical read
- Cordless
- USB receiver fits neatly under the mouse when not in use, turning off the mouse and conserving battery life.
- 2 Year Warranty
- Very economical

Disadvantages:

None so far as I'm concerned.

I see from other reviews that there may be an issue with battery life. Mine has been working well since 8/18/2005, with the same batteries that came with the unit. Everyone should know that manufacturers do not always supply the highest quality batteries with their products, especially when they are included with the purchase price. So don't let battery life steer you away from this little gem. Go out and purchase a Ray-O-Vac 15-Minute I-C³ Rechargeable Charger and a couple of I-C³ batteries or any NiMH batteries. You'll be glad you did and you can enjoy this mouse for years to come

Probably one of the coolest designs Ive seen.
The size just right and not too small, the receiver can be kept inside the mouse when not in use, sleek design and the color matches my HP pavilion laptop (silver and black), nice contours and very comfortable for my palm, and it feels just like a corded mouse only w/o the annoying tail. Everything went smooth and happy until I discovered that this mouse consumes battery like a a pig that wasnt fed for days! If you get one of these pig-rodent, you must also be ready to buy a charger and pack of 4 rechargeable batteries. And if I had to modify this mouse, Id add a on/off buttton so that I dont have to worry about forgetting to unplug the mouse after use. Still, I think its the perfect travel mouse! (although u need to carry the batteries with you, so minus 1 star)

I have used several wireless optical mice including MX700, MS, Targus PAWM10U/PAWM20U, and this one. Labtec is certainly outperform others. Especially 800 dpi. The cursor pointing accuracy is a typical problem in all wireless optical mice. with 800 dpi, MX700 and this Labtec are the best in comparison. The mini Labtec is more suitable for travelers.

I can't believe that the overall rating for this mouse is only 3 out of 5 stars! I've owned one for about 6 months, and I absolutely love it. It has good ergonomics, the battery life is comperable to other wireless optical mice, and it's extremely portable. 5 out of 5 stars.

I have a logitech mx700 mouse om my desk at home, but I needed something that I could throw into my laptop bag and bring with me on trips and to my office. The thing that originally attracted me to this mouse is the fact that the usb receiver actually folds into the underside of the mouse. No cords, wires, or parts to keep track of. When the receiver is stored in the mouse it turns the mouse off, conserving battery power. When you remove the receiver it turns the mouse on and it's ready to use. If you are running Windows XP you won't need to install any drivers either.

As with most optical mice that I've owned, this one works well on most surfaces, including my desk or my pant leg.

This mouse is really a must-have for anyone with a laptop.