Customer Reviews

Logitech Bluetooth Mouse M555b

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

 

 

I've been using the Logitech Nano mouse with tiny USB dongle for some time and love the friction-free scroll wheel. The only problem is that my notebook only has two USB ports and sometimes I need both for something other than the mouse (and some devices don't seem to function correctly through a USB hub). So I've wanted a Bluetooth version of the Nano for quite some time. The M555b combines the two features I "needed" into one unit and I've been pretty happy with it so far.

The M555b has one programmable button just behind the scroll wheel, similar to the Nano, but not the other two extra buttons. Not a problem for me since I tend not to use the additional buttons, but it should be pointed out for those who do. The M555b wheel still has side-to-side scroll functionality. I wish they had kept the shape and design of the Nano in this new mouse since I prefer that style and feel. The M555b looks and feels somewhat "cheap" by comparison. That's just a matter of preference however... your results may vary. Also, the M555b doesn't come with a protective mouse sleeve for transport, like my Nano did. For the price of this mouse, you'd think they could throw that in.

Another thing I don't care for on the M555b is the battery cover. To access, you hold the mouse upside down, press a button at the back of the mouse, and lift the bottom off the mouse. It just seems more awkward than having a little trap door cover on the bottom, but that's also a preference issue... doesn't really get in the way of usability.

At one point, just a few days into using the mouse, it stopped communicating with my computer and I figured the (included) alkaline starter batteries had lost charge. I tried several other sets of regular and rechargeable batteries. Also tried redoing the Bluetooth connection, etc., with no luck. I decided to return it as defective, but when I tried again the next day it started working and has been fine ever since. Don't know what the problem was, but the hiccup seems to have gone away.

As with other Bluetooth mice, this one has a touch of lag on occasion, especially if it's been sitting for a few minutes without moving. Overall, it doesn't seem as bad as other Bluetooth mice I've used, but I wouldn't recommend this for gamers or people who demand ultra precision and responsiveness. With general use, it probably won't be an issue.

If you need several programmable buttons, look elsewhere. Check a local store to see if you like the style and feel of this before buying since it's rather plain-looking. Overall, I give the M555b good ratings because it gives back a USB port while keeping the free-wheeling scroll, which I'd be hard pressed to do without now (great feature!).

[Purchased on eBay]

If you're a Linux user, forget the CD, it will be useless to you.

The good news: major functions work as you would expect (at least on my Ubuntu Jaunty laptop) without any setup needed. Left/right mouseclicks, scroll wheel, tilt wheel (scrolls left to right), as you would expect. The button below the wheel produces a double-left-click.

That said, you can, to a degree, reprogram the buttons to assign them different functions, using two Linux command-line tools: xev will let you find out what numbers are assigned software-wise to each button, and xte will let you assign keystrokes or alternate mouse-button clicks to specific mouse buttons. This requires the installation of the xautomation and xbindkeys packages. Follow this link for more details - it limits the discussion to assigning a double-click to the mouse-wheel click, but from the instructions and example you can easily arrive at your own configuration to assign the functions you want to the buttons you want - and I encourage you to experiment with xte to get a good understanding. This really does not require any involved programming, it's fairly simple.

Link: Since you can't post links in a review, search on google for "Linux: Make your scroll wheel double click" (the quotes will help).

However, don't expect (on the basis of the above) anything too fancy, like assigning specific functions that depend on specific applications (like scroll left/right on the tilt-wheel when in a spreadsheet, and forward/back when in a browser), as this will require more involved programming.

The surprising news (to me at least): the wheel down-click doesn't send any signal to the computer, as you might expect any mouse wheel to do. It's purely mechanical, and has no effect beyond the mechanics of the mouse itself. It lets you toggle between scrolling the mouse one click at a time (and the clicks are very, very soft) and scrolling the mouse freely without any clicks, which means if you flip the wheel up or down even semi-vigorously, it will continue to spin like a flywheel until you reach the top or bottom of the document - useful if you are scrolling through large documents or spreadsheets.

The bad news: none that I can see. I've only had it for a few days, so I can't comment on battery life. The mouse is just a little bit smaller than a common desktop mouse, but still comfortable.

Bluetooth connection/synch: so far, flawless. Expect a slight delay (maybe half a second) after the mouse has been inactive for a few seconds. Reconnecting after you've powered the mouse off and back on is flawless. Does not require re-configuration of your Bluetooth preferences in Linux when you reboot. My Ubuntu recognized the mouse right away on the first try and even labeled it correctly as "Logitech Bluetooth Mouse M555b."

Oh, and please do take advantage of the on/off switch, I can only guess it will prolong battery life.

Update: I wrote the review when I got the mouse Jan.22, today is Apr. 29, and the mouse for the first time turned on its blinking red led light, indicating the batteries were exhausted. So, they lasted 14 weeks. Not bad at all!

Bought the Logitech BT mouse to go along with a new notebook with built-in BT. Connected the first time around without any fuss and keeps its connection consistently. I thought it might be a little uncomfortable considering its design - I'm used to the shape of the Logitech V450 wireless mouse - but it's not bad at all. I would have preferred a slightly more compact form factor, however, as its overall footprint seems a little bigger than the V450. Otherwise, it's a great choice for those who would not have to carry around and / or attach a wireless dongle everytime you use a mouse.

I don't know what the last guy was nit-picking about.This mouse looks great, feels great in my hand and most important of all works fantasic. I have had it for 2-3 weeks never had any connection problems or any problems at all.I am using it on a Macbook Pro 15".If I lost it I would definitely buy another.I love this mouse because it works great and doesn't take up an USB port.Thats all you could ask for.It's a little pricey,but it's a brand new product.

M555b worked well out of the box, but over time it has become increasingly difficult to keep connected using the Windows 7 64-bit platform (ultimate edition). I've had to re-add this thing 50 times in the last week, and the connection only lasts for 15 minutes at a time. This is a very common problem according to the logitech message forums...and logitech has done little to correct these issues from what I've gathered. But these issues are possibly due to the recurring problems with the windows OS (I use pc and mac fyi).

As a side-note, there is an issue with this mouse and I can't quite pinpoint the cause, but when my hand is at rest, the weight of my hand ALWAYS depresses the right-click button, and that has NEVER happened with any mouse I've ever owned.

I'll definitely research in more detail before buying another mouse.

I received an inexpensive USB mouse as a gift and had trouble with the USB connection. I also didn't like having the USB nub sticking out of the laptop which I usually have in my lap (hence lap--top). I decided on the Logitech M555b but was skepical based on some of the reviews. However it has functioned just perfectly for me. The setup was easy and I did use the set-up Wizard disk provided. I haven't experienced any disconnection issues. I turn off the power each night and the next day when I power it up it is immediately recognized by the laptop. I like having the programming features of the auxilary button and side-motion right/left options on the scroll wheel which I easily reprogrammed for Previous/Next. I guess my only issue was the cost but as long as it meets my long term needs I will be satisfied.

I own an ASUS Eee PC 1008HA Seashell 10.1-Inch Pearl Black Netbook - 6 Hour Battery Life (that I'm using to type this review!). With any other Asus netbook, I'd have purchased a Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse for Notebooks (Black) with its receiver that sticks out only 1/4" from the USB port. However, the 1008HA imposes two constraints not shared with other Asus netbooks. It has only 2 USB ports where others have 3, so a cordless mouse would leave me with just 1 USB port to play with. (Transferring from a USB drive to an external hard drive would be awkward, for example.) More important, the 1008HA has plastic covers over its ports, so leaving a cordless mouse's receiver plugged in permanently would mean that the port cover would always be ajar. The 1008HA DOES have Bluetoth capability, so I've been waiting for this mouse to be available ever since it was first announced.

As the other reviews suggest, not everyone feels the same way about features. I can't live without Hyperscrolling. My other 3 mice are the VX Revolution (office and home desktops) and a VX nano (laptop for teaching). I've become so accustomed to hyperscrolling's ability to get me from one end of a document to another rapidly and the ability to easily scroll with high precision that I won't consider a mouse that lacks this feature. CLick-wheels feel too much like outdated technology.

There are two reasons why I did not give this mouse 5 stars.

First, as others have remarked elsewhere, it would have been nice if Logitech had provided at least two more programmable buttons, in the style of the VX nano.

The second may be an unavoidable characteristic of Bluetooth. I don't know. This is my first Bluetooth device. I'm happy to use the trackpad for light computing (answering emails in coffee shot, for example). However, the 1008HA'sa trackpad is somewhat unresponsive unless I'm careful to stop all Bluetooth devices. The trackpad is fine once all Bluetooth devices are turned off.

I've no regrets about buying this mouse and would do it again without hesitation, but a version with more programmable buttons and a more peaceful coexistence with the 1008HA's trackpad would be appreciated.

This mouse is everything they said it would be. Great Bluetooth performance, nice looks, good feel (for a laptop mouse). And the 2 mode wheel is awesome. I have had repeated good experiences with Logitech products. Highly recommended!

Good product but canbe a little sluggish at times when using Windows 7. Needs a little improvement compatibility at times and a little slow to get going when you first start to use it at start up.

Perfect for me because I wanted a Bluetooth mouse but didn't want to give up the hyper fast scrolling that I've come to love from some of Logitech's other mice...........and I was pleased to find out ( after I got it ) that it actually works with my tablet, which is the purpose I intended to use it for.