Customer Reviews

Loop Pointer In-Air Mouse for PCs & Macs connected to TVs & Projectors

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have a media center PC hooked to my TV and have been struggling for months on how to deal with non-HTPC websites like Hulu. When I first heard about the Loop Pointer I thought the idea was potentially interesting but wasn't sure I wanted to spend the money on another "wireless mouse."

This is NOT another "wireless mouse."

First, the big stuff.

As a free-space pointer with no line-of-sight requirements, the Loop performs remarkably. I was absolutely astonished at the subtlety with which it tracked my wrist and hand movements. Whereas before I would have to use some sort of wireless mouse on a hard pad on my lap, now I can leave the Loop comfortably by my side as I sit on the couch and make little movements to control the PC.

Hillcrest also got the little things right, too...

Firstly, it comes in a package that doesn't require a chainsaw to open. I can't begin to express how tired I am of packages that require a serrated knife from my kitchen to open!

I installed the Loop on 3 PC's in my house and each went perfectly. Just plug in the usb dongle and it gets recognized as a mouse instantly. No drivers needed is a big deal for me, personally.

Finally, there's an off button on the controller. This may seem trivial, but it really helps the battery life and performance. The fact that I can click it off when I want means I don't have to wait for some arbitrary time-out before it powers down. Also, the fact that I can easily turn it off and on means that my kids - or cat - won't be accidentally changing channels or re-formatting my hard drive when I get up to go to the bathroom!

In conclusion:

Will this product unalterably change my life?

No, but it sure as heck will change my life on the couch - and that's a pretty good start. It's worth every cent and I happily recommend it.

So this product will probably please some people and disappoint others because I think a lot of people are not sure what to expect from it. If you are looking for a simple airmouse that will put a cursor on your screen, and work with your mouse-driven applications, or with applications specially designed for this product, I think you'll be ecstatic. If you are looking for a next generation gaming controller that will work with all your PS3 games and such, you'll be disappointed because, despite the fact it says PS3 support, it does not act as a controller. So if you have the right expectations, you'll be insanely happy because you'll only order this for the right reasons.

As for performance, this is much better than the Wii, and more intuitive. This simply works. Setup is a breeze as you just plug the dongle in and you're pretty much all set. I first experienced the Hillcrest Technology on the Kodak Home Theater box and so I did not fret much over this decision; the Kodak box is well built and the controller is seamlessly built into the overall interface....very nice. Here, you get the same technology just more generic.

I'm using this now with my AppleTV/ATVFlash implementation. ATVFlash is an application that supports the Loop. This enables me to navigate the AppleTV menu a lot easier, because it's got a scroll button and I can just motion around. It's a beta load, and it's got some more work to go -- I'd give it a 7 on a 1-to-10 scale so far, but it's a beta and they'll be tweaking it so I have all the confidence it's going to get better. I can also use this to browse and enter keystrokes via the on-screen keyboard that Apple has. So this was worth the Loop+ATVFlash costs because I'm betting other developers will support this as well.

The Loop looks cool too, and it's quite a discussion topic when people come over. If you are into new leading edge products, well then you just have to have this product.

Downsides: I've got no beef at all with the product or implementation. It's all pretty easy and straightforward. If I have any issues it's specifically with how applications have supported this, which in the end I can live with because they will be improving as time goes by.

Note this is not Bluetooth, so the dongle is required. Also, if you use the AppleTV USB port for something else, like external storage, you'll have to get a hub to do both on one USB.

The bottom line is that the Loop significantly improves any HTPC.

Admittedly, it's hard to explain why - this is a product that benefits from direct experience.

That said, there are no disappointments. First, it looks and feels like nothing else. The look is cool, and yet it's relatively inconspicuous to leave it on your ottoman or side table without screaming "I'm a geek".

Next, it feels great. Lots of people watch TV with a remote in hand at all times - and the Loop just feels great in the hand. You won't want to put it down.

But the best thing is simply the way it works - it's completely intuitive. If you have a point-and-click system, this thing is simply the best way to get the most out of it. Overt, deliberate, exaggerated movements are gone. You can literally point anywhere on the screen with a subtle wrist motion, or you can use your whole arm. It works equally well both ways - It just knows what to do.

Finally, the real killer is responsiveness - there is little if any latency. You just don't fully realize how s-l-o-w other remote inputs are until you've used this for a week - and then try to go back.

After using the Loop, it's easy to believe that this is simply going to be the way all TVs work in the future. Should be standard equipment with any HTPC. Strongly recommend.

The Loop is an absolutely superb piece of equipment. It is stable, intuitive, a pleasure to hold and use, and it works beautifully with all my Macs. I gave a Powerpoint talk with it today. My colleagues' jaws drop when they see the Loop in action.

As for "TechGeekFan" who gives the Loop only one star (even though he has never used it) because he says it hasn't shipped yet - well, I am holding my Loop in my hand now, and I don't work for the company, and I will now use it to click on the box to say that your review is unhelpful.

I highly recommend the Loop to anyone who needs to operate a computer at a distance for any reason. And yes, it would make a wonderful Father's Day gift. I got mine early!

I've been using the Loop for the last five months, hooked up to my iMac (located in the rear of the family room) to navigate on my TV (in the front of the room... the detail is important later).

First, the basics: my 4 year old uses this to navigate iTunes. It took her less than 30 seconds to figure it out and it's like breathing for her. Ditto for my eight year old. My two year old is dying to use it, but the 4 and 8 year old won't let him touch it yet. I'm staying out of that argument...

The Loop is unbelievably intuitive. It tracks perfectly, with no shakes, and allows for such exact pointing that I've done photoshop on the screen with it. It's that precise.

I use Kylo, but I do mostly use iTunes with this. Here's what's incredible: I sit on the couch, between the iMac (behind me) and the TV (in front of me). It tracks perfectly whether I'm facing the Mac or the TV. The FreeSpace tech just figures it out. I have no idea how, but it's wicked cool.

If you want to navigate PC content on your TV, this is about two generations beyond anything else I tried (the closest I got was using a wireless keyboard and mouse on the couch... it was at best awful). It makes it possible to navigate my video and audio collection easily and effortlessly. It's just plain reflexive.

I can't recommend this product enough. It tries to do something simple: navigate content on your TV. It nails it, perfectly.

The loop mouse pointer is innovative and pioneering when it comes to mouse pointers and media control. It has an ergonomic design when held. Easy to use: just insert the batteries, insert the adapter then abracadabra. You can control movies and click on files.

Unfortunately, after less than a month or so, it started having problems. It's getting hard to point to the correct location where the pointer should be. The adapter became loose, unable to transmit signals to and from ny computer hence a non working loop mouse. If you're not careful in handling the loop, you'll end up having carpal tunnel.

I'm looking forward to a lighter and much better loop.

Having read the glowing reviews, we decided to buy a unit to replace the remote control on our PC/TV setup in our workout area. We expected to be able to use the Loop to control the computer remotely outside of the Windows' Media center.

We're returning the unit. This technology is cool but we don't think that it's ready, especially not at the price we paid for.

Here's what we liked and didn't like:

1) Given the ergonomics of the ring and the material of the left-click/right-click buttons, we found it was really hard to double-click on one specific spot. What constantly happened was that the mouse pointed pointer would move between the two clicks resulting in either two distinct clicks or a click-and-drag. While we could get it to behave properly if we steadied our arm and hand carefully, we need a remote control, not a high-precision device to be handled with care.

2) On numerous occasions, the mouse cursor would drift once its own. That is to say, if we didn't held the Loop steady, the cursor would still drift to the left. We figured something might be wrong with the sensor.

3) The USB dongle for the receiver was of shoddy quality. When inserted into USB port, we found that we had to tap-it/nudge-it/push-it just right for the contact to be made and the PC to recognize it. The problem happened on multiple computers whose ports other USB devices had no problems using. We concluded that the dongle itself was defective although we did successfully position it once in a way that worked for an evening.

4) Our ultimate goal was to use the device while walking/jogging on a treadmill. The device is too sensitive for this making it impossible for us to use it successfully while in motion.

Were it only for #4 above, we would have returned the device without complaint. Were it only for #3, we would have thought ourselves unlucky and asked for a replacement. However, looking at all 4 problems, we think the product itself is at cause: its manufacturing, and possibly even its engineering, are lacking.

On the plus side:

A) We loved that the drivers are already on Windows Update. Plug the dongle in and Windows will do the rest. No need to download and install drivers. While this is a nice quality, it does not suffice by itself to make the product worth buying.
B) Ease of use. This thing really is simple/trivial to learn and master.

For now though, We'll keep our cash and wait for v2 or v3.

I'm like that guy on the commercial who has to have the first one of everything. People come to my house to play with all the new stuff. The problem is that most of it does not work hardly at all. However, with this Loop airmouse, it worked right out of the box. It was plug and play installable and instantly started working. I've been using it with my media center and am experimenting with other programs and such. I really don't have any downsides to relate...I have not run into any yet. For $99, this is a very cool addition to my family room PC! I'd recommend it.

Not often am I able to give a 'full star review' on products,(but for me) The Loop qualifies.

I had 'the loop' in my amazon basket for awhile,(as pondering the $99.00 price). When they recently lowered it to $69.00 It was the range I was hoping for. As most reviews have noted, it is a very easy, fast setup with no problems whatsoever. Simplified controls. I have only been doing PC stuff for 10 years, so still consider myself a 'novice'. When I went total PC to TV this past year I had purchased a Logitech DiNovo Mini combo keyboard-mouse, (thru Amazon). I still use it for 'keyboard' functions when needed, but the 'cursor' function is very tedious and hard to manipulate. 'The Loop' did the trick...and it certainly does everything I need for my "mousie stuff".

Yes, it does take a bit of time in a "how to grasp and point" learning curve, but it was really minimum,(15 min.). I have been using it on all sites I visit-utilize: HULU; Boxee; Kylo, etc. I am running my system with a 'devoted' AcerPC to my VizioHD42. I use a ROKU and been a Netflix member for 8 years. I have a inexpensive outside small HD antenna which gets me all the broadcast channels I desire. More entertainment then I have time to enjoy...what I do not miss, is a satellite bill for $1,500 a year.

Again: The Loop: for the now, lower price and ease of set-up and super easy to use...makes my entertainment very enjoyable.

The design is cool. For anything other than media viewing I'd like to see a key or function that represented "enter."

My motor skills aren't quite what they used to be and this device is harder to obtain precision control than a regular mouse. Also, my hand gets tired gripping the device. I think a flat slab like a Wii controller or a regular TV remote might be easier over a longer period of time.

I can watch TV on my PC from further away than a regular mouse would reach. I can operate the device from under the covers when I'm watching TV in bed.

All-in-all it's worth if for a gadget fan like me, but probably not for everyone.