Macally BTMicro Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse

by Macally

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0007MGEQ0
• Item model number: BTMICRO
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 24, 2005

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

With the Macally BTMICRO Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse, you will experience seamless integration with your Bluetooth-enabled computers. The BTMICRO's all-in-one rechargeable battery, its superb, ultra-compact design and leading-edge engineering make this the ultimate mouse for mobile professional.

Compatible with PC (Windows 98SE /2000 / ME /XP) or Macintosh (MacOS 9.2, 10.1.5, 10.2.8, 10.3.x and above) systems, the BTMICRO features the most advanced wireless Bluetooth technology. With a working distance of up to 33 feet, a power-saving on-off switch, charging cradle and AC adaptor included, this optical mouse will meet all of your wireless needs. Soft rubber side grips and an ergonomic design ensure optimum comfort, and with no moving parts to clean, you'll be ensured of accuracy and seamless response with every click. The BTMICRO includes two AAA rechargeable batteries.

Note: Optical-sensored mice function best on surfaces with texture for tracking (e.g., wood, plastic, cloth ), but it may not function on reflective, repetitive pattern or non-visible detail surfaces such as glass.

What's in the Box
BTMICRO mouse, charging cradle and AC adapter, and 2 AAA batteries.

Product Description

This superbly engineered Bluetooth cordless optical mouse that works seamlessly with your Bluetooth enabled computers. The BTMicro's all-in-one rechargeable battery plus the cradle, it's ultra-compact design and leading-edge engineering make BTMicro the ultimate mouse for mobile professional. Soft rubber side grips Accurate and responsive optical technology No moving parts to clean Easy to install and use Compact size for portability 2 AAA rechargeable batteries included Dimensions - W - 3.2, L - 2, H - 1.3 Net Weight - 3.7oz Compatible with Windows 98SE / 2000 / ME / XP, and Mac OS 9.2 / 10.1.5 / 10.2.8 / 10.3.x and above System Requirements - Any desktop or portable computer with a built-in Bluetooth module or an external USB Bluetooth adapter (not included) 3-year warranty White

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nemo MyMac.com Review, May 3, 2005

By 

Tim E Robertson "Publisher MyMac" (Battle Creek, Mi United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Macally BTMicro Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse (Personal Computers)

MacAlly Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse
Company: MacAlly
Price: $50
(...)

I have mixed feelings regarding Bluetooth (BT), based on varying rates of success with devices that use this new wireless technology. But when BT works correctly, the results are impressive, although sometimes requiring a bit of fiddling.

Such is the case with MacAlly's attractive, versatile Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse (PBOM). You should use rechargeable AAA batteries, like the pair that is included in the package (or throwaway non-rechargeables when charging is not an option). Then you need to recharge PBOM in its custom cradle for several hours until its green light goes away. Then you have to use OS X's BT Setup Assistant to get the mouse to communicate with your Macintosh, and press a little button on the bottom of PBOM to activate the connection. Fortunately, everything works as advertised, and, battery-charging time aside; the process is straightforward, if not intuitive.

Bonus: several pairs of AAA rechargeables can be handy in briefcase or backpack, thanks to MacAlly's included charging cradle.

Note: each time a Bluetooth mouse kicks into gear following sleep or restart, it's normal to experience a one-second delay from initial mouse movement to screen cursor action.

My heavyweight G5 doesn't have a built-in BT module, (...) Good news: ignore the included CD that is in the UBA package, because OS X Panther activates BT simply upon insertion of this adapter into your Mac's USB port or powered USB hub.

Speaking of packaging, here is an observation, not a complaint. MacAlly, in their retail wisdom, chooses to encase both mouse and adapter in nearly bulletproof plastic. The overkill factor is not the worst I've encountered, but it's a close second. Can package designers contend with possible theft without having to drain the Alaska Wildlife Refuge or the nation of Quatar of their remaining precious few zillion barrels of crude oil?

With adapter plugged in and charged mouse operative, I'm using PBOM exclusively during this evaluation period. Compared to my G5's basic white Apple mouse, tracking is a bit less smooth, but just as accurate. The more I use PBOM the more accustomed to it I am, so that after a few hours I'm not conscious of any deviation from the norm.

Being a full-sized mouse person, PBOM's compact size (approximately 2/3) is not my first choice, but it will come in handy when traveling or tutoring a person with a more petite hand than mine. Children and people with smaller hands will probably think this mouse is just right, without any hesitation.

MacAlly's three-year warranty is generous, and the $50 price tag is consistent with other comparable products. The UBA costs an additional $40, and must be ordered separately when computers don't already have BT capability.

This is a two-button mouse plus scroll-wheel, adding enhanced function to ordinary mousing. Once you get into the right-click and/or finger-scroll habit, you'll be hooked, I predict. PBOM has cushioned pads on either side, for extra comfort. Altogether, it's a well-engineered, full-service portable USB wireless mouse that will provide years of service under ordinary conditions. Whether PBOM is "the ultimate mouse for working professional" is to be determined after I take it on the road for a month, so please check back with me in May if you want an update.

I'm very happy (size notwithstanding) with competitor Iogear's pre-Bluetooth USB Portable Mini Mouse, and I see Iogear now has a BT equivalent. If size matters (it does), will I switch over to MacAlly's larger portable mouse on my workhorse iBook, leaving my year-old loyal Iogear mouse lonesome in my backpack? We'll see, won't we! (Be aware that wireless USB mice typically work immediately with both Mac OS 9.x and 10.x, and often with Windows XP, without any installed software - Bluetooth is non-functional in OS 9.)

Bluetooth has a distance advantage over portable USB devices, and PBOM does its magic from across the room. Additionally, only one built-in or accessory BT module is required to communicate with multiple BT devices, unlike USB wireless peripherals that usually each come with a unique transceiver. If this feature or any of the others mentioned above are important, you'll agree with our favorable rating of 4 out of 5.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BTMicro Bluetooth, great wireless mouse for Mac, April 3, 2005

By 

Evan Bontrager (Goshen, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Macally BTMicro Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse (Personal Computers)

As Apple computer laptops are almost all Bluetooth capable as a default, having a Bluetooth mouse seems logical. I should not need to defend internal bluetooth connections as opposed to proprietary wireless mouses with USB adapters. Bluetooth rocks!

The BT Micro proved to be the correct Bluetooth choice from the beginning. The 10 meter range (printed in some places as 33 feet) is excellent, and works better than the microsoft mouse at my office. [I am lucky to get 2 feet at work with the microsoft mouse and it eats batteries in two weeks.]

The size is truly a mini and is small. I was concerned with having a place to rest my hand having never used a small mouse before, but the small size is friendly. It slides smoothly and the optical sensor functions flawlessly.

The rechargeable base is a great addition and the mouse comes with NiMH batteries. Definitely made to eliminate battery costs for the life of the mouse. The base stays home and the small mouse travels extremely well with long life. I have yet to drain the first charge over several days use.

The scroll wheel has been dependable. It scrolls on my Mac OSX in any window under the cursor. If a window has a scroll window, the wheel properly switches if the cursor is moved over the new desired window. I have yet to have a microsoft scroll which works as desired. The right button opens sub-menus properly which is a definite improvement over the single button mousepad Apple keeps pushing on people. Mac OSX is the best and most elegant operating system ever created but someone at Apply must eventually give up on the single button mouse and provide a right button and scroll wheel on all hardware. Come on already!

The mouse paired with my laptop on the first attempt without concern. The mouse goes to sleep if not used, and also immediately when I close my laptop lid. It appears to see the laptop go into suspend mode and reacts immediately. When I wake up the laptop, simply clicking the mouse re-establishes the Bluetooth pairing and function is resumed. It even has a true on/off switch to you can turn it off when dropping in a bag or if you want to look at the bottom for any reason and desire to avoid blinding yourself with the laser.

I would recommend this to anyone with a bluetooth link on any computer. I haven't figured out how program the buttons for different functions yet but so far the defaults are everything I need and I don't really know what I would change if I could.

Great job. Purchase with confidence. Hopefully they will sell enough to lower the price eventually, but the $43 price at the time of this writing is satisfactory and it is worth every penny.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Surprisingly comfortable for its size, April 28, 2006

By 

Tor Slettnes (SF Bay Area, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Macally BTMicro Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse (Personal Computers)

I have a BT-enabled iMac, and was looking for a wheel mouse to match the style of the supplied Apple keyboard/mouse combo for BlueTooth. Among those I found in a local store (Fry's), this came the closest, so despite its small size, I ended up at home with it.

The good: It is surprisingly comfortable. In fact, more so than much larger mice, like the Logitech MX 1000 for BlueTooth (included with the Logitech DiNovo Desktop Laser combo).

The charging cradle allows you to avoid replacing the batteries every week (they do run out this fast; I tried).

The not so good: Without recharging, the battery life is pretty short.

Out of the box, the tracking speed is pretty fast - and the movement is a bit jerky. Both of these can be fixed (in Mac OS X) by going to the Keyboard/Mouse panel in System Preferences and reducing the tracking speed there.

It is notably slower to come alive than other BT mice, including Apple's. Also, if your Mac is asleep, waking it up will not automatically wake the mouse (again, unlike a couple of other mice, like Apple's). You have to click one of the mouse keys (or scroll the wheel).

Also, it frequently happens that only the buttons and the scroll wheel wake up, not the optical sensor that allows the mouse to move. The only way I found to get around this is to turn off the mouse, wait a few seconds, turn it on again, click a button, and wait for it to pair with the computer.

I ended up getting another BT wheel mouse online to replace it - one that is even more in line with the Apple style:
[...]

This one, I am happy to say, is quite an improvement over the BTMicro mouse in all these areas.

-tor