Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blue Light Special, June 28, 2001
About a week ago, while on a mouse hunting expedition at the local computer store, prompted by my utter failure to successfully come to grips with a well-known optical wireless mouse, I decided that my layout wasn't right for the wireless route and opted to return to the cord. With that in mind I began searching the shelves for a particular (again well known) model which happened to be out of stock.Well, needing a mouse and feeling adventurous I opted for the new IBM Optical Navigator Mouse. Retailing at $35 to $40, it's in a comfortable price range for optical mice in general. Setup was a piece of cake. The drivers and included Mouse Suite software were a breeze to install. As is typical nowadays, the mouse can be run from a USB or a PS2 port. Once it was hooked up I experienced the big surprise (having done my usual poor job of box reading). The scroll wheel glows with a really - I mean REALLY! - cool blue light. What a thrill. I just love seeing it sitting on my desktop in the dark! The mouse body is shaped much the same as the newer Logitech types, with a deep undercut area for your thumb. Though clearly not for left-handers, this thing is comfortable as it can be for a righty like me. It's actually a 4-button setup, with the usual two top buttons and (unusual blue)scroll wheel. The fourth button is a thumb button which, unlike most such buttons I've encountered on other mice, is almost completely out of my way until I need it. The mouse is all black (or at least a dark, dark gray) with dark rubber-textured sides. It's an optical mouse (duh!)and glides as smooth as silk. Not too heavy or light in the hand. I use a slightly textured black mousepad and couldn't be happier with the movement. Scrolling was extremely smooth, too. The wheel has a good smooth feel to it. The optical sampling seems superb. There is no jerkiness or lag whatsoever. This is the most precise mouse I've owned (and I just ditched a Razer 2000 for it!!). The software allows the usual myriad of adjustments and button assignments. I know it's just a mouse, but it really is one of the most pleasant computer hardware surprises to have come my way in a long time. Not only is the IBM Optical Navigator a great product from a price and performance standpoint, it's one of the coolest looking things out there.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Precisely, my Dear., September 28, 2001
I consider the mouse to be one of the three key components of a computer system which will greatly affect your enjoyment and productivity (keyboard and monitor, are the other two) so quality is important. As a result, I have been hooked on Microsoft mice since 1991. When optical mice came out, I switched over to a MS Explorer and thought I had found the perfect mouse...until I bought the IBM Optical Navigator. It surpasses the MS Explorer by a wide margin.The ergonomics are superb. This mouse fits so comfortably in your hand, better than MS. And, the buttons have that "just right" amount of resistance/click, travel and user feedback which MS mice have always had. But the best feature about this mouse is its precision and accuracy of movement. I immediately noticed it and so did my wife. The pointer becomes an extension of your hand. I don't know how to describe it any other way...but it is distinctly superior to my MS optical mice (we have two other computers equiped with MS optical mice, also). This mouse is a sleeper and IBM should market it more effectively. It is that good. Oh yes, even though the glowing blue scroll wheel does nothing to improve performance...it is a strangely sublime experience that is reason enough to own this mouse. I don't know why, but it is. Trust me.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Better Than Microsoft, December 16, 2001
I have been using this mouse for a month now and it has passed every test. The best part is the ergonomics, I spend several hours a day on a computer so this is a key point for me. The size, shape and texture are all excellent and side button placement is out of the way so you will not accidently hit it but still within easy reach.
At work I use a Microsoft Internet Explorer optical mouse, which is very good, but the nod goes to the IBM hands down in every catagory. Ergonomics, performance and appearance.
And I have to be honest, the blue lit scroll wheel is totally cool and makes the mouse look impressive to others. The wheel itself still has that same rubbery feel, so nothing was sacrificed to make it illuminate, which was one of my concerns because I purchased this mouse from pictures and reviews.
Installation of the mouse and it's software was as easy as it gets. I tried it on both the USB and PS2 and could not see any performance differance.
The one and only down side is for gamers, like me, when you move the mouse excessively fast from side to side the pointer just sits there. I can not fault the mouse for this because I hooked up a Microsoft Optical and it did the exact same thing. This seems to be a quirk with all optical mice, not just this one. You can adjust the ballistics to minimize the effect, and then just get used to moving your wrist a little slower and it plays just fine for most games.
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