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Bo
Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 43
Location: Newport Beach, CA
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 Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 5:20 pm Post subject: OT: BT Mice & PowerBooks |
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I've used various mice and trackpads & some were better than others. A lot seemed designed for pain with hard use because of the non-natural hand ,wrist, arm positions.
With a new BlueTooth PowerBook, I wanted the smallest Bluetooth mouse I could get, regardless of how well it worked so I could pack it in my bag with the laptop without a problem. What I found was far better in many ways than I expected.
RadTech.com sells the BT500 BlueTooth mouse for about $60 and you can hide it completely in the palm of a large closed hand. It has 2 buttons and a scroll wheel (damn I wanted 3 buttons).
It is so small it effectively is controlled and moved by your fingers and the palm of your hand can stay fixed in one spot (except when typing). It is also small enough to work as a mouse on the 17" laptop to the right or left of the trackpad and work well. To date, I don't see any evidence of the small mouse causing me finger or hand or wrist problems.
I can see this smallness concept eventually leading to a mouse which fits only the finger tips and has minimal weight.
The only fault I found is the battery door latch was designed to release with pressure which it gets when carrying it in my bag, so I put a piece of white tape over the door and I don't notice this minor fault anymore.
Bo |
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lavardera
Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 412
Location: merchantville, nj
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| Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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Bo, are you sure the scroll wheel does not click for your third button?
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greg |
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Bo
Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 43
Location: Newport Beach, CA
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| Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2004 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| lavardera wrote: | | Bo, are you sure the scroll wheel does not click for your third button? |
Actually, you are very correct, the scroll wheel is a button, too. Though I read it originally, I forgot about it.
I've never been comfortable in making it work smoothly.
It is hard to use 3 "buttons" as such since they are not all the same size, narrow together for 3 fingers and the down force is so much higher on the narrow wheel than the mouse buttons on either side, that I don't use the "center" button/scroll wheel.
Bo |
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Jeff Snyder
Joined: 15 Apr 2004
Posts: 59
Location: Bryn Mawr, PA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2004 4:56 am Post subject: |
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Bo,
Thanks for the report. About how far from the Powerbook would you say the mouse will function?
Jeff |
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Bo
Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 43
Location: Newport Beach, CA
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| Posted: Thu Jun 17, 2004 10:08 am Post subject: |
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| Jeff Snyder wrote: | Bo,
Thanks for the report. About how far from the Powerbook would you say the mouse will function?
Jeff |
5-6 feet is easy, but its pretty obvious I can't see the screen out there...
Bo |
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Jeff H
Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 28
Location: Naples, FL
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 2:48 pm Post subject: |
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I have been using the BT500 since it came out. It is excellent. My only caveat is it eats its little triple A batteries at the rate of about one set a week. But the mouse is so good it saves me plenty of time to justify this pack of 8 AAA's beside me. Funny, when the batteries go, it is the buttons that stop working - instantly. It still moves, but you learn to replace 'em and get back to work.
Highly recommended and very light and portable. A big step up from the Apple BT mouse. |
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Bo
Joined: 14 Apr 2004
Posts: 43
Location: Newport Beach, CA
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| Posted: Tue Jun 22, 2004 2:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Jeff H wrote: | I have been using the BT500 since it came out. It is excellent. My only caveat is it eats its little triple A batteries at the rate of about one set a week. But the mouse is so good it saves me plenty of time to justify this pack of 8 AAA's beside me. Funny, when the batteries go, it is the buttons that stop working - instantly. It still moves, but you learn to replace 'em and get back to work.
Highly recommended and very light and portable. A big step up from the Apple BT mouse. |
Go visit Radio Shack and take a look at their "15 Minute Charger". This accepts both AAA and AA and indeed recharges their batteries as stated. I have not bought anymore of those danged overpriced DuraCell's in the last 6 months. Figured I've saved a ton of 5 dollar bills already (OK, not quite a ton).
Bo |
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