Mouse Reviews

These days, it's so hard to find a mouse that's just a mouse! The Kensington Pilotmouse is great at just being a mouse.

The package comes with the mouse, a USB to PS/2 adapter, a little booklet, and an installation CD. The mouse is sealed in a refreshingly easy-to-open plastic case, not the vacuum-sealed need-a-knife-to-open kind.

Installation is exceedingly simple. On both Windows 2000 and XP, the mouse installed without needing any drivers. I'll probably try the installation CD later just to see what's on it, but it doesn't appear to be necessary - so you don't have to clutter your PC with useless applications.

The cord on the mouse is nice and long. It's plenty long to run to the edge of my desk and down to the back of my computer, which sits on the floor, with plenty of room to move the mouse without pulling the cord taut. The mouse itself is a pleasant silver and black that matches my Viewsonic monitor and keyboard very well.

I figured the rubber grips were gimmicky, but they're actually very pleasant to hold. The mouse is symmetrical to fit either hand, and it is comfortable even in my relatively small hands. One nice feature is the buttons - they have a very unique design that makes the buttons very long, so even people with small hands will be able to click this relatively large mouse.

The wheel is functional, but not as pleasant to turn as the Microsoft Optical Wheelmice I've used. It may just take some getting used to, but there seems to be more resistance to the wheel. The sensitivity adjustments on the movement work very nicely, giving a wide range of choices to suit different mousing styles. The pads on the bottom help the mouse glide suitably well.

All in all? Just a good, solid mouse. I bought one for a new PC and I liked it so much that, when my mouse died on my other computer, I bought another.

I needed a mouse to use on my laptop for gaming. The cordless mouse that came with it just didn't cut it (couldn't transmit fast enough to keep up). I looked online but couldn't decide so I went down to my local computer superstore. I spent a considerable amount of time testing the feel of the mice and I ended up with this one. I went into the store thinking I was going to get the 5 button Logitec MX300 but I walked out with this one (after paying, of course).

Why go with the less expensive mouse? Comfort. I was willing to pay up to twice what I paid for this one but once I had this one in my hand I knew it was the right one. The rubber grips on the side and the buttons are very comfortable. The ridged wheel rolls with just the right effort and has nice positive clicks when spun. The shape fits perfectly into my hand - I never have to arch my palm to perform any function (like using the scroll wheel). I just rest my hand on the mouse naturally. The resolution is 800 dpi so it's very sensitive. The included software has many nice feature for mapping button presses (for example, left and right together) or key + button press (alt-left click, e.g.) to different functions.

The mouse feels sturdy, the cord is long, and it comes with a PS/2 adapter if you don't want to use a USB port. I'm very happy with it. Great design + good software + low price = excellent value.

I bought this mouse to use with my PowerBook. Apple makes great
hardware, but who wants to struggle with a one-button mouse?

This is a three button wheel mouse, with two buttons and a wheel which
can be depressed to act as a third button. The pro version adds a couple
of thumb buttons, but I got the $20 basic version.

The optical tracking is smooth and precise, and the mouse is comfortable
for both myself and my fiancee, who has fairly small hands. I think part of
the reason it works for both of us is that the right and left buttons are so
long. It is a fairly big, high mouse, but the rubber pads make it easy to
hold onto for long periods. Sometimes mice that use a wheel as a middle
button make it so easy to depress that you find yourself clicking when you
try to scroll, but that has not been a problem with this mouse.

I have heard very good things about the Mouseworks software that
comes with all Kensington mice, but the mouse worked perfectly as
soon as I plugged it in so I have not even opened the CD envelope.

My original plan was to buy this mouse for temporary use and upgrade
later, but I have been so pleased with it that I have stopped shopping.
The only thing that would be nice is if it supported Bluetooth, but at
the price (or even twice the price) this mouse is great.

The Wacom Graphire tablet is a mouse-pad like device that connects into the USB port (or serial port if you don't have USB.) A special electronic stylus comes with it and you can draw on the pad as you would on sketch paper. The Graphire tablet is for home use and is distinguished from other Wacom tablets in that it also has a cordless mouse. It comes in a choice of kid-pleasing colors (well, I like colors too, I must admit. I bought a clear purple keyboard recently, so who'm I kiddin'!) Now, this tablet-mouse pad is a darn clever idea. Both a graphics tablet and a mouse are "human interface devices" or pointing devices for the computer (how you move around and click on items on the screen.) So having a combination mouse/pen pad is nice as you can eliminate your regular mouse. And I can tell you, cordless mice are the way to go. Much more comfortable than mice with cords.

I prefer my Logitech cordless mouse to the mouse on the Graphire as it isn't as smooth as the Logitech, and I also use an ergonomic mouse pad to prevent wrist strain. You must use the Graphire mouse on the Graphire pad--that's how the electronic connection is made, through the tablet. Still, this is a wonderful interface especially if you have kids. They can draw and paint on the computer. What a great idea. And this is wonderful for creating digital art for your webpage. (ok, who'm I kidding! I'm the one who uses the pad and draws for the website and sends pictures to my mom in email.)

Wacom sells their Graphire tablets with a copy of Painter Classic. Great idea as this helps you get a lot out of the tablet. Painter Classic is a cut-down version of the powerful Painter sold by Corel and developed by Metacreations. It replicates the look and feel of real art media like oils, watercolor, chalk, crayon and pencil. For the home user (maybe doing some homepage graphics, someone wanting to dabble in digital art, or for kid) it's simply great.) The art you create can be saved as a .jpg, gif, .tif, .bmp files, put on your page, used as screensavers or sent to Grandma in email. If you want to know more about what Painter does, check my reviews about it and Painter Classic.

Check out the Wacom website http://www.wacom.com . You can find out more about Painter at http://www.corel.com .

Wacom's Graphire consists of a pen with a selection rocker, an active surface on which you draw, and a two-button wheel-mouse. The mouse works okay, but I find my normal track-ball mouse more manageable because of the poor quality glide action of the Wacom's mouse on the tablet's surface. Perhaps this could be overcome by bonding a thin layer of some velvety type material to the mouse's base, but it hardly seems worthwhile unless you really need to. What you buy this guy for is the pen.

For a lot of graphics work a mouse is perfectly adequate, but there are many occasions where the pen gives you much finer control along difficult edges and in tight corners.

First time users should consider the following points with regard to Photoshop:

1: The selection rocker on the pen's body replicates the left and right buttons on the mouse. I set mine with the rocker down for the left button and back for the right button. It seems more logical to me that way, as opposed to the default's reverse. These settings are available ( in windows ) via Settings > Control Panel > Wacom Tablet. All the other defaults are okay, so leave them be.

2: Load an image and select a brush. Now use the mouse to draw a line. A line will appear of uniform thickness. The pen, on the other hand, will seem to draw little more than a scratch. Don't panic, but press the pen's tip down harder, and try again. This time a better result should be seen. What is happening is that the pen is pressure-sensitive and, like using a normal pen on paper, the harder you lean the heavier the line. Only more dramatically so.

3: To avoid unnecessary wear on the pen's nib, pick a brush much larger than you need and let the pen's pressure sensitivity control the thickness of the result. There's a huge amount of control with the pen's default settings. On the other hand, if you want the pen to mimic the mouse, make the following change:

4: In Photoshop LE 5.0 and 5.0/5.5 either double click on the 'Brush Tool' button or select Window > Show Options, and clear the Stylus Pressure check-box. The pen will now mimic the mouse. Remember to re-check the Stylus Pressure box to return to the pressure sensitive action. In Photoshop 6.0 click on the brush symbol to the right- hand side of the horizontal option bar to reveal the stylus settings box. Set the Size setting to off. Also try the settings available by clicking the brush symbol to the left-hand side of the option bar. In this instance a pop-up will appear containing a number of sliders. The one that adjusts Hardness will give good results. It's best to experiment for yourself.

Other manufacturers do a tablet, but the Wacom tablets are reckoned to be the best choice for use with Adobe products.

Your jazzy new portable computer has plenty of processing horsepower. The Wacom Graphire USB is the easiest way to unleash it. Plug it into your computer's USB port and it serves as both a mouse pad (with its own wireless, non-mechanical wheel mouse) and a pressure-sensitive 4 by 5 inch graphics tablet. The mouse frees you from jittery finger pads and track buttons. The shapely pen feels good in the hand with the 2-function pen switch easily within reach of the thumb or index finger. With many popular graphics programs, the pen erases like a pencil by merely inverting it on the tablet. The tablet's 4 by 5 inch active area is generously bordered, making the pad easy to hold while drawing. Pointer movement with the pen is never jumpy and the tablet's surface provides an almost paper-like resistance resulting in a very natural feel. Ditto for the wireless mouse, though I'm a committed convert to using a trackball (See my review of the Logitech Marble Mouse Trackball elsewhere at Amazon.com) as a pointing device. The tablet, pen, pen stand and mouse easily disappear into your notebook computer's bag.

The only negative this user could find is the pen stand. It can be attached to the tablet but it doesn't hold the pen very firmly. Picking up the tablet with the pen stand attached and the pen in the stand usually results in the pen leaping out when the tablet is tilted slightly. Better to plop the stand on the desk (or picnic table or airline tray table) than to leave it on the tablet

I work in my computer major portion of the day and I desparately needed a wrist rest to reduce my wrist pain and avoid anything like CTS or RSI. And this mouse rest and pad from fellowes works and helps solving the problem.

The wrist rest is comfortable. The sapphire blue looks good too.

The main problem is with the size, since this is too small. But if you remove the bottom pad (which is easily removable), you get the space you need as you can move the mouse pad and the wrist rest anyway you want it.

Overall, this wrist pad serves the purpose.

I know it seems gimmicky, but you'd be amazed how comfortable and soothing the wrist rest is. It's not stiff like some can be, but it still provides a lot of support. While it's a little graphic, but best way I can describe how it feels is like uncooked steak or pork- it has tension, but it also has give. Really, if I could have given a better description I would. I hope it doesn't turn you off from this product, I can't recommend it highly enough!

I got this mouse to use with my laptop, as I have difficulty using the touchpad. It has the two main features I prefer in a mouse - a scrolling wheel, which is so much more convenient than dragging the scrollbar on the screen up and down; and an optical laser, which I find performs better than a mouse ball - it doesn't stick or jump, is much easier ot keep clean, and can be used on just about any surface. The significant feature of this mouse is its size. It is quite tiny, but this is actually a double-edged sword. The small size makes it lightweight and easily portable, but it may also prove uncomfortable for some to use. I am having a little trouble with this myself. I find I have to scrunch my hand in an unnatural way to use it, and doing this for a prolonged period of time results in cramps. So I would warn anyone that doesn't have very small hands to take this possible drawback into consideration. In fact, even the box says it is ideal for "children and people with small hands." I myself will be using a regular-sized mouse whenever I am at home, and will probably use this mini-mouse only at times when size is a portability issue.

I got this for my laptop because sometimes it is much easier to use a mouse than the touch pad, especially when a lot of scrolling and clicking is involved. I have been really happy with this mouse, it was easy to install with the CD-ROM. I can plug it in and unplug it whenever I need it.

Not a must, but definitely something that's nice to have.

This is a typical IBM consumer-grade keyboard. IBM's consumer grade keyboards, including this one, are characterized by a moderate keypress force and a slightly higher than usual clickiness. The trigger pressure peak is satisfyingly abrupt (keys move hardly at all until depress force is reached), though as is typical with such keyboards the depress force does not diminish again past the trigger point.

Though not mentioned in the product description, this keyboard supports both USB and PS/2 interfaces.

The media-control keys work fine on Linux. The keycodes produced by the media and standby keys are the conventional ones.

I have had this keyboard for a while now. I have many other keyboards including a microsoft internet something keyboard and a logitech pro internet something keyboard.

This is not the most feature rich keyboard - there is not built in usb hub, no fancy contols for this and that (which you never use anyhow). in short none of the frills.

what it does have : a couple of programmable keys and the best feel of any keyboard i have used till date. the keys are just perfect. not too hard, not too soft, not too quiet and not too loud. it really makes a big difference to typing speed too.

if all you want is a well built keyboard - this is the one for you. if you want a keyboard that you can have answer your phone and clean the house at the press of a key (okay okay they're not quite that bad but some are loaded with so much junk nowadays), look elsewhere.

When I first saw this item listed on Amazon.com, I couldn't believe it. The price simply seems too good to be true-- and yet it *is* true. Works just like all the more [costly] optical mice I've seen, for less than half the price. Get 'em before they're sold out; I doubt you're going to see another deal like this anytime soon.

There are some things which need to be noted, however. As mentioned in another review, the drivers aren't very customizable, and the documentation is virtually nonexistent. In addition, this particular mouse only has a PS/2 connection, not USB, though you can easily find adapters if you absolutely need a USB connector.

With that in mind, though-- this gadget's VERY well worth the price!

I recently bought this mouse and I was very impressed. This mouse is an exceptional value! I have had no problems with the mouse so far. This is a 5 button mouse but I only use 3 of them... The function of the 2 side buttons is not very flexable in there function. Also this mouse does not come with very much documentation. That is no problem to me though. The scroll wheel scrolls very smoothly. Overall am happy with this mouse. It is just what I needed.

A very good piece of hardware for the price it had in May. An original driver is not rich in options, but one can download Microsoft IntelliPoint software. It gives all the options of a 5-buttons mouse.

I got this mouse b/c i got a new laptop for college and this mouse was on sale for only 15$. that was over 3 years ago, and the mouse is still working great. i've found nothing to complain about as far as the buttons making noise (I mean, what can you expect? absolute silence?). i have had some issues with the mouse not being recognized when you first start up the computer, and then i would have to keep unplugging and plugging until it finally was recognized. but that was on my old laptop and it hasn't done that at all on my current laptop, so maybe it's the computer's problem. (a combination of both probably b/c now my old laptop is hooked up to a logitech optical mouse and that works perfectly every time).

anyway, this mouse works well overall... however, if you have some extra money to spare, i suggest you get a WIRELESS Optical mouse (especially if you have a laptop). saves space, easier to pack, and just cooler overall. I'd suggest: Logitech 931006-0403 Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks USB or Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse, Steel Blue. search for them on Amazon. The Logitech MX700 is supposed to be the king of wireless optical mice, but it has a bulky base and it's very expensive... whereas the other two i mentioned have a tiny flash drive-sized USB transmitter.

I like this mouse overall. It has a shapely design and comfortable contour. It glides smoothly over mousepad and clicks smoothly, although not quietly. My complaints are that the scroll wheel makes rattling noise when you turn it, and the hardware driver is buggy. The mouse went dead after day or two of use on both USB and PS/2 ports (Win 2K, XP). I had to uninstall the MouseSuite to get the mouse back. Searching for a newer driver on IBM website yielded no luck either. IBM probably has one of the worst websites of any hardware manufactures. Searching by the part number or model number as they suggest returns no results. Oh well. The mouse still works, but I can't program the buttons.

THIS OPTICAL MOUSE WORKS GREAT, AND IF YOU HAVE A BLUE VIAO OR OTHER LAPTOP, IT MATCHS IT PERFECTLY. THE SOFTWARE IS EASY TO INSTALL, AND THERE'S NO NEED FOR A MOUSE PAD. I WANTED AN OPTICAL MOUSE FOR MY NEW LAPTOP. I DID NOT WANT TO NEED A MOUSE PAD, AND I ALSO WANTED A COOL LOOKING MOUSE TO MATCH THE COLOR OF MY NEW VIAO LAPTOP. THIS MOUSE FILLED THE BILL COMPLETELY. IT MAY SOUND SILLY BUT, WHY PAY 1,200.00+ FOR A NEW LAPTOP. AND THEN BUY A BLACK OR WHITE DULL LOOKING MOUSE? IBM IS A GREAT PRODUCT, AND I HAVE FOUND THIS MOUSE TO BE BETTER THAN MICRO----!! IF YOU REALLY WANT TO COMPLETE YOUR LAPTOP, BUY THE IBM NUMERIC KEYPAD AS WELL. IT'S BLUE TOO, AND IT WORKS GREAT.

This mouse is smaller than most, which was my first impression when I took it out of the box. When you click, the two buttons don't go very far, but seem to make more noise than is necessary. A diskette of drivers comes for Win 9x, and is very good, with all sorts of different tweaks and improvements for the mouse. A good value, if you need a mouse on a budget.

wow this is quite possibly the best mouse for gaming !!!!! i have those sick mad skrills when i pwn up that cs!!!

...for the money, especially in a time when an extra mouse is a must. It's easy to install, basically no time wasted to look for drivers. If you know how to plug it in, the computer recognizes it right away. So, if you want to be on the safe side and have a less sophisticated mouse as backup, this is the one to get.

I use one of the older Kensington trackballs at work and absolutely love the thing. I felt confident in buying this one despite some of the reviews knocking the lighter trackball and its effect on the movement of the cursor. I'm writing this review just a few minutes after installing the new mouse, and I have to agree with the critics. The trackball is lighter, and although the up-down movement is good, the side-to-side is quite spotty. I'm going to work with the Turbo Mouse Pro and see if it loosens up a bit for me and the movement becomes more fluid.
Otherwise, it's pretty nice. The scroll wheel works well, the buttons are a nice feature, and it's even kind of cool looking. I really want to believe in this product, so I hope it improves as I "work it in". I'll get back to you later on this.
UPDATE: I've been using this product for a few weeks now, and the movement is not as smooth as I would have hoped. It moves up and down okay, but gets hung up on the side-to-side motion unless I press down pretty hard or wiggle the ball back and forth. I'll use it for awhile longer, but I don't think this is going to change. If you can deal with this quirk, this is a pretty good product. If not, consider this a "ZERO STARS" item and don't buy it.

I have been using Kensington Trackballs for over 15 years. Kensington steps up to the plate, they stand behind on their products. Customer Service is Outstanding. If the product does have a defect, they will replace it just by an email or phone call.

For first time users, my advise is to read the online manuals and just relax your when you place your hand upon the trackball. This is the best tool, besides your computer you will ever use! You won't need to be running your hand all over the desk lifting it up etc like the old mouse movements you were doing. The trackball stays in place. It practically does the work for you.

Enjoy the additional six buttons, they are great short cut tools as well. Your wrist will thank you for the change.
Have fun!

This is Kensington's old Turbomouse, updated for the Web era. I use it on my OS X Mac, and I'm pleased to report it works just as well as the three other Kensington trackballs I've used over the last 12 years. They never break - they just go obsolete when Apple changes their connector.

This one is fully USB for modern computers, and shares the same easy configuration and good software as its predecessors. The heavy ball with progressive speed control is so good and so easy to use, you'll wonder why the mouse was ever invented. And with a proper wristrest, this thing is the carpal tunnel savior - it's so kind on the wrists; you have barely to flick your fingers to do all your mousing. And if you're a gamer, especially Quake or Unreal, you'll love how this improves your aiming accuracy!

What's new? Well, this trackball has 4 easy-clicky buttons, and you can set what each does - all the same (single-click), or different. I have mine set to singleclick (lower left), control-click (lower-right), double-click (top left), and I don't use the top right one, because my fingers don't naturally fall there.

There's also a rubberized scroll wheel, which is cool mostly for reading text. It's positioned right to roll it with your middle finger.

There are 6 'web buttons' across the top - you can set 'em to load various URLs, open apps, or pretty much do whatever you like - but I don't use 'em. Don't need 'em.

The unit is fully ambidextrous and has great ergonomics. It is heavy and sits on non-skid feet, but it does need a flat surface to rest on. There is also a wireless version available - but why?? I don't see the point - it's not like you ever move your trackball anyway. It sits there, so you might as well plug it in and save on the RF transceiver, which I hear is prone to interference from microwave ovens anyway.

Replacement balls are available; I've seen red, blue, silver, grey, and transparent ones full of glitter or plastic fish. The unit is fairly easy to clean, but it was easier when you could take off the backplate screws and get inside. Junk just tends to build up on the ball's contact wheels and they need to be scraped every so often. And you won't want to use this trackball while you're eating pizza with your mouse hand - it'll become slippery and start skipping.

In short, this is the only mousing equipment I'd ever consider using - the Cadillac of trackballs - and I highly recommend you buy it right now!

So far, I really like this cordless keyboard/mouse combo. It was a little bit of a pain to set up (I had to install the software first before connecting) but so far, so good. In case anyone was wondering, the mouse is not an optical mouse, but it moves smoothly on my mousepad. If you're not looking to spend a lot on a cordless keyboard/mouse combo, this would be worth getting-another fine Logitech product!

This is a good set for those looking for a regular keyboard or mouse, but those who are looking for a tool for playing games might want to look for a cordless optical mouse. Also it is recomended to buy the ergonomic keyboards for those who spend lots of time on the computer typing.

The keys are very comfortable to press. The Insert, Delete, etc are in the correct standard position which I have become used to over many years unlike the Microsoft wireless keyboards.
Also, the function keys function as they should by default, unlike the confusing Microsoft wireless keyboards.
If you don't have the latest drivers then you can download them to allow the extra buttons to perform your own keystroke combinations. Drivers for the extra buttons work on Windows 98 and up, unlike the Microsoft one that only work on Windows 2000 and up.
Basically I returned the Microsoft and got the Logitech instead and am very glad I did.