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(More customer reviews)The good news is that this small, cordless mouse will definitely work out a lot better than the full-size, corded mouse I had been using with my Mac PowerBook. (Whenever possible, I prefer to use my PowerBook as a kind of pseudo-desktop computer by connecting an external keyboard and mouse.) The small size of both the mouse and the receiver will make them much easier to pack up and take along with the PowerBook when it's time to go away on vacation, and the absence of a cord is already making life a lot easier in my somewhat cramped work environment. And now that I've figured out all its quirks and gotten past all its roadblocks, this mouse is very easy to control.
The bad news is all those quirks and roadblocks.
Most of them, I can help you avoid, but there's one I can only warn you about and tell you to persevere. The first thing you gotta do is insert two AAA batteries into the mouse. The batteries are supplied -- and in my case at least, they were Energizers -- but the battery cover is very difficult to get off. All I can tell you is -- keep pressing down and forward, like the instructions say, and eventually you'll get it. You just might sweat off several pounds first.
The next issue could have been avoided if the instructions had simply told me what NOT to do. (I subsequently emailed Kensington and WAS told NOT to do it.) To connect the cordless mouse, you plug a tiny receiver into the USB port in lieu of a cord. But you MUST use a port on the computer itself. You CANNOT plug the receiver into a USB hub. If you try to, the receiver's pilot light will light up, but you won't be able to establish a link with the mouse.
(I'm not sure whether it would have worked if I'd plugged the receiver into the external keyboard that was connected directly to my PowerBook. The shape of the keyboard and the receiver made this connection physically impossible. In order to continue using the external keyboard without sacrificing the hub, I had to plug the hub into the port where the keyboard had been, then plug the keyboard into the hub. Fortunately, the keyboard DID work in conjunction with the hub.)
With the receiver properly connected, establishing the link involves simply pressing a button on the receiver, then pressing the "connect" button on the mouse. When you press the receiver button, the pilot light starts to blink. When you establish the link, the pilot light glows steadily, but flickers each time you move the mouse. The linking procedure is simple enough, except that the `connect" button is recessed into the bottom of the mouse, and thus needs a pen or some similar object to press it.
After doing all this, I still thought the mouse wasn't working properly, but to be fair, this issue WAS covered in the instructions. This optical mouse is picky about the surfaces you use it on. It turns out that the worst surface to use is a black, reflective one -- which exactly describes my computer table. After putting the mouse on a sheet of white paper, everything was fine. I have to say, though, that this was NOT an issue with the optical mouse I'd been using -- which is probably why I glossed over that part of the instructions.
Well, now I'm "cooking with gas," as my third-grade teacher used to say, but there are still two quirks I occasionally have to deal with. The first one concerns the ability to turn the mouse off to conserve the batteries, which you do by pressing the scroll wheel, then pressing the connect button while holding the scroll wheel down. The same procedure turns the mouse back on. Most of the time, this works fine, except for the need to use a pen as described earlier. But occasionally, when I turn the mouse back on, the link is broken. This problem is solved by repeating the procedure used to establish the connection initially.
The second quirk would be a problem if I didn't have a cat and a three-year-old daughter. But sometimes, one or the other of them pressed some unknown combination of keys that causes the PowerBook to refuse to respond to the mouse. This problem is solved by unplugging and reconnecting the receiver.
So if you can avoid most of the problems I ran into, you should be up and running with this mouse in no time.
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Kensington PocketMouse Wireless Mini Travel Mouse ( 72214 )The Kensington 72214 Pocket Mouse Mini Wireless USB Travel Mouse is an ultra-compact travel mouse for complete mobility. The perfect solution for busy travelers who don't like the built-in input devices on their laptops, this mouse not only gives you wireless freedom, but Kensington's interference-free Quick RF wireless technology prevents annoying cursor hesitation to provide ultra-smooth movement and precise control. The Kensington 72214 features a compact shape that is comfortable for both right- and left-handed use, and a convenient on/off switch that saves time and the expense of constantly replacing batteries. More convenient and comfortable than a touch-pad, the Kensington 72214 has two mouse buttons and a scroll wheel that makes navigation easy. The speed and pinpoint accuracy of Kensington's DiamondEye optical technology allows it to respond to even your fastest movements with accurate tracking and precise guidance on virtually any surface. The Kensington 72214's wireless receiver connects via USB for convenient, universal plug-and-play with both PCs and Macs. As an added convenience, this unit comes in a stylish gray-and-black color scheme that compliments most any laptop, and comes with a handy travel bag so you have just one small thing to carry. This Kensington optical mouse works right out of the box, with long-lasting reliability that is backed by a one-year manufacturer's warranty. The Kensington 72214 requires a PC running Windows 98, ME, 2000, or XP, or a Macintosh running Mac OS 10.1.5 or later, though it will still function as a one-button mouse with Mac 8 and 9.
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