Computer mouse advice

[Kate]

I realise this is completely the wrong forum to research this but I was wondering if any of you could help and save me some time.

I'm looking for a new mouse for my computer but don't know what to buy. It must be an optical one but preferably one that doesn't make the cursor creep across the screen when not being touched.

If it's possible I'd like a cordless one but would like to be able to use it reliably when out of direct line with the control thing.

Anything up to around £35 is ok. I don't want a tiny one, something reasonably ergonomic would be good. Even a novelty one will do if it works well. I use one that looks like a little car at the minute and really like it but it's wire has been broken and it will die soon.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[sixstring]

You use a MOUSE!!????

Mice are for cats. Use the Dam* keyboard!!!

Seriously, though - I really don't have that much advice to give. I bought a $3 optical GE (general electric-WK3805) mouse for my home compy about 2 years ago and it's never given me a moments trouble. FWIW

 

[Mr.Darcy]

i have a logitech wireless one...dont know the type...but its good...as long as you dont run out of batteries...

 

[Frankie]

How about $6.60, free shipping?
DealExtreme: $6.60 Cool Ring-Style Fingertip USB Optical Mouse

 

[tribalmasters]

The answer is the mouse that you like! We all like different mice shapes and you may also consider an optical trackball or a touchpad. the drift problem is the surface you sit your mouse on usually, make sure its not very reflective and has plenty of texture. I don't know for sure but a mouse with high DPI as used for gaming may help

 

[Liberate_Yourself]

I recommend a Microsoft Optical USB mouse. P/N: X802382.. It has worked wonders for me.. comfortable, reliable, and never buggy at all.

 

[ApOsTle51]

I use a trackball , logitech marble mouse. I never could get with using a proper mouse. I did buy one once, bloody expensive cordless laser gaming mouse it was , I thought to myself "I'll get used to it" but never did. Another freebie for my brother ..ho hum..

sounds like you want a bluetooth laser mouse kate ...lots to choose from.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/peripherals/review/2008/11/07/Microsoft-Explorer-Mouse/p1

 

[lucisac]

Kate if you find your mouse jumps like that, try using no mouse pad or one that is mono colored.

 

[Mommyshann]

I recommend a Microsoft Optical USB mouse. P/N: X802382.. It has worked wonders for me.. comfortable, reliable, and never buggy at all.

I must agree...I've used this same type of mouse for the last 6 or 7 years. Hubby and I buy them in 4's so that we always have a backup...lol. I currently have 3 in my filing cabinet. I've tried others but just can't get the comfort and excellent use out of them. I generally have to replace it every year or two because I use the hell out of it.

 

[Kate]

Thanks a million for your help so far folks, it really is appreciated.

I had a look at the Microsoft one that Lib and Shannon mention and it looks ok but it's corded and I'd like to get a wireless one if I can.

With a laser mouse ... is the laser something to do with the optical sensor thingy? Do they work better than ordinary optical mouses?

I don't know what Bluetooth is either, it's something to do with the connection to the pc right? Would a Bluetooth mouse work plugged into an ordinary USB socket?

Thanks for your help

 

[Nadia Maximus]

I had a look at the Microsoft one that Lib and Shannon mention and it looks ok but it's corded and I'd like to get a wireless one if I can.

I have a microsoft wireless mouse and keyboard and could not be happier. Its called an Wireless IntelliMouse by microsoft. I only had to change batteries once this past year. I hate corded.

 

[ApOsTle51]

a laser is what the mouse emits for tracking , so yes it's the tracking thingy

Bluetooth/wi-fi/wireless all to do with the connection to the pc. wii controllers use bluetooth.

With bluetooth and wi-fi you dont need line of sight between mouse and reciever and you are supplied a usb reciever to plug into your pc..normally..

 

[Kate]

Ok I've found this bluetooth laser mouse that might do the job -

800DPI/1600 DPI Bluetooth Wireless Laser Mouse BM-084+ on eBay, also Wireless, Mice, Input Devices, Computing (end time 26-Dec-08 20:42:23 GMT)

Do I need any extra connectors or anything for it to work on an ordinary pc?

 

[phildo]

If you lived in the U.S. I'd tell you to go to newegg.com but I'm not sure if they do international business. Logitech mice are the best as far as I'm concerned...they'll take more use and abuse than any other mouse I've ever seen.

 

[Bertrand]

Laser works better than optical as long as you have a reasonable mousepad. They do get confused by some surfaces more than the optical ones. Some laser mice are measurably better than others: they have a higher resolution, so that moving the mouse a very small distance gets recognized.

Microsoft makes an "ergonomic" mouse, which some people think looks like a baseball. I tried it for a while, but it's designed for people who rest their whole hand on the mouse and move the mouse with their arm. (I started getting RSI so looked into these things.) It turns out I was using a "gamer" technique to move the mouse around, and ended up reverting to a (corded) logitech G9, with a mousepad that cost more than the mouse itself. Combined with the Microsoft ergonomic keyboard (which is actually more comfortable once you are used to it), a new desk, and learning dvorak the RSI symptoms thankfully went away. (I really didn't want to be out of work for 6 months or so.) Logitech's G7 is cordless, so you might want to look at that one. Most other high quality mouses are corded, for obvious reasons.

 

[lordmage]

kate the laser mice work better than opitical mice they have a better accurace on most non reflective surfaces.

as far as a wireless goes any logitech wireless has never failed me currently i am using a notebook wireless mini

I realise this is completely the wrong forum to research this but I was wondering if any of you could help and save me some time.

I'm looking for a new mouse for my computer but don't know what to buy. It must be an optical one but preferably one that doesn't make the cursor creep across the screen when not being touched.

If it's possible I'd like a cordless one but would like to be able to use it reliably when out of direct line with the control thing.

Anything up to around £35 is ok. I don't want a tiny one, something reasonably ergonomic would be good. Even a novelty one will do if it works well. I use one that looks like a little car at the minute and really like it but it's wire has been broken and it will die soon.

Any advice would be appreciated, thanks.

 

[lordmage]

with bluetooth you either need an adapater or have a bluetooth card in
with all usb style or wireless opitical/laser mice they work best on non reflective surfaces.

Wireless choices are bluetooth,wifi, or other tech not mention

all adapters usally have a usb plug style reciever that detects the mouse if you just got the mouse then you need to have a card installed or have it already such is the case with bluetooth or wifi

 

[Bertrand]

Actually the bulk of the wireless devices are non-bluetooth proprietary standards. I'm not sure why this is, afaik the bluetooth license is free (you do need to get one so that they can assign it a MAC address). I haven't heard of a wifi one and this does sound like overkill, but they may exist.

 

[Chris From Cali]

If you don't want the "mouse moving on it's own issue" (man I used to hate that) then try to purchase laser mouse. Many confuse this with optical. If it's optical and you turn the mouse upside down you will notice a bright red light, however with laser you wont notice much at all. (A very slight red light)

A regular optical mouse uses an LED light, where as a laser mouse uses a laser to track movement. The more dots per inch (dpi) a mouse can track, the more sensitive and accurate it is. A typical optical mouse tracks about 400dpi. A laser mouse can usually track upwards of 2000dpi, besides their tracking speeds, laser mice work on almost every surface, whereas optical mice may experience trouble tracking on black or shiny surfaces. Hope that helps

 

[spyderuk]

Laser works better than optical as long as you have a reasonable mousepad. They do get confused by some surfaces more than the optical ones.

I had a laser mouse a while back and that thing used to twitch the pointer non stop, no matter what surface it was used on. Never had problems with any optical mouse though.

Wasn't it optical has problems on red surfaces? Mine is fine on black but iffy on red.

I also believe the higher DPI of the tracking the more prone to twitching the mouse can be.