I'd like to migrate to an all-Bluetooth setup with my iMac G5, and haven't found very many attractive Bluetooth mice (I love the shape of Apple's mice but... [don't hurt me] want a scroll wheel. 2 buttons isn't a biggy - just the scroll wheel, lol), so I'm back to where I started - Macmice. But I remember hearing some negativeness about the performance. With the latest Bluetooth drivers how does "The Mouse" perform? For those that have bought it - what's been your general opinion? Is there any easy customization of buttons? For example, using the scroll wheel click as Expose activation unless it is over a link in Safari, in which case it would open a new window? Lol, complicated, I know.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Macmice "The Mouse BT"?
- Thread starter chameeeleon
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Oh, I bought it. And I sold it again after about 4 weeks... maybe it's just me, but being on my 6th set of batteries, I had enough. Seriously, I tried cheap batteries, expensive batteries, the difference was 1 more day of useage.
I really liked the look and feel, but that's just too much... and yes, I did turn it of when it wasn't used.
You can do the Exposé-Scroowheel-Click thing with any scrollwheel mouse. I've been using the MS S+arck mouse for over a month now and couldn't be happier... maybe cords aren't that bad at all.
If you really want to go wireless with more that one button, there is no good bluetooth solution available in my opinion. My wireless favorite would be the Logitech V500 right now...
I really liked the look and feel, but that's just too much... and yes, I did turn it of when it wasn't used.
You can do the Exposé-Scroowheel-Click thing with any scrollwheel mouse. I've been using the MS S+arck mouse for over a month now and couldn't be happier... maybe cords aren't that bad at all.
If you really want to go wireless with more that one button, there is no good bluetooth solution available in my opinion. My wireless favorite would be the Logitech V500 right now...
Thanks for the reply - I like that S+ark Microsoft Mouse a lot, I just wish there was a Bluetooth version! Maybe soon...
It sucks.
I got it for Christmas and just returned it last week.
It lags and skips all the time. For example, if you're just simply trying to click on a song in iTunes, it will skip like the computer is thinking (but it has nothing to do with the computer, just the bluetooth connection.
It also feels cheap. I like my Apple mouse way better, even if I have to give up the 2 buttons and the scrollwheel (it was nice having expose as my clickwheel).
Check out this thread for more disappointed people like me complaining about it:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/91641/
Unfortunately for me, I got the Mouse BT without knowing it was so bad.
I got it for Christmas and just returned it last week.
It lags and skips all the time. For example, if you're just simply trying to click on a song in iTunes, it will skip like the computer is thinking (but it has nothing to do with the computer, just the bluetooth connection.
It also feels cheap. I like my Apple mouse way better, even if I have to give up the 2 buttons and the scrollwheel (it was nice having expose as my clickwheel).
Check out this thread for more disappointed people like me complaining about it:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/91641/
Unfortunately for me, I got the Mouse BT without knowing it was so bad.
TheT said:
The Logitech V500 looks really cool... I'm thinking of actually picking it up (why can't Logitech make a compact Bluetooth mouse!?!) TheT, have you had a chance to try out the 4-way scroll panel? If so, how did you like it?
I'm actually in the same boat as you chameeeleon. I've been looking everywhere for a Bluetooth mouse to go along with a PowerBook. Sticking in the little USB receiver isn't that big of a deal, but I'd certainly like to use the Bluetooth option if it's there, right? I've always been a big fan of Logitech products... hopefully they've got something in the works.
The V500 with Bluetooth would be a dream... hang on, I'm talking about a mouse here...
Or maybe an MS Intellimouse with an off switch. I really like my 5-button mouse, but with no off switch it isn't travel-ready.
I don't particularly see the attraction of those tiny mini-mice. My hand cramps up just thinking about using one!
I don't particularly see the attraction of those tiny mini-mice. My hand cramps up just thinking about using one!
I use a Logitech MX900 which I got for Christmas (thanks Andrew for the gift card, and thanks Future Shop for putting it on a huge discount!) and I actually quite like it. I was originally going to go with the TheMouse for its styling but I was turned off by the negative reviews.
I've not really used this mouse, but I've played a bit with it in a store (not connected to a computer)... I actually don't like "Notebook" extra-small mice, but this one is quite comfortable and not that tiny at all.AdmittedPCuser said:
I only got the S+arck mouse because of the price tag... it was like 25$ compared to about 50$ for the V500 (just doing the currency conversion in my head right now, hooray for dashboard). I don't see a great advantage of sticking in a USB-dongle vs. just using a wired mouse.
There are probably many people out there waiting for a good Bluetooth mouse to go with their PowerBook. All we need is more than one button, an on/off-Switch, a decent size and maybe some good design. And good battery-life (bye-bye Macmice).
BT500
I'm pretty happy with my BT mouse so far, though I haven't used it long enough to say for sure if it's a keeper.
The Bluetake BT500 has had no performance issues so far, wakes quickly, has had no perceivable lag (though I'm not a gamer), and was easy to set up. It has had a solid few days of moderate to heavy use and is still on its first pair of AAA batteries, but it's too soon to tell if the battery life is great or just good. It has two buttons, a clickable scroll wheel, a power switch, and a 2-year warranty.
The only possible strike against it, in my view, is its size. This is a small mouse. Some people will like that, other's won't. Sometimes I use it for hours without even noticing, other times I find myself using it not for 5 minutes before it feels weird. I think I still have to get used to it, moving from the big old beast mouse I had before.
The RadTech BT-500 appears to be exactly the same thing, hardware-wise, but comes in a third color and has nicer graphics (website too).
My Bluetake was $50 locally, but they can be found online for less.
I'm pretty happy with my BT mouse so far, though I haven't used it long enough to say for sure if it's a keeper.
The Bluetake BT500 has had no performance issues so far, wakes quickly, has had no perceivable lag (though I'm not a gamer), and was easy to set up. It has had a solid few days of moderate to heavy use and is still on its first pair of AAA batteries, but it's too soon to tell if the battery life is great or just good. It has two buttons, a clickable scroll wheel, a power switch, and a 2-year warranty.
The only possible strike against it, in my view, is its size. This is a small mouse. Some people will like that, other's won't. Sometimes I use it for hours without even noticing, other times I find myself using it not for 5 minutes before it feels weird. I think I still have to get used to it, moving from the big old beast mouse I had before.
The RadTech BT-500 appears to be exactly the same thing, hardware-wise, but comes in a third color and has nicer graphics (website too).
My Bluetake was $50 locally, but they can be found online for less.
i have a Macmice BT, and I love it. But it does go through batteries at a rapid pace. The only real draw back.
I have both the MouseBT and the BT500, and I don't use the MouseBT anymore. I was hoping that the MouseBT would be just a bigger version of the BT500, but no such luck. The BT500 is much better, but the size is kinda weird at first. You do get used to it though. For some reason the MouseBT only works for me if I use a specific type of mousepad. (all black, and no shiney areas). The BT500 works on almost any surface.
Kimo
Kimo
mcgarry said:
Because they're not as powerful as "normal" batteries. Do the math: if normal batteries last 3 days, will the less powerful batteries make me enjoy TheMouseBT more...?atomiton said:
Well, the BT500 seems to be good, but it is just way to small for me...
I like it
When I'm on the move or in my classroom I like using TheMouseBT (aluminium to match my PB). I did the bluetooth firmware update provided by Apple and it has been much smoother since. Just like a regular optical mouse in my mind. Scroll wheel doesn't click but its action is very smooth.
Battery use hasn't been a problem since it is not my primary mouse. In fact I haven't changed them in 4 months!
The build is nothing like Apple's - it seems to rattle a bit. I've lugged it about a fair bit and it still seems to work!
My thoughts.
When I'm on the move or in my classroom I like using TheMouseBT (aluminium to match my PB). I did the bluetooth firmware update provided by Apple and it has been much smoother since. Just like a regular optical mouse in my mind. Scroll wheel doesn't click but its action is very smooth.
Battery use hasn't been a problem since it is not my primary mouse. In fact I haven't changed them in 4 months!
The build is nothing like Apple's - it seems to rattle a bit. I've lugged it about a fair bit and it still seems to work!
My thoughts.
TheT (Regarding rechargable batteries...) said:Because they're not as powerful as "normal" batteries. Do the math: if normal batteries last 3 days, will the less powerful batteries make me enjoy TheMouseBT more...?
This is a commonly expressed opinion, but I don't think it's particularly true anymore. Most of the time I've found it reflects a person's experiences with NiCad batteries, often several years in the past. Technology doesn't hold still.
For the first few months after I bought my MS Bluetooth mouse, I used alkaline batteries of various sorts (Duracell, Energizer, and then finall Costco
). They were all only lasting 3-4 weeks at best, and it seemed rather wasteful.So for the past several months I've been using NiMH rechargeables that I bought on-line from Amazon (I've been using Maxcells, but now am trying out Energizers since their charge-holding rating is higher). I haven't had the Energizers long enough to report much; but the Maxells certainly seem to last as long as the alkalines I was using - and this doesn't seem to change over time.
Okay, so TheT doesn't know squat about batteries, but I don't know squat about this Bluetake BT500 mouse, as I have just heard of it from this thread (I thought I had already heard all the BT mouse options, and stopped looking months ago).
There appears to be a blue oval on top of the mouse, just below both mouse buttons. Does the oval act as a button, or is it simply a weird design? I'm asking because I'm using a simple Logitech MX300 mouse, which has 4 total buttons (2 regular mouse buttons, scroll-wheel click, and a tiny button on top that I use for Exposé), and I find it very useful.
And yes, NiMH rechargables are the way to go.
There appears to be a blue oval on top of the mouse, just below both mouse buttons. Does the oval act as a button, or is it simply a weird design? I'm asking because I'm using a simple Logitech MX300 mouse, which has 4 total buttons (2 regular mouse buttons, scroll-wheel click, and a tiny button on top that I use for Exposé), and I find it very useful.
And yes, NiMH rechargables are the way to go.