Arctic Cooling P531 headset, Arctic Cooling M571 mouse
Company: Arctic Cooling
Price: headphones $66.55, mouse $29.95
The Arctic Cooling P531 headset and M571 mouse are both designed for gamers, the aim being to support features common to modern games at a price only somewhat above that of generic headsets and mice. Starting with the Arctic Cooling P531 headset, this includes headphones, a microphone, and a controller that provides on-the-fly adjustment of 5.1-channel surround-sound output. The headphones have soft fabric ear cups and flexible connections to the headband, and the microphone is mounted on a flexible arm that can be folded out of the way when not in use.
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2.4G Wireless Motormouse
Company: Motormouse
Price: $49.95
http://www.motor-mouse.net/
Every once in a while, I see a product that just makes me smile, and this is one of those products. Computer mice have become so boring and predictable, and admit it, they are just not very much fun. Sure, Apple has created some new, novel, and very cool mice, and Microsoft has some great multifunction devices as well, but they are still boring mice in the end.
Kensington Expert Mouse
Company: Kensington
Price: $99.99
kensington.com
TO BALL OR NOT TO BALL
While Apple was not the first to develop and implement pointing devices within the personal computing environment, they were certainly the company that brought the technology to its fruition. First introducing the mouse pointing device within the Lisa platform, Apple would refine the devices themselves and the graphical user interface which supported the mouse, within the Macintosh platform circa 1984.
Over time, it became clear that the over usage of a mouse could contribute to a Repetitive Strain Injury. Many companies developed different solutions to combat this problem. As a graphic designer in the late 80’s, I was forced to look for an alternative to the standard mouse. Enter the Kensington Turbo Mouse.
Verbatim Bluetooth Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse
Company: Verbatim
Price: $39.99
http://www.verbatim.com
I’ve been using Verbatim products, primarily their recording media, for many years. I’d always found their products to be reliable and priced well. Imagine my surprise when I found out that Verbatim also produces other items, such as the Bluetooth Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse. Most people still have had a tendency to use a USB mouse, plugging a wireless receiver into one of the USB ports. Well, when you’re using a MacBook, having only two ports can be a bit of a hindrance.
Verbatim’s Bluetooth Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse can help free up one of your USB ports and make your life a bit simpler. The mouse comes with a CD with application software (Mouse Agent) for both Mac and PC, 2x AA batteries and a Quick Start Guide. I unpacked the mouse, placed the two batteries inside, closed the lid, synced the mouse via Bluetooth with my MacBook, and I was off and running. Absolutely no problems whatsoever in using the mouse from the start. Right click usage was standard as with any other mouse, it responds quickly and did not suffer from any hiccups.
The mouse itself is approximately the same size as other notebook mice (3 5/8 L x 2 1/8 W x 1 1/4 H) and is easily held in one’s palm. Weight is negligible and it fits easily into any laptop bag when one is traveling about. The on/off button on the bottom of the mouse makes it easy to shut it off when one is done working on the computer and I noticed no unusual battery power loss issues if I left the mouse on for days while not using the computer. Scrolling left and right using the tilt wheel was a breeze, made page viewing very easy online without touching the keyboard or keypad.
I’ve found the mouse to be easy to use, smooth and does exactly what it is supposed to do. Setup is a breeze, portability is not a problem, particularly since there are no wires/cables to dangle about. System requirements under Mac OS X is version 10.4 or higher. The mouse comes with a 1-year limited warranty.
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Arc Mouse
Company: Microsoft
Price: $59.99
http://www.microsoft.com
It takes a lot to innovate in the world of computer mice these days. After all, seen one mouse seen them all, right? Wrong. Microsoft has figured out a way to innovate the mouse with their Arc Mouse.
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Microsoft Laser Wireless Desktop Keyboard and Mouse for Mac
Company: Microsoft
Price: $99.99
www.Microsoft.com
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The first thing I noticed upon unpacking the Microsoft Laser Wireless Desktop Keyboard and Mouse for the Mac was that the keyboard and mouse are both finished with an aluminum-like finish to match the G5. The keys were clear plastic, and I was hoping they would light up for low light use (they don’t). The mouse has a nice ergonomic fit, but is designed for right-handed use only. Both keyboard and mouse require batteries, and Microsoft included four Energizer batteries to power the hardware. Finally, I noticed that the documentation provided was awful thin, consisting of a few pamphlets with visual instructions for installing the wireless transmitter, the MS keyboard and mouse drivers on CD (universal binary), and explicit instructions to install the software before installing the wireless transmitter into one of your USB ports.
MacAlly Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse
Company: MacAlly
Price: $50
http://www.macally.com
I have mixed feelings regarding Bluetooth (BT), based on varying rates of success with devices that use this new wireless technology. But when BT works correctly, the results are impressive, although sometimes requiring a bit of fiddling.
Such is the case with MacAlly’s attractive, versatile Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse (PBOM). You should use rechargeable AAA batteries, like the pair that is included in the package (or throwaway non-rechargeables when charging is not an option). Then you need to recharge PBOM in its custom cradle for several hours until its green light goes away. Then you have to use OS X’s BT Setup Assistant to get the mouse to communicate with your Macintosh, and press a little button on the bottom of PBOM to activate the connection. Fortunately, everything works as advertised, and, battery-charging time aside; the process is straightforward, if not intuitive.
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