Ask Engadget: who likes their Bluetooth mouse?

You've got questions, and well, the rest of you have answers. That's right, it's time for Ask Engadget. You hit us up at ask at engadget dawt com with the questions you'd like your Engadget-reading peers to take on, and we'll let them sort it out in our comments. Last time Serge wanted a good home NAS solution, but this time Drew's got an easy one:

Here is a good one for all of the Boot Camp converts. What is the best 2 button Bluetooth mouse!

Well, what do you say? We're sure there's more than a few of you out there who stopped waiting for that god forsaken Bluetooth Mighty Mouse and broke down and bought something else. You like what you got? Let us know!

[Ozmotear @ May 4th 2006 8:50PM]

I

[Timothy Burke @ May 4th 2006 8:53PM]

I have the belkin bluetooth mouse, and I like it. It takes AA's and his 2 buttons, a scroll wheel and a good back button. I am very happy with it. If you use the coupon code 1234 (or 12345 I can't remember) at the belkin store you get 50% off.

[David @ May 4th 2006 8:53PM]

I'll tell you which one I don't like, the Macally BT Micro. It just doesn't work well with OS X. Geez.

[Jose Sainz @ May 4th 2006 8:54PM]

I personally like t he mx5000 from logitech because i have all kinds of crap on my desk being an artist and every thing and no matter what i push it threw it works. Even we paint figured that one out first hand ...sigh... but there is a catch for you pc guys you have to atleast have XP or its a no go. annd you won't have all the little bluetooth extras on the mac side but it will still work. so sorry no up to the second temperature reading for your cube. and for the peeps with out xp save some bucks and get the MX3000 with out bluetooth.

[Azrael @ May 4th 2006 8:55PM]

I have the Bluetooth MX 1000. And man do I love it. Excellent for office work even at super high resolutions.

[Stephen @ May 4th 2006 8:57PM]

I've been using the MacAlly BT mouse with my iBook for a good year and half now. I love it. Good battery life. Reasonable accuracy and response (read no gaming). Only downside is no power switch. Which is easily fixed by removing a battery before it goes into my bag.

On my PC I have the Logitech Dinovo Desktop BT version. It comes with their BT MX Laser mouse. Oh baby BT 2.0 + laser mouse = more frags than a disgruntled postal worker. It features all the buttons the latest and greatest mice have and rechargable Li-on battery. Long battery life and easy recharge.

[Guillermo @ May 4th 2006 8:58PM]

I have the Logitech MX900. It works pretty well, it has a nice, solid feel, and the thumb buttons are perfect for Expose. I only wish it had a power switch, so the batteries don't drain while it's inside my laptop bag.

[Raw dawg @ May 4th 2006 9:03PM]

the mx1000 is awesome cant say the same about their keyboard though

[pintu @ May 4th 2006 9:07PM]

any good recomendations for a mac? on the logitech website i dont see osx supported on their bluetooth keyboard/mouse combo.

[Steve Packard @ May 4th 2006 9:08PM]

I personally don't really like using a Bluetooth mouse with XP. Although it's more of an XP problem than a prolem with Bluetooth.

In XP, bluetooth is not supported natively, but through the Bluetooth Service.

Therefore, if something is eating your processor (such as an unruly crashed program), it can make the mouse very unresponsive. And yes...it happends even when you set the bluetooth priority high. (process management in XP is a joke)

[Bill @ May 4th 2006 9:09PM]

I also have the MX900 with a powerbook G4, and the performance is choppy at times while the trackpad is fine. The lack of an "off" switch is also really infuriating. Given how much it used to cost (I'm not sure now), there must be better options out there...

[JkEw @ May 4th 2006 9:11PM]

Another one for the MX900 LOVE IT :-)

[steve @ May 4th 2006 9:13PM]

Logitech MX 1000 laser. Great battery life. Handy on/off switch for travel, and pinpoint accuracy. -Highly Recommended.

[Richard @ May 4th 2006 9:13PM]

As a lefty forced to live in a right-handed world, I have decided that single button mice are the absolute best. I use Apple's good old bluetooth mouse at home. At work I have a Microsoft mouse setup for left-handedness. Every right handed person has a freakout when the have to use my computer for everything, and Microsoft's remote desktop doesn't handle the button swap when I have to work remotely from a PC. A single button mouse solves both problems.

[J.G. @ May 4th 2006 9:14PM]

The Logitech MX900 works fine on my Mac. You don't need Logitech software to use it; instead you can just pair it with your computer. Despite the lack of Logitech software, the buttons are available to set for Expose and additionally in every game I've tried, I've been able to set all of the buttons.

[Emma @ May 4th 2006 9:14PM]

logitech v270 or something is bluetooth and looks pretty good.

[Ed @ May 4th 2006 9:19PM]

BT is nice, but keep in mind that you'll probably have to go through the process of repairing each time you change OS's -- not a nice proposition. If you must have wireless with BootCamp, probably best to stick with good ol' RF.

Having said that, I like my old MS BT Mouse.

[Dave B @ May 4th 2006 9:20PM]

Microsoft Intellimouse Bluetooth Explorer has lots of jumpiness and does not work well on my Win XP setup.

[Mirsep @ Nov 15th 2006 2:22PM]

Yea i agree but when i re-installed xp for an unrelated reason i just paired the bt mouse to my laptop without the inteli mouse cd and it works WAY better, only snag is you don't get a low battery warning, but that isn't really a big deal

[Jim @ May 4th 2006 9:20PM]

When I set out to buy a many-button Bluetooth mouse about ten months ago, I discovered my only options were the Logitech MX900 and the Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse for Bluetooth. I went with the Logitech, and I couldn't be happier.

So, another vote for the MX900.

[OG @ May 4th 2006 9:21PM]

I have a logitec mx5000 the mouse is great the keyboard keeps locking up. Love the mouse.

[Dick Shnickleshu @ May 4th 2006 9:21PM]

Still love my Apple Wireless mouse. It feels solid like a rock, and when I actully close the cover and use decent batteries I can easily get 4 to 5 months of use and still use it between 4 to 5 hours a day. Plus, it's the perfect shape for a phone, when and if someone actually figures it out, plus plus... I use one finger snap so, that is why I don't really need a 2 button mouse in the first place. And I can type almost as fast with one hand as with two, so I always have an extra couple fingers available to activate a CTRL click anyhow.

[Rob @ May 4th 2006 9:25PM]

Think Outside. Small, works with my PDA as well.

[Pauli @ May 4th 2006 9:27PM]

I like my Apple BT mouse till I used their mighty mouse.
I used the BT mouse at home with my PB. I had no probs
really, the occasion stuff up connecting thats it.
But recently got a mighty mouse at work and loved it.
So I replace the one at home for a mighty. I there was a
BT version of the mighty O may have gotten that one.

Pauli

[Mighty Matt @ May 4th 2006 9:28PM]

I've got the Anycom BTM-100 mouse for use with my laptop. It's fairly small, but works well and has rechargeable batteries as well as an off switch.
http://www.anycom.com/anycom/products/prod_main.php?prodid=CC3141&lang=us

[qyiet @ May 4th 2006 9:37PM]

My MS Intellimouse worked well for me in WinXP, has a tendancy to fall asleep in OSX, and take a while to wake up.

Other than that it's been great

[Eric Smith @ May 4th 2006 9:43PM]

I've got a Kensington Portable Pilot Mouse Bluetooth. I actually use it for my desktop and love it. No lag (had serious issues w/ a MS Bluetooth mouse), and goes through a single set of double-AAs in a month. Only thing I don't like about it is the sleep feature starts in WAY too soon. This needs to be user adjustable. Otherwise, love the mouse and having one less thing plugged into my system

[Robb Irrgang @ May 4th 2006 9:43PM]

Logitech V270.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/AU/EN,CRID=2146,CONTENTID=10916

Looks like a powerbook, feels pretty good...goes to sleep sometimes though. Wish i could control it.

[Baker @ May 4th 2006 9:46PM]

I don't have a bluetooth mouse, but when I do decide to take the plunge I'd like one that has a nice scroll wheel. Some mice tend to make that cheap plasticy tinny sound when scrolling. It needs to be either matte black or dark blue and have simple, appealing, elegant design without too many curves, snazzy colors or logos. Oh and class 1 bluetooth would be nice so I could use it with my HTPC server from afar (the server's in the basement).

[The Bull @ May 4th 2006 9:47PM]

I own the Kensington bluetooth Pilotmouse with my new HP dv8000t and it is great. I would recommend this mouse to anyone. It is really comfortable in your hand. I have been using both to surf for undervalued stocks at my website.

[Allan Hotlen @ May 4th 2006 9:47PM]

I'm a BootCamp (MacBook Pro) ysedr, too. Just got the Kensington "Pilot" Bluetooth mouse (Model Number 72225). t's incredible. Instantaneous setup. And it works perfectly. Feels great, too.

I'd used the MacAlly BT for a few weeks, but it often wasn't "recognized" by the MacBook.

Go with the Kensington!

[apeguero @ May 4th 2006 9:52PM]

I've tried a couple of different bluetooth mice but I just like WIRED Logitech Trackman Wheel. I own 3 of those - one for home, one for the office, and one for my wife's MacBook Pro. I just don't understand why a company like Logitech won't make the same Trackman trackball with Bluetooth. They have a wireless one but one has to carry that stupid, big-ass receiver with the long cable which makes the wireless version more cumbersome to carry around than the wired one.

[Chris @ May 9th 2007 6:51AM]

I have a trackman wireless, when I brought it I expected a tiny dongle...nope its a gigantic thing, might aswell have a usb lead! Grrr
Anyway I want a logitech trackman with bluetooth.... which means I will have to buy a USB TrackMan, a bluetooth mouse, then create some freakish hybrid!!

[The Steven @ May 4th 2006 10:03PM]

I Do! Logi V270

[Jesse Hattabaugh @ May 4th 2006 10:03PM]

I bought a MacMice "The Mouse BT" and it's awful. The tracking is jumpy, the battery life is pathetic, it wakes my iMac up from sleep for no apparent reason, and the buttons are flakey, often dropping something mid drag. The worst part though is that pressing one button, commonly presses the other, maddening! On the plus side, it matches my Apple keyboard, and the scroll wheel feels good, but that hardly saves it. Definitely a waste of my $75.

[Brian @ May 4th 2006 10:04PM]

I have the Belkin bluetooth mouse and I love it. It works perfectly with OSX.

[umijin @ May 4th 2006 10:04PM]

For my PowerBook, I have the BlueTake BT500 mini mouse (AKA Radtech BT500); it's tracking is so-so, but battery life is horrible. A friend of mine has the larger BlueTake BT510. Its tracking SUCKS and is unusable.

We can't get other options here in Japan - have yet to see a Logitech BT mouse. So on my desktop Mac I use a USB wireless Logitech mouse. I get the feeling that BT for computers is on it's way out. There just aren't many accessories, and they tend to be overpriced compared to their USB wireless counterparts.

[Raffi @ May 4th 2006 10:05PM]

I have a Logitech MX5000 that comes with a bluetooth enabled MX1000 laser mouse. If you're okay with a slight startup from sleep lag after 20 seconds of inactivity (minor and you get used to it) on the mouse, then it's a good set.

[JohnK @ May 4th 2006 10:05PM]

I have the Microsoft Intellimouse Bluetooth Explorer mouse and have founf that it the nicest, smoothest operating mouse I have owned. The only isse I have with it is the small period of latency from the time I want to use it to the time it connects to the computer (this occurs after a period of inactivity). If anyone knows how to correct this issue, or make the period of inactivity longer, I would appreciate some assistance.

[Michael @ May 4th 2006 10:11PM]

I know you guys asked about just mice, but I have the Microsoft Keyboard Elite and Intellimouse Explorer For Bluetooth, and I couldn't be happier. Together, they're awesome, but I think if someone wanted just a new mouse, they'd be happy with that too.

Batteries last about a month or so (rechargable NiMH is the way to go!) and so far, no problems

[Anchit Panchal @ May 4th 2006 10:13PM]

im using the microsoft wireless optical desktop elite for bluetooth set. its a very nice keyboard and the mouse is pretty good too.

[Aaton @ May 4th 2006 10:16PM]

What I want to know is there anyone making a Bluetooth keyboard with a built in trackpad. Or maybe something like http://tinyurl.com/7fs7r or http://tinyurl.com/9mbb7 from Lenovo, but Bluetooth. That would be cool. I know I'm not the only one looking for one... http://krow.net/index.pl?lastnode_id=41&node_id=2608

As for your question about mice... I recently got a Logitech V270 which runs on 2 AA. Its a 3 buttons if you include the click wheel. I like it and it works very well in SketchUp on the Mac. Without 3 buttons SketchUp on the can be a pain to use.

[Michael Critz @ May 4th 2006 10:28PM]

I love my Logitech PilotMouse Bluetooth Wireless. It works great with my iMac, and fits my hand well. I also like the rubberized gripping surface around the sides, three-buttons, and scroll wheel. The industrial design is elegant and sleek.

[Matt @ May 4th 2006 10:29PM]

I used to use a Logitech MX900 for my iMac. It was a pretty decent mouse, but I went through batteries pretty quick (I didn't like the charger because it messed with the bluetooth connection) and didn't have an off switch.

Right now I use a Kensington PilotMouse Mini Bluetooth. The battery life is better and it's nice and compact. My olny gripe with it is that it can take a little bit for it to wake up after I've been away from my computer for a while.

[winchou @ May 4th 2006 10:30PM]

My bluetooth mouse is a Wacom bluetooth tablet -- does that count? I love it.

[Mike @ May 4th 2006 10:34PM]

I like the apple blutooth mouse. I'd like a mightier version, but it works, no cords, no dongles, just works. Except for that right click thing.

[d4rthsid @ May 4th 2006 10:38PM]

I've got the diNovo (BT 1.2) combo as well with the MX900, all three devices work wonderfully together. The mouse "wakes up" quickly and is much more reponsive than my old wireless MouseMan Optical (which worked for the last 5 years, and suddenly decided it wanted to stop working every few hours). No complaints about the bluetooth. I even made it more blue by swapping the Red for a blue LED with no noticable loss of tracking. Logitech is doing a good job of maintaining themselves as the prime input devices on my machine.

[Josh @ May 4th 2006 10:39PM]

I like the Apple Bluetooth Mouse as well, except for the horrible battery life. I replace the batteries in mine every 2-3 weeks on average. This may sound like a good argument for rechargeables, but rechargeables cost so much that it'd take years to recoup the costs.

[RyanTV @ May 4th 2006 10:54PM]

Bluetooth MX1000 is the best out there. It is Mac or PC compatible... i have used one on my powerbook and dell laptops. never had an issue and the on/off switch is a life saver (the MX900 didnt have one). definitely get a 10 out of 10 and my personal KICK ASS award.

[Adam @ May 4th 2006 11:01PM]

I've used several.
Only the "IOGear Bluetooth Mini Mouse" doesn't suck quite as bad as almost all Bluetooth mice (or most any BT device for that matter.)
The M$ mouse is pretty good too.
The Apple BT mouse is okay but where's the scroll wheel and at least a second button like their latest corded mouse?
Given how irrelevant cordless turns out to be for a mouse (except in a theatre PC) I have reverted to an ancient Kensington Pocketmouse Pro (which uses a USB cord on a recoil that tucks into the body) and it's like carrying a nice pen, it works just the way I like and the battery never dies (it don't got none) and the Bluetooth never goes into power-save and never interrupts the WiFi (through interference or auto-configuration nonsense) and I just like how it responds to movement and how it works smoothly despite random tracking surfaces.
The IOGear does well on bad surfaces, the M$ a little better especially on repeating and glossy surfaces (like an improvised magazine as a mouse pad) but the Kensington (which cost about nothing because it was old news when I bought it) has no problem with bad surfaces