Cord cutter
This category shows off one of the coolest innovations we've seen in the last year. No longer do wireless input devices require a clunky receiver perched on your desk to pick up a signal from your mouse. Instead, the technology has shrunk to the size of a standard USB data key. The next step, we hope, will find the receiver integrated into your PC or laptop out of the box, but for now, virtually every input device vendor has eliminated at least one cable from the tangle on your desk or in your laptop bag. |
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| BenQ M310 Optical Wireless Mouse |
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We'd gladly add the 2.8-ounce BenQ M310 Wireless Optical Mouse to our mobile office. Press the flat rocker switch below the scrollwheel in one direction to reveal the two AAA battery slots, and press it the other way to eject the USB RF receiver. The M310 is comfortable and responsive even on difficult surfaces, but it's small, so steer clear if you have large hands.
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| Creative Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse |
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USB RF receiver weigh 3.1 ounces, with two AAA batteries installed. Not only is Creative's mouse heavier than BenQ's M310, it doesn't work well on some surfaces, it has an annoying tendency to pause during intense hard disk activity, and its RF receiver doesn't store itself in the body of the mouse.
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| Iogear Memory Mini Mouse 800 (64MB) |
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With an 800dpi optical sensor the Memory Mini Mouse 800 is perfect for navigating airplane seatback trays and other limited work surfaces. A 5-foot retractable USB cord and 64MB of built-in flash memory also make it ideal for on-the-go presentations. While the narrow design may be a bit too small for comfortable day-to-day use, it has all of the functionality of a regular mouse, and it weighs only about 1.3 ounces.
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| Kensington PocketMouse Pro Wireless |
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Though it's bigger than other portable mice (and heavier too, at 8 ounces, with the single AA battery), the PocketMouse Pro Wireless's slim profile makes it easy to slip the device into a notebook bag. We also found that the larger size made the unit more comfortable to use. As with similar products from BenQ and Logitech, the USB wireless receiver stows inside the mouse when not in use. Frequent travelers will appreciate this convenience.
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| Logitech Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks |
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This streamlined version of Logitech's cordless desktop mouse boasts the smallest RF USB receiver of any of the other portable mice listed here. Powered by two AA batteries, the mouse is a little heavy at 5 ounces. You'll have to get used to the hollow clicking feeling common in portable mice, but the Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks is solidly constructed and comfortable to use, and it tracks precisely over a variety of surfaces.
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| Logitech V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse |
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Not only does the V500 feature the smallest hidden RF receiver we've ever seen, along with an iPod-like touch-sensitive scrolling surface, it also has an extendable chassis which snaps out of the bottom, providing a more substantial feel compared to that of other portable mice. It's not the most comfortable mouse we've ever used, due to its straight edges, but on top of its many features, it weighs only 3.3 ounces, including its single AAA battery.
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| Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse |
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While you may be more likely to lose the RF USB receiver that snaps onto the bottom of the Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse rather than sliding into the body as with the other mice here, we appreciate its reception-improving ability to rotate on its base at a 90-degree angle. Ergonomically, this portable mouse is also one of the best, mimicking the design of the desktop version on a smaller scale. At 3.18 ounces (with a single AAA battery), it's not the lightest portable, but we're not exactly talking lead weights.
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