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Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse

Product summary

The good: Receiver stows nicely into the bottom; compact size; easy setup.

The bad: Less comfortable than a full-size mouse.

The bottom line: A worthy alternative to a laptop's built-in pointing device, this downsized mouse is convenient for travel, but it sacrifices some comfort for its compact size.

Specifications: Form factor: External ; Compatibility: PC , Mac ; Interface required: USB ; See full specs

CNET editors' review

  • Reviewed on: 11/12/2004
  • Released on: 09/01/2004
Just slightly larger than the actual animal, the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse is a great USB-enabled companion for your laptop, or even your desktop--Macs included. For around $45, notebook users can forget about built-in touch pads or old-school pointing sticks and have a fully functional programmable mouse--and no worries about cords.

With basically no setup, your mouse will be up and running. Just plug in the receiver to your USB port and start using it. Then configure the buttons as you like from your control panel, just as you would with any mouse.

The sheer tininess of this mouse and its portable design elements make it perfect for travel. It will easily fit into your laptop bag or a pocket, and the receiver conveniently snaps into the bottom of the mouse, conserving the battery and ensuring that you don't misplace the receiver, which is about the size of key fob. According to Microsoft, the receiver will sense your mouse up to three feet away, but in tests with a fresh battery, it still was fully functional at a distance of more than five feet. There's no recharging this pint-size pointer. It runs off of one AA battery which Microsoft claims can last up to three months (assuming you're careful about replacing the receiver when the mouse isn't in use).

The optical nature of the mouse and its standard two-button/one-scrollwheel design add accuracy and usability for the majority of laptop users coping with uncomfortable touch pads and the lack of a scrollwheel. The small yet stylish design is ergonomic and fits both left-handed and right-handed users, but it's less comfortable than most full-size mice and is perhaps better suited to a child's hand size.

At 3.18 ounces (with battery), the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse is only slightly lighter than similar full-size wireless mice. Their dimensions vary, but they usually come in at less than 5 ounces with two AA batteries.

See more CNET content tagged:
optical mouse,
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receiver,
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Microsoft Corp.

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Where to buy

Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse: $22.44 - $34.99
storepricein stock?rating
Amazon.com Marketplace
$22.44 Yes 5.0 star rating
J&R Music and Computer World
$24.99 Yes 5.0 star rating
CompUSA
$24.99 Yes 5.0 star rating
TigerDirect.com
$24.99 Yes 5.0 star rating
Best Buy
$29.99 Yes 5.0 star rating

see prices from 10 stores

Similar products

Where to buy Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse

Price range: $22.44 - $34.99

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Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest

  • alaTest.com

    Editors' rating: 89

    Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 4129 reviews of Microsoft Notebook Optical Mouse from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 78/100 and users 82/100. Comparing these reviews to 66801 other Mouse & Pointing Devices reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 89/100 = Very Good.

  • techgage.com

    Editors' rating: 80

    Read full review

  • laptoplogic.com

    Editors' rating: 80

    Summary: , the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical mouse is a functional mouse and a great portable companion for your laptop

    Read full review

  • techtree.com

    Editors' rating: 80

    Summary: As far as the power consumption is concerned, the mouse is pretty impressive thanks to its low power processor which provides an excellent battery life of more than 6 months. Microsoft has also redesigned the battery sleeve, which was awkward on its ...

    Read full review

  • macworld.com

    Editors' rating: 80

    Read full review

  • personal computer world

    Editors' rating: 100

    Summary: Pros: Wireless operation; clever design

    Read full review

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