iGo MSBTUE Stowaway Bluetooth Mouse
There are some luxuries in life that are so obvious you wonder why you never thought of them before. This is one of those devices.
My first impression was that this device was really small (about 1/3rd the size of a regular computer mouse) and that my average sized hands would not be able to get comfortable with it. Well I was wrong for my hand fits nicely around it and I am comfortable using it hours at a time. There was obviously some thought was put into the design as it feels sturdy yet still light. Another nice touch is the on/off switch at the bottom to save your AAA batteries. It is also not a power hog for I’ve used mine for about a month about 3-4 hours a day and I’m still using the batteries that came with it. It also came with a carrying bag that protects the mouse from banging around in my briefcase or backpack.
The second thing I noticed was how easy it was to install the software on my computer (Win XP) and getting it to work on my PDA (Ipaq 4150). I do recommend however that you read the directions, for some of the installation options are not obvious. After everything is said and done you get a on screen pointer that works like your stylus but has a scroll button.
This mouse works excellent with my IR keyboard from Belkin, and seems to be a natural fit when using a keyboard to input data. I had always found it cumbersome to a use a stylus while I was typing.
I would not recommend this mouse for people who use their PDA primarily for contacts and scheduling. I would however highly recommend this mouse for people who type in word with a wireless keyboard, or go to coffee shops and surf the web while doing work. The scroll button is an excellent feature to read long PDF documents and to surf web pages.
It has been a long time since I have been this satisfied with a product. That being said there are some quirks. The first is that having BlueTooth run on your PDA will cut down on its battery life. However, I still get mine to run for about 2.5-3 hours with the backlight on before I need to plug it into a wall. Secondly, the program to get the mouse to run does take up some space on the PDA. Finally, when you restart the PDA it takes some time to “rediscover” the mouse. Approximately 5-10 seconds.
I’d highly recommend this mouse to anyone who uses a keyboard to input information into their PDA. I have currently written about 1/3rd of my Masters Thesis on my PDA at a coffee shop at night using this mouse and a wireless keyboard.
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Product Features
- Works with smartphones/PDAs, desktops and notebooks
- Support for Pocket Word, Excel, Messaging and other applications
- Small but ergonomic styling for maximum comfort
- Powered by 2 AAA batteries
Technical Details
- Brand Name: Think Outside
- Model: MSBTUE
- Hardware Platform: PC, Mac
- Input Device: Mouse
- Form Factor: External
- Connectivity Technology: Wireless
- Movement Detection: Optical
- Minimum system requirements: Microsoft Pocket PC, Apple MacOS X, Microsoft Windows
- Width: 2.2 inches
- Depth: 3.7 inches
- Height: 1 inches
- Weight: 2.6 Ounces
- Warranty: 1 year warranty
What’s in the Box?
- Stowaway travel mouse
- 2 AAA alkaline batteries (batteries last several weeks when used 3 to 4 hours per day)
- Carrying case
- CD with Pocket PC drivers (Uses Windows driver and HID, no driver needed)
- Start-up Guide
