# Do you use a wireless mouse?



## nerwin (Aug 11, 2015)

I'm curious to see how many use wireless mouses. I remember many moons ago believe or not, I had a wireless ball mouse, remember those? yeah. It sucked to say the least. It was early 2000s, wireless mouses had their fair share of issues. I used a dell ball mouse and then a cheap optical mouse until I went to a vocational school in 2006 for computers when there was this fantastic dell optical mouse that I really liked and wanted one for home, so I got one of those and used it ever since until it broke a couple years ago when I decided I had enough of the cable being snagged on stuff behind my desk or being just too short that's when I picked up a cheap Logitech M310 optical RF wireless mouse and it worked awesome until the scroll wheel started to fail. 

Last week, I bought the Logitech M510, its bigger, heavier, more buttons and uses a invisible laser instead of optical which I guess is suppose to mean higher DPI and just more precise but honestly, it seems to be slightly worse than my cheap M310..sometimes it will skip across the screen. Now I'm not sure if its the mouse or my mousepad. I might have to get one of those Steelseries HD pads that are designed for laser mice.  But for the most part its been okay and its a lot more comfortable and better built. 

Anyways, for those that use a wireless mouse, do you have issues like that every now and then? Is this just the norm for using a wireless mouse? 

If you still use a wired mouse, unless your a gamer, why?


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## ronlane (Aug 11, 2015)

I use a logitech wireless trackball at work. To me it's more comfortable and I don't have to move it all over the desk (exercise my thumb).

At home, I don't use a mouse or tracball. I have a MBP and I use a wacom tablet and the pad on the laptop. The wacom has more control than a mouse, trackball or anything else I have see so far.


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## astroNikon (Aug 11, 2015)

I use wireless mice.  Mostly microsoft or another brand I can't think of.

I do have a Logitech Peformance MX and it like to jump around.  There's a button on the top to lock the scrolling or something which minimized the jumping around.  But it's a pain still.

The microsoft mobile mouse 3500 I have also jumps around, so much that I use the keyboard more for scrolling up/down.  My older MS mouses/mice don't have this problem.


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## nerwin (Aug 11, 2015)

ronlane said:


> I use a logitech wireless trackball at work. To me it's more comfortable and I don't have to move it all over the desk (exercise my thumb).
> 
> At home, I don't use a mouse or tracball. I have a MBP and I use a wacom tablet and the pad on the laptop. The wacom has more control than a mouse, trackball or anything else I have see so far.



Heh, I forgot about trackballs! I never liked them though, could never get use to them. I have considered getting one of those wacom tablets for photoshop editing but I don't think I'd use it all that often.


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## nerwin (Aug 11, 2015)

astroNikon said:


> I use wireless mice.  Mostly microsoft or another brand I can't think of.
> 
> I do have a Logitech Peformance MX and it like to jump around.  There's a button on the top to lock the scrolling or something which minimized the jumping around.  But it's a pain still.
> 
> The microsoft mobile mouse 3500 I have also jumps around, so much that I use the keyboard more for scrolling up/down.  My older MS mouses/mice don't have this problem.



According to Logitech, you can remove the batteries and hold down the left button and right click 5 times and it will reinitialize or something. I'm not sure how it does this when there is no power, but I did it and it seems to be working better. Its just a bummer when you buy a cheap wireless mouse it works better than a more expensive one haha. I also have a cat that has a lot of hair and it sometimes gets stuck on my mouse pad so that could be the cause of mine jumping around. But I thought laser mice were suppose to be able to used any surface, why not cat hair? Hahaha.


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## astroNikon (Aug 11, 2015)

I've had trackballs and a wacom tablet.  I've found the mouse just easier all around, except if you plan on drawing them the tablet is the way to go.


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## runnah (Aug 11, 2015)

Trackball all the way! much easier on your wrist.


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## waday (Aug 11, 2015)

Wired at work, wireless at home. I prefer the wireless. It's a Logitech something. It nicely fits the contour of my hand, has a 'hidden' thumb button, as well as a smooth scrolling function that can be turned on and off. I can also change the sensitivity/speed direct from the mouse, which is pretty nifty.


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## ronlane (Aug 11, 2015)

astroNikon said:


> I've had trackballs and a wacom tablet.  I've found the mouse just easier all around, except if you plan on drawing them the tablet is the way to go.



Last year when I had my windows laptop, I actually used both the trackball AND the tablet. (I'm left handed) I did this while getting used to the wacom and I was having fun editing with that setup. I hardly ever touched the keyboard, a pen in one hand and the other on the trackball.


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## Dagwood56 (Aug 11, 2015)

I have a Logitech wireless optical mouse, not sure what model exactly. I've had it for 4 years now, only cost $20 and it works beautifully. Plus I love how it uses a small USB plug only. No wired sensor unit like the older wireless mice used. Its also great on batteries, because it has an on off switch. In fact, even having it on for 9 straight hours a day, I only need to replace the battery about every 8 months.


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## nerwin (Aug 11, 2015)

Dagwood56 said:


> I have a Logitech wireless optical mouse, not sure what model exactly. I've had it for 4 years now, only cost $20 and it works beautifully. Plus I love how it uses a small USB plug only. No wired sensor unit like the older wireless mice used. Its also great on batteries, because it has an on off switch. In fact, even having it on for 9 straight hours a day, I only need to replace the battery about every 8 months.



I also tried using a bluetooth mouse, that was a horrible experience.


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## JacaRanda (Aug 11, 2015)

At work it's a wireless mouse.  At home it's a pen with the Wacom tablet.


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## 480sparky (Aug 11, 2015)

Wired for me. I hate having the freakin' battery just up and die. No warning. No popup. Just no movement at any time.

Gimme a wired mouse and I'm a happy camper.


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## nerwin (Aug 11, 2015)

480sparky said:


> Wired for me. I hate having the freakin' battery just up and die. No warning. No popup. Just no movement at any time.
> 
> Gimme a wired mouse and I'm a happy camper.



Mine has a warning. The led light will display red meaning the battery is low and on my old wireless mouse I only change the battery once a year..on my new one I got last week, I guess its two years. Uses two AA's. Time will tell.


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## astroNikon (Aug 11, 2015)

my Logitech mouse has rechargeable battery in it.  you plus it into the USB for recharge and can use it while it is charging as a wired mouse.


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## AlanKlein (Aug 11, 2015)

When I updated my computer last year I got rid of the wireless mouse and went back to a wired type.  I got tired or replacing batteries and then sometime I had problems re-establishing the link and wasted time on that.  Of course the wire is back so that's a pain but I think I like it that way better.


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## KmH (Aug 11, 2015)

I use a wireless with my laptop.
I use a wired gaming mouse with my desktop.


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## AlanKlein (Aug 11, 2015)

KmH said:


> I use a wireless with my laptop.
> I use a wired gaming mouse with my desktop.



Why?  What benefits for each?


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## Braineack (Aug 11, 2015)

wired gaming mouse here.


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## otherprof (Aug 11, 2015)

nerwin said:


> I'm curious to see how many use wireless mouses. I remember many moons ago believe or not, I had a wireless ball mouse, remember those? yeah. It sucked to say the least. It was early 2000s, wireless mouses had their fair share of issues. I used a dell ball mouse and then a cheap optical mouse until I went to a vocational school in 2006 for computers when there was this fantastic dell optical mouse that I really liked and wanted one for home, so I got one of those and used it ever since until it broke a couple years ago when I decided I had enough of the cable being snagged on stuff behind my desk or being just too short that's when I picked up a cheap Logitech M310 optical RF wireless mouse and it worked awesome until the scroll wheel started to fail.
> 
> Last week, I bought the Logitech M510, its bigger, heavier, more buttons and uses a invisible laser instead of optical which I guess is suppose to mean higher DPI and just more precise but honestly, it seems to be slightly worse than my cheap M310..sometimes it will skip across the screen. Now I'm not sure if its the mouse or my mousepad. I might have to get one of those Steelseries HD pads that are designed for laser mice.  But for the most part its been okay and its a lot more comfortable and better built.
> 
> ...


I use an Apple Magic Mouse with my Mac Book Pro laptop. Like other Apple products, it is expensive (about $79) but works extremely well. There are no buttons or wheels, but it can do one-button clicks, two-button clicks (left and right clicks), scrolling, screen zoom,  and two-finger swipes.  I bought it because my trackpad needs to be replaced, but I will probably keep using it after I get the trackpad replaced because it seems so much handier most of the time, i.e. when the laptop is on a desk or table. BTW the laptop is four years old, and is the only computer I use now, so it has gotten lots of clicks!


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## limr (Aug 11, 2015)

Wireless. Can't remember the brand. I think I had a Logitech but then recently when I got an external monitor for my laptop, I got a wireless keyboard that came with another mouse which I'm using instead of the old one. Nothing was wrong with the Logitech - this new one came bundled with the keyboard anyway and just turned out to be a little nicer. Never had any issues with skipping or anything. I've been thinking about getting one of those Wacom tablet thingies for photo editing and possibly for editing my students' essays as well.


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## 480sparky (Aug 11, 2015)

nerwin said:


> 480sparky said:
> 
> 
> > Wired for me. I hate having the freakin' battery just up and die. No warning. No popup. Just no movement at any time.
> ...




I tried a wireless one. The onscreen warning worked once. After that it would die without notice about every two weeks.

I tossed it and went back to the old school way.  Sometimes, 'new and impoved' ain't.


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## table1349 (Aug 11, 2015)

Magic track pad with the iMac. (wireless)  Trackpad on the MBP.    Much better than a mouse.


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## sm4him (Aug 11, 2015)

I use pretty much all the choices (except the trackball) on a daily basis. I have the Magic Mouse (wireless) and the Magic Track pad. The only complaint I have about either is that the Magic Mouse *often* (at least a couple of times a month, sometimes multiple times in a day) just loses its connection. It's easy to use the Trackpad and reconnect it, but it's annoying. And it does require new batteries pretty often, but it gets used a LOT, since it's my main work computer.
Then I have a standard wired mouse on both the work PC and my home desktop. Never any trouble, except the very occasional cord-getting-stuck-on-something issue.

I also have a Wacom tablet on the home desktop. It's my preference, except that when I was temporarily without a desktop computer, I quit using it and I've had trouble getting re-acclimated to it.

Then I have a wireless mouse for my laptop--Logitech, I think.  Don't know what model; old.  Sometimes go over a year without changing batteries in it.


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## table1349 (Aug 11, 2015)

sm4him said:


> I use pretty much all the choices (except the trackball) on a daily basis. I have the Magic Mouse (wireless) and the Magic Track pad. The only complaint I have about either is that the Magic Mouse *often* (at least a couple of times a month, sometimes multiple times in a day) just loses its connection. It's easy to use the Trackpad and reconnect it, but it's annoying. And it does require new batteries pretty often, but it gets used a LOT, since it's my main work computer.
> Then I have a standard wired mouse on both the work PC and my home desktop. Never any trouble, except the very occasional cord-getting-stuck-on-something issue.
> 
> I also have a Wacom tablet on the home desktop. It's my preference, except that when I was temporarily without a desktop computer, I quit using it and I've had trouble getting re-acclimated to it.
> ...


Wouldn't have anything but this for my Mac wireless keyboards, trac pad etc.  The Magic Bar Apple Wireless Charger Wireless Keyboard Magic Trackpad Wireless Charging Station Inductive Charging Technology Mobee Technology

Works great, charges convieniently when not needed.  I have virtually no disconnects with mine.


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## sm4him (Aug 11, 2015)

gryphonslair99 said:


> sm4him said:
> 
> 
> > I use pretty much all the choices (except the trackball) on a daily basis. I have the Magic Mouse (wireless) and the Magic Track pad. The only complaint I have about either is that the Magic Mouse *often* (at least a couple of times a month, sometimes multiple times in a day) just loses its connection. It's easy to use the Trackpad and reconnect it, but it's annoying. And it does require new batteries pretty often, but it gets used a LOT, since it's my main work computer.
> ...



Looks like a great idea, but I rarely have any trouble out of the track pad, just the mouse. I've probably only changed the batteries about once a year in the track pad.
I see that they have a Magic Mouse bar charger, but it's $50. I'd buy that in a minute if it was my personal machine, but I doubt my workplace will be as eager to spend more money on my technological equipment. Never know though, I might just ask.


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## Derrel (Aug 11, 2015)

My iMac came with a wireless keyboard and mouse. I got verrrrry tired of the dead battery issue with the mouse. I have gone back to wired. The other machine has always been wired.


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## nerwin (Aug 11, 2015)

Derrel said:


> My iMac came with a wireless keyboard and mouse. I got verrrrry tired of the dead battery issue with the mouse. I have gone back to wired. The other machine has always been wired.



Wow Apple mouses must have terrible battery life. My Logitech M310 I used probably 6 hours a day give or take and sometimes left it on all night and only needed to change the single double A battery once a year. Impressive if you ask me. Not sure about my new one though..only time will tell.


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## curly (Aug 11, 2015)

I have a wireless Logitech M505 mouse paired with a Microsoft Arc keyboard at work and home.


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## table1349 (Aug 11, 2015)

nerwin said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > My iMac came with a wireless keyboard and mouse. I got verrrrry tired of the dead battery issue with the mouse. I have gone back to wired. The other machine has always been wired.
> ...


Oh, not so bad really.  You have to realize that when you are using an apple machine, you are USING the apple machine.  Your not waiting for this check to be done, that scan to be finished, this semi-hourly update to be downloaded and installed.  Your just sitting down, using the machine, and going about life.  

Sorry, It's just a joke people. Well for the most part.  I just couldn't resist.


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## table1349 (Aug 11, 2015)

You could try one of these.  
	

	
	
		
		

		
			




Yes there is a company that uses taxidermed mice that are sterilized as covers for their mice.  Some people will sell anything.

This one could be interesting. 





Won't solve the problem with the cats, but at least it would be a more interesting toy for them to use. 

FYI.  If you want to try and break them of the habit you might try what we did with our cat for his cord chewing problem. 

4-6 ounces of water.   2 tablespoons of ghost pepper flakes.   Soak the pepper flakes in the water for 24 to 48 hours.  Drain and reserve the water, throw away the flakes. 

Take cord and either wipe or dip it in the water and let dry.  Took one experience and he quit his cord chewing.  Funny thing was he would lick/chew,  have a reaction to the heat, and then repeated the procedure a couple more times until it sunk in that chewing cord=hot stuff in mouth.  FYI we had a bowl of water close by that he was aware of.


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## JimMcClain (Aug 12, 2015)

I've been using a Kensington Expert Mouse trackball for years. It's BIG, has 4 large buttons, a scroll wheel and is wired. It's low-tech, maybe, but it's the best I've ever used - and I've used a LOT of mice and other trackballs. I also use a Wacom tablet, but only when using Photoshop, Lightroom or Fireworks.


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## KmH (Aug 12, 2015)

AlanKlein said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > I use a wireless with my laptop.
> ...


The wireless mouse for the laptop is tidy both in use, and in my laptop bag, by dint of it not being wired. I don't game on the laptop and don't need mouse gaming features and performance.
The gaming mouse performs better and has more adjustment options than a mouse not designed for gaming. I game on my desktop.


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## photospherix (Aug 12, 2015)

Bluetooth Magic Mouse and I love it!!!


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## nerwin (Aug 17, 2015)

So I ended up returning the Logitech M510 back to Amazon. Tired of it skipping. I spent some time cleaning my M310 and I got the scroll wheel click to function again for the time being. But atleast this cheaper mouse doesn't skip across the screen unlike the M510 which is suppose to be superior! Also my M310 acts as if it was corded. I might have had defective M510 or their new unifying receiver has interference , but not going to bother trying a replacement.


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## weepete (Aug 18, 2015)

Well I am a bit of a gamer anyway but the major reason I still use a corded mouse is the same reason I have corded power tools, namley that I never have to deal with the issue of flat batteries.


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## nerwin (Aug 18, 2015)

weepete said:


> Well I am a bit of a gamer anyway but the major reason I still use a corded mouse is the same reason I have corded power tools, namley that I never have to deal with the issue of flat batteries.



There is definitely a place for both. Some tools I prefer using corded and some I prefer using cordless such as my cordless drill for most stuff, but I got a corded drill for screwing sheetrock.


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## WayneF (Aug 19, 2015)

nerwin said:


> Last week, I bought the Logitech M510, its bigger, heavier, more buttons and uses a invisible laser instead of optical which I guess is suppose to mean higher DPI and just more precise but honestly, it seems to be slightly worse than my cheap M310..sometimes it will skip across the screen. Now I'm not sure if its the mouse or my mousepad. I might have to get one of those Steelseries HD pads that are designed for laser mice.  But for the most part its been okay and its a lot more comfortable and better built.



I've used a M510 awhile, years I suppose, and it's been perfect.  No complaints, never even one.  I bought a cheaper Microsoft first, and it wasn't much.  Had no standby mode, and batteries wouldn't last anytime.


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## intentanalyst (Aug 19, 2015)

I don't use a wireless mouse because it moves strangely in my screen, weird.


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## bighatphotography (Aug 23, 2015)

nerwin said:


> I'm curious to see how many use wireless mouses. I remember many moons ago believe or not, I had a wireless ball mouse, remember those? yeah. It sucked to say the least. It was early 2000s, wireless mouses had their fair share of issues. I used a dell ball mouse and then a cheap optical mouse until I went to a vocational school in 2006 for computers when there was this fantastic dell optical mouse that I really liked and wanted one for home, so I got one of those and used it ever since until it broke a couple years ago when I decided I had enough of the cable being snagged on stuff behind my desk or being just too short that's when I picked up a cheap Logitech M310 optical RF wireless mouse and it worked awesome until the scroll wheel started to fail.
> 
> Last week, I bought the Logitech M510, its bigger, heavier, more buttons and uses a invisible laser instead of optical which I guess is suppose to mean higher DPI and just more precise but honestly, it seems to be slightly worse than my cheap M310..sometimes it will skip across the screen. Now I'm not sure if its the mouse or my mousepad. I might have to get one of those Steelseries HD pads that are designed for laser mice.  But for the most part its been okay and its a lot more comfortable and better built.
> 
> ...


Nah I use both a wired and wireless. I have a microsoft 3500 wireless I like. but it died yesterday   I used a MX master for a few weeks. which I also loved. and I use a $15  monoprice "Gaming mouse" which I love besides the cord... but my favorite is the MX master. and next time I have $100 to spare I will buy one.


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