Logitech MX 1000 Laser Cordless Mouse - mouse

I'd heard of Logitech products about this time last year when I purchased my very first computer, to me they appeard to have some interesting products such as speaker systems for PC use etc but that sort of thing didn't appeal.

Neither did the need to change my prehistoric mouse.

It wasn't until I used an optical mouse at work that I thought maybe an upgrade could be worthwhile,so I purchased an optical mouse by Microsoft which plugged into a spare USB port . A definite improvement.

Well as usual, I thought someting even better may be about so I asked my PC fluent boss about what's available. As usual, he advised caution but said that Logitech do a good range. So off I strolled round town looking for a Logitech Mouse.

Nothing available of course.

But a gander at the Logitech website revealed the MX1000 or MX Laser as it is sometimes known.

The spec looked impressive:

20x more accurate than a standard Optical Mouse, Bluetooth Connectivity ( a means wherby your mouse controls your computer wirelessly via radiowaves), Lithium Ion battery, State of Charge indicator, Customise functions, updates available via Logitechs website.

I decided to take the plunge.

So off to Birmingham and into Dixons in the Bull Ring (now Currys Digital) megastore to purchase it. At a cost of £59.95 it was more expensive than any other equivalent but I bit my teeth and paid for it at the till (...with some truly DREADFUL service at the till-money snatched out of my hand, no please or thank you and the item thrown to the end of till with a bag...). There were nobody else doing it cheaper at the time and I was reluctant to order off the net but that's another story.

Well I got it home and opened up the packaging. The instructions
were sparse and multilingual-a real pain for old fashioned fogies like me. However the setting up was fairly logical-connect up the charger and plug into the base unit, place the mouse onto the cradle and allow to charge. The unit can be connected up to a PC via either a Serial port via a USB adaptor which is supplied or can go via the USB direct. Going via USB direct however is only recommended for Laptops. I attempted connecting it on my PC and resulted in crashes...I don't know why but suspect the USB ports were overloaded. MORAL-if in doubt follow the instructions.

I left the unit to charge for 4 hours and the LED charge level indicator showed full charge. I then loaded the enclosed software onto my PC via the enclosed CD ROM which does need your present mouse to activate the options...then proceeded to turn on and use.

And what a stunner!

The first thing I noticed was the incredible ergonomics,it was as easy to use with my left hand as well as my right which is just as well as I'm left handed. Within about a minute though I was into the customising menu, this allows things such as the left or right keys to be adjusted for relevant double-click, the response speed to be increased from a standard mouse to an incredible speed (about 20x faster than a standard optical mouse-just as the ad claimed), the cursor blur(!) to be adjusted and hand movement to be interpreted either coarse or fine where the slightest movement would move the cursor in a particular way. I could see this being useful for graphic design,use of Photograpic retouching programs such as Adobe Photoshop etc and a whole raft of other applications not least personal preference. I found I could dispense with my mouse mat and just use it over my PC desk-Fantastic. In practice the battery life lived up to expectations about 48hrs standby and 5 hours use. The inclusion of a Lithium Ion battery was a boon also, having no dreaded reduced capacity caused by 'memory effect' which occurs in Nickel Metal Hydride and especially Nickel Cadmium Cells.

Finally, the Bluetooth function was also useful, I had to take a phone call whilst on the Net. My phone wouldn't get close enough to my PC so I took the mouse and accessed the relevant info for my friend, whilst using the mouse on my side cupboard.

So overall, this mouse is an exceptional product. Some may find it a bit heavy but this gets easier with practice, and the bulk may not be to everybodys taste either. The instructions do need a major overhaul though but if you have some experience with PC's this is not such a big inconvenience.

But in my experience, they a minor moans. I was so impressed I bought my sister one as a Christmas present. She's been delighted.

It's the best purchase for a PC you'll ever make...buy with confidence!