Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000
by Microsoft
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Microsoft Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000
Customer Review: VX & VISTA
Summary: 5 Stars
I just bought a VX Revolution. Making the connection with MS VISTA concerned me after reading a review about a computer crash right after installing Setpoint, Logitech's mouse software, and rebooting their computer. I had no such problem, for which I am grateful. The software download went smoothly, there were no glitches. During the download I received a message from Logitech about an upgraded version of Setpoint that I could download at no charge, and I did. Once again, no problem with VISTA and my computer accepting the upgrade.
I've had the VX for only a day--and thus far, it's working as it's suppose to work. I've kept the buttons, wheel and slide control assigned to the default operations because they suit my applications. But, one can modify the each control to perform various operations. I'm not sure if this is 'the' mouse for gamers; I'm not a gamer and I don't know gamers' requirements in a mouse. However, if you word process, communicate on line, use the internet for research or for buying laser mice, spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and whatever other every-day apps you might perform, the VX gets the job done with ease and the learning curve is pretty much nonexistent.
If you've small to medium size hands, you'll find the size of the VX close to perfect. I had looked into the MX Revolution, but I really had no need for the additional wheel that the MX has on the left or thumb-side of the mouse, and the MX is larger, so it didn't feel as comfortable to operate as its smaller USB relative, the VX. This is made for right-hand operation only.
Also, I use Firefox and have found no problems using the VX with the Mozilla browser. There seems to be some concern and question about longevity--I can't attest to longevity, but if this device performs like this six months from now, it will have proven its worth. Thus far, I'd call it a great buy. The performance is exceptional.
Customer Review: Drivers!
Summary: 2 Stars
So, my job bought me a nice shiny new MacBook Pro and I spend nearly a month operationg almost exclusively with the trackpad.... because their trackpad is THAT good.
After a month, since I am a designer type, I decide that I need a mouse. I didn't feel like springing for the [...] for the mighty mouse so I find this particular mouse on sale for [...] bucks. It fit all my requirements out of a mouse and wasn't stupidly small and akward like most notebook mouse. I assume its because it's thicker but whatever, I digress.
I turn it on, tell my MacBook to find it and about 20 seconds later, viola. I now have a working mouse.
A couple weeks later, I decide I want to get my game on and install boot camp with our enterprise version of windows 7. I install all the boot camp drivers so windows works with the hardware and then it's time to set the mouse up.
I go to the bluetooth preferences, it finds the mouse and I tell it to add the device.
It does add the device but it does NOT add the driver for it. So I have a system telling me the mouse is installed but it just doesn't work. I guess I am dead on batteries and unaware but this is simply not true.
It takes me 3 days of fiddling with it off and on, a fight with my wife for taking her corded mouse to play TF2 and finally I sit down to work it all out.
There's some super special spot to tell windows to go find the driver for this mouse (when it should do it automaticaly, its a effen microsoft mouse).
If I had to set this mouse up again, I still would take another 3 days doing it...
After I have it working.... i mean, its a mouse... it does it job. It mouses.
It's just so sad that I get a microsoft mouse and have zero problems getting the mac to work with it but have a devil of a time getting windows to make it work.
Customer Review: I recommend a different mouse, especially for mac users.
Summary: 1 Stars
I just bought a new mouse, it's a logitech v220 cordless one; it cost me 1/3rd of the price of this one. The new mouse prompted me to write this review, because it called attention to all of the flaws and problems that my old bluetooth notebook mouse 5000 had.
First of all, I was running the mouse on a macbook pro. I'll list pros and cons below
Pro:
1. nice design
2. nice features
Cons:
1. Microsoft software repeatedly was causing complete system lock-ups. You should not even bother installing it if you're using mac os. I can't speak for other systems.
2. Frequently disconnects from computer and takes a while to reconnect. It sometimes didn't reconnect at all and I was forced to pair it again with the computer.
3. Randomly woke up my computer at night, causing the screen to come back on and wake me up. It got to the point where I either had to turn off the mouse or close the lid on my notebook.
4. Battery life isn't amazing. You can expect a set to last 3 weeks or so. If you go with this mouse, I recommend getting rechargeable batteries and always keeping a set charged. This will save you quite a bit of money in the long-run.
5. Sometimes skipped or became unresponsive in the middle of an activity. I would imagine that someone such as a gamer would stay away from a wireless mouse in the first place, but having this issue while playing a game could be very frustrating.
Overall: I am never buying another microsoft product again. They used to be an excellent company for hardware, but now they just seem to indiscriminately market products that should have stayed on the drawing board. Also, stay away from any bluetrack (it's an alternate technology to laser or pure optical) mice from them. I had to exchange 3 of those before getting this bluetooth mouse. They didn't track on any surface well.
Customer Review: No Complaints for the Money
Summary: 4 Stars
I'm a compulsive wireless mouse buyer. I have twice as many mice as I do computers. This Microsoft Bluetooth mouse is not one of the best I've ever had, but neither is it the worst. In fact, for the price I paid, I can't complain at all.
The best things about the mouse are its light weight, small (even for a laptop mouse) size, and good balance and comfort in your hand. It also responds quite well, although I've noticed some lag when I have both the mouse and a Bluetooth headset connected to my computer at the same time (which may or may not be the mouse's fault).
The worst things about the mouse include the precision of the parts molding and assembly (the side button protrudes a bit from the rest of the mouse, and it snags sometimes on the carrying pouch interior when I'm trying to take the mouse out), and the related less-than-superior quality of the materials. I wouldn't say that the mouse is made from "cheap" materials, but if you compare it to my Logitech Bluetooth laptop mouse--which has served me reliably for more than three years now--there really is no comparison. Of course, the Logitech mouse has considerable more heft to it, so as with everything, there's a trade-off.
I would also add that the scroll wheel movement is sometimes not as free as you might want it--indeed, it almost seems to "catch" on me at times. I kind of like that the scroll wheel has a tight, ratchety-like movement (I'm not a fan, personally, of the too-fluid scroll wheels), but this mouse goes just a little to the extreme for my taste.
As I said at the beginning, however, this is overall an excellent peripheral if you get it in the mid-20 dollar range as I did. The aesthetics are pleasing, and the performance is no less than satisfactory. I should get my money's worth out of it. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this product.
Customer Review: Very solid offering for MacBook owners
Summary: 4 Stars
Overall:
Most of the cons are not enough to outweigh the benefits of having an extra USB port and 4th button. It has handled more drops than I'd reasonably expect out of a laser product. Although not perfect, this is the best Bluetooth mouse I've used.
Pros:
* Portable size.
* Low-battery warning.
* On/Off button.
* Automatic power-saving.
* Simple battery installation.
* Excellent battery life (I average 40+ hours of computer use a week and have changed alkaline batteries (2xAAA) every 1-2 months depending on whether or not I remember to turn it off when not in use).
* Good grip on sides.
* Excellent tracking and gliding on most surfaces.
Cons:
* People with large hands (me) will have to use "claw-style" gripping because of size.
* Not truly ambidextrous because of 4th button position; a 5th button on opposite side would correct this claim and give even more functionality.
* Automatic low-power mode drops connectivity and creates a few-second delay if you type for awhile and switch to mouse. If you use the setup I recommend below, using the right-button will reactivate it without interfering with your work.
* No out-of-box 4th button functionality on macs.
* Pairing is simple, but may be confusing to first-time mac BT users.
* Scroll-wheel is loud.
* On/Off button is kinda small for my big fingers, but manageable.
* Scroll-wheel click can be a little too easy to activate when scrolling.
Note: I use USB Overdrive X to handle this mouse on a mac.
Recommended/used global settings (you can have application-specific profiles):
Left: Click.
Right: Ctrl (allows right-click on chord, easy screen-zoom with wheel)
Middle: MiddleClick.
Fourth: F9 (for Expose All Windows functionality).