Yay! Cordless mice!

[Robert Walper]

I have the Logitech MX500 Optical mouse (with a cord). The old mouse balls were always my problem. I've never had a problem with a mouse cord. I've used a cordless mouse, and the batteries are mostly defintely a problem. You have to replace them regularily, and it's a pain in the ass. You might have forgotten to have a fresh set ready, you could be in the middle of something important when it dies (like fragging a online buddy *cough* Alyeska )

[Batman]

The old mouse balls were always my problem.

Which is a problem with ball mice, not cordless ones.

I've never had a problem with a mouse cord.

You're neither left-handed nor have worked in IT support then, I take it.

I've used a cordless mouse, and the batteries are mostly defintely a problem. You have to replace them regularily, and it's a pain in the ass

The problem is you not getting a cordless mouse that will
a) use rechargeables and
b) come with a recharging base station.

[Slartibartfast]

The old mouse balls were always my problem.

Which is a problem with ball mice, not cordless ones.

I think that's his point.

I've never had a problem with a mouse cord.

You're neither left-handed nor have worked in IT support then, I take it.

Last time I checked, most corded mice have the cord right in the middle

I've used a cordless mouse, and the batteries are mostly defintely a problem. You have to replace them regularily, and it's a pain in the ass

The problem is you not getting a cordless mouse that will
a) use rechargeables and

That still counts as "replacing" them. You take them out, recharge and then replace them.

b) come with a recharging base station.

Still, downtime.
How does any of that disprove that it's a pain in the ass?

[Karza]

Cordless mice and I just don't mix (I hate hate hate messing around with batteries). My One True Love is the Logitech MX310. Precise, fits my hand perfectly and doesn't need to be cleaned every half an hour.

[Batman]

You're neither left-handed nor have worked in IT support then, I take it.

Last time I checked, most corded mice have the cord right in the middle

Ha ha. The problem is cord length. When the mouse is to the left of the keyboard and the PC is to the right, you know. Or the PC is below the desk. Preferraby far enough away for you not to bounce your knees into it. Let's add really deep office desks...

The problem is you not getting a cordless mouse that will
a) use rechargeables and

That still counts as "replacing" them. You take them out, recharge and then replace them.

Wrong. See below.

b) come with a recharging base station.

Still, downtime.

So? Does your PC run 24/7? No? Then how 'bout you do what I do, i.e. put the mouse in the cradle and let it recharge overnight? Ta-da. No taking them out required.

How does any of that disprove that it's a pain in the ass?

If putting the mouse in its cradle overnight counts a s a pain in the ass for you

[namdoolb]

Well, I used to run a Logitech cordless trackball until it died on me a couple of months ago, and I was forced to replace it with a microsoft trackball (not cordless). Can't gripe though, the thing did give me 3+ years of faithful service, and if I could have found another one the same in the shops I would have bought it again, no questions asked.

People are talking about battery replacement and recharging like it's some kind of a chore.... even using rechargeables this thing would go for weeks at a time on a single AA battery, On the rare occasions I used regular batteries it lasted for months on those. And it worked perfectly almost ten feet away from the reciever.

But sadly it was one of those funky right handed trackballs that put the ball under your thumb, and nobody seems to make those anymore. Which is a damn shame since 6+ years of using that style of trackball has completely acclimatised me to them.

But I stand by my cordless. It is to date the best £50 I've ever spent on a computer peripheral.

[Slartibartfast]

You're neither left-handed nor have worked in IT support then, I take it.

Last time I checked, most corded mice have the cord right in the middle

Ha ha. The problem is cord length. When the mouse is to the left of the keyboard and the PC is to the right, you know. Or the PC is below the desk. Preferraby far enough away for you not to bounce your knees into it. Let's add really deep office desks...

The only reason I put my PC on my right is because I'm right handed. At the office, most PCs were at either side, a lot of right-handed people had it at their left because they liked having the mouse in front of the keyboard facing right. And at home, I put it on TOP of my desk, so the cable has enough length to go around my monitor three times if it had to.

[phongn]

But sadly it was one of those funky right handed trackballs that put the ball under your thumb, and nobody seems to make those anymore. Which is a damn shame since 6+ years of using that style of trackball has completely acclimatised me to them.

Both Logitech and Microsoft have trackballs in that style.

[namdoolb]

Both Logitech and Microsoft have trackballs in that style.

All the retailers I checked out stocked mainly mice, and the all the trackballs were ones with the ball inbetween the two buttons (which are frankly crap from an ergonomic standpoint (personal experience ofc)).

The last place I looked had a microsoft trackball, which wasn't cordless, but was good enough. Cordless isn't as big of an issue on the trackballs anyway.

I probably could have picked one up online, but I didn't much fancy buying a cheapo mouse to tide me over, then buying a trackball + P&P just to get a cordless one.

Guess I just don't have any quality retailers in my area.... That and the logitech didn't give me any warning it was about to die on me.

But that style of trackball has become a lot harder to find in the last couple of years.