Author Topic: Pet Peeve: I will never buy a rechargeable mouse again for as long as i live (Read 43308 times)

mouser · « **on:** November 04, 2007, 06:44 AM »

You'd think I would have learned my lesson the first time, but somehow I wasn't careful enough in reading descriptions and bought another rechargeable mouse.

Big mistake.

I never remember to put it in its charging base until it runs out of power, requiring me to go connect another corded mouse while it charges. Plus when i put it in its recharging cradle most of the time now it doesn't quite get the connection it needs so i have to sit there fiddling with it for 10 seconds trying to shift it around until it makes good contact. what a pain.

Seriously, never again. Battery powered mouse is 100x better and doesn't eat so much power as to make buying batteries a concern to me.

Consider this a warning to all those of you who haven't yet experienced a rechargeable mouse and might buy one by mistake -- read the descriptions carefully before ordering.

ps. ok you messed up criminally insane rechargeable-loving freaks can post your replies now telling me how wrong i am. $:-\$

Darwin · « **Reply #1 on:** November 04, 2007, 07:04 AM »

I have the solution, mouser-sen! Use rechargeable batteries in a battery powered mouse! Best of both worlds. This is what I do and I've had to recharge the rechargeables (being ahead of the curve, I have an extra set of rechargeables so just swap them and keep on working) twice in two and a half years. Ditto for the keyboard. Crazy.

I dunno, just thought this might placate the criminally insane rechargeable types!

PS I realize this doesn't help you with your current situation. I've been there. I feel your pain.

mouser · « **Reply #2 on:** November 04, 2007, 07:20 AM »

Thanks for reminding me of a point i wanted to make!:

If you want to use rechargeable power in a mouse -- by a battery powered mouse and use rechargeable batteries just like Darwin says!!! Then there is no waiting time while the batteries charge since you can do that offline, and you can always use regular batteries in an emergency, and you can always buy new rechargeable batteries when they stop holding a charge.

nudone · « **Reply #3 on:** November 04, 2007, 07:25 AM »

solution. don't use a wireless mouse at all. whenever i have to use someone's wireless mouse i'm kind of surprised why anyone would want to shove that weight around.

long live cables - and the very lightweight mice that are attached to them.

Darwin · « **Reply #4 on:** November 04, 2007, 07:30 AM »

Funny, Nick, I find the extra weight makes the mouse more... ergonomic? I like the heft of a wireless mouse. I don't know if I'd like it in one of those "portable" versions for notebooks that are available, but I've tried a couple of times to go back to my old, corded Intellimouse and it just feels flimsy and "cheap" now. The other advantage of a cordless is that you never have to worry about kinks in the cord or objects on your (physical) desktop snagging it. Of course, this reduces the incentive to keep an orderly workspace, so maybe it's not a good thing after all!

mouser · « **Reply #5 on:** November 04, 2007, 07:34 AM »

i am very easily frustrated -- getting rid of the wires and eliminating the periodic fight with the cable pulling back on me was a big win. no more wired mice for me.

nudone · « **Reply #6 on:** November 04, 2007, 07:51 AM »

well, yes, i have to agree that you just get used to whatever you use, Darwin.

as for cable snagging, mouser, that just sounds like you've not made any effort to put your cables in a place where they don't snag.

my mouse can easily travel over a horizontal and vertical distance of about 30 or 40 inches. this is without cable snagging or pulling. maybe it's because there is sufficient cable and it's laid out above the mouse in a bit of an 'S' shape. the only way i can imagine this layout snagging is if i started to rotate the mouse around and thereby twist the cable.

one other important part is that the cable is clipped to the top of the desk - this makes sure that the only part of the cable that moves is the part that actually rests on top the table, i.e. the bit that is directly above the mouse. the part of the cable that hangs down never moves.

okay, i am now officially a cable mouse bore.

Darwin · « **Reply #7 on:** November 04, 2007, 07:59 AM »

okay, i am now officially a cable mouse bore.

And I am a wireless mouse bore. I'm renowned for being a lot of fun at parties - people like to wind me up on this subject and watch the fireworks. Good fun

nudone · « **Reply #8 on:** November 04, 2007, 08:01 AM »

not only am i a cable mouse bore - i am also bored.

so here are photos of my mouse cable and the clip i spoke of.

oh yes, and look at the size of my mouse mat. i'd have to pay about $30 for something that size but i just stuck a few together that cost about a $1 each.

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** November 04, 2007, 08:14 AM »

am i the only one who thinks we need to chip in and get nudone a hi-res artist mouse?

Gothi[c] · « **Reply #10 on:** November 04, 2007, 08:21 AM »

Don't feel alone nudone,

I feel exactly the same way, I refuse to use any wireless mice. Not only have I experienced the battery drama with them, but I also have had one which received interference from other devices... Actually my wacom tablet is the same. If I put my joystick close to my wacom tablet, my mouse starts to move by itself!

I'll stick with cables. The cable is never in my way either, you just have to make sure it's long enough and that you have it laid out well

nudone · « **Reply #11 on:** November 04, 2007, 08:27 AM »

thanks for suggesting such a thing, mouser, but i'm really happy with the mouse i've got (and its cable). it's my trusty 8 button mouse friend that never lets me down.

i'm glad to hear that Gothi[c] hasn't succumb to the fad of the wireless warriors.

Darwin · « **Reply #12 on:** November 04, 2007, 08:36 AM »

Resistance is futile, Nick. You will be assimilated.

Renegade · « **Reply #13 on:** November 04, 2007, 08:51 AM »

I can certainly understand the desire to get rid of wires...

Pet Peeve: I will never buy a rechargeable mouse again for as long as i live

No matter what I do, there are just too many things that need wires...

Camera
Phone
Video Camera (I don't even use the darn thing!)
USB Audio Device
Mixer
Wireless Router Switch (That I don't use for wireless because it's just too annoying and slow)
Microphones (2)
Another USB Audio Device
Speakers
Subwoofer
Converter for 220v to 110v
Printer
2 computers (1 is in the shop being fixed at the moment...)
2 monitors
MP3 player
Extra audio jack to switch speakers between computers because device immediately below doesn't do it

KVM
Etc. etc. etc...

I would LOVE to get rid of all those wires...

Then again, I've tried some wireless stuff before and didn't like it - too fickle and not responsive enough. What was that about 22?

Darwin · « **Reply #14 on:** November 04, 2007, 09:07 AM »

I have it at about 20... but your description is certainly familiar to me. Modern home offices are mazes of wires and the greatest stress of modern life has got to be trying to untangle and make sense of them! Hate them, hate them, hate them... Everything that one does today requires two or three cords and a dongle. Necessary evil, I guess. I'd go bluetooth but I'm not overly fussed by it, either! Why? Because right now manufacturers are charging a premium - often big premiums - for bluetooth devices and I'm sick of buying new hardware (and the need to run software to manage my bluetooth connection in the background doesn't thrill me either. I just managed to get rid of my wired keyboard, for instance, and I've three wired mice gathering dust. Can't afford to change over hardware yet again, either.

cranioscopical · « **Reply #15 on:** November 04, 2007, 09:10 AM »

Got the mouse thing solved!

Edit: But not the posting thing!!

edit by jgpaiva: fixed the image for you, chris

Darwin · « **Reply #16 on:** November 04, 2007, 09:11 AM »

You missed a golden opportunity there, Chris: you've got the mouse thing "wired"

nudone · « **Reply #17 on:** November 04, 2007, 09:53 AM »

hey, that clockwork mouse isn't such a bad idea. why not have a wireless mouse that recharges itself via the motion you put it through - yes, that's right, using a ball underneath it connected to a dynamo (or whatever).

or like those windup flash lights - have a squeezy type mechanism that you can squeeze a few times to put some power back in.

AND connect the dynamo thingy up to the mouse buttons as well.

Darwin · « **Reply #18 on:** November 04, 2007, 10:48 AM »

Nice idea, Nick - a Kinetic mouse a la Seiko's Kinetic watch.

Nighted · « **Reply #19 on:** November 04, 2007, 11:05 AM »

I agree with Mouser about the rechargeable annoyance. Many times I too have had to plug in my wired mouse because I forgot to charge the @#$%ing thing or the batteries ran out. I had an expensive Logitech MX 1000...one day I just put the thing on the floor and jumped on it.

I bought a Microsoft Wireless Laser Mouse about 2 months ago, hooked everything up, put the batteries in....it's still working fine today on those 2 AA batteries (to my astonishment).

cranioscopical · « **Reply #20 on:** November 04, 2007, 11:10 AM »

hey, that clockwork mouse isn't such a bad idea. why not have a wireless mouse that recharges itself via the motion you put it through - yes, that's right, using a ball underneath it connected to a dynamo (or whatever).
-nudone (November 04, 2007, 09:53 AM)

Some mice now use that dirty great flywheel of sorts for scrolling... so you're right, harness the energy!

You missed a golden opportunity there, Chris: you've got the mouse thing "wired"
-Darwin (November 04, 2007, 09:11 AM)

You and I both know that the only opportunity I missed was to avoid posting more nonsense

edit by jgpaiva: fixed the image for you, chris

Thank you kindly!

Darwin · « **Reply #21 on:** November 04, 2007, 11:22 AM »

You and I both know that the only opportunity I missed was to avoid posting more nonsense

Ouch! Touché!

lanux128 · « **Reply #22 on:** November 04, 2007, 09:48 PM »

repeat to fade.. wireless mice are evil!

Deozaan · « **Reply #23 on:** November 04, 2007, 10:10 PM »

I bought a rechargeable Logitech Wireless MX1000 mouse a couple years ago. I've had problems with the mouse jumping around the screen or not responding to movement. Contacted tech support and they said it the receiver needs to be 1 foot away from electrical equipment. Excuse me? A mouse that needs to be away from electrical devices?

I've had the mouse die on my a few times while in use, but to be honest it hasn't happened in a while because I hardly use the thing. I much prefer my trackball as it requires less desktop space and doesn't hurt my wrist.

If I were to get another wireless mouse in the future, I think I'd go for the rechargeable AA batteries option.

wreckedcarzz · « **Reply #24 on:** November 04, 2007, 10:35 PM »

I have the solution, mouser-sen! Use rechargeable batteries in a battery powered mouse! Best of both worlds. This is what I do and I've had to recharge the rechargeables (being ahead of the curve, I have an extra set of rechargeables so just swap them and keep on working) twice in two and a half years. Ditto for the keyboard. Crazy.
-Darwin (November 04, 2007, 07:04 AM)

I have been doing the same thing for about 6 months now. But then the rechargables sometimes lose a charge or sometimes I am charging them and the ones in the mouse die (usually during a game or something else "important"

) so then I have to run to get normal AAA's...

I am waiting for wireless power. That will be the day.

EDIT: My current mouse (Micro Innovations Wireless Optical Mouse PD950P- try saying that 3 times backwards) takes 2 AAA's; its that small. And it still dies like once a week!