grabby mouse pad

[holt]

My mouse pad is getting older and grabby. What if I spray it with -say- silicon spray?

[holt]

I'm not sure about it but it might be caused due to the dust beneath the mouse.
As for the mousepads, its layers peel off so there won't be any options for restoring them.

Thank you Swift Man. I found mention of safe food grade silicon, but I've reacted so badly to so much 'safe' stuff, I ordered a new pad; blue raindrops, my fav.

[IainB]

I suspect this mousepad (or maybe it's the mouse?) can't be fixed easily.
There's a similar problem I've noticed in some 15 year-old (or so) European cars like BMW or VW - which have always tended to use a lot of synthetic plastics (as opposed to say, ordinary rubber) on the outer coating of some rubber/plastic-coated controls/knobs in the passenger compartment. What seems to happen with them is that the outer coating (goodness knows what it is made of) of the control/knob starts to chemically break down. First it becomes slightly tacky to the touch, and then it becomes progressively more tacky to the point where some of the surface material sticks to your skin when you touch it, and it sort of spreads around. It can be removed from the fingers with white spirit, but if you try white spirit on the actual knob/control, then it seems to make the problem even worse for a while until the white spirit has evaporated and the whole substrate melts a bit and becomes gooey.
I've tried all sorts - e.g., including plastic/vinyl cleaner (is usually silicone-based), soap and water, hydrogen peroxide, salt solution, sodium bicarbonate (the main ingredient of baking soda) solution, white spirit, methylated spirit, isopropyl alcohol, gasoline (petroleum) - and they variously have either no effect or make matters worse. I have not yet found anything that sets the tacky surface hard(er)/less tacky.
The only solution so far is thus to replace the part, or (say) apply talcum powder to the the surface of the part. Yes, the latter is a kludge, but it reduces the tackiness and could be a useful temporary workaround - works on babies' bottoms too! 

Actually, thinking of babies' bottoms, I haven't tried paraffin oil on these knobs/controls, but that might make the surface smoother/slicker. On the other hand, paraffin (kerosine) is a petroleum product, so it might make it tackier. Either way, paraffinum liquidum (paraffin oil) is non-toxic/harmless (non-allergenic) - it's a tried-and-tested main ingredient in baby oil and is safe for use on babies bottoms (e.g., where there may be nappy rash) and is apparently a main ingredient in many commercially available skin cremes/oils and vaginal/anal lubricants also (it doesn't harm sensitive mucous membranes).
I hasten to add that my only experience with its use is as a generic baby oil and in the form of a herbal skin oil recommended by a doctor, and which bears the brand name Bio Oil:

Bio Oil: Looks like the base is liquid paraffin, which has been safely used for donkey's years. Manufacturer is Union Swiss (Pty) Ltd. (South Africa). Contents of Bio Oil: * Paraffinum Liquidum, * Triisononanoin, * Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, * Isopropyl Myristate, * Retinyl Palmitate, * Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, * Tocopheryl Acetate, * Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, * Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, * Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, * Calendula Officinalis Extract, * Glycine Soja Oil, * BHT, * Bisabolol, Parfum, * Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, * Amyl Cinnamal, * Benzyl Salicylate, * Citronellol, Coumarin, * Eugenol, * Farnesol, * Geraniol, * Hydroxycitronellal, * Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, * Limonene, * Linalool, * CI 26100 _________ Per: https://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/BioOil/69172011 _________ See also: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_paraffin_(drug)

[holt]

I suspect this mousepad (or maybe it's the mouse?) can't be fixed easily.
There's a similar problem I've noticed in some 15 year-old (or so) European cars like BMW or VW - which have always tended to use a lot of synthetic plastics (as opposed to say, ordinary rubber) on the outer coating of some rubber/plastic-coated controls/knobs in the passenger compartment. What seems to happen with them is that the outer coating (goodness knows what it is made of) of the control/knob starts to chemically break down. First it becomes slightly tacky to the touch, and then it becomes progressively more tacky to the point where some of the surface material sticks to your skin when you touch it, and it sort of spreads around. It can be removed from the fingers with white spirit, but if you try white spirit on the actual knob/control, then it seems to make the problem even worse for a while until the white spirit has evaporated and the whole substrate melts a bit and becomes gooey.
I've tried all sorts - e.g., including plastic/vinyl cleaner (is usually silicone-based), soap and water, hydrogen peroxide, salt solution, sodium bicarbonate (the main ingredient of baking soda) solution, white spirit, methylated spirit, isopropyl alcohol, gasoline (petroleum) - and they variously have either no effect or make matters worse. I have not yet found anything that sets the tacky surface hard(er)/less tacky.
The only solution so far is thus to replace the part, or (say) apply talcum powder to the the surface of the part. Yes, the latter is a kludge, but it reduces the tackiness and could be a useful temporary workaround - works on babies' bottoms too! 

Actually, thinking of babies' bottoms, I haven't tried paraffin oil on these knobs/controls, but that might make the surface smoother/slicker. On the other hand, paraffin (kerosine) is a petroleum product, so it might make it tackier. Either way, paraffinum liquidum (paraffin oil) is non-toxic/harmless (non-allergenic) - it's a tried-and-tested main ingredient in baby oil and is safe for use on babies bottoms (e.g., where there may be nappy rash) and is apparently a main ingredient in many commercially available skin cremes/oils and vaginal/anal lubricants also (it doesn't harm sensitive mucous membranes).
I hasten to add that my only experience with its use is as a generic baby oil and in the form of a herbal skin oil recommended by a doctor, and which bears the brand name Bio Oil:

Bio Oil: Looks like the base is liquid paraffin, which has been safely used for donkey's years. Manufacturer is Union Swiss (Pty) Ltd. (South Africa). Contents of Bio Oil: * Paraffinum Liquidum, * Triisononanoin, * Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, * Isopropyl Myristate, * Retinyl Palmitate, * Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, * Tocopheryl Acetate, * Anthemis Nobilis Flower Oil, * Lavandula Angustifolia Oil, * Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Oil, * Calendula Officinalis Extract, * Glycine Soja Oil, * BHT, * Bisabolol, Parfum, * Alpha-Isomethyl Ionone, * Amyl Cinnamal, * Benzyl Salicylate, * Citronellol, Coumarin, * Eugenol, * Farnesol, * Geraniol, * Hydroxycitronellal, * Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, * Limonene, * Linalool, * CI 26100 _________ Per: https://www.ocado.com/webshop/product/BioOil/69172011 _________ See also: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_paraffin_(drug)

I found this (and it looks like it is safer to replace than to attempt to restore): Conservation and restoration of plastic objects

[holt]

I have tripped over my wired mouse cable - again. My foot-propelled laptop almost became airborne. No harm done this time, but I need a good wireless mouse with a new-type self-charging base. I have Windows 10 with an HP laptop that rests on the coffee table in front of me, but I like to lean back on the couch, and run the mouse back and forth on the couch cushion beside me where I sit. Do I have to always use a charging pad? Any suggestions up to about $35 would be most greatly appreciated.

[Shades]

Good wireless mouses can become expensive quickly. Logitech has a very good new model, which reacts excellently (practically as good as a wired decent gaming mouse) and has excellent battery-life. But at more than 150 USD it sure has to be.

If (cheaper) wireless mouses are just as good as their keyboard counterparts, you will be hating them more quickly than you would think.

Perhaps a small explanation is in order: It is hard to get off-the-shelf English layout keyboards here in Paraguay. So imagine my happiness when I did find one, a wireless one with 84-key layout. It was almost 50 USD, the keys feel good to the touch, the device as a whole feels solid and it doesn't consume much battery. But I also needed to add bluetooth functionality to my desktop, so I had to spend almost 45 USD on a bluetooth dongle as well. Sounds all reasonably ok, right?

I hate that wireless keyboard! For some reason it turns itself into battery save mode or something like that. It just gets unresponsive at random intervals. Even bought another, even more expensive, bluetooth dongle to see if that made a difference, but alas. This whole wireless keyboard thingie set me back close to 150 USD and I still need to continue working with a Logitech (wired) keyboard that has a Spanish layout. And I seriously dislike any keyboard that does not have a US layout.

The cheap bluetooth devices are mostly promise, but more often than not fail to deliver and then you'll regret the purchase quickly. Bluetooth is in my experience a very poor substitute for anything wired, be it keyboards, mouses or audio. The slowness in pairing bluetooth devices is just adding insult to injury, in my opinion.

[holt]

Good wireless mouses can become expensive quickly. Logitech has a very good new model, which reacts excellently (practically as good as a wired decent gaming mouse) and has excellent battery-life. But at more than 150 USD it sure has to be.

If (cheaper) wireless mouses are just as good as their keyboard counterparts, you will be hating them more quickly than you would think.

Perhaps a small explanation is in order: It is hard to get off-the-shelf English layout keyboards here in Paraguay. So imagine my happiness when I did find one, a wireless one with 84-key layout. It was almost 50 USD, the keys feel good to the touch, the device as a whole feels solid and it doesn't consume much battery. But I also needed to add bluetooth functionality to my desktop, so I had to spend almost 45 USD on a bluetooth dongle as well. Sounds all reasonably ok, right?

I hate that wireless keyboard! For some reason it turns itself into battery save mode or something like that. It just gets unresponsive at random intervals. Even bought another, even more expensive, bluetooth dongle to see if that made a difference, but alas. This whole wireless keyboard thingie set me back close to 150 USD and I still need to continue working with a Logitech (wired) keyboard that has a Spanish layout. And I seriously dislike any keyboard that does not have a US layout.

The cheap bluetooth devices are mostly promise, but more often than not fail to deliver and then you'll regret the purchase quickly. Bluetooth is in my experience a very poor substitute for anything wired, be it keyboards, mouses or audio. The slowness in pairing bluetooth devices is just adding insult to injury, in my opinion.

I see what you mean. I've had bad experiences with Logitech; too flimsy, and way too much unnecessary PUP type programming that is near impossible to clean uninstall. I've had one go permanently bonkers after dropping it a mere handspan onto thick carpeting. Never tried bluetooth; prices scared me off, so thanks for the headsup. 

I think if I added an extra-short USB cable to the mouse cable, between the laptop port and mouse cable, it could pop apart at any angle more easily and help prevent damage. Here is a one foot (one-third meter) cable; shorter would be even better if anyone can send a link.

[holt]

Which wireless headphone would you choose? It would need to have a USB connector for use with a laptop. Also to charge faster and have longer battery playback time.

[wraith808]

You mean from the ones at your link?  Or just in general (just trying to relate the link to the question)

[holt]

You mean from the ones at your link?  Or just in general (just trying to relate the link to the question)

I guess I kind of really meant just in general, with no more than a $50 limit. I'm not really keen on Logitech though; way too much PUP over-programming, difficult to clean uninstall (especially if all I want is to reinstall clean), and so flimsy I actually killed a mouse by dropping it only one foot onto padded carpet.

[Shades]

Personally, I have had excellent experiences headphones from the brand Sennheiser. But those are hard to get here, and that was years ago. Sony's mid-tier or better headphones are good too.

For myself, I would get a model goes over the ears, not on or in your ears. It's a comfort thing, especially when you plan to wear them for longer periods in the confinements of your home. Noise-canceling is also a 'nice to have'. And if you treat it well, it will last you a long time, so some extra costs are acceptable.

From the brands, easily available here in Paraguay, Kolke is a generic brand with all kinds of peripherals in their assortment, including some very decent headphones. I am listening to music with this one right now. For the 30 USD I paid for it, it sounds amazing. Although it has quite some features, I really only use it connected by a 3.5 inch jack to my computer. It also has BT, a slot for a memory card (with music) and a FM radio built-in. But I wasn't at all interested in those features, I tried it in the store and was sold immediately.

But, as always, your mileage may vary.

[wraith808]

Personally, I have had excellent experiences headphones from the brand Sennheiser. But those are hard to get here, and that was years ago. Sony's mid-tier or better headphones are good too.

That is the brand that I'm currently using, and they're readily available on Amazon.

[Shades]

While that is certainly true, it is abit of a problem getting anything through customs here in PY. Last time I bought a Yamaha soundbar for under the TV. A simple one, costing 130 USD on Amazon. Shipping it to PY requires a 3rd party and they slapped 25 USD on it to get it into PY customs (4 week after purchase, I must add). Then PY customs took a week to process the parcel and slapped a 100 USD on top of all this. No joke, PY customs must be  one of the most corrupt bunch of a..holes there is.

They define that charge on what they think it is worth. You can show them the bill, but that doesn't matter one iota. You sure hope no-one in the family of the custom personnel that checks your parcel is sick, or in need of a new school uniform, go to the dentist, has a problem with his/her car etc. Which is why there is only little import going on in Paraguay. It is way too expensive and very slow. Buying physical goods from anywhere outside PY, it is ill advised.

While buying stuff and importing it into the country where you live, will probably slow and costly as well. But not nearly as bad as it is here. Companies like Amazon/NewEgg/Ebay work great when you live in the US. I understand that it is now very common in the US to order practically anything on-line. Combine that with free shipping and you quickly develop a distorted view of how things work when you venture out of the border of the US. Western Europe isn't too different, but it goes downhill fast, even when residing in a 2nd world country, let alone a 3rd world country.