$70 Cordless Notebook Mouse with No Scroll Wheel

superfloungmous writes "CoolTechZone.com has reviewed Logitech's latest V500 Cordless Notebook Mouse that uses 2.4GHz wireless technology to transmit signal and has a scroll panel instead of a scroll wheel. The concept behind a scroll wheel is you simply move your finger in up, down, left and right directions to use the function. The mouse has a whopping $70.00 price tag as well. Could this be the end of scroll wheels? Here's a quote from the review, "One of the unique things about the V500 is its scroll panel, and this is the very first mouse to actually use this concept. Throughout our testing, we are nothing but impressed with Logitech's new idea. It worked perfectly, and it's actually better than a scroll wheel in many instances. It looks like the era of scroll wheels is short-lived if Logitech applies the same design to its desktop equivalent products."

Comments

small nit to pick

[justforaday]

One of the unique things about the V500 is its scroll panel, and this is the very first mouse to actually use this concept.

Kensington's been making a mouse with a touch panel in place of a scroll wheel for well over 2 years now. Admittedly it only does the up/down thing (no side to side action). Either way, 70 bucks is still way too much for a mouse of any kind as far as I'm concerned...

Re:small nit to pick

[dustbin]

In addition to Kensington's product that came out in '02, there was at least a prototype displayed at CES a few years before that by Fujitsu. Never saw it for sale in the states, but it looked like production plastics, so it was probably available in Japan.

The interesting point about the Logitech design is their best ergonomic feature isn't being noticed - it isn't even called out by Logitech. The very small sensor they're using lets them push the sensor way up to the front of the mouse. It's long been known that the mice "feel" more responsive the closer you get the sensor to a point midway between the fingertips that are guiding the mouse. Most sensors have been too big to fit up there, so they're positioned farther back, where they don't move as far as the fingertips do.

Real ergonomics is too subtle for marketing, I guess. Maybe it's because the "ball forward" concept was originally used to promote the Microsoft Dove Bar mouse http://www.ideo.com/portfolio/re.asp?x=12328 and the standard Apple ergonomic mouse of the ~90s.

Miserable editing

[nganju]

The concept behind a scroll wheel is you simply move your finger in up, down, left and right directions to use the function.

I think you mean scroll panel, not scroll wheel. Does anyone even read these before posting them?

Tactile feedback

[guyfromindia]

One think I like about scroll wheels is the tactile feedback.. (bumps when you roll the wheel)
It gives me a perspective on how much I am scrolling.
without it, I am not sure it will be a good experience..

No middle click!

[thule]

Since there is no way to press down on that panel, that means there is no middle click for us X users out there. That middle click turns into the command for left scroll.

Other than that, the mouse is pretty nice. No moving parts except for the right/left buttons. When the mouse is in off mode, the right/left buttons dis-engage.

Re:2.4 GHz

[Jeff DeMaagd]

The thing that bugs me is that it isn't Bluetooth. Bluetooth is 2.4GHz too, but it seems to coexist fine with WiFi, and will work with many more recievers than just the one in the package. I keep a Bluetooth mouse with my laptop, in part because my laptop has an integrated bluetooth reciever.

A proprietary USB dongle just means something more to break off, more potential wear on the USB ports and such.