Smart Mouse with E-Mail and IM Alerts

lilrock writes "CoolTechZone.com takes a look at the world's first smart mouse from Logitech, the MX610, that has e-mail and IM alert buttons. It also has auto turn on/off functionality as well. According to the article, 'All these standard features aside, what has us impressed are the e-mail and IM notification buttons. Though the idea behind them is simple, it's interesting how Logitech comes up with such exclusive features. Basically, you will have to configure the indicators to alert you when you receive an e-mail and/or an IM message from the person of your choice. The buttons will alert you by lighting up, and lead you directly to the message once you press them.' " Because I for one am constantly staring at my mouse when I have a gigantic monitor right in front of me. Cough.

Comments

Handy with a screen-saver

[delphi125]

Perhaps some people use screen-savers, but would still like to have a visible indicator of when e-mail arrives?

Re:Handy with a screen-saver

[aussie_a]

Actually (despite the unethicality of IMing at work when not allowed) you bring up a good point. People who play games often don't see the IM window (and having those pop-ups for everyone is annoying when trying to play a game). But if you get IM'd specifically by a person you want to talk with, you can stop the game.

Having said that, it would make more sense for IM programs to add this functionality. A mouse is reaching a bit.

Spam?

[A beautiful mind]

Why is someone spamming from CoolTechZone.com and gets accepted?

The last two stories from CTZ were probably posted by the same user under different names, but what is common in both users is that they both specified http://slashdot.org/ as url (when clicking on their nicks). I don't think it's too far fetched to assume that someone is spamming with the intention to post inflammatory/poorly written stories to /. to drive ad revenue, apart from the editors of course.

Yuck

[beforewisdom]

Am I the only who dosen't want email or IM alerts?

This is stupid

[Megane]

How many of you have keyboards with E-mail buttons and LEDs? How many of you actually have the driver installed that makes them work? How many of you aren't even using Windows and couldn't install the driver if you wanted to? The only special button on the keyboard I have hooked up to a Windows box that works is the stupid suspend button, which I would never use, but it does get hit by accident sometimes.

Yeah, the extra buttons on those common-as-dirt Compaq USB keyboards sure are useful when plugged into an OS X box. And now your hand will be between you and the lights most of the time. Oh yeah, and this will be real useful for left-handed mouse users.