Full of Great Ideas. When Stuff is Cool, I get excited. , August 24, 2006
Installation is a breeze. Plug in the charger. Turn on the mini switch on the back of the mouse. Pop the USB receiver into a USB port. (It is so tiny; it is the size of 2 USB plugs altogether.) then use the auto install on the CD. Then shut down, remove your old mouse, and reboot. Done. By the way, the lithium battery had a sufficient charge...read full review
Installation is a breeze. Plug in the charger. Turn on the mini switch on the back of the mouse. Pop the USB receiver into a USB port. (It is so tiny; it is the size of 2 USB plugs altogether.) then use the auto install on the CD. Then shut down, remove your old mouse, and reboot. Done. By the way, the lithium battery had a sufficient charge right out of the box. You're up and running in a couple of minutes.
You don't need a mouse pad. Right away I put it to the test. You know the frustration you feel when a mouse doesn't work, restricting you to the mouse pad. Not this one. I tried it on a gloss lacquer finish maple desktop table, it worked great. Then I said, "Aha, I will put it on the perfectly clear, see through plastic, it came in", and it read perfectly again. You could do microsurgery with this thing, using it on clear plastic, your pants, your legs, or whatever. No movement is too fine, no matter what surface you use it on.
The scroll wheel has a special feature, it tilts right and left. That is a whole new set of choices. You can custom set the features yourself in the Set Point software. You can set up this whole mouse to your specifications, and it is an intuitive menu for doing so. For scrolling at hyper speed, I set "Cruise down" and "Cruise up" at 40%. With a gentle tilt, you are rapidly moving up and down the page, able to stop anywhere. At 100% the page is flying by you. I love hyper speed at 40%. The bottom line is their is no having to scroll the wheel like crazy to get down to the bottom of a long page. It even has an autosensing feature that automatically adjusts the speed to the size of the page. In addition to the tilt is the standard scroll wheel function, but now with 2 speeds, normal and extra fine, by simply pressing down on the wheel, to toggle between the two.
You have presentation flexibility because the mini USB receiver is good up to 12 feet away, even though it had to go through my couch to get to me.
This thing rocks. It's got a topside mini search button that you set up with your favorite search engine. All you do is highlight a word, or phrase, hit the search button and you're there. (HUGE time savings.) Great for learning software; you've got the book, you've got the help file, but you need more. Highlight the topic, one button, and instantly their is a page full of help called Google. (for example)
The document scroll feature is cool enough to deserve its own scroll wheel on the side, which it has. If you're working between two or more programs, or documents, a quick push on the scroll wheel, up comes a box with all the running applications/docs right under your mouse cursor. Then, the tiniest movement brings up your program. Way faster than using the task bar.
The design is something right out of Star Trek. Finally, someone built a mouse with tons of features and the buttons don't get in the way. The top of the mouse doesn't have a left and right click panel, instead the complete top flexes on each side of a slit, in the front middle. So it is an arch that is flexing. It has a Frank Lloyd Wright feeling to it. It works perfectly, very sensitive. I guess you can tell, I love this mouse.
I have been using Logitech keyboards and mice on my machines for quite some time. This thing is a technological breakthrough in sensitivity, intelligent design right down to how they wrap the CD, and I have to admit, beauty. You should see it. Whether it is sitting on the charger, or on your desktop, it's beautiful.
I'd like to say it is a toy, but it is a very serious business tool that makes your work more efficient, and exact. This is the way mice should have been made all along. The only thing wrong with it is you won't be happy with your old mouse anymore. I should get one for every machine. Highly recommended.
PS: This thing is intelligently wrapped. You can be sure that in a UPS (Unbelievably Pulverized Shipment) :-) it won't be flopping around in the box. To remove it once it arrives, do as the instructions tell you, and press on the mouse "On the logo" and it pops right out. The mini receiver pops out just as well.
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Nice Mouse for Mac Users Too, August 31, 2006
Opening the Box
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One of the hardest products to actually get out of its packaging I've come across. The package designers have obviously studied Apple's sleek look, but even getting the install disk unstuck from the underside of the interior box took more effort than it should!
Installing the Software (MAC...read full review
Opening the Box
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One of the hardest products to actually get out of its packaging I've come across. The package designers have obviously studied Apple's sleek look, but even getting the install disk unstuck from the underside of the interior box took more effort than it should!
Installing the Software (MAC users pay attention!)
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The install disk is Windows only, so I had to hunt through the documentation for how one obtains the Mac version of Logitech's "SetPoint" software. It's on the upper left of page 3 in 4 point type, so if you don't have eagle-eye vision, you may need to get someone to read the URL to you. Unfortunately, that URL isn't going to help you, 'cause it doesn't work. Instead, you have to go to Logitech's web site, click the "downloads" menu and navigate through a series of screens to get to the right place to download the OSX version. Installation takes a minute or so and does require restart.
Setting up the Mouse
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The wireless receiver plugs into any USB port and is nice and small. It's also black, which means that it's easily lost... While I was installing the software I inadvertently knocked it to the floor with a cord (I know, ironic) and it took me half an hour to find it because it was nicely concealed in some shadows. The mouse does come with its own charger, which is a two-edged sword. One the one hand, it's nice not to have to keep a supply of batteries on hand and always run out at the most inconvenient time. On the other hand, it's another thing to have plugged in somewhere, and if you're desk is as cluttered as mine, that's a hassle (and yes, I've knocked it the floor once already too). In terms of battery life, it seems pretty good. I've used the mouse for the last three days and left it on overnight without any decrease in the number of bars on the indicator.
Using the Mouse
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Once the mouse was all charged up, I just started playing with it as is right out of the box. I immediately noticed some strange performance from the main scrollwheel, which allows you scroll vertically through documents. I had to go into the preferences right away to tweak the settings to speed it up. Actually, this was good, because it showed me just how customizable most of the buttons and settings are. For example, it didn't occur to me that I could set up different behaviors for different programs. This takes a good deal of experimentation and trial and error, but is well worth it for the heavy user. I'm a graphic designer and use Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), as well as Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Word, Excel, Safari, Acrobat, etc. and I think that once the learning curve is over, the mouse will help me do stuff faster.
Some Features
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A lot of people seem hyped on the main scrollwheerl/flyweel. It's nice and smooth and all, but it's not going to change your life. You can also tilt it side to side to scroll horizontally in a wide document, but I find that I often accidentally scroll up and down when I do this as well. Just above it is a small button which, when pressed with a word or phrase highlighted, will initiate a seach based on that term. You can set it to use the Spotlight, Finder, Google, Yahoo, Sherlock, or any search engine you specify. That's pretty cool and is a feature I will definitely use a lot. There are also two buttons just above the thumb groove which I've used mainly to flip back and forward between web pages, but haven't set to do much else yet. The one feature I'm not a fan of is the scroll wheel in the thumb groove. It allows one to toggle between open applications. While this should be great, since I often have at least five applications running at once, I find that it's far to easy to accidentally activate and may end up disabling it (which is something you can do for all the features).
Ergonomics
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This thing feels great. It fits the hand nicely and has a perfectly sized thumb groove and is weighted just right (I find most mouses to be too light). Eveyone in my office who checked it out really liked it too except for one woman with smallish hands who found it a bit cumbersome and the left-handed people who felt, well.... left out. So while it's perfect for an average size person like me, I can imagine that people with especially large or small hands won't be able to use all the features as easily.
Overall?
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Having spent the last several days playing with this new mouse on my G5 workstation at the office and my G4 laptop at home I'd give it an overall thumbs up. It's annoying to have to hunt for the Mac install software, but once over that, it's almost all good. It's definitely a mouse for the heavy user, someone like my mom, who's not the most proficient computer user to start with would find herself constantly accidentally hitting features and getting confused. It's pricey, but if you can get your company to pay for it, why not? minimize
I Love My New Mouse!, August 25, 2006
I have been around computer technology for nearly 30 years. I find it increasingly difficult to get excited regarding new technology. When I got this mouse I was thinking, "Ho hum. Another new mouse. Big deal." I was so wrong. This mouse is FUN.
I had the mouse installed in a few minutes. I had enough charge, so I went on with...read full review
I have been around computer technology for nearly 30 years. I find it increasingly difficult to get excited regarding new technology. When I got this mouse I was thinking, "Ho hum. Another new mouse. Big deal." I was so wrong. This mouse is FUN.
I had the mouse installed in a few minutes. I had enough charge, so I went on with plugging in the USB receiver and popping in the CD. Installation was a few clicks and a couple of dozen megabytes away. I already had an optical mouse that worked great on a light oak desk top, so that was my standard. This mouse worked just as readily. However, my previous mouse had a nasty cord. The new mouse responds quickly and effectively over the 2.4 GHz transmitter.
The first thing I noticed after starting to use the mouse is that the mouse scrolled really fast with the scroll wheel. Let me make sure you understand what I mean. When I scrolled the wheel, each file I was in blurrrrrrred past. Wow. Cool. If you like a more precise feel you can press on the scroll wheel once to get clicks and slower scroll. Click again and a spin of the wheel blurs you through a document. This same feature works on the internet. I kept scrolling and clicking, a big smile on my face. This mouse is one cool mouse. I think I'm in love with the mouse. But wait, there's more! The scroll wheel automatically adjusts to the size of the document so that you get click scrolling or fast scrolling. This mouse is awesome!
This mouse has many more buttons. There's a "touch to search" button just behind the scroll wheel. Highlight a word or phrase, click the button, and you are off to your favorite search engine to search for the word or phrase. This feature alone is a great time saver and fun to boot.
There is a wheel on the left side of the mouse. That button was initially set up to switch between documents. I reprogrammed the button using the included Logitech Setpoint (TM) software so that the left wheel modified the zoom in a document. I tend to zoom in and out more than I change documents, so the reprogramming was useful to me; people that use drawing or CAD software will love this feature.
Two more buttons on the left edge of the mouse are initially programmed to move forward and backward. On the internet these buttons move you to previous internet pages.
As cool as this mouse is as received, the range of features permissible with re-programming of the mouse is outstanding and makes this mouse even better. With the exception of the left and right click buttons, a user can program each button with a variety of options. While programmable mice have previously existed, with seven controls and a range of choices for five of those controls, the range of programming for this mouse is phenomenal. Even better, a user can program the buttons for operability with all software or for certain programs.
This mouse also has visual indicators that let you know when you have to recharge the batteries. The indicators are a mild green when the mouse charge is acceptable. The indicators go out after a short period to save battery charge. I thought the indicators were subtle reminders of the charge level. When the charge level becomes too low, a red indicator lights; it is time to recharge dude!
This mouse also looks cool. The black and dark gray colors go well with my Dell computer. The mouse is shaped to fit my hand and my thumb, which makes the mouse very comfortable. The mouse slides easily and smoothly on my desk, giving me excellent control over the position of the pointer.
I do have a teeny word of criticism. The box the mouse arrived in was a pain to open. Worse, the plastic packaging for the mouse and the receiver secured the mouse and receiver too well. I got the mouse out somewhat easily by following the instructions to grip the plastic and pushing on the mouse. The mouse came out, but it was awkward and felt weird. The receiver was harder to remove. I tried to get the receiver out per the instructions and ended up bending a thumbnail and being personally annoyed after removing the receiver. Okay, maybe I am unable to follow "simple" instructions. Anyway, a little difficulty in taking the mouse and receiver out of the box was a small price to pay for getting my hands on the best mouse I have ever owned. Perhaps Logitech will take a hint with the packing and make the mouse a bit easier to get out in the future.
Just when I thought technology had become boring, Logitech comes out with the MX Revolution. This mouse has more features than I knew could be packed into a mouse, the best scroll wheel ever, and a shape that looks as though the mouse belongs in a science fiction show. Well, I have a scroll wheel to play with, so I'm out of here. I recommend you get your own. Trust me, you will love this mouse. Enjoy!
This review is based on a mouse provided to me by Amazon.
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A computer performance booster dressed in mouse outfit, August 28, 2006
I never imagined I could get excited about a mouse. Actually, I haven't felt this excited about a mouse since I got my first optical mouse (not having to periodically clean that mouse ball meant a lot!) The truth is that from the moment I took the MX Revolution out of the box I knew I had something way more special than a conventional mouse in my...read full review
I never imagined I could get excited about a mouse. Actually, I haven't felt this excited about a mouse since I got my first optical mouse (not having to periodically clean that mouse ball meant a lot!) The truth is that from the moment I took the MX Revolution out of the box I knew I had something way more special than a conventional mouse in my hands. Now, after a few days of continuous use, I know that feeling was true. So, what makes it so special?
A cordless mouse may not sound as much, but if you consider that this mouse is rechargeable too, that may score a few more points with you, since you have to just leave it charging overnight as you see a need for it and there's no more need to worry about batteries! (plus less waste too).
If cordless and rechargeable are not features that rank high with you, how about ergonomy? The MX Revolution fits your hand like a glove. It has a side wheel perfectly positioned to help you navigate through applications (substituting the need for the Alt-Tab hotkey) right by your right thumb. Also nearby you find two convenient slim buttons allowing you to navigate back and forth through your browser's history. Not too far, you have a nice "search" button you can program (like all buttons and wheels in the mouse) to speed up your web searches through Yahoo! or Google.
Not satisfied yet? Here's the big one! Scrolling like you've NEVER seen before. As fast as you've dreamed of being able to scroll up and down lengthy documents. Just click on the scroll wheel on top of the mouse and the typical step-by-step movement of the wheel makes room for what feels like a wheel with NO friction. Slide the wheel fast enough and you get to the bottom of your documents in a split second (I mean it!)
So, am I excited about this mouse? You bet! The $100 price tag is more than justified: this is no average mouse -it's a computer performance booster dressed in mouse outfit! minimize
Be aware of battery issues, September 26, 2007
I've never written a review here at Amazon, but I felt compelled to let other potential buyers know what they *might* experience if they buy this mouse.
Before buying, please be aware of the (reasonably common) issues with the built-in rechargeable batteries in this mouse. Go to the Logitech forums (forums dot logitech dot com) and...read full review
I've never written a review here at Amazon, but I felt compelled to let other potential buyers know what they *might* experience if they buy this mouse.
Before buying, please be aware of the (reasonably common) issues with the built-in rechargeable batteries in this mouse. Go to the Logitech forums (forums dot logitech dot com) and read what issues people have been having with the batteries (inability to recharge, frequent loss of mouse precision due to battery issues, etc).
Don't get me wrong: this is a lovely mouse, truly well designed and a joy to use when it's working. Unfortunately, there's an apparent flaw in the battery charging system that makes some mice unusable.
Until Logitech either issues a recall or openly admits that there's a quality control issue with the MX Revolution, I'd suggest anyone seriously reconsider purchasing this mouse. minimize
