Macally BTMicro Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse
by Macally
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List Price: Category: CE See more product details |
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(Click here)
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Macally BTMicro Portable Bluetooth Optical Mouse
Customer Review: Well, I'm not going to throw it away.
Summary: 2 Stars
Let me cut straight to the chase: the charging cradle is crappy. Once you manage to get the mouse charged up, it works okay but:
-the tracking speed is way faster than normal for a mouse, at least on my 12" Powerbook G4. You can slow it down in system preferences, but then when I'm using a different mouse (I have seperate setups for my Powerbook in various locations) I have to change the speed back. Wish there were a way to automate this.
-after it shuts down for inactivity, you must click a button to wake it up. Problem is, this actually registers on the computer as a click! Better point your cursor at something harmless before you walk away for any length of time.
-jerky motion; very difficult for me to acheive fine control. Perhaps this is related to the tracking speed?
I'm not gonna throw the mouse out (I rather like the way it feels and the size is right for tossing into my very small bag), but it won't take much to convince me to replace it, either. I'm not gonna tell you not to buy it; it is one of the least expensive options for a bluetooth mouse out there, but don't expect to be impressed and don't be surprised if you have to do a little fiddling with it to convince the cradle it needs to charge the dumb thing. I initially had the hardest time getting the charge light to stay on for more than 5 minutes at a time.
Customer Review: Re-charging batteries, an inconsistant problem :-(
Summary: 2 Stars
While the batteries are charged, a great little mouse. There seems to be a seating problem in the charger. Sometimes it charges & sometimes not.Customer Review: Pretty mouse but doesn't work consistently
Summary: 1 Stars
I'll keep this short. The Macally BT mouse is small, but complements my MacMini nicely, being white white in color (same as the Mac) and trimmed in silver (similar to the MacMini). I liked the buttons (right and left; you choose which one will be your primary button) and the scroll wheel, which can be pressed to click, duplicating the function of the primary button. The mouse pairs easily with the MacMini. When I start up the computer, it finds the paired mouse with no problems and works perfectly.
The range appears adequate for my use (on the desktop only), but I haven't tried to push it to its limits.
Other users have reported difficulty with the charging cradle. Mine works fine, but if I'm not careful to seat the mouse carefully, the LED lights will remain red instead of turning green and yellow (and the mouse won't charge).
The problems arise when putting the computer to sleep. I've had a host of problems with the mouse, including
(1) Mouse sends out signals immediately after the computer goes to sleep, which wakes the computer back up (so I have to tell the computer to go back to sleep)
(2) Mouse sends out random signals a few minutes after the computer goes to sleep, again waking the computer up. Note that I've tested this and been careful not to bump the mouse, keyboard, or desk during the sleep period.
(3) If I let the computer and mouse sleep for longer than a short period of time (eg 1 hour or more), then go to wake them, the computer wakes fine, but the mouse is cataleptic. The red laser light won't turn on, and the mouse won't respond, no matter how many times you press the buttons, how long you hold the buttons, how vigorously you move the mouse around, or how often you switch the mouse on/off.
(4) In situation (3), if I try to salvage the situation by reaching for my USB mouse (which was already plugged in and working fine side-by-side with the BT mouse), I find that the USB mouse has been deactivated -- as if the catalepsy of the BT mouse were contagious!
I've already tried to upgrade the Bluetooth software on the Mac (turns out Mac OS X.4 already incorporates Bluetooth Update 1.2, the current version offered by Apple). At this point I'm giving up on the mouse and will contact Macally for a replacement. From the other reviews that I've now seen on this device, though, I'm not optimistic that a replacement will help.
Customer Review: Very good for a mouse that doesn't work
Summary: 1 Stars
I am incredibly frustrated with this mouse. The only thing that is keeping me from smashing it to smithereens is the vain hope that I will actually find the time to stand in line and return it to get my money back.
As reported by another user, sometimes it works, but most of the time it does not. I have to turn the switch on and off about 5 times (on average) before it lights up. Perhaps it is the sleep problem mentioned elsewhere but I suspect the switch is somehow faulty.
When the light *does* go on sometimes everything is fine. Other times (again, as described by another reviewer) the left and right buttons along with the scroll wheel work fine, but the cursor will not move across the screen.
I like the small size, think that the feel is great, like the rubber pads, the retro look, the heft and the click. I like the rechargability and the power switch. But it simply doesn't work. To me that's the bottom line. It does not work.
I would advise people to stay away from this mouse. Yours might work, in which case you'll love it. Otherwise you are in for a nightmare. I can't believe that it is so much better than the competition that it is worth the risk. And in the words of that famous power user Clint Eastwood, "Do you feel lucky?"
Customer Review: do not buy this p.o.s.
Summary: 1 Stars
I normally wouldn't take the time to write a review, but the performance of this product is so exceptionally horrible that I will. I have not been able to use this mouse more than an hour because I CAN NOT GET THE MOUSE TO CHARGE, period. I learned of the problem reading the reviews before I bought the thing and figured, "It can't be as bad as they say, I'll give it a try", never have I been more wrong. I will be returning this product 100% unsatisfied.