IBM Optical Navigator Mouse - This is a Mixed Mouse...
Written: Jun 09 '03 (Updated Jun 09 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cool blue scroll wheel, nice 4th button.
Cons: Bad for gaming, not precise.
The Bottom Line: If you are an online gamer (I'm not talking Bejewled here, folks) skip it. For basic surfing, it is pretty good.
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| Mr_D's Full Review: Ovation Optical Navigator Mouse 4 Btn (MPN-19K200... |
Quick Facts:
IBM Optical Navigator Mouse, for PC Compatibles. Compatible with All current OS. 5 year warranty, optical mouse, 4 buttons. (2 standard, mouse wheel push in, and side button on the left). Retails for about $20 as of this writing. USB connection, with a PS2 adapter included.
It claims to get 1500 frames per second scan rate.
Full Review:
Me and mice never really seem to get along. Being a heavy computer user, and a gamer, I tend to go through them relatively quickly. Optical mouse technology is a godsend for people like myself, and I was very happy with my Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer, with its lifetime warranty. Problematic though, was my complete lack of owning the packaging or receipt for said Microsoft mouse, so when the wire on it went bad a few months ago, I found myself up the proverbial creek.
I switched to older standard ball driven mouse (boo, hiss) and that was only a temporary solution. Heavy gaming takes way too much of a toll on ball mice, as does owning cats (It's amazing where cat hair gets).
So looking for a temporary inexpensive alternative until I either A: Find my package for my dark Intellimouse, or B: buy a Logitech MX500, I stumbled across this little beauty from IBM - the Optical Navigator mouse.
Three things attracted me to this mouse. 1: It was optical. 2: It was inexpensive. 3: It was optical.
I bought my first one while visiting friends in Pennsylvania, but it didn't work - so I returned it to a local outlet and got a replacement. Having done so, and having installed this mouse, I am no longer convinced my first one actually didn't work - I now think it simply has some spotty optical technology.
When I move the mouse to the side, it goes up and down slightly too. When I move it up and down, it moves to the side slightly. The first mouse I had did the same thing, so I assumed it to be defective. However, the 2nd mouse seems to do it MUCH less, and it is a tolerable glitch. But, when one is playing online games, precision and speed are key - and this mouse does neither. The moving error is problematic, and every so often the mouse just kind of seems to reset itself, usually resulting in my guy in said games looking straight up or down. Also problematic.
As much as I DON'T Like this mouse for gaming, for run of the mill surfing - It does its job admirably. The mouse is comfortable, it looks nice, it has a internet scroll wheel, and the "4th" button on the left side is very conveniently located, and easy to press and use.
The mouse comes with a 5 year warranty, a instruction manual, a USB to PS/2 adapter, and as previously mentioned, a CD with drivers for all OS's except the newest ones, like XP. The mouse is actually distributed by Micro Innovations, and updated drivers can be found on their site: http://www.mi-products.com/. Other than a glitch in locating the drivers, installation was simple.
For an inexpensive surfing tool, this mouse is very good. For gaming, not so much. It has a good sturdy construction, and the all important blue-glowing mouse wheel. For gamers, I would say to look elsewhere, but for everyone else, the mouse is fine. You can find it online, and at many retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Staples, etc.
Mr_D
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 19.99
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Epinions.com ID:
Mr_D
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Location: Upstate New York
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