dlstewart's Full Review: Logitech V200 (9313790403) Mouse
My notebook computer has a touchpad for maneuvering the cursor across the screen. But sometimes the touchpad doesn’t offer the quick response that a mouse does. This is especially noticeable when I play online games. So a thoughtful family member bought me the Logitech V200 Cordless Notebook Mouse.
About the Mouse
This mouse is slightly smaller than a “regular-size” mouse. Still, I was surprised it wasn’t even smaller than this. It measures 4 1/8" long x 2 1/8" wide.
The packaging states that the mouse has a 5x stronger connection than traditional wireless mice. The stronger, consistent connection means less interference and better range. Logitech says that Invisible Light optical tracking offers smooth movement. The manufacturer assures that the batteries in this mouse will last for up to a year.
What Comes In the Package
The mouse comes well protected in hard clear plastic packaging. It took me some time to free all the components. The package includes:
* One cordless mouse
* One USB 2.4Ghz receiver
* Two Duracell AA batteries
* One software CD (for Windows)
* A quick installation & use instruction sheet in English, French, Spanish and Portugese
Note that the batteries, CD and instruction sheet are sandwiched between the two pieces of plastic that hold the mouse and USB receiver. It would be easy to miss these components if one didn’t know to look between the plastic layers.
This mouse is both PC and Macintosh compatible. System requirements are Windows XP, 98, ME, 2000 or Macintosh OS X 10.1.2 . The computer has to have a USB port. Macintosh users will need to download the software from the Logitech website.
Installation
This Logitech mouse was simple and quick to install. I was using the mouse in minutes.
First I made sure the computer was on. Then I plugged the USB receiver into one of the USB ports on my notebook. (The USB receiver is about 1 3/4" long and resembles a small flash drive.) My notebook has rear USB ports and one on the side. I chose a rear USB port so that the USB receiver did not jut out into my work space.
Next I installed the two AA batteries in the mouse. On the top of the mouse is a compartment door that slides open. An illustration shows how the batteries are inserted. Replace the sliding panel on the mouse.
I then installed the software from the CD onto my computer. The CD leads one through a step-by-step process. Make sure to select the installation of the mouse software (the CD also offers installation of keyboard software). If desired, you can also install MusicMatch software that comes on the CD. For those using a Macintosh computer, you will need to download the software from Logitech’s website at: www.logitech.com/V200mac
After the software is installed, a prompt appears that states the computer needs to be rebooted. There is the option of immediately rebooting the computer, waiting to reboot the computer or to view a quick tutorial.
The Tutorial
The tour screen opens with an introduction stating that the Quick Tour is designed to acquaint the user with the default settings of the mouse and how to customize them. In case the tour is not of interest, there is a link to the area where the settings can be customized. If the Help icon is clicked, an index to the mouse Help menu appears. The index also allows one to search by keyword.
This truly is a “quick” tour. It explains nothing in depth. It loosely describes basic mouse button concepts.
My Experiences
After connecting and installing all the components, I immediately pulled out a thin cloth mousepad and started using the mouse. It fits well in my hand and is very comfortable. I’m ambidextrous and can use this mouse in either my left or right hand.
The defaults for this mouse are:
Left Button – left click; Right Button – right click. There is an option box that when checked swaps the two buttons so that the left button functions like the right button would, and the right key acts like the left button.
The Center Wheel when turned scrolls the page up and down. When the wheel is held down, the default action is a Zoom feature. Click the button to activate the zoom, then turn the scroll wheel to either zoom in or out of the page. Click the button a second time to deactivate the zoom feature.
Since I use a double-click more often than the zoom, I customized the button. My choices were: zoom, autoscroll, universal scroll, keystroke assignment, application switch, other. When I clicked “Other”, these options appeared: close application, copy, cut, do nothing, double click, drag lock, generic button, maximize, middle button, minimize, page down, page up, paste, redo, unassigned, undo. I chose the double-click option from this menu.
If the wheel is tilted to the left, the screen scrolls left ... if the wheel is tipped to the right, the screen scrolls right. I love this feature! However, this option can be changed if desired. The choices are to switch the left and right scroll features so that when the wheel is tilted left, the screen scrolls to the right (and vise versa). Other options include: cruise up, cruise down, forward, back, keystroke assignment, or other. If “Other” is chosen, the same options in the previous paragraph are offered.
The SetPoint software is intuitive to use. I found it easy to change mouse button settings. You can apply a setting before finally selecting it, too, which is great for testing the options.
The buttons are easy to press and emit a tiny click. The most difficult button to press is the center wheel. It requires firm pressure to activate the button. Moving the scroll wheel left and right is also a simple thing to do; however, the sideways scroll only works when a window has the bottom scroll bar indicating the page is too large for the window.
I have no problem with the mouse communicating with the USB receiver. Sometimes I set the mouse directly next to the notebook computer when I use it. Other times I sit with the notebook across my knees and place the mouse on a table surface next to me ... so it is not directly next to the computer. Both mouse locations work well. Using the mouse, the cursor glides across the screen with no jumpy movement.
Another great feature of the mouse is that after the USB receiver is removed from the computer, it clips into the bottom of the mouse for storage. The receiver does not sit flush against the bottom of the mouse, sitting about 1/4" off the surface.
Purchasing
This mouse was bought at Staples for $39.98. It comes in either black or silver. I own the silver mouse and like the way it looks.
Update -- October 6, 2006
I just changed the mouse batteries for the first time. Not bad! The batteries lasted over a year. For the last month or so, the computer has been warning me that the batteries were critical. I always ignore those warnings until the batteries actually die. That way I get more life out of the batteries, and I haven't noticed any slowness or lack of mouse response. The batteries were easy to replace, and I'm computing again.
Summary
The Logitech V200 Cordless Notebook Mouse is a great mouse. I love the way it works with my notebook computer. The USB receiver is convenient, and the fact that it snaps into the bottom of the mouse lets me keep both components together so that neither becomes lost. The only thing missing is a carrying case, but that’s minor compared with how well this mouse performs.
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