A few years ago when I purchased one of our Gateway laptops, knowing that I dislike using laptop track pads and figuring I’d take advantage of the laptop’s built-in Bluetooth capability I included the Gateway (AMB0302USZ) Bluetooth Rechargeable Wireless Mouse being offered at a very attractive price in the order.  Although I didn’t realize it at the time, the Gateway AMB0302USZ is actually a rebadged Targus AMB03US Rechargeable Bluetooth Wireless Mouse.

My attraction to this mouse, aside from the very favorable pricing stemmed from my preference not to require a USB dongle taking up one of the USB ports and having it (and my laptop) exposed to potential damage.  My wife’s laptop already showed the results of carelessness and an exposed 1 ½” dongle of a Logitech V220 Mouse.  What was once a laptop with 4 USB ports now operates with only three.

Gateway (AMB0302USZ) Bluetooth Rechargeable Wireless Mouse
The Gateway mouse ships with the mouse, 2-700mAh NiMH batteries, a mini (not micro) USB cable for recharging, a User Guide and a velour travel pouch.  The mouse is a simple 2 – button with scroll wheel model that allows the user to increase/decrease tracking sensitivity (800 CPI/1600 CPI) on the fly.  The mouse has a quality feel to it and measures 4.1”L x 2.1”W x 1.4”H and is compatible with MS Windows 98SE and up as well as Mac OS X (10.x or greater).  Additional detailed specifications can be found here.

Set-up
Set-up on a Bluetooth enabled PC is very straight forward.  After the mouse has been initially charged (8 hours with mini-USB cable) power it on and depress the small button on the bottom to make the mouse discoverable.  From either the system tray or the Control Panel bring up the Bluetooth Installation Wizard.  Check the box “My device is set-up and ready to be found” and click “next”.  The mouse is quickly found.  No passkey is required for this device.  Complete installation by clicking “Finish” when prompted.

If your PC does not include a Bluetooth radio, an inexpensive tiny USB Bluetooth dongle can be used.  These days this accessory can be purchased for about $2.00 including shipping from Amazon or eBay.  I’ve purchased and used a couple.

Performance
For the most part routine use at the 800 CPI setting will seem almost identical to that of a USB wireless mouse.  To conserve battery life the mouse employs a very aggressive battery save routine.  After several seconds of idle time the mouse will slip into a sleep mode.  It may take a fraction of a second for it to wake once moved.  While some consumers complain about multiple second delays in responsiveness, this has never been my experience.  I find the delay almost imperceptible.  I do however find that if I hover the cursor over a button or a link for any time the cursor may decide to travel a bit on its own.  I don’t know whether it’s responding to minute movement of my fingers or that it has a mind of its own but it can be a bit spooky.  At the faster 1600 CPI setting I find cursor movement to be a little too quick for my taste, but then I’m not a gamer or otherwise in the need for this type of speed.  But this is an individual preference.

Although rare, on occasion the mouse has become unresponsive and has required that I uninstall and then re-install it.  Though rare, it is a PITA and a phenomenon you won’t experience with a USB wireless mouse.

This mouse uses a high powered invisible laser that can be used on any surface, including glass.  In fact, the laser will permit the cursor to track even as the mouse hovers an inch or so above a solid surface.  With as many glass tables as we have in our home this is performance I appreciate.

Range
One of the key benefits of Bluetooth vs. USB mice is that of range.  Gateway (Targus) claims a range of 10 meters for the mouse.  Although I have little use for the extreme of this range, I have used this mouse to control my PC from across the room (4 meters) while the PC was hooked up to our HDTV.

Battery Life
While the manufacturer claims that the batteries will go 2 weeks between charges I find that the included 700mAh batteries fall way short of this period, often requiring recharging in as little as 3 – 4 days of moderate to heavy use.  Switching to higher powered 1000mAh Tenergy NiMH AAAs has resulted in 7 – 10 day recharge cycles.  I’ll assume some of the disappointing battery life performance is battery rather than device dependent.  Fortunately, the mouse is fully functional when charging via the mini-USB cable.  Realize though that the cable is thicker than a normal mouse cord and that some of the nimbleness of the mouse is sacrificed while charging.

In contrast, my Logitech VX Nano USB Mouse usually gives me uninterrupted performance for up to 3 months on a pair of alkaline AAAs.  While it might not be as “green” as the Gateway (Targus) mouse, it sure is convenient.

Bottom Line

When the Gateway (AMB0302USZ) Bluetooth Rechargeable Wireless Mouse was introduced in 2006 it was sold for $79.  This product is still sold on Amazon and eBay and can usually be found for as little as $11 - $13.  While I prefer the consistent performance of my VX Nano, if you want the performance dynamics of a Bluetooth mouse (range, dongle-free) without spending much you can do a lot worse.

I recently pressed this mouse back into service to see whether it could be used to control my Blackberry Playbook in combination with a Bluetooth Keyboard.  This mouse is incompatible with the Playbook and Android devices.  The keyboard and a Logitech V470 Bluetooth Mouse are a whole other matter.  Look for reviews shortly.

Rudi

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 30