Showing posts with label Gadgets Accessories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gadgets Accessories. Show all posts

11/11/2017

Microsoft Sculpt Mobile Mouse

I can finally say that I have found the right work mouse for me and my small hands. There is a reason why I love Microsoft mice, and the Sculpt Mobile is the perfect example that you don't have to buy the latest super-duper flashy expensive mouse to have a great work mouse.

The Sculpt Mobile, obviously, is designed for people who are on the move and travel frequently, but it is also a  mouse perfect for people with small hands.

This mouse is a pleasure to use. It runs softly and smoothly on a gaming mat, the rugged fabric surface of my sofa, and on the bare surface of my desk. It's quite ergonomic, at least for my hands' shape and size. It is simple,  nothing fancy,  two click buttons, a scroll wheel, and a  Windows button. It's very responsive and accurate, with an excellent tracking system, so I don't have to move my hand much to get the mouse to move on the screen. Clicking is soft and incredibly low pitched, and therefore not noisy at all. Highlighting is quite intuitive and fast. The Sculpt Mobile is not heavy, but not as light as other small mice I own, mostly because the materials are better  quality and less plastic-ish.

Although the instructions on the packaging recommend downloading installing software from Microsoft, I didn't need to do that as my mouse was immediately recognised by my laptop as soon as I plugged the dongle.

The dongle has a storage place on the mouse belly to keep it safely away when moving or travelling.

The main downside of this mouse is the scrolling wheel, not as smooth or sensitive as other mice I own.

Overall, I love this mouse. It is not the flashy type that doesn't work, but the 'normal' does-the-job-to-perfection type. After trying and returning two flashy mice for not being good enough, I am happy to have this normal mouse as more than good.

11/06/2017

Microsoft Arc Mouse


I was expecting a lot from this mouse because Microsoft is my favourite brand of mice, and also because I have one of the first Arc mice to ever come out to the market, many years old, and it's still working and in a very good condition.  

THE THUMBS UP

The newest Arc Mouse is very minimalist in design, bends and unbends incredibly easy, and is amazingly flat; in fact, the flattest mouse I've ever seen. It's a bit heavier than other flattish mice, but the quality of the materials is way superior as well.   

The size is good for people with small hands, like me, as would allow them to have two or three fingers resting comfortably on the mouse (I doubt most men would be able to do so, though). The surface is soft and velvety, pleasurable to touch, and easy to handle because the rubbery material allows the hand to stay in place without slipping out even when it is sweaty. The arch of the mouse is also good, not too high not too low, at least for my hands. Although my thumb and pinkie are left out of the resting area,  the round smooth sides and the hight of the arch make it comfortable for the fingers to hang around or underneath the edges. 

The working area has been intuitively built and designed and, at least in my case, I had not problems moving, clicking and using the scroll,  as my fingers sat and moved in the same way they would sit on a normal mouse. 

One can customise the speed and functionality of the click buttons, the sensitivity and speed of the scroll, and also activate or deactivate the multi-finger use. 

 I tried the mouse on different surfaces (my desk, a gaming mat, my fabric sofa) and it worked perfectly on all of them. 

Once installed, the connectivity was good. The mouse worked well, no drops during work time, except once when I left the computer to sleep. It was responsive to touch, easy to handle, but it was not especially fast or fluid as my simpler mice are.

This mouse is perfect for travelling or if you are on the go quite often, as it can be fit anywhere.


THE LET DOWNS

The main letdown of the mouse is the clicking, because one has to click really hard, almost push down the click, and that makes something as simple as clicking a pain, slowing down work. Besides, the noise is metallic and noticeable. Unfortunately, after an hour or so of use, my finger joints were noticing the effects, my forearm was saying hello-hello, tired of so much hammering. This tightness of the clicking might ease with time and use, but not everybody has the time or willingness to spend futile time trying to love something that cannot be fully loved.  If you have strong hands or stronger hands than mine, this won't be an issue, but it is an issue for me.   

I expected the set-up to be easier than it was. I followed the basic set-up instructions in the leaflet inside the packing case. I tried it in my two computers, both running on Windows 10, but one of them quite old and the other brand new. I expected the device to be automatically recognised by my laptops' in-built bluetooth, but that was not the case in either despite the bluetooth being on. I had to download the drivers and do a bit of troubleshooting for the device to be found and paired in my brand new laptop, but the bluetooth connectivity wasn't good in my old laptop and I cannot use it with that.  

One of the most annoying things about this mouse is the battery holder. It is so tight that it is really difficult to do something as simple as getting a battery out.  

The worst thing about this mouse is that after a day of use ruined the whole bluetooth system of my computer, simply destroyed it. I don't know if a sort of drivers incompatibility or what, but my brand new computer switched off the bluetooth, then kept it hidden, then it would not allow me to turn it on, and I couldn't uninstall the Arc Mouse, and I had to totally uninstall everything bluetooth related to be able to uninstall the mouse driver. Even after that, after reinstalling all drivers, following Microsoft's and my laptop maker's instructions, my bluetooth has been destroyed. My bluetooth worked perfectly until I started to use this mouse! 




I SUGGEST

If I were Microsoft's mice master mind, I would work on improving this mouse clicking and work flow to make it soft, mute and fluid, and, consequently, enjoyable.

I personally like dongles as, until now, they work faster than any bluetooth connection,  they would work even if the bluetooth fails, and it would be a way of having a two-way mouse that can face any adversity and adapt to any eventuality. 

And since this mouse's drivers and my bluetooth did not get well along, I suggest Microsoft dudes to work together so nobody experiences the mess I have after installing this mouse. 
 

IN SHORT

The mouse's shape and surface are great, as well as the overall design and thinness. This mouse is perfect for travellers or if you are on the go quite often, as it can be stored anywhere. However, the hardness of the clicking and the resulting lack of flow in the use  aren't good unless your fingers hammer the click a la typewriter. And in my case, the mouse messed up my whole bluetooth system in a laptop that is less than a year old, something unforgivable. 

I got this as a gift for my birthday, but really, knowing as I know how expensive this mouse is and having used it for such a short time and having such a big problem with my laptop bluetooth, I can bluntly say that it is not worth the money or the hassle. 

REMINDER

A work mouse is like a pair of shoes, one needs the right size and fit to be able to move properly; otherwise, one will be in pain. If the shoes are expensive but good, that is an investment; but if hey are expensive but mediocre, then it is a waste of one's money and and one is walking barefoot. 

Think about that dear mouse designers. 

11/04/2017

Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Mouse

  I have many mice at home, and Microsoft's are the best for work purposes; I have had some of them for over a decade and they are still working.  In my quest for the perfect elusive work mouse, I came across the Microsoft Ergonomic Mouse, and I had to have it.

Overall, this is a great mouse. It looks beautiful, it is made of good quality materials, and feels luxurious and even sensual in the hand. The mouse is very responsive and sensitive to movement, and provides a smooth fast mousing experience. It has a very soft pleasurable not-noisy clicking.  My hand rests naturally on it, and the thumb rest area is very comfortable; the angled positioning of the wheel and clicking buttons really work for me. The side blue button allow you to open Microsoft start menu and it is really easy to use in the position where it is.

I tested the mouse on a Windows 10 computer and run without a problem.

Unfortunately if you, like me, have small hands, you are going to return this mouse because it is too high, too bulky and too heavy for small hands, and not a keeper if you work in front of a computer the whole day and want to have a health hand and arm posture.

I hope Microsoft sees the light and makes a mini version of this one, because I would love to have this keeper in my hand size.  

Lenovo Yoga Mouse


7/10
I travel quite often so any flattish mouse is going to grab my attention instantly, especially if it is as cool as this one. The Lenovo Yoga Mouse can be folded and unfolded at ease and has the USB dongle conveniently stored within the same mouse. An internal pivot allows the lower part of the mouse to rotate and get into mouse position, or go back to flat and use it as a mini-remote with slides or media players to adjust the volume, move back and forward, and rewind. When the mouse if flat, the clicker feature is activated, and the contrary happens when the mouse is on.

I found the mouse lovely, very good looking, lightweight, and sober in looks. It is easy to charge through the provided USB cable, it charges fast and the power lasts for a long time if you don't use it as work mouse. It has no scrolling wheel but a touch central strip that does the job and has a Microsoft button that activates by clicking on.

On the down side, the clicking is a bit hard and metallic in noise, which can be hard on my hands at the end of the day. The touch area seems less responsive to touch than other touch mice, and the bluetooth tracker seems also less sensitive or accurate than other mice I have.

The mouse is comfortable in general, but not for long periods of time or for full-time work. I noticed that my hand and arm were getting tired and stifg. My thumb and pinkie finger hang from the sides like two outcasts, and for whatever reason it feels unnatural because, once the mouse if bent and in mouse position, the angle on is a bit sharp, not rounder, on the sides. To be fair, I have small hands, so a person with bigger hands and fingers might have no issue at all. For me, however, it makes it perfect as a secondary mouse, to use it with my entertainment and travel computers, and as an alternative mouse for work when I want to give a rest to my hands from my usual mouse.

The packaging is very flashy, but it has a lot of unnecessary plastic waste. I would rather have a fabric pouch provided to protect the mouse than a bulky hard plastic case, difficult to store, and totally impractical.

The mouse does not have removable batteries; it charges by using the provided USB cable from any power source.

The main virtue I see in this mouse is its versatility, it is an overall nice mouse, perfect for travelling and a good price for the fanciness in it.

I have used the mouse in two different computers running on Windows 10, a new one and a very old one, the latter with less touch and connectivity capabilities, and the mouse works perfectly in both.   

12/05/2015

Logitech Touch Mouse T620

I was ready for a change of mouse, ready for a new phase in my life where everything is touchy-feely -- like my tablet, like my smartphone, like my travel computer. I was hyperventilating when I found this mouse half price, from 70+ dollars reduced to just 38. I ran like a kid in Christmas Eve to get it. Mine! Mine! Mine! My excitement ended when I started to use it.

Although this mouse is specifically designed for Windows 8, it is compatible with Windows 7 and started to use it with the latter system. I still have to use it with Windows 10.

THE GOOD
The mouse is glossy, stylish, sophisticated and beautiful overall. It feels like a Porshe mouse. The size is good for people with big hands  or with small hands, quite ergonomic, and has a very enjoyable dry click, and is silky to the touch. One of the things I like the most about this mouse is its scrolling system, which is very smooth, effective and enjoyable, and you can scroll vertically and horizontally; that deserves a mini-wow.

You can use this mouse for many more things than you might want to use a mouse, so I wonder if this should be called a mouse or not. Of course, if you want a mouse to use it as a mouse and nothing else you should buy another one, or just customise this to your like, and active or deactivate functions in the configurations area.

One of the coolest things about this mouse is that the USB port allows you to connect up to six different Logitech compatible mice/devices without the need of switching port. That is great. I actually use the USB port of this mouse with another Logitech mouse, not this one. 
 
THE NOT SO GOOD
This is the most annoying mouse I have ever had. I truly think it is too much, too nerdy, too little and too wrong! Bimbo mouse! As if the device had been launched to the market before being perfected, launched in a diarrhoeic sort of way.

For example, it is designed mostly for browsing, not to use it with Word or any other Office Suit because, something as simple as clicking, can become a challenge at times. Moreover, once you configure it to your main browser, say Chrome, you have to do the same with any other browser you have, say Opera. Isn't that stupid? The lower part of the mouse is too sensitive, so you will find yourself cursing when you touch it by accident and the mouse does what it supposed to do. I feel that the mouse controls me, not the other way around.

I thought I would use it as a normal mouse, but this mouse was not designed to be normal. Is like wanting a supermodel to work as a cleaner in a food-hall. And, pardon me Sir Logitech, this is not a touch mouse, this is a TAP mouse. Touch is what I do when I use my tablet and my smartphone with my fingertips.

I feel sorry for the people who paid 70+ dollars for it. I paid 38 and I think it is a waste of my money. I use it as a spare device, to give my hands a rest and a change of posture at times, but it never lasts too much on my desk because it gets me annoyed.

Save your money. I wasted mine to tell you. You are welcome.

Microsoft Arc Mouse

 I got this mouse when it first came out to the market as it was one of the first ergonomic mice available. I paid a little fortune for it at the time. However, it was well worth it. 

Along the years I have used this mouse as my every-day mouse, my travel mouse, my just in case mouse, and my spare mouse. Mostly like a spouse mouse. I still love it and still use it.

The Arc Mouse is not too big or too small, right for small hands or if you don't like having a big mouse in yours. The mouse glides well, it is very responsive and scrolls down well and it really is ergonomic and easy on my hands. You can easily adjust it to use with your right hand or with your left hand. 

This is a USB wireless AAA battery-operated mouse, very easy to recharge. If you buy decent-quality batteries, you will forget about the battery for a long time. However, other mice have a better life battery than the Arc. You can save energy by switching and folding the mouse when not in use. 

The mouse folds like a shell for storage. The he USB port can be easily stored by attaching it to the magnetic USB area located in the belly of the mouse, which makes it perfect to carry it anywhere. 

The mouse also comes with a suede-ish pouch that makes it easy to store it and keep it in good condition. 

The quality of this mice is fantastic. After many years of use, and this being already an oldie, the black coating has not even started to peel, not even a scratch or a little patch of discolouration on it, and the name of the brand is as readable as the first day despite my hands being on it for hours every day. 

This is one of my favourite mice ever! Great quality. Great functionality. Great portability. Cool design. Timeless. Brilliant.

2/05/2014

Dick Smith (Murray Street Mall, Perth WA)

Shop 110, 166-170 Murray Stret Mall
Perth Western Australia 6000
(08) 9218 8074
Hours:
   Mon- Thu: 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM
    Fri: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM
    Sat 9:00- 5:00 PM
    Sun: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM

This Dick Smith retailer is one of my favourite stops in the CBD to cater for my tech and gadget needs and replacements, which are quite needy. This small shop is located above the Woollies Supermarket and by the Red Dot Store, metres away form Myers and David Jones, a killer location that makes it a must stop is you work in Northbridge or happen to pass by.  

This shop is really small, with little space between aisles. Certainly, you won't find the variety of products and brands you find in the big store in the William St store. You don't come to this shop for fancy stuff, that is for sure. However, the shop caters for everything that is advertised in their catalogues, which is what attracts me to Dick Smith 99% of the times. They also have a good part of the shop devoted to those areas with  boring thingies that we all need: cables, switch boards, batteries, USBs, adaptors, gadgets sleeves, and other ugly trifle for your everyday needs. I find their selection of TV, laptops and phones decent for such a small shop.

I visit this shop more often that I would like to recognise. My experience has always been that it is  easier to find items from the catalogue here than in other shops, where a larger affluence of customers exhausts their stocks faster. It has happened to me several times going to the big store on William St, and being redirected here to find the last items of "whatever" available.

The staff have been hit and miss. I have found terrific guys,  who have advised me greatly when trying to purchase things, helping me to save a lot of money by just giving me the right advice. Other staff members, on the contrary, have ignored me, patronised me, being rude to me and misinformed me. The good thing is the staff changes a lot, so most of the time the people you find behind the counter are friendly and professional. Still, how much costs saying good morning or smiling to a customer? Am I from another planet?

The shop is usually quiet, but quite hectic at lunch time, with little staff to attend to so many people.

7/05/2013

Decalgirl (Online Shop, USA)

Decalgirl is an American online shop that sells skins for almost every possible gadget in the market, and cases for smart-phones. The business started as a couple's home-business in 2003 and has become a millionaire business with 25 staff members. You will understand their success when you visit Decalgirl.  

Decalgirl's website is simple and very functional. You will find easy searching for your gadget, zooming the artwork on display, and getting answers regarding ordering and shipping. I love the variety of artwork they have, and the fact that all the items are available for all gadgets, which is not the case in other decal online shops. Most importantly, you can upload your own photos and artwork, and customise the gadget of your choice. You can choose mate or glossy finish. The only downside I can mention is the lack of a search box based on tags or keywords, which would be handy if you are looking for, say, cars, sports, mermaids, or a specific theme or motif you want for your gadget.

Decalgirl's prices are very similar to the ones you find elsewhere online. Shipping prices for Australia are quite expensive: about 10 dollars for standard post, which can take up to two working weeks; upgraded postal varieties are around 30 bucks. These are ridiculous prices for an almost-weightless product, and only worth paying if you order a bunch of things or you cannot find your item elsewhere. Matte and glossy finish are charged at the same price, though. 

After paying and placing your order, you will receive an email with the details of your order and a link to their order status page where you can check, yes!, the state your order before shipping. The shipping of your order can take up to three days; then, you will receive an email with a tracking link.

Registration is easy. Use your existing Facebook, Twitter or Google Account, and you will be able to save your favourite pieces of artwork, make your wish list and save your personal projects. You can create your own profile, save your payment details, and receive the Decalgirl's newsletter if you want.

I love the skin I chose for my kindle. Decalgirl was the only place I found this image, so I put up with the shipping costs. I got my order in 17 working days, and the product was identical in colour and detail to the one in the photo in their website. The decal is great regarding colours and quality of the material used.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
I am very happy with the service provided by Decalgirl, but they absolutely need to make things easier for overseas customers. What about reducing the shipping fees if you purchase more than one item? What about covering themselves the shipping costs if you choose standard shipping? What about offering a better post option for the same price?

5/21/2013

Nev Skin (Online Shop, Australia)

Nev Skis is an Australian online shop, settled in Queensland, that has been selling vinyl skins for gadgets for eight years. I am one of those people with all my computers customised to the utmost, so places like Nev Skin are my personal heaven. Moreover, the skins protect your device from scratches, and make them look super-cool.

Nev Skin has vinyl skins for almost anything skin-o-able: mobiles, tablets, Ereaders, laptops, notebooks, Ipods, and Gaming consoles. If your laptop is not there, they have universal skins that will fit most of them; you just need to tell them the exact size, and they will trim it for you; or you can get the Universal size and you trim it yourself on arrival, whatever you prefer.  They have a good selection of images, from local and international artists, and you can choose from matte o glossy finish; I always prefer matte because the skin is less affected by glare, you appreciate the artwork better, and you won't notice your fingertips on it. Nev Skin prints on demand, so your skin is freshly printed for you, and the colours vibrant and strong.  

The website is very cool to browse around by design, meaning by the specific gadget you have, or just by artist. All images are zoomable, although the zoom is limited in size. The website is very informative about shipping methods and prices, approximate time of delivery, customisation of large-size skins, and on how to apply the skins on to your gadgets. Major credit cards and PayPal are accepted for payment, check-out is no-fuss, and you'll get an email as soon as your order goes through. Once your order is shipped, your will receive another email with a tracking link. Nev Skin uses Australia Post for shipping, and you can select registered or non-registered mail. They charge you just 1 cent for shipping within Australia for most skins, except for laptops over 14" and the PS3 slim and 360s consoles, or if your order is over 500 grams.

Customer service has been very friendly, prompt and informative all the way up by a lovely lady called Joanne. 


Nev Skin has identical or very similar prices, dollar up or down, as the ones you find elsewhere online. The prices range from 15 to 30 bucks, depending on your gadget, with a surcharge of 4 bucks for oversized laptop skins.

Regarding the skin I got, it differs little from the image you see on the website. As the zoom on the image is small, I was expecting an image with colours a bit more pastel, and also a less detailed and cleaner image (as the photo below). The skin I got is gorgeous, but the colours are strong and vibrant, and the image much more detailed, which is great with me; however, it might not be the case with other people. 


ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT 
> They need to improve their zoom to get a better quality and much bigger images of the skins, so you know what you are ordering regarding colours and details of the picture/drawing. Other websites with whom they share artwork and artists do just that. Why Nev Skin doesn't?
> They could easily improve the volume of artwork on offer and add Australian local artists, which would make the site la creme de la creme in a market that, despite aiming customisation, has very similar images elsewhere.
> They should have, as other similar websites have, a "make your own" skin. You upload your own photo or personal artwork to the site and make your own skin, using online tools. Then, they print it and send it to you. That is what call, real customisation!

MIND
As Nev Skin prints your skin after you order it, your skin can take up to a week to be posted. Mine took six natural days (four working days) to be posted, plus the seven days to get from Queensland to Western Australia. 
***
I know many sites like Nev Skin on the Internet, the majority of them overseas. Other Australian sites have a bigger selection of artwork, but their artwork is less artistic. Prices are similar elsewhere, so I always prefer buying from an Australian company, especially if, as Nev Skin, they have a good customer service and a good quality product.