Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

but that large metal desks can shorten the range. I just used my 1-meter USB cable (basically a USB extension cord) to move the receiver out from behind my desk (about 10 meters away). Even though it was at the maximum distance, it worked beautifully -- fast and responsive.

Funny how it's like I've done this before. Function is totally intuitive - I tilt my wrist forward and cursor moves up, tilt it back and it goes down. When I give the virtual clickwheel a quick slide of my finger, it scrolls just like I'm used to with my clickwheel mouse (even makes a similar clickwheel sound), and I can stop the scrolling with a quick tap of the finger. I did find it awkward to hold it like my desktop mouse, clicking the button with my forefinger. Again, the manual had the perfect fix for this -- hold the mouse with fingers on the bottom, and use my thumb on top to click. Worked perfectly. After digging into the manual I found one of the best tricks yet - hold the volume button down and steer the mouse right or left to turn the volume up or down. For more nuggets like this, I highly recommend you read the manual's section on "MX Air gestures." Here's a nice touch I noticed. After a few seconds being idle, the backlights fade off. When you pick it up again they glow back on.

So, I decided to install the software anyway, and was glad that I did. It allowed me to separately adjust my "on the desk" and "in the air" pointer speeds. This was great because in the air, I got way more out of it when I upped the speed much faster than my desktop speed. Also, (a little design touch), as the mouse goes from desktop mode to air mode, the cursor style changes from the default white arrow to a black star-trek-shaped arrow (you can turn this off if you don't like it). I'm sure there's a Logitech developer somewhere who's very proud of that little touch. The thing that made me happiest about having installed the software is that I can remap the buttons to do anything I want. So, being used to clicking the center select button to open a new tab in a browser window, I mapped this function to the mouse's center button.

The last thing I pulled out of the box was a high-end polishing cloth. Nice. Helps me keep the fingerprints off the glossy black finish that matches my Sharp 42" LCD.

Finally, I no longer have to move my roller-ball mouse across my leg or the dog to change the channel or select a movie. This is perfect. In fact I don't think I'll be using my Media Center remote anymore. For anyone like me who navigates their computer from their couch, this mouse is just what you need.

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

and mouse connect immediately. I already have a Logitech cordless mouse and keyboard set. But that has now moved to the old computer. This being rechargeable is very key, no batteries, long "air" time, and cool looking in the charging dock etc. The photo makes it look rather long and big, but it's actually standard if not thinner, light and feels great holding it. At first, I had it on the desk like a normal mouse, and it's completely great like that, but when you lift it, it then becomes mind-blowing in it's "air" state. It's motion sensitive and at first I was afraid of how to hold it, and wondering if I am blocking something on it, or what to point to etc.. but then I just held it the way I wanted to, and pointed at the screen without hesitation, and noticed we were getting along just fine. You are teaching yourself how to use it, how to click, pick up, highlight etc in a matter of minutes. It's essentially a remote control, and you can do everything a normal mouse can do, just in the air. It really is quite fun and makes many things much easier. Imagine the possibilities on all those "tube" like sites! There's a play and pause button, and .... well.. you have no idea what you are missing!

On a more serious note, this is definitely a perfect tool for office presentations. If you surf in a group with a projection or large screen, this serves as your pointer. Only difference is that you are actually performing the functions instead of referring to them and getting in the way.

This is laser technology at it's finest. The movements you make are spot on, and you adjust as the mouse adjusts to you. The learning curve here is to simply to let go of the standard limitations, and be free to move around the web in comfort and ease. There is certainly something better coming in the future, and I am sure it will be from Logitech.

This is the future, here, now, and worth every penny tomorrow.

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

and mouse connect immediately. I already have a Logitech cordless mouse and keyboard set. But that has now moved to the old computer. This being rechargeable is very key, no batteries, long "air" time, and cool looking in the charging dock etc. The photo makes it look rather long and big, but it's actually standard if not thinner, light and feels great holding it. At first, I had it on the desk like a normal mouse, and it's completely great like that, but when you lift it, it then becomes mind-blowing in it's "air" state. It's motion sensitive and at first I was afraid of how to hold it, and wondering if I am blocking something on it, or what to point to etc.. but then I just held it the way I wanted to, and pointed at the screen without hesitation, and noticed we were getting along just fine. You are teaching yourself how to use it, how to click, pick up, highlight etc in a matter of minutes. It's essentially a remote control, and you can do everything a normal mouse can do, just in the air. It really is quite fun and makes many things much easier. Imagine the possibilities on all those "tube" like sites! There's a play and pause button, and .... well.. you have no idea what you are missing!



On a more serious note, this is definitely a perfect tool for office presentations. If you surf in a group with a projection or large screen, this serves as your pointer. Only difference is that you are actually performing the functions instead of referring to them and getting in the way.



This is laser technology at it's finest. The movements you make are spot on, and you adjust as the mouse adjusts to you. The learning curve here is to simply to let go of the standard limitations, and be free to move around the web in comfort and ease. There is certainly something better coming in the future, and I am sure it will be from Logitech.



This is the future, here, now, and worth every penny tomorrow.

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

to get the hang of it, and you have to get it centered and adjusted for your speed -- but once you do it can point and click all over the place and subtle hand movements can lead to high precision pointing. The buttons are programmed for many standard functions -- back, play/pause, select and volume -- and can be reprogrammed to do almost anything you could do with a few key strokes.

What is really cool is that there are some unique wand functions -- that work like magic. Hold down the volume button and swing the mouse to the left and the volume goes down, swing to the right and the volume goes up - and you can program it so that up is up and down is down if you prefer. Hold down the play/pause button and "twirl" the air mouse clockwise and it will advance to the next song (in iTunes) or next chapter (in a movie) or "forward" to the next webpage (if you have a browser open); twirl counterclockwise and it goes back. I wish there was a way to set this so that it always controlled songs in iTunes -- since I'd like to be able to do that when I'm browsing, but unfortunately they don't give that option. It only works in whatever program is currently on top.

The difficulty is that the buttons are placed where they'd be easy to reach for someone whose hand is on top of the mouse -- when it is sitting on the table. When you are holding it, your fingers reach around the mouse and you have to contort them a bit and sometimes adjust how the mouse sits in your hand to get your fingers to reach all of the buttons. I've found that it works pretty well if I hold it sideways, with my palm on the bottom and my fingers reaching around to touch the left click button and my thumb on the right click button -- but it wasn't really designed and shaped to make that kind of holding natural. It is really shaped like a table mouse and the air features feel like bonuses but not like they are the primary functionality of this piece.

I'd like to see a next generation air mouse that really made the leap -- allowing users to use it on the table as a mouse if they prefer, but obviously designed for use in the air. In other words, I'd like to see the next generation be a wand and only secondarily a mouse rather than a mouse that tries to fly but only manages to get partly off of the ground. Having said that, I really like this mouse and will use it exclusively until that next generation thing comes around.

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

blogs and spend the rest of my time in a web browser, so being able to have access to the sides of my mouse to move forward/back are critical and very convenient

But it does as it claims; it functions well as an "in the air" mouse solution. I do not know how long the charge last, I used it for hours to watch movies and surf and when I placed it in the charger it had not even used half of its charge.

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

is extremely quick to respond. The controls do not favor a right or left hand, or hand position. You have to work out what is best for you, then practice. It is a bit like an ipod touch or a zune 80 in that you can scroll very quickly through a great deal of material just by moving your finger across the center section. The whole thing is touch sensitive. It also needs to be wiped off periodically. Logitech has included a nice big cleaning cloth that gets rid of smears easily. I am a handcream fan so this was a real bonus for me :)

This unit is replacing a Microsoft 6000 laser mouse. Everything was fine until I got into 'shooter' games, then I realized my mouse wasn't keeping up. I didn't want to get a wired gamer mouse, because I have enough clutter on my desktop. This mouse solves that problem. The charger can be located anywhere. It has an independent power supply that does need a larger plug. The sending unit is a slim usb that can fit easily into narrow, crowded slots. At first I plugged the usb into one of my front ports because I was worried that the signal could get blocked. Everything was fine. Next, I moved it to one of the ports on the back of my apple cinema screen. Same response :) So feel free to put the receiver/sender on the back of your box. Get it out of the way.

The next thing was teaching myself how to use it. If, like me, you find it whizzing all over the place, you can 'center' it by pressing the 'back' button for more than two seconds. That will lock the mouse in place. When you press the back button again, the mouse will move. Thereafter you can use it like you would a TV remote to scroll through menus, select items, or control your browser. In addition, you can also scroll through your volume control, like you would a TV remote.

What this thing is best used for right out of the box is for windows media center. If you are planning on building a system dedicated to recording/playing video, playing slideshows or playing music on your television, this mouse will make more sense immediately. It has an extensive range - 30 feet. You can put the charger on the coffee table then put the usb send/receive unit in whatever style computer you have hooked up to your television so you can use it as a 'remote'. You can also use this to turn your computer into a console game system hooked up to your television.

The ultimate test of the Logitech MX was whether it would help me improve my score in 'Jets'n'Guns Gold'. It did :) The response time is so much better than my old Microsoft 6000 it was a snap :) I am still learning to use the mouse in the air. It's a strange sensation to use it to flip through pages in e-books, or scroll through listings on ebay when it is not on a flat surface. It's getting there, though.

It also helps that this is a VERY nicely designed mouse that fits nicely in my small hand :)

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

is extremely quick to respond. The controls do not favor a right or left hand, or hand position. You have to work out what is best for you, then practice. It is a bit like an ipod touch or a zune 80 in that you can scroll very quickly through a great deal of material just by moving your finger across the center section. The whole thing is touch sensitive. It also needs to be wiped off periodically. Logitech has included a nice big cleaning cloth that gets rid of smears easily. I am a handcream fan so this was a real bonus for me :)



This unit is replacing a Microsoft 6000 laser mouse. Everything was fine until I got into 'shooter' games, then I realized my mouse wasn't keeping up. I didn't want to get a wired gamer mouse, because I have enough clutter on my desktop. This mouse solves that problem. The charger can be located anywhere. It has an independent power supply that does need a larger plug. The sending unit is a slim usb that can fit easily into narrow, crowded slots. At first I plugged the usb into one of my front ports because I was worried that the signal could get blocked. Everything was fine. Next, I moved it to one of the ports on the back of my apple cinema screen. Same response :) So feel free to put the receiver/sender on the back of your box. Get it out of the way.



The next thing was teaching myself how to use it. If, like me, you find it whizzing all over the place, you can 'center' it by pressing the 'back' button for more than two seconds. That will lock the mouse in place. When you press the back button again, the mouse will move. Thereafter you can use it like you would a TV remote to scroll through menus, select items, or control your browser. In addition, you can also scroll through your volume control, like you would a TV remote.



What this thing is best used for right out of the box is for windows media center. If you are planning on building a system dedicated to recording/playing video, playing slideshows or playing music on your television, this mouse will make more sense immediately. It has an extensive range - 30 feet. You can put the charger on the coffee table then put the usb send/receive unit in whatever style computer you have hooked up to your television so you can use it as a 'remote'. You can also use this to turn your computer into a console game system hooked up to your television.



The ultimate test of the Logitech MX was whether it would help me improve my score in 'Jets'n'Guns Gold'. It did :) The response time is so much better than my old Microsoft 6000 it was a snap :) I am still learning to use the mouse in the air. It's a strange sensation to use it to flip through pages in e-books, or scroll through listings on ebay when it is not on a flat surface. It's getting there, though.



It also helps that this is a VERY nicely designed mouse that fits nicely in my small hand :)

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

While the second item would be understandably affected by individual usage and could only be an estimate, the charge time should be fairly standard. For those of us anxious to use a new gadget, waiting an undetermined amount of time for that first full charge can be vexing. From experience, I now know the device charges fully in under 2 hours, and Logitech very kindly includes charging indicators on the mouse that show when the mouse is still charging and when it has completed, but it would be nice to have these times included in the manual.

FUNCTIONALITY
I was delighted that this mouse was not just an air mouse, but also a laser desktop mouse. The device senses when it has been placed on a surface and switches to desktop mode seamlessly, with no delay and no effort on the user's part.

An unexpected bonus is the scroll bar. Instead of a scroll wheel (something I used frequently), this mouse has a bar. A light brush of the finger across the bar will scroll the page you are viewing, and holding the scroll up or down buttons will move continuously through the document in the direction you have commanded. As much as I loved the scroll wheel for years, this scroll bar has replaced it in my affections.

As far as using the mouse in the air, I can affirm that you can perform any mouse task in the air that you could on the desktop. I have had great success with the maneuverability of this device in the air once I trained my wrist to not move downwards when clicking the mouse buttons.

Additional buttons on the mouse make it easy to control media program such as iTunes, using it as a remote control, complete with volume buttons on the unit.

EASE OF USE
I've never used an air mouse or presenter before, and so becoming accustomed to the Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse was a new experience for me. I found my hand and wrist had to train to prevent moving the mouse downwards when clicking the right or left mouse buttons when using it in the air, but I adjusted easily within the first two days, and after 2 weeks of use, I find it easy enough. However, I think this could be greatly improved by simply adding a left and right mouse button to the sides of the device to make clicking in mid-air simpler.

I've used a Logitech USB/PS-2 Trackman Wheel Scroll Optical Mouse (904353-0403) for years, and have become quite accustomed to its ergonomic fit in my hand. I have to say, though I have come to wholly appreciate the Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse, it does not fit as ergonomically as I would hope. Logitech could easily solve this in the next model by simply adding a slight curvature to the sides of the device and a little hump in the top to mold better in the palm of your hand.

QUALITY/DURABILITY
I've had this mouse a little over two weeks, and while I can't really profess its durability until I've used it for some months, I can say I expect it to last for quite a while. It does not feel or look cheaply made, and has traveled quite well in my laptop case every day for the past few weeks. I believe Logitech has built this mouse for longevity, something I can say with confidence judging by my past experience with numerous Logitech products.

VALUE
Is the mouse worth its price? If you have a use for an air mouse, then yes, I believe so. If the air function is a novelty to you that wouldn't see much use, then the pricing is probably too steep for you at this point. I will tell you that if something happens to this device, I expect I will want to purchase a replacement for it, as it has become extremely useful to me in a short period of time, and its advanced features and duality (air and desk use) make it a worthwhile investment for me.

QUICK RECAP - PROS & CONS
Ergonomics - Not quite there yet, although it is not uncomfortable. I fully expect Logitech to design an even more comfortable fit in the second generation of this device.
Use - The advanced features quickly become something you will depend on, making it impossible to consider returning to a standard mouse.

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

the trainee out of the way or reach around them when I need to show them something with the mouse. Now I just take the MX Air to work and if I'm working with someone I tell them to plug it in. It installs fine on my work network of XP without admin rights and gives me control when I need it to point out the next step or a part of the screen to pay attention to. When I don't need it I just lock it so I don't control their movements.

Personally I like the sound feedback of the scroll pad and find it fairly easy and intuitive to use. Could be better but not bad enough to warrant a worse review. Volume control doesn't really work for me either but again that's not what I use the mouse for.

Don't go thinking you're spending the money for this mouse to replace your day to day mouse, unless this is for a media PC. This is an addon to make computer usage more enjoyable during the times a normal mouse is overkill. The cost may seem excessive for that purpose and for many it may be but for those that spend a lot of time in front of the computer a day, it's nice to be able to lean back and relax sometimes, give the fingers and arms a break

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

I don't use it that way. As a web developer I live in a web browser, so being able to slap the sides of my mouse to move forward/back are critical to my work environment. For me, this is an "in the air" mouse solution, which was my original intent for purchasing this mouse.

In the air: works great except for one thing, and this is why it gets 2 stars instead of 5. You constantly (and I mean CONSTANTLY) have to re-center the mouse. To do this you either have to do some goofy gesture (which isn't as easy as it looks) or you press and hold the Back button, re-center, then release. This constant re-centering must be done every time I pick it up, and often during use. It is a usability killer, and I'm not sure how they could release a product with such a major design flaw.

Wii Would Like To Play: This IS a Wii-like mouse for the PC, no doubt. Same feeling I get with our Wii. Same accuracy as a pointer device, if not better. Before I got the MX Air mouse I actually had a Wii controller that could control my PC to a certain extent using the GlovePIE software and a Bluetooth dongle. It worked, but it was more a proof of concept, so it didn't work well. What Logitech needs to do is they need to release a USB sensor bar just like the Wii so that you can place the bar below or above your monitor. This would solve the centering issue and make this a usable product. A sensor bar would remove the need to have a centering feature, and it wouldn't be expensive to manufacture.

If you are considering this product as a couch mouse replacement, I highly recommend it as there aren't very many alternatives out there for you. For me, in front of a PC, I can't highly recommend it due to the centering issue.

Cost: for me this is a non-issue. I work an average of 14 hours a day on the PC and am looking for a device that helps with my tendinitis from mouse over-use. I'd pay $300 or more if I could find a solution that helped the pain. Unfortunately this is not a mouse replacement for me.

Other annoying features:

Touch-sensitive scroll panel: This is another innovative feature that is cool, but personally I need more tactile feedback like a wheel. It also scrolls REAL fast so be sure to change your settings to slow it down. Finally, there is a goofy audible "real mouse scroll wheel" clicking sound when you use the scroll panel (sound comes from the mouse) and there's no way to silence it.

Volume: Again, for couch potatoes this is probably a good mouse, but for me, pressing the volume buttons on my keyboard is a better solution. Why? It seems that when you mute the volume through the MX Air mouse, it mutes a bit too much. This affects my Skype headset volume as well. Even more annoying, is that when I un-mute my volume through the MX Air mouse, it doesn't raise the volume of my Skype headset back up, so I have to go into the Sound properties and tinker. Essentially, this feature is useless to me because of this flaw.

Buttons: The buttons work great, except no matter if I try to use my thumb or my index finger on top, I just can't seem to get it into a natural feeling position. Here's the rub: when using your index finger, you have simple access to the scroll panel and left/right buttons, but getting to the row of buttons is difficult. It's the opposite situation for thumb use: you have easy access to the buttons, but getting to the scroll panel and the left/right buttons is a stretch. Logitech recommends you hold it like a TV remote, using your thumb to control the buttons. I agree, this is the most natural way of holding this mouse, however unless you have a super-long thumb, the scroll panel is unreachable. The possible solution here is to use your thumb for the buttons and your index finger for the scroll panel... however as an "in the air" mouse, this isn't practical, because switching figures causes the mouse to move quite a bit and then you have to reposition the mouse (again).

In summary, I think this is a very cool device that is very innovative as a first gen air mouse from Logitech. Hopefully their engineers will read feedback from the community and make a better second gen version that fixes the flaws. I've been waiting for a usable Wii-like pointing device for my PC since the Wii came out. This just isn't it. Plus, I tried to use it Adam Sandler-style to quiet my dog and it didn't work :)

Logitech MX Air Wireless Laser Mouse

...

these old eyes to see). The volume function works great at 35 feet too. Would I buy it again? Oh Yeah!!!!