Kensington PocketMouse Pro Wireless: good things *do* come in small packages
Written: Apr 14 '03
Product Rating:
Pros: Ingenious transmitter storage, compact transmitter and mouse, lots of customization options
Cons: Didn’t work ‘right out of the box’, scroll wheel a little tight, a bit pricey
The Bottom Line: This is a clever little travel mouse that works just as well for everyday use. If you have small hands, the PocketMouse Pro Wireless is an excellent choice!
Standing in the mouse aisle at my local Fry's electronics store, I was in a bit of a daze. I mean, there are a LOT of mouse choices out there. Full-size ones, mini travel-size ones, optical ones, optical AND wireless ones, simple ones with only a left/right mouse button and scroll wheel, and really complex ones with lots of other buttons. How was I going to make the perfect choice?
Breathe, tanster, breathe. Think of what your requirements are....
MY REQUIREMENTS
Well, the goal was to buy a mouse to go with my new laptop computer. Optical was a definite requirement; I've had my share of frustrations with trackball-type mice, and I have grown to love my Logitech Cordless Freedom Optical keyboard/optical mice combo that I use with my desktop PC.
Wireless wasn't a requirement, but a nice-to-have. I perch my laptop computer on a desk that is not much bigger than the laptop's footprint; a bulky RF transmitter that I would be forced to hang off the side of the desk just wouldn’t do. The transmitter would also have to be small enough not to interfere with using my laptop's other ports, specifically since my laptop has two stacked USB ports (one on top of the other, as opposed to side-by-side).
The final requirement, a requirement which I didn't realize I had until I groped all the mice in the store, was that it needed to fit in a small hand. The distance between the crook of my wrist to the end of my middle finger is a scant 6-1/2 inches. Thankfully, many of the mice were packaged in clear molded plastic so that I could test-drive them in my palm. (I highly recommend palming all the mice in the store, even if the salesmen start giving you weird looks.) Even though super mega models like the Logitech MX-500 were really cool and had lots of extra buttons and functionality, they felt simply too big to me to be comfortable.
Given my requirements, I finally decided on the Kensington PocketMouse Pro Wireless.
OUT OF THE BOX
The small package consisted of everything you need to get started:
- The PocketMouse Pro Wireless mouse
- RF transmitter
- Two AAA batteries
- Small instruction booklet
HOLY HIDDEN DOOR, BATMAN!
One of the coolest things about this mouse is that you can store the RF transmitter INSIDE THE MOUSE ITSELF, making it wonderfully convenient to travel with! To set up, I simply pressed the compartment button on top of the mouse, the little door opened, and I was able to remove the RF transmitter. The transmitter itself is teeny, and not much thicker than the height of the actual USB port that it connects to. In fact, I was delighted that even with the transmitter plugged in, I was still able to plug a separate peripheral into the second USB port located right below it!
INSTALLATION...EASY, BUT NOT PERFECT
Following the little instruction booklet (which is all the documentation you'll need anyway), here's what I did:
1. Removed the RF transmitter from its storage compartment inside the mouse, and plugged it into my laptop's USB port. The transmitter consists of two parts – one part that plugs into the USB port, and one part that transmits the signal to the mouse – you can cleverly swivel this part up to 270 degrees to improve the signal.
2. Inserted the two included AAA batteries into the mouse.
3. Pressed the transmit button on both the mouse and the transmitter to 'activate' communication between the two.
To my dismay, absolutely NOTHING happened at this point. Moving the mouse around on my desk, I saw no cursor on my laptop screen. I consulted the instruction sheet, and read the caution: "IMPORTANT: Until you install the MouseWorks® software, your PocketMouse Pro Wireless may not work as expected. It will work as a basic mouse as soon as you plug it in, but to make the best use of this device, you should install the software. Download it free at www.kensington.com. Hmmm, I didn't experience the 'basic' behavior it referred to, but downloading the latest version of MouseWorks from the Kensington site seemed to make good sense regardless.
After downloading the software, my laptop's Windows XP flashed the 'found new USB hardware, installing….' message, and I, at last, had contact!
CUSTOMIZATION GALORE WITH MOUSEWORKS
The excellent MouseWorks software provides an abundance of customization options, all accessed through Windows XP's Start button | Control Panel | Mouse. The mouse comes with a left button, a right button, and a scroll wheel, which you can also press as a third button. All three buttons can be programmed to click, double-click, right-click, as well as launch programs, open a web page, or paste pre-defined text. What’s more, you can define different mouse button behavior for different applications!
Aside from button assignments, MouseWorks lets you control pointer speed and acceleration, as well as scrolling speed. My favorite option is ‘Snap to Default’, which sets the mouse cursor to automatically hover over the 'default button' in a dialog box. (For example, in a 'Do you want to save this file?' dialog box, the mouse cursor will automatically hover over 'Yes', making it that much faster to complete the task at hand. I highly recommend this feature!)
USAGE
The PocketMouse is a joy to use, and feels very comfortable in a small palm. Its default settings for speed and acceleration worked perfectly for me, without any further customization.
Even though my mouse doesn't stray more than eight inches from the transmitter most of the time, I have successfully used it up to the advertised three feet distance away from my computer.
The mouse has a brushed-metal silver finish, with 'Kensington' stamped on the front. I imagine it's possible that the stamp will eventually wear off, but only time will tell....
I use the PocketMouse exclusively on a mouse pad, where it tracks beautifully. I have full control over the mouse movements at all times, even when I am pixel-editing graphics and need to be able to move the mouse in very fine increments.
About the only thing that is taking a little getting used to is the fact that the scroll wheel is fairly tight -- you cannot simply 'spin' the wheel to get it to scroll.
SPECS (from the Kensington website)
Features and Benefits
• Wireless Connection - RF connection allows you to work freely anywhere within 3 feet of your computer
• USB receiver stores inside mouse - ultimate all-in-one design!
• Power saving technology turns mouse off when receiver is stored, extending battery life.
• DiamondEye™ Optical Technology can be used on any surface and provides accurate tracking.
• Rotating USB receiver fits any port configuration.
System Requirements
• PC-Windows® 98, Me, 2000, or XP with USB port
• USB Macintosh® with OS 10.1.5 or later
• USB Macintosh® with OS 8 and 9 device will only function as a 1-button mouse
Dimensions
• Mouse 4.375"L X 1.5"H X 2.375"W
• USB receiver 2.0"L X 0.375"H X 1.625"W
PRICE
The retail price for the PocketMouse Pro Wireless on the Kensington website is $49.99. And that’s precisely what I paid for it at Fry’s in Palo Alto. Drats.
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS...
If you are looking for a small optical/wireless mouse with simple buttons, that also happens to travel like a dream, you should definitely consider the PocketMouse Pro Wireless. Not only is the mouse a nice fit for small hands, the RF transmitter is small enough to not block access to your laptop's other ports, and cleverly hides inside the mouse when not in use. Good things do come in small packages. □
DiamondEye optical technology offers accurate tracking and precise guidance, with the additional convenience of no required cleaning Compact shape is ...More at Amazon Marketplace
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