Product: Logitech V470 Bluetooth Notebook Mouse
Manufacturer: Logitech
MSRP: $49.99 [BizRate]
Lowest Historical Price: $15 [History]

Introduction
Notebook track pads have come a long way since having a physical ball to roll around. The newest Apple gadgets even have multi-touch track pads. When I want to get some serious work done, and I don't mean typing an essay, a real mouse (not the rodent variety) is the best tool for the job. Here we take a look at the Logitech V470 Bluetooth Cordless Laser Mouse which at first glance seems to be an ideal mix of portability and usability.

Specs
Model: 910-000298
Hardware Platform: PC, Mac
Connectivity: Bluetooth
Movement Detection: Laser
Color: Blue (White is also available)
Width: 2.5"
Height: 1.5"
Weight: 0.4 lbs
Warranty: 3 Years
Scroll: Up, Down and Side-to-Side



Setup
The package comes with a protective pouch for the mouse, 2 AA batteries and the install CD. Unfortunately, it does not come with a Bluetooth receiver, so make sure you have Bluetooth for the computer you want to use it with. To use the mouse, simply setup your computer to search for Bluetooth devices. Flip the switch at the bottom of the mouse and hit the connect button. After a few mouse clicks (with your original pointing device), the mouse should be paired with the computer. Installation of the Logitech software is optional and quite easy. You can use it to swap button assignments, set pointer speed, set scroll settings, and to monitor the mouse battery life.

Review
When I connected the mouse to a Vostro 1500, the very first thing I noticed was that there is a slight lag between mouse movements and the resultant cursor movements. It's very subtle, but noticeable enough to be annoying at times. It won't affect everyday use, but gamers beware! Just to make sure this wasn't some compatibility fluke, I tested the same mouse with a Dimension XPS desktop, XPS One all-in-one desktop, Dell Latitude D610, as well as with a dual boot OS X 10.5.2 system. The v470 mouse worked without lag on the Dell Latitude D610 and the XPS One. Considering that the lag problem exists on 3 out of 5 computers tested (all from major computer companies), it's worthy of a mention.



The Logitech page recommends using Broadcom/Widcomm Bluetooth BTW 1.4.2.21 or later Bluetooth Drivers, and appears that may be the difference between the computers that lagged with the v470 and those that didn't. It seems that this mouse has problems with the default Windows XP Bluetooth driver. To illustrate the lag, I opened up a paint program and attempted my best to draw a smooth circle in one quick stroke. This was done with the Logitech G5 Laser Corded Mouse, and then with the Logitech v470 Bluetooth Mouse. As you can see from the figure below, there is some serious information loss when using the v470.



As I mentioned before, the v470 has an on-and-off switch at the bottom, which is useful for conserving battery life (which is claimed to be up to 4 months). Most other portable mice do not have an off switch, so they are basically always on and pinging for movement, resulting in significantly reduced battery life (The Logitech MX900 comes to mind). It comes with a pair of AA Alkaline batteries, but I'd recommend getting some rechargeable NiMH cells if you plan on using it often.

Since the mouse was made to be used on-the-go, it's relatively small and light. Although it was a change to transition from a regular sized mouse to the V470, I eventually got used to its small size. The layout of the mouse was designed with both right and left handed individuals in mind. My only beef with the design is that Logitech opted not to include the back and forward buttons that are oh so useful in web browsing.

Conclusion
If you buy this mouse, be prepared to exercise your return options. To have a mouse that lags, in this day and age, is plainly unacceptable. On the computers that worked lag-free with this mouse, it fulfilled its promise of being a standalone trouble-free pointing device. It's a good portable mouse to use when you're away from home. I definitely wouldn't use this mouse for intense gaming, but for surfing the web, writing emails and chatting online, the Logitech v470 is a good portable mouse. That is, if you manage to avoid the lag issues.

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