Microsoft Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 3000
The wireless mouse industry has really boomed in recent years, especially for notebook users. As anyone who has used a notebook’s touchpad (or even worse roller ball) mice knows they are completely inadequate for many computing tasks. Microsoft’s Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 3000 is an excellent wireless addition to your notebook computing station. Good readability, connectivity and a long battery life make for a great mouse.
Microsoft’s Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 3000 is smaller than many mice on the market in order to make it easier to store and transport if you are going to be doing a lot of traveling with your notebook. Despite its smaller size it is still an incredibly comfortable mouse, far more comfortable than many other mice I’ve used. However if you are not planning to be carrying it around very much and are working on a desktop computer there are mice designed far more for comfort level.
As the name Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 3000 might suggest the mouse is optical and has excellent readability as far as I’ve been able to see. I’ve been using mine for over a month now and have had no problems with it whatsoever. It glides smoothly and easily over just about any reasonably smooth surface and is far more usable than the built in notebook mouse.
Connectivity between the mouse and the receiver is an issue I have noticed a couple of times. On occasion on first plugging in the receiver the mouse has not connected and I’ve had to connect it manually. This is not too much of a problem, you just press the button on the receiver and on the mouse itself (it is on the bottom of the mouse and marked “connect”). You’ll probably need a pen or something similar to push the button though. This is a fairly rare occurrence, however.
Range is somewhat limited on the Microsoft Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 3000, only going to about two and a half to three feet. It was of course not designed for range but portability, and for most users 3 feet is more than enough, assuming you are using a notebook. (This is not a good buy if you are looking for a mouse for your desktop).
One of the biggest issues with wireless mice is of course battery life. I owned my first wireless mouse some seven years ago when they were first starting to come out and let me tell you I was in no ways impressed. Not only did the mouse have a lot of difficulties connecting with the receiver (you had to keep it in a very small area or else the receiver could no longer read it) but it ate through batteries like candy. Average battery life was somewhere around 2 weeks give or take a few days. It was pathetic.
That mouse got chucked in the garbage in short order, and I vowed never to purchase another wireless mouse again. In fact it took me seven years before I finally broke my vow and gave in once again to the wireless revolution, and the Microsoft Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 3000 has made me a believer again.
As I’ve said before connectivity and readability are outstanding. As for the battery life I’ve had it for about 5 or 6 weeks and I haven’t had to change the battery yet. It surely doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. The product boasts a battery lifespan of about 6 months. I haven’t had it for that long but so far I am able to believe it.
Part of this extended battery life comes with the fact that you can plug the receiver into the mouse. This automatically turns off the mouse allowing it to save power. It also makes it easier to transport. Plugging the receiver into an out of the mouse is a snap.
Overall this is perhaps the best mouse I’ve ever owned, wireless or not. I have used better mice but they were not my own. They were also far more expensive than the Microsoft Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 3000 (Retail is $29.99) but were also not wireless and at least twice the size. If you are a notebook user and looking for a high quality wireless mouse this is it.
