27
Mar
Before I show off the 2 products being reviewed today; an admission. I’d seen this product years ago, but for some reason I never felt it would be worth reviewing (this review will show how wrong I was).
The MoGo Mouse BT and MoGo Mouse X54 Pro are mice that can be stored inside your laptop expansion slot. Both require Bluetooth to connect. I’m going to review 2 of the products MoGo make; the original MoGo Mouse BT and the new MoGo Mouse X54 Pro.
MoGo Mouse BT
The original MoGo Mouse was revealed back in 2005. It’s an optical mouse with 2 buttons, Bluetooth and an integrated rechargeable battery. So far the description sounds like most other wireless mice, but the MoGo mouse is different; It’s the thickness of a PCCard (used to be called PCMCIA). This means it’ll fit right inside your notebook when you don’t need it.
When it’s in your notebook (and the notebook is powered on) it recharges in a matter of minutes.
Like I said in the opening paragraph; I had originally expected it to be a real hassle to work with. But I can assure you that it’s actually surprisingly comfortable.
I put the MoGo mouse to the "ultimate test" and used it instead of my normal travel mouse for a few hours, and it worked exactly as it should. Even after a few hours of active browsing it was a pleasure to work with.
When you use the mouse, you fold out a little kickstand which brings the it to a slight angle. Opening the kickstand also turns the mouse on, so when you fold it in to store, it automatically turns off, saving battery power.
On the MoGo web site you’ll find an update which enables virtual scrolling. Since the mouse lacks a scroll wheel or pad, this upgrade makes it possible to hold down the right mouse button and move the mouse up or down to scroll. The scrolling software is a free download.
The MoGo Mouse BT costs $69.95 and is available from Amazon.com and most major computer product vendors.
MoGo Mouse X54 Pro
The newest mouse from MoGo is the X54 Pro. Since many new notebooks have replaced the PCCard slot with an Express Card slot, a new format mouse had to be developed.
MoGo took the award winning original MoGo mouse and made it compatible with the ExpressCard 54 slot. At the same time, they added a scroll pad, presentation buttons and a laser pointer. With these new features the MoGo X54 Pro suddenly becomes a presentation controller AND mouse in the same device.
When you turn the mouse on, it connects within about 5 seconds, and is instantly available to use.
If you own a notebook that does not come with integrated Bluetooth then MoGo even has a solution for you with the tiny "MoGo Dapter".
The MoGo X54 Pro also has a kickstand, but this one is much smaller due to the different size of the Expresscard slot. They also added a manual power switch and a mode/connect button to switch between mouse and presenter mode, and to put the mouse in Bluetooth pairing mode.
In my Dell XPS notebook, the mouse fit perfectly and only a tiny portion of it sticks out of the machine, just enough to clearly see the charging indicator.
The X54 Pro is also available in a version without the presentation buttons or laser pointer as the X54.
This is just another one of those gadgets that you really shouldn’t have to think too much about ; if you travel with your notebook, and get tired of using the trackpad/point built into your machine, then you really need a MoGo mouse. In the few short weeks I tested them, I learned to depend on them, and was able to leave my Microsoft travel mouse at home, which reduces the load of stuff I have to carry along on a trip.
Because the mice support the generic Bluetooth input protocol, no drivers are required and they will work on your PC and Mac. I even tested them on my PDA (which did require a mouse driver) and it worked perfectly.
My preconceived notions about it being uncomfortable were completely unfounded and every aspect, from ease of use to reliability were very impressive. Battery life in both devices was outstanding, and more than enough to get you through a couple of hours work, but you will need to remember to charge it with the notebook powered on.
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