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July 24, 2007

hardware

Your MacBook wants Logitech’s VX Nano

Posted Jul. 24, ’07, 5:26 AM PT by Derik DeLong
Category | Hardware

Logitech VX Nano I’ve been reasonably pleased with Macally’s BT MouseJr as a mouse for my Powerbook. However, after using both my MX1000 and MX Revolution on my Mac Pro, the lack of response in Bluetooth mice has become really apparent to me. The problem with RF mice is the dongle you need to plug in. While Logitech’s VX Nano doesn’t change that fact, it’s dongle is the smallest I’ve seen.

The mouse itself is smaller than the VX that preceded it (which despite its size was marketed for laptop use as well). It does have a ton of features, like Logitech’s new free spinning scroll wheel and laser precision. It also includes other great touches like a protective pouch and the use of standard AAA batteries, each set of which will last 6 months (at least according to Logitech). Better yet, while it has a slight right hander bias with the forward/back buttons on the left of the device, it’s otherwise symmetrical, making it a good choice for lefties.

The only bad part is Logitech’s woeful software. I still recommend USB Overdrive. The mouse will cost $79.99 retail and be available in August.


4 Comments

Kelmon said:

I've been using the Logitech VX Revolution with my MacBook Pro since I fell out with the Wireless Mighty Mouse. Seriously, I really wanted to like the Mighty Mouse and I would have continued to use it despite its silly squeeze buttons (there's a reason why no one else has used these on other mice...) if only the right-click was reliable. Unfortunately, as pretty much everyone who has used a Mighty Mouse knows, the right-click is only about 90% reliable and therefore the thing gets on your tits 10% of the time, which was too much as far as I was concerned. However, one aspect of the mouse that I really did like was the Bluetooth connectivity.

That no one seems to make a good Bluetooth mouse is shocking. Those that I've seen are either a) pathetically small and under-specified or b) require a dongle despite the fact that my laptop has Bluetooth built-in. While I had my issues with the Wireless Mighty Mouse I can't say that its response was ever an issue and I'd have it back if the right-click issue was ever resolved since I really like not having to plug in a dongle and save a USB port (which, as everyone knows, are in pretty short supply on an Apple laptop).

I can see the VX Nano being useful for some people but in all honesty the normal VX is small enough. If you only wish to use a mouse for occasional use during travel then the Nano would have a role but if you use your mouse for extended periods then I really would recommend a more full-sized mouse for comfort and functions. This said, a dongle small enough that you don't need to remove it when packing away your laptop would indeed be useful.

I completely concur with you on the subject of Logitech's mouse drivers. Having installed the current 2.2.2 version this weekend (following a clean install of OS X) and encountering 2 kernel panics in the past 2 days these drivers have been shown the door and I've gone back to the SteerMouse drivers. I have no idea which drivers are best but I will note that SteerMouse does support the Wireless Mighty Mouse whereas USB Overdrive's site just gives a year-old excuse for not supporting this model yet...

July 24, 2007 7:00 AM
Dan Peterson said:

The mouse looks cooland I love my Revolutions but USB Overdrive doesn't work very well with a lot of Logitech mice (including my MX and VX Revolutions). It won't work with the special search button and tends to screw with the scroll wheel on the MX.

I'd recommend going with SteerMouse instead. Same price but it's still being developed and made better (USB Overdrive hasn't been updated since mid-2006 I think).

July 24, 2007 7:02 AM
Fletcher said:

I got the earlier VX mouse about a month ago. The software Logitech provides simply doesn't work on Mac OS X so it is impossible to reprogram the buttons without a third party utility like USB Overdrive.

July 24, 2007 7:24 AM
Bigthawt said:

It seems like a Bluetooth mouse would be the way to go for a notebook. I have a MacBook and have managed to avoid mice (although I still have to resort to the trackpad every once in a while) entirely -- QuickSilver does wonders for avoiding the mouse. But I have considered a wireless Mighty Mouse recently.

July 25, 2007 9:29 AM

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