Review: Belkin Bluetooth mouse
I’ve been looking for the ideal Bluetooth mouse almost as long as I’ve had my PowerBook G4. Unfortunately this isn’t it. I chose the Belkin bluetooth mouse for its price and number of buttons, and because Microsoft’s Bluetooth IntelliMouse isn’t compatible with Macs.
The Belkin mouse is fairly large, but is very comfortable to use if you’re right-handed. If you have a computer with Bluetooth built in, you won’t need to use any adapter with it, which makes it more convenient than regular cordless mice.
In addition to the usual two buttons + scroll wheel, it also has a thumb button. Unfortunately no software is available to assign functions to the buttons, and it won’t work with USB Overdrive.
The other drawback is the battery life. It only runs about 3 weeks on a pair of Alkaline AA batteries, and when the batteries die, the first sign is that it suddenly stops moving although the buttons still work. It features an automatic power saving mode which causes it to shut off & disconnect automatically if it isn’t used for a certain length of time. When that happens, clicking any button will re-connect. Until you get used to that feature, it can be pretty disconcerting.
I would recommend looking at other Bluetooth mice.
September 23rd, 2004 at 11:14 pm
Since when doesn’t the MS mouse work?
Apple has a KB article describing how to set it up at http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107585 - if the link doesn’t work just search Apple’s support site for “microsoft bluetooth mouse”.
September 24th, 2004 at 2:26 am
I use the MS bluetooth mouse with my PB all the time, it works just fine. I am unsure if their mouse software works with it (I haven’t bothered checking it out), but the basics work without any problems, and that’s all I need. Besides, I got it cheap on eBay, and it (although I hate to admit it since it’s M$) sits very well in my hand.
September 24th, 2004 at 5:05 am
I’ve been using mine for months on a 17″ PowerBook and have never had a problem. Battery life is good and I like the way it handles. My only gripes are there is no on/off switch on the bottom and there is no way to control when it goes into sleep mode. For the price I think it is the best mouse on the market.
Greg
September 24th, 2004 at 6:39 am
The information on Microsoft’s page for the mouse states that it isn’t Mac compatible.
September 24th, 2004 at 7:22 am
Fair point, but clearly Apple (and the other posters here) are contradicting MS
September 24th, 2004 at 7:26 am
That might be true, but shouldn’t you actually find out if that is true before stating it in the article? I mean, it might be labelled as not compatible, but it does work without problems, so does that still mean it’s not compatible? You should have checked it out, and not just gone with official MS information.
September 24th, 2004 at 8:45 am
I use the MS Bluetooth mouse w/ my PowerBook all the time. Works great.
Bob Lee
September 29th, 2004 at 4:01 pm
I’m looking forward to MacMice’s The Mouse BT. It looks pretty good, but we’ll see.
September 30th, 2004 at 9:15 pm
Just pair it and go. You don’t need the dongle supplied with the mouse if you use your macs bluetooth.
October 1st, 2004 at 8:14 pm
I am enjoying my MS Bluetooth mouse, especially the two buttons (returned my Apple one to the dealer due to only one button). My problem is the batteries die after only a day or two. The light on the mouse still lights, but it cannot be detected by the Powerbook G4. It is as if the batteries are down only a little bit, but don’t have enough left to keep up the bluetooth signal.
Any others having this problem, or ideas to solve it?
jcroyer@mac.com
October 2nd, 2004 at 9:55 pm
What Microsoft’s statement regarding compatibility with the Mac really seems to mean is that the USB bluetooth adapter is not compatible with the Mac. The mouse works fine with Mac-compatible bluetoooth adapters (built-in or D-Link).
October 6th, 2004 at 12:36 am
What I would REALLY love to see, is a BT version of MacAlly’s OptiMouse. I need to be able to use a mouse left or right handed, and I have large hands. With almost all mice out there, this means the wheel winds up under my finger past the first knuckle. The MacAlly USB OptiMouse design is perfect, so if they’re listening, adopt it to BT if you please!
JD Ireland
October 13th, 2004 at 1:44 pm
I have Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer for Bluetooth and it won’t pair with my mac’s bluetooth (I have the brand new Powerbook G4). Any suggestions?
October 25th, 2004 at 10:32 pm
The v1 version of the Microsoft Bluetooth Intellimouse (standard wheel) will pair with a Powerbook G4. The v2 version of this mouse (tilt wheel) will not pair with a Powerbook G4.
October 25th, 2004 at 10:40 pm
I’ve been evaluating several bluetooth mice for my Powerbook G4 and have had pretty poor luck until now. Mice from MS and Logitech have had varying degrees of success but none have worked to my satisfaction.
I got the Targus Bluetooth Mini Mouse the other day. It isn’t certified to work with Mac and doesn’t have drivers or software but it still works. I was able to pair the mouse and use it just fine. However I had a problem with reconnecting the device after I’d shut it off. The “connect” button under the mouse didn’t work but then while messing around I discovered clicking the left and right buttons at the same time immediately connected the mouse to my G4. As of this moment the mouse appears about 95% functional with only a few things not working such as the battery life meter and the “disable trackpad while mouse present” function.
October 25th, 2004 at 10:44 pm
The small size of this mouse makes it perfectly sized to use on the G4’s wrist pad.
[URL]http://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=AMB01US[/URL]
November 2nd, 2004 at 10:39 pm
the basics work without any problems, and that’s all I need. Besides, I got it cheap on eBay, and it (although I hate to admit it since it’s M$) sits very well in my hand.
六合彩 传奇私服 沥青 货架
November 19th, 2004 at 3:10 pm
I just purchased a Targus AMB01US mouse. It is two button bluetooth (USB bluetooth dongle included) with a scroll wheel. My iBook 500 has all the latest Apple software, and the mouse is recognized and the left and right buttons work.
BUT…. the scroll wheel doesn’t work at all! Has anyone else had this problem?
Tom
Tom288@aol.com
December 20th, 2004 at 9:26 pm
and it works OK. It’s nice to have 5 mouse buttons! (Take *that* Steve!) Seriously, though, it works. You may want to see what you did wrong.
–
Robbert
http://www.robert.to/
December 27th, 2004 at 5:40 pm
I just bought the Targus AMB01US mouse. Works great and yes, the scroll wheel doesn’t work. Have you received info from anyone? Maybe some MAC genius can find a way to make it work.
December 27th, 2004 at 9:05 pm
I had problems with recognition without the included USB adapter, and downloaded the macally driver, which made everything, left and right buttons and scroll wheel work with the built in bluetooth of my powerbook g4 133.
Jay Conner
greatferm@email.com
January 14th, 2005 at 10:32 am
It works great!
I had a problem that I could not use the scroll wheel too.
On top of that I could only connect through adapter that came with.
The problem was when I pair the mouse to internal bluetooth system, I did not hold pair bottom long enough.
Try hold the pair bottom more than few second to make sure the LED on the mouse is lit, when you pair the mouse to system.
It works great and even scroll works now.
Only feature does not work is the battery life meter on control panel.
my system is PB G4 1.5GHz, OS 10.3.6
January 19th, 2005 at 5:51 pm
Actually you can get the v2 mouse to pair, but not through the bluetooth System Preferences module. Open the Bluetooth File Exchange program (/Applicaitons/Utilities), click CANCEL on the file open dialog. Select Browse from the menu and select the mouse. You will receive an error, because the mouse does not support file browing, but it will now be paired with the Mac. Left and Right buttons work as does the vertical scroll wheel. Thumb buttons and the horizontal tilt-wheel function does not work.
January 21st, 2005 at 12:43 am
Is that the new version of the BT intellimouse, or the old one? Apple describes how to make the old one work, but there’s some doubt that the new intellimouse is compatible.
January 26th, 2005 at 12:18 pm
hi, i need help on a BT mouse by Macally. the BTmouseJR… do you have it? can you help? nenocachi@free.fr thanx
January 29th, 2005 at 10:35 pm
The MS mouse works but only with limited features. You cannot set it up as you should, you have to follow weird instructions that cause an error and it kinda works then. You can set buttons 4 nd 5 for use with expose, but that’s it. They do not work with browsers, the side to side scrolling does not work either. I myself do not call this compatability.
Ron
February 3rd, 2005 at 6:47 pm
I got my MS Intelimouse v2 with the tilt wheel and paired it through the brouse function.
Thanks a lot for this information it really helped. I work on a powerbook G4 if anybody whats to know.
February 5th, 2005 at 5:11 pm
Hi, I was wondering if oyu can help me. I am using the dongle that came with the MS Mouse and after installing the software and then plugging in the dongle, the iBook couldn’t even seem to detect it. I went through the Utility function and according to the iBook the Bluetooth dongle doesn’t even exist!
Any advice.
Cheers
February 5th, 2005 at 5:23 pm
One of your earlier contributors stated that Microsoft say themselves their Bluetooth mouse is not compatible with Mac. Can you supple the address please because I want to use it to press the point with the guy who sold me the mouse.
February 5th, 2005 at 7:44 pm
See http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/productdetails.aspx?pid=032
It states ‘PC Only’ for compatibility.
February 8th, 2005 at 7:02 pm
I bought the Targus Bluetooth myself.
Initially I had wasted my money on a Bluetake mouse (nice at first, but then the battery connector tabs broke!… just like that)
I managed to fix the battery tabs, but then about a month or two later, the connect light suddenly came on and won’t go off, and the mouse refuses to work. Oh well. enough about the Bluetake. It’s rubbish.
Anyway. I bought the Targus and it worked very nicely. Good tracking and good feel in the hand. I, too, had the connection problem, having to pair up the mac and mouse in my System Preferences every time I woke the machine from sleep. But your tip has saved me a world of irritation, and the mouse works!
February 15th, 2005 at 6:38 pm
Thank you for the tip on holding down the connect button. I was just about to return this guy. All is working as well as could be expected. I’m not even going to try the battery meter since that doesn’t work on my MS mouse either.
12″ P-Book 867MHz. 10.3.8
February 17th, 2005 at 7:30 pm
i just got the Targus as well, but the scroll wheel isn’t working…anything special i need to do to enable it?
February 26th, 2005 at 2:40 pm
I also own the Belkin Mouse. Personally, I like it because it works for me. Yes, the side button does not work, and you can’t get info to parse into the bluetooth info section on my G4 Mac laptop, but it’s tight, and the speed works great. My scroll wheel works fine, and I have an extra set of rechargeable batteries ready for a backup. Hey, I run Macintosh. We come prepared for anything, remember?
MC
March 5th, 2005 at 9:22 pm
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May 17th, 2005 at 6:08 pm
i bought one, it was a waste of my time and money. it did not work, even after replacing their faulty batteries, and when i repeatedly tried all the fixes, even doing stuff like repairing permissions, zapping the PRAM, and other “oh god, let this work” attempts, i had no luck. they basically told me they didn’t know what was wrong, even though i have a 15″ pbg4 w/ built in bluetooth that has worked with other bluetooth mice. they let me return it, but only when i paid for the shipping to do so. i was not at all impressed with dvforge.
really, really crappy product and support :/
December 14th, 2005 at 11:56 am
Help please …I have just bought an iMac G5 20″ after years and years with Windows PCs, meaning years and years of frustration and headaches.
I am totally new to OSX and need help … I took the wireless option for my new keyboard and mouse, and while I love the keyboard, the mouse is a different matter altogether - after years of two buttons and a scroll wheel, I am finding it very hard to adapt to a single button.
My question is this: If I buy the MS Bluetooth mouse, will the buttons and scroll wheel work as I would expect them to? That is, will I get a certain response to a right click and a different response to a left click etc.?
Many thanks … Jim
Proud to be ambisinister (Equally useless with both hands).