So, got the computer I screwed up all back to “useful” then installed Acronis TrueImage (the free–and “slightly less good”–version from Western Digital, since the drive’s a WD drive) and made an image of the drive. Now, if I screw it up again, I can just reinstall the image and Bob’s youruncle.
Anyway, I was in the process of picking up some more DVDRs and CDRs at our local “fell-off-the-truck-pricing” store and saw a neat lil Microsoft Wireless mouse for $20. No packaging, just the mouse, USB connection and battery. Bought it. Brought it home and tried it out on Hawg (this computer). No joy. The lil USB adapter got so hot I had to use a chip puller to remove it. Took it back and traded for a Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 keyboard/mouse combo. Slick stuff. Works fine. 5 button Bluetrack mouse and multi-media keyboard. (Of course the first thing I did, before installing the combo, was to stick some high density foam rubber under the capslock key to prevent accidental triggering. Much more useful, IMO, than any of the software solutions I’ve seen or tried.)
Oh, how much did I pay, total (after returning the mouse) for the kbd/mouse combo?
$30.
Same thing is available at Wally World for $60. At Amazon, $50 (and free shipping, no tax). I can live with $30.
First impressions? Nice “click-y” sound and feel from the soft touch keyboard. Really nice. The mouse? I’ve yet to use the “flip” side buttons, but it fills the hand nicely, tracks like a dream and the scrollwheel is smooth. So smooth, in fact, that it’s going to take some getting used to. All-in-all, though, compared to some Memorex, Logitech and “Gateway-branded” sets I’ve used over the past 10 years or so, I like–a lot.
Pics? You want pics? Here’s one:
Another Update:
and
UPDATE: BTW, the 4th and 5th buttons? right now, I just have them assigned to go back (left) and forward (right) in my browser. It’s not such a much, though, because it’s such a minor enhancement as against the mouse gestures I normally use to do those things. Still, until I’m more comfortable with the rest of it, that’s as far as I wanted to take it. I didn’t like the default “flip” function on clicking the mouse wheel (instead of scrolling), so I reset that to act like the default function other mice with clickable scroll wheels have had, just a standard middle click. The scroll wheel is so very smooth and responsive in its default configuration that I am having a bit of difficulty using that function precisely.
How about that, you put in a tech blog that I could actually add some input… My last purchase was the Microsoft 5000 wireless keyboard/mouse. This is the ergonomic keyboard, not as pronounced as the 4000 keyboard; but enough to keep my hands comfortable. The mouse is comfortable too and has neat features like the magnification button that makes it easy on these old eyes.
I did find a funky cloth laptop bag that will hold the wireless keyboard; a tight fit, but it does fit. All my stuff in one bag to include the mouse, mouse board (pad), laptop and wires.
Nice, TF. My Wonder Woman prefers using her neat lil M$ mini-mouse with her lappy. (Could turn off the mush pad if she wanted or increase “palm check” so typing’s easier, but she’s grown used to typing “around” it) She’s not tried a wireless keyboard with it, though I’ve offered her several to ease the lack of a numerical keypad. The mouse, though… she does so much with a mouse at work that using a mouse with her lappy just makes sense.
I have nothing to contribute as I sit here using my two fingers on my touchpad to scroll through this blog.
See? That’s one of the issues I have with Macs. When I use my Wonder Woman’s lil ole Toshiba, it only takes ONE finger to scroll, either vertically or horizontally. Twice the effort with a Mac. *LOL*
BTW, here’s a YouTube video of a guy who uses Macs at home/PCs at work and took the desktop combo mentioned back and forth for a couple of weeks to give it a thorough tryout.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmkOSKhL_5g
Heck, why don’t I just put that video in the post?