Adding new ingredients to an innovative
formula
The HP Wi-Fi Mobile Mouse was a new,
innovative way to connect a mouse to a PC. Instead of utilising a USB receiver,
the Wi-Fi Mobile Mouse would connect to the PC's built-in Wi-Fi receiver
instead, freeing up a USB space. With the HP X7000 Wi-Fi Touch Mouse, HP is
attempting to give the Wi-Fi technology with a few extra touches to spice up
the package.
The X7000's design features moulded
ergonomics that makes it comfortable to hold and use, though it doesn't allow
lefties to enjoy the experience. Aside from the left-right mouse buttons, you
get two additional back-forward buttons and an extra button which we'll get to
later. What's unique to this mouse is the touch-scrolling pad that replaces the
traditional scrolling dial.
To get the mouse to work requires a little
setup, which isn't complicated. All it needs is a simple software installation
and for the user to press the Connect button underneath the mouse within a foot
from the PC. Once paired, the mouse doesn't require a setup for the next time.
Still, the initial time it took to get the pairing done is certainly less
convenient than a typical plug-&-play.
It's also worth noting that the mouse only
works on a Windows 7 platform, so if you're on older Windows or sporting a Mac,
you're going to have to give this a pass.
The mouse generally works well. The
tracking is great and it's a smooth experience, and it also works well on most
surfaces. The buttons are well placed and they click well, too. The touch
scrolling is rather on the mixed-bag side. It does allow us to scroll much,
much faster, but in the process you sacrifice a little bit of scrolling accuracy.
You tap on it to initiate a middle-mouse click, which is a little irresponsive.
The extra button we told you about? That's
a button dedicated to help automatically upload your pictures on Facebook,
which is a nice extra touch. Upon installation, the software would request for
your Facebook login details and you'll be able to use it immediately.
HP X7000
Wi-Fi Touch Mouse
Price $46.5
Info www.hp.com
Specifications
Interface: Wi-Fi
Requirements: Windows 7
Other: Touch-scroll feature
Dimensions: 123.5 x 89.5 x 46.5 mm
Weight: 0.14kg
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Ratings
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Features
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Performance
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Design
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Value
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Comment
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(+) Connects to built-in Wi-Fi
Touch scrolling
Dedicated Facebook button
(-) Only works on Windows 7
Only for the right-handed
Requires setup
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