Review: The iHome 5 Button Optical Notebook Mouse
Written by Alan Monday, 12 September 2011 07:53
On a recent trip with my family we had a need for a notebook mouse. We had two laptops with us, along with enough cables to make Best Buy proud, but I had neglected to put a mouse in our bags. However, with a K-Mart across the street from out hotel, I wasn’t too concerned about finding a cheap, one week, stand-in to cover us for the vacation. What I came across was the iHome 5 Button Optical Notebook Mouse. It was $12.99, which is a great price for any laptop mouse.
iHome is a unique company. They are iHomeAudio online, because they make a lot of home speakers that connect to various devices. In fact, they make products which have almost everything to do with audio, not just speakers, but headphones, wireless audio, etc. In fact, they don’t list any products on their website that aren’t audio. But, in fact, they make some great mouses (mice?) at very affordable prices.
Recently, I had a chance to try out the iHome 5 Button Optical Mouse for notebook computer, I found a lot toou need like, and couple of things to not like. As with any hardware, you need to weigh the options and see what works best for you. Here is a look at a simple piece of hardware (the mouse) that users can’t do with out. The mouse, for a laptop, can make your life much easier. Using a laptop touchpad can be a pain, especially when typing.
iHome Notebook Mouse in use
Pros
The mouse is small, like a laptop mouse should be. That may take a bit of getting used to, but it’s handy when you are moving from place to place. It fits perfectly in the hand and is easy to click, although, if you are used to a standard desktop mouse, you will need to make some adjustment.
It’s wired via USB, which is a mixed blessing. It makes the connection a bit easier, but it allows less freedom. However, the retractable cord, makes it easy to store with no tangle. The cord comes out, and retracts, from both ends of the mouse. So, its completely compact when you put it away. This makes stowing it away in a travel bag easy.
It has two extra buttons on the left side, that work with any browser, to server as your forward and backward button for internet browsing. They can be annoying at first, because they get in the way when you are moving the mouse around to browse. Once you get used to them, though, they can be handy. I can’t say I LOVE them, but i definitely don’t hate them anymore.
Finally, there’s the price. That is where this mouse shines. It can be had fr0m Amazon for $14.95, which is hard to beat. You may even find it cheaper it cheaper at a local big-box store, but not by more than a few cents.
Cons
The cord. The cord gets in the way. It s not the end of the world, but a wireless mouse, like the Logitech M305, is much more convenient. Of curse, you will pay a bit extra – $15.99 on Amazon
For the price, and convenience of setup, this mouse may be worth while to you. The setup is quicker than any wireless mouse, which makes it better by default. However, once it is set up, it works at least as well as its wireless counterparts.
Conclusion
It’s really up in the air here. You can go with the convenience and quickness of wired, or the fast setup of wired. Price is not a huge difference. $5 between the two on Amazon is a non-existent difference, so there’s nothing to worry about there. Beyond that, you will have to read through the pros and cons above and decide for yourself. As for me, I am actually sticking with the wired iHome mouse. Call me silly, but I prefer the better connectivity, as opposed to the connection, which made little difference.
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Thanks for this. I’m looking for a wireless speaker. iHome iW1 is a great choice that has affordable price and good quality.