User experience and conclusion
Sat, 12/22/2007 - 10:38 — Michal Kiradziev
Black glossy finish gave me the first impression that the mouse could be sliding in my hand when in use. I can assure you the opposite is true. I have absolutely nothing against the craftsmanship of this product - plastic as well as Teflon used is top notch quality, very smooth when used on any surface. Buttons are perhaps a little stiff.
Sensor used does not stick out of the case, yet it performs well.
I have some reservations regarding the touchpad between the two main buttons. Sound will notify you when you're scrolling but I have to admit, I had some minor issues when trying to scroll - it never seemed to work the way I have expected. It is difficult to stop scrolling when you really need it (light tap on the touchpad is supposed to fix this, but that did not work for me). You don't have the touchpad completely under control as is the case with a classic mouse wheel.
Design of the orange dim lights is excellent. In the "on the desk" mode, all but the left and right-click buttons are lit up. There is no need to light up those, they are covered by fingers and it would also unnecessarily drain the battery. But as soon you take the mouse off the desk, left and right buttons light up as well. Lights will go out if the mouse is not used for ten seconds.
I have used the MX Air(tm) for couple of weeks. Several days I used it at work using it mainly for office related work. Occasionally (when I needed to "show off"), I lifted it up in the air :). Tip of the mouse is a bit too narrow, fingers are somewhat close together. The two main buttons are not well designed for work "on the desk", they slope down to the outside, i.e. exactly in the opposite direction from what's needed. Overall the mouse has a narrow profile and it's difficult to comfortably put your hand on it. Design took precedence over ergonomics, so I would not recommend using it for a longer period of time. This finding is not surprising, MX Air(tm) never appeared to me as a typical computer mouse.
Multimedia environment is where the MX Air(tm) really shines. HTPC, music, video and presentations is where Freespace shows its true potential. To use it from the comfort of your chair is intuitive and surprisingly precise. Cursor is controlled by the movement of your wrist in the desired direction. I recommend holding the mouse the same way as a typical remote control rather than holding it as you would normally hold a mouse (although that's also possible). It's lot more comfortable and natural. All of the buttons are right under your thumb. It's easy to click on larger objects (icons, etc.). Using "list" view of files is little more difficult. Since the mouse doesn't rest on a surface, trying to "double-click" can cause the cursor to move down. When trying to open a folder, it's possible you'll end up moving it instead. It happened to me several times, but with some practice I'm sure it can be accomplished.
Special "air" functions are easy to get used to, and selecting commands will be a piece of cake after a while. The mouse will find its place in any office as a valuable tool for presentations. Logitech already offers Cordless 2.4 GHz Presenter(tm) , but the MX Air(tm) adds another dimension - the capability to take advantage of mouse functions.
Battery kept the mouse alive for over a week of intense use, very impressive indeed.
Overall, I consider the MX Air(tm) a very good product. It allows you to use it as a traditional "on the desk" computer mouse, but to use it "in the air" (as its name suggests) is a stronger feature. Currently, there isn't a similar product on the market (and no, Wii doesn't count), hence the price tag of approximately $140 is the price you pay for this exclusive and unique product. If you consider the good old "value for the money" - MX Air(tm) wins again. The "money" part is obvious - apx. $140. And from this review, anyone should be able to form their opinion about the "Value".
I would like to thank Logitech for loaning the mouse.
Thanks to my brother - uNrealSatch^ for picture editing.
Michal "sm_oOx^"Kiradžiev
Sensor used does not stick out of the case, yet it performs well.
I have some reservations regarding the touchpad between the two main buttons. Sound will notify you when you're scrolling but I have to admit, I had some minor issues when trying to scroll - it never seemed to work the way I have expected. It is difficult to stop scrolling when you really need it (light tap on the touchpad is supposed to fix this, but that did not work for me). You don't have the touchpad completely under control as is the case with a classic mouse wheel.
Design of the orange dim lights is excellent. In the "on the desk" mode, all but the left and right-click buttons are lit up. There is no need to light up those, they are covered by fingers and it would also unnecessarily drain the battery. But as soon you take the mouse off the desk, left and right buttons light up as well. Lights will go out if the mouse is not used for ten seconds.
I have used the MX Air(tm) for couple of weeks. Several days I used it at work using it mainly for office related work. Occasionally (when I needed to "show off"), I lifted it up in the air :). Tip of the mouse is a bit too narrow, fingers are somewhat close together. The two main buttons are not well designed for work "on the desk", they slope down to the outside, i.e. exactly in the opposite direction from what's needed. Overall the mouse has a narrow profile and it's difficult to comfortably put your hand on it. Design took precedence over ergonomics, so I would not recommend using it for a longer period of time. This finding is not surprising, MX Air(tm) never appeared to me as a typical computer mouse.
Multimedia environment is where the MX Air(tm) really shines. HTPC, music, video and presentations is where Freespace shows its true potential. To use it from the comfort of your chair is intuitive and surprisingly precise. Cursor is controlled by the movement of your wrist in the desired direction. I recommend holding the mouse the same way as a typical remote control rather than holding it as you would normally hold a mouse (although that's also possible). It's lot more comfortable and natural. All of the buttons are right under your thumb. It's easy to click on larger objects (icons, etc.). Using "list" view of files is little more difficult. Since the mouse doesn't rest on a surface, trying to "double-click" can cause the cursor to move down. When trying to open a folder, it's possible you'll end up moving it instead. It happened to me several times, but with some practice I'm sure it can be accomplished.
Special "air" functions are easy to get used to, and selecting commands will be a piece of cake after a while. The mouse will find its place in any office as a valuable tool for presentations. Logitech already offers Cordless 2.4 GHz Presenter(tm) , but the MX Air(tm) adds another dimension - the capability to take advantage of mouse functions.
Battery kept the mouse alive for over a week of intense use, very impressive indeed.
Overall, I consider the MX Air(tm) a very good product. It allows you to use it as a traditional "on the desk" computer mouse, but to use it "in the air" (as its name suggests) is a stronger feature. Currently, there isn't a similar product on the market (and no, Wii doesn't count), hence the price tag of approximately $140 is the price you pay for this exclusive and unique product. If you consider the good old "value for the money" - MX Air(tm) wins again. The "money" part is obvious - apx. $140. And from this review, anyone should be able to form their opinion about the "Value".
I would like to thank Logitech for loaning the mouse.
Thanks to my brother - uNrealSatch^ for picture editing.
Michal "sm_oOx^"Kiradžiev
