Friday, September 1, 2006

A better mouse trap

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

By James Booth

Here at ZATZ, we get all kinds of mail. Happy mail, sad mail, and mad mail. We get reader mail from all over the world, and this week I got some mail from someone that isn't a reader; at least not a regular reader. Way back in November of 2004 we featured a review of the Logitech MX1000 Laser mouse, the industry's first laser mouse available to the retail consumer. Scott here apparently purchased a Logitech MX1000 Laser mouse and is rather displeased; he therefore has taken it upon himself to voice his displeasure to anyone that happens to like the mouse. Read on for Scott's feelings on the MX1000, and my rather constructive reply.

Scott writes:

Ello,
Regarding your Logitech MX 1000 review, read it, as well as various other drooling spectacular reviews.
Owned the lousy thing.
Griping here cuz there's no place to gripe there.
You missed various negatives:
1-Scroll wheel feels worn out! From the time you buy it, the scroll wheel's clicks are almost not there, like they couldn't decide whether it should click, or roll smoothly; and it fits rather loosely (on every one I've looked at). At time of purchase, I asked a store clerk about it. As I did, he assumed it was because it was a thrashed demo model sitting out in the store. NOPE! Gave it a chance anyway. (stupid move)
2-Scroll-wheel click is way out of proportion. It takes about 5 times as much pressure to click the wheel, than any other button on the thing, including clicking the wheel sideways. In fact, it takes more pressure than on any previous mouse I've owned.
3-Not very sturdy. It's reached the point of being "worn out" quicker than any mouse I've previously owned. Finish wearing. Buttons skipping. Little bottom gel pads coming off. Are there ANY companies that glue these things on with adhesive that doesn't get to the point where it melts after a few months? I'm NOT heavy handed and don't grip it tightly, yet these are always the first to go.
4-Tracking is WAY over-hyped! Almost from the beginning, I noted the mouse pointer making sudden jerks during delicate Photoshop work. Went to the Logitech help forum and found out lots of Mac users were experiencing this. Some were ignored (me among them). Others were told it was a base problem and had it replaced. I've never found the tracking to be very good for something that's supposed to be so super-accurate. Surface doesn't matter. Equally good and equally bad on them all.