Targus Bluetooth Laser mouse: lightweight, dual-resolution and rechargeable batteries

Surely you can carry another two ounces of gear, right? That's all the Targus Bluetooth Laser mouse would add to your burden. TabletPCReview's Jerry Jackson gave this wireless rodent a full review and it appears to have come away a winner. You can switch the laser mouse from 800- to 1600-dpi in just a few seconds for improved accuracy and Targus includes two AAA rechargeable batteries. Jerry used the mouse for a full three weeks during his review and the mouse hasn't died yet. When he needs to, he can just use the included USB cable to recharge from a notebook.

Targus kept the design simple: just two buttons and middle scroll-wheel, which can be used as a third button. The only major annoyance seems to be the power saving functionality. After just a few minutes of inactivity, there was a noticeable lag before the mouse woke up from its nap. Still, at an MSRP of of $70 and online pricing in the $40 to $50 range, this looks like a decent peripheral for mobile devices with integrated Bluetooth.

Comments

[Matthew Miller (aka palmsolo)]

After my Think Outside mini-mouse Bluetooth radio decided to never go into discoverable mode, I searched all over the place to find a replacement Bluetooth mouse that was still a bit compact and I ended up with this exact model.

I love that I can plug it into the USB port and use it while it is charging and current have it as my default mouse for my Fujitsu U810 docking setup at home. So far, I think this is a great Bluetooth mouse, but still wish my super compact Think Outside one didn't die on me.

[Keith]

Wonder if I could finagle(sp?) it to work with my Advantage...it might fit in the hard drive case I use to carry all its accessories/cables already.

[Stephen Feger]

Be careful. This is *not* a reliable mouse. I purchased one once in CompUSA because it was on sale. It never worked. Never paired, never charged. Check out the reviews on Amazon. 2 1/2 stars with 24 reviews (mine among them). This device fails a lot. Honestly, I loved the features too, but don't say you weren't warned.

Take my advice, buy a Leogitech VX Nano mouse. It's everything this mouse isn't. Which is to say, reliable.

[MicroAngelo]

"I love that I can plug it into the USB port and use it while it is charging"

Yes, finally! Why can't all wireless mice do this? This is such a no-brainer, yet I've never heard of one actually doing it until now.

Does anyone know of a single other mouse that when it's run out of battery you can plug back in via USB to charge and use as a normal USB mouse?

It seems that some people have negative experiences with this particular model, but I'd love to get a mouse that worked wired and wireless and recharged via USB (as all good gadgets should). Any others out there?

[Stephen Feger]

MicroAngelo, yes, there is one other unit out there that I know of that does this and, in fact, also has two additional buttons that can be custom configured. It's called the RadTech BT600. You can see it here: http://www.radtech.us/Products/BT600.aspx

It's pricey though and the few reviews (comments) that I found online in the past left me somewhat concerned so I took a pass on it. If you get it, let us all know what you think of it. The specifications are terrific IMO.

[Oliver]

MicroAngelo, I change the single AA battery in my Microsoft notebook mouse (not BT, but still wireless) about two or three times a year. And I use it usually daily for hours. So the ability to charge it if it runs out of battery is really not important; I'd rather carry a spare battery in my backpack than some possibly proprietary USB cable to charge my mouse. I take it, though, they felt this was needed because the batteries don't last as long.

@Stephen: before I bought my Microsoft Notebook mouse, I had a cheaper Targus wireless mouse for my laptop. Never worked reliably for me.

[Mike]

I have the same mouse which I bought on ebay for about 30 bucks including shipping. I do have the same problem power saving functionality. At times I have to flip the switch off and on to get it to reconnect but in all it is a good mouse to use with my UMPC. Targus now also has a bluetooth mini mouse I found on Amazon but not rechargable.