On Fri, 2 May 2008 09:43:33 +1000, "Rod Speed"
<rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote:

>kony <spam@spam.com> wrote
>> "aaronep@pacbell.net" <aaronep@pacbell.net> wrote
>
>>> I am interested in converting from wired to wireless keyboard & mouse.
>
>>> If anyone reading this has experience with wireless, I would like
>>> to know if you are happy with them. Are there any negatives?
>>> Can you recommend one brand over another?
>
>>> Any info on this appreciated.
>
>> The need for wireless keyboard depends most on whether you move the
>> keyboard off the desk in front of a monitor. I do so I find that useful.
>
>> Even great wireless mice lag slightly.
>
>Nope, any mouse lags slightly.

To be reasonable, we'd have to have some reference point
that was a mouse, since even the human "lags slightly".

Given such a reference point being a high sample rate PS2 or
USB, quality mouse, there are no wireless that don't lag
more than that reference point - so the statement is true
even if you'd like to split hairs about it.


>
>> Some people never notice it, the problem used to be worse than
>> it is today so now mostly gamers would have a reason to be
>> particular and yet plenty of people game ok with wireless mice.
>
>Because the best wireless mice dont lag any more than a wired mouse does.

False. You may not be able to perceive it yourself, but
it's there, others can. Similarly some can't perceive CRT
monitor flicker at 85Hz but others can.


>
>> Like with the keyboard, if your mouse stays in one spot there's
>> not so much need for wireless. Some people like the asthetics
>> of not having a cord, though the extra weight of the battery(s)
>> in a cordless mouse pretty much offsets the difference in ease
>> of use having to move a cord around with the mouse.
>
>Nope. The cord has a variable effect, the extra weight doesnt.

.... in your subjective use, which is fine. Everyone should
place their subjective use/needs above all other factors but
nevertheless the hypothetical ideal when the user has good
dexterity is an infinitely light mouse as it allows finer
control with the twitch muscles in the wrist which are much
faster than using more as the % of weight of mouse vs hand
grows. Certainly some mice are worse than others in this
respect, some take smaller lighter lithium cell, one or two
AAA, or one AA instead of two AA - though some that seem to
take two AA will actually run from one or a AAA if there
were an adapter shim.



>
>And the lightest mice arent as nice to use anyway.

To you. Depends why they are light to some people, if there
were no other tradeoff in shape, size, weight distribution
then there are definitely people who prefer them lighter.
Personally I find it crazy that some actually add a weight
plate. The difference is I don't need the positive feedback
of feeling pressure against my hand to know I'm moving the
mouse or how much. Perhaps when one first gets a mouse and
isn't so accustomed to it yet, a certain amount of weight
helps but otherwise it has a lot to do with the user... if
they get what they want it's win/win for everyone.


>
>> It certainly does look tidier to not have the wires, I'd consider
>> a cordless mouse more useful than a cordless keyboard.
>
>> Negatives are bad performance with junk brands or not having
>> the receiver in a good spot. Even then some have a range of
>> 6' or less. Get bluetooth type if maximum range is
>> important but that tends to cost significantly more.
>
>> Get some good low self discharge batteries like Sanyo
>> Eneloops. It's handy to have a spare pair of them charged
>> then whatever device you have that needs a swap - whether it
>> be a game controller, phone, mouse, remote control or
>> whatever - has a pair ready to install then you don't have
>> to wait on the drained set to recharge.
>
>Or get a mouse that will run all day with the low battery led flashing.

Why? So you can schedule swapping batteries at the end of
the day instead? Might matter if changing a battery took
more than a dozen seconds. Either way you still need have
the replacement pair recharged or wait on that so what I
wrote is still relevant - that it's handy to have a spare
pair of low self discharge cells already charged and waiting
to be used in whatever random device would happen to need
them.



>
>> Generally I find Logitech sets the best, then Microsoft.
>> Trying to save a couple dollars by going with a lower
>> quality brand is usually a bad idea. A low end Logitech set
>> may be better than a high end generic though I would go with
>> a middle tiered product.
>
>I go for high end myself, because the keyboard and
>mouse are more used than anything except the monitor.

Unfortunately high end in a keyboard doesn't necessarily
translate into any important parameters for general keyboard
use. Things like key travel & feedback vary per set design
decisions that are not tied to how high or low end they are,
with one possible exception that now the old mechanical
switch style used a couple decades ago has become high
enough priced to be considered high-end by some, though
AFAIK neither Logitech or MS make one.



>
>> Keyboard won't matter so much if you like the key placement,
>> style, etc. Mouse improvement comes from spending enough
>> to get one with a laser engine, same as with corded mice. Some
>> non-lasers may claim fairly high DPI like around 1000 but they
>> don't track as well as their laser counterparts on many mousing surfaces.
>
>And anyone with a clue wants more than just minimal buttons on the mouse too.
>

Depends on their use. Games or HTPC users who want to
control their HTPC with only a mouse may benefit from addt'l
buttons the most, and as for the keyboard there are plenty
of keyboard shortcuts and on most modern keyboards - even
the cheap low end ones, there are several hotkeys that can
be programmed. A low end cordless Logitech for example may
have about a dozen such addt'l keys, in addition to
secondary functions on all the <Fn> keys.