The IBM 4-Button Optical Navigator Scroll Mouse is designed to work on older or newer IBM compatible machines and in almost any surface.
1 Good ergonomics, new version-ScrollPoint Pro 800 is better
I recommend this primarily for the ergonomics. Avoid RSI.
PROS:
1) Ergonomics- hands are more relaxed and in more neutral handshake position
2) Side Button - Use as Auto Scroll, Magnifier, Back button etc. Customizable. Magnifier is good, instantly magnifies local area.
3) Can use on most any surface
CONS:
1) While pressing middle wheel, sometimes one of the other two buttons may get pressed as well. This is not a major problem and seems to be rectified in ScrollPoint Pro 800
2) I cannot program so that AutoScroll turns on when both left and right mouse buttons are pressed simultaneously. Again minor and a nice to have since it was present in my old mouse.
2 Less than perfect clicking
Nice shape, but in the first week I've experienced bad clicks. That is, I gently click the "left click", and I hear the mouse make a "click", I feel the gentle click, but the mouse does NOT send a click to the computer.
I much prefer MS intellimouse explorer, both with or without tilt wheel. The latest Intellipoint software 5.2 has great custom button asssignment like previous intellipoint software.
3 Terrible Drivers : Buy this mouse if you want to waste money
Both this and a similar optical USB wheel mouse that IBM sells are great for smacking against the floor and not much else. I smashed mine yesterday because I was so sick of having to plug it into my USB card 50 times before the computer would recognize the damn thing EVERY TIME I TURNED ON MY COMPUTER. At first, I thought maybe there was something wrong with my computer (Compaq Presario 2100z), but my friend bought a fricking IBM USB mouse for his Dell laptop and had the exact same problem. Only buy this mouse if find some masochistic pleasure in plugging and unplugging things millions of times and you want to expose your USB card to way more wear than it's made for.
4 Great right-hand mouse!
I own this mouse for more than two years and I'm very happy with it! It fits my hand perfectly, and it has a great look with it's transparently blue scroll-wheel. It also has a nice back button, as previously mentioned.
Although I have to notice that sometimes (very rarely) when I turn on my computer this mouse does not work initially, and I have to unplug it and plug it back again for it to be detected. Nevertheless, I like this mouse so much that I've just ordered a second one for my other computer, so I must really like it. :-)
5 Bang for its buck
I've had this mouse for hmm, about 2 years now, no problems at all. Err, from too much use, teh IBM on teh bottom is sort of not visible anymore, but I don't mind. the scroll wheel glows blue, heh, I like =D. I use this mouse for gaming, but I tend putting my wrist on the mousepad, for more comfortability. The thumb button, I don't see how people would use that, because its kind of in an awkward position, but I don't mind. At normal speed, the cursor goes slowly, but still, such a great buy. I would recommend this for any right handed person. The elevated position gives sometimes bad gaming, but I don't mind, cause it works for me. With this fitting nicely over your hand, its hard to find something this good.
6 Works on a Mac with Jaguar
I just received my mouse from Amazon, with amazingly fast free shipping. Plugged it into my IOGear KVM switch, rebooted and everything is working great. The KVM switch is connected to both a Mac and a Dell WinXP system. The thumb button does not work on the Mac as expected. Love the way the mouse fits my hand. A two buttom mouse with scroll wheel is great with OSX. Hey Apple, its time to give up the one button mouse!
7 This mouse rocks!
I have had this mouse (starting with model m027f0, which looks and feels exactly the same as thisone) for about 2 years now. Inow own one for home and work, and have converted several co workers to it, just because they sat at my desk and got hooked.
Never had a problem with jerky motion, software locks, or any of the other negatives previously mentioned, just a very comfortable, reliable mouse that fits my hand perfectly! Someone mentioned the back button not working in Windows explorer? I have not had that problem - in fact, there hasnt been a place where the back action failed to work.
The only problem Ive found is sitting at a desk without this mouse, I constantly go for the side (back) button - its habit forming!
8 Side button not ver Flexible
This mouse is comfrtable and works well. The blue light in the scrollwheel is nice too. But the side button can not be assigned the proper hotkeys to to do a "back". The proper hotkeys are [alt][left arrow]. While the "Page Back" setting works just fine for Internet Explorer, it will not work for Windows Explorer or other products where [alt][left arrow] translates to "back".
I don't know if this a shortcoming of the hardware, or of the bundled MouseSuite software, but it is really annoying.
9 Ok for a few months
I had this mouse twice, and I noticed after 3-4 months of use the scroll seems to not function anymore. Besides that, it is a ok mouse.
10 Almost perfect...
I agree with the comment that this is a comfortable mouse for people with larger hands...it's a saving grace, in fact. It is also a nice-looking device, matching style with function. I like the blue scroll wheel light and the feel of all the controls.
My only complaint is that something periodically goes haywire, and the cursor moves stubbornly and erratically on screen. It requires a reboot to get it back to normal. This could be a software driver issue. Then again, every mouse seems to have software problems. Maybe it's best not even to install it.
ps- I wonder if this thing would work on a Mac. I am making "The Switch". One thing for sure, I will buy a mouse with the same terrific ergonomic shape if I can find one.
11 button on side of mouse
I agree with all of the positive reviews posted with one addition. One reviewer said that the button on the side of his mouse did not work (with a Mac) but that he didn't mind because he felt he would never use the button anyway. Let me tell you that I felt the same way about that button when I installed my mouse and in fact after I first installed the mouse I was accidentally clicking that side button all of the time - with frustrating results. However, once I became accustomed to the convenience of using that button as a back button - I can barely imagine living without it. I use that button ALL THE TIME, when surfing the web and also when navigating directories in Windows Explorer. Now whenever I use a mouse that doesn't have that extra side button, I find myself squeezing the side of the lesser mouse trying to find that button - much the same way as I often "rub" the spot between the two top buttons of an old fashioned mouse that doesn't have a scroll wheel.
12 People need to learn that optical mice work differently
Just got this mouse for my Mom and she loves it. She has a lot of write and hand paint but still needs to use a mouse. The ergonomic shape was just what the doctor ordered for her. The performance is great as well. I bought her a mouse pad that is optimized for optical mice and she couldn't be happier.
What a lot of people in reviews for optical mice don't understand is that optical technology is different than the wheel ball they're used to. You cannot always use your old mouse pad with an optical mouse, because the optical sensor may have a hard time reading the surface of your old mouse pad. Get a Ratzpad or other mousepad with repeating geometric shapes to maximize performance of your optical mouse.
13 Worked out great
This mouse was perfect for me. The installation went pretty smoothly, once I figured out I needed to unplug the PS/2 mouse after install for the IBM drivers to hook in properly (before, I had both mice running at the same time, both driving the cursor...). The software allows you to assign all sorts of funtions to any of the buttons, so you can remap it however you want. The ergonomics of the design is pretty comfortable, if nothing else its a whole lot nicer than the little blob I used before. Its an impressive degree more comfortable and effortless to use than my ballmouse -- even though I knew there would be an improvement, it surprised me.
14 OK
this mouse is just allright. I really like the software that comes with it (on the software you can propram 4 bottens). But in a couble days i'd seen to notice that when you use scrool(blue thing) it makes a wierd noise that really earatates me. so i'm going to take back and get a microsoft.
15 Best mouse I've ever used.....
This is a great piece of hardware. At first it was sort of awkward getting used to the twisty design, but after an hour or so I realized that it's this ergonomic design that makes it so great.
Another key feature is the thumb activated back button making the tedious point-click-back system obsolete. This is almost better than sliced bread. It's going to shave many a minute off of all the downloading/pic harvesting that I do. It's also programmable.
Nice too is the Optical Sensor. I was a little hesitant to try something new, as I'm a little behind the technology, but this beats the roller ball all to heck. Precision is the key word here. I also suspect that I won't need to take it apart every few months to dig the grit out of it (which will be more than nice).
As far as value, in my opinion, you are getting more than your money's worth. Excellent construction, ultra-ergonomic design, thumb control back button, and not a roller ball in sight.
I give this product 5 stars because I love it, and can find absolutely nothing wrong with it.
16 One Drawback
This mouse feels good in a way that others don't - there is support at the base of the thumb and less "pinching" pressure is required to move the mouse. Also, the shape itself helps to keep the elbow closer to the body reducing pressure on arm and shoulder. For the first few hours of use I thought the solution to pain in my hand and thumb had been found.
Then the palm of my hand began to tingle and it continued to intensify. The feeling is a hightened version of how your hand feels if you put it in the microwave oven too soon after opening the door, except the tingling doesn't stop. This may not bother most users; but for the small percentage of people who can "feel" the microwave or fluorescent lights or even a cell phone at your ear after prolonged use, this mouse may carry a significant drawback.
Such a pity I had to return it.
17 Best ergonomics and feel, but occasionally not recognized
I'm a big guy with large hands- =this is the best mouse I have ever had=, in terms of ergonomics, feel, button response and crisp scroll wheel action. I love it... and the blue lighted scroll button tells me when the computer recognizes it.. which is the rest of the story, sometimes I found the host computer not recognizing the mouse on a re/ start, and have to start more than once with the mouse plugged into the USB port- on three computers with Windows XP I have tried it on. (Merely re-plugging the mouse resulted in no action at all- "Plug and Pray" was not enough.) If not for this nuisance, I'd rate this "IBM" branded mouse five stars. (N.B. As the illustration shows, it would likely be grossly uncomfortable for a left-hander, however.)
18 Great Mouse
I saw this at a Staples a few weeks ago in the midst of a regular
"what's new" stop. I have been thinking about getting a new mouse because the one I received with my Dell computer was a scroll wheel mechanical mouse.
The IBM attracted me because I am a biger person and have large hands. I thought the mouse was nice looking and very ergonomically conscious. Upon finally purchasing this item, based on the reviews here, IBM's reputation, and the relatively unilpressive Microsoft and Logitech mice out there, I can only say that this is a great device. The optical aspect is excellent, and far superior to the mechanical mice. WOW.
The thing looks great with the slate blue and black design, plus it feels great and very high quality to the touch.
The only complaint is the lack of software for XP. I searched google.com and found a driver at drivers.com. Unfortunately, it appears that Micro innivations web patch isnt working. I also understand that this thing is being discontinued. Trust me, I can be skeptical, but this thing is a winner all the way through.
Docked one star for the fact that the software isnt compatible. Otherwise this is one great product.
19 Excellent mouse, Looks VERY cool
Are you a person with larger hands? Does you hand hurt from using a small junky mouse? Do yourself a favor an BUY IT. I am not the biggest guy, but my hand was killing me using a regular mouse. This mouse is perfect. I bought this along with a padded rest for my wrist, and I can work all day in comfort(I am a computer guy and spend 8+ hours a day in front of a computer). My wife also likes it, and her hands are tiny. What you can't see in the picture is that the mouse is actually pretty tall, and overall I would say its 15-20% larger than a "Standard" mouse. It supports your hand and allows it to relax. Also, the scroll wheel glows blue and it looks really cool.
I don't want to go on and on, but this is one of those...items that will really improve how you feel working on the computer. Dollar for dollar one of the best computer related purchase I have made in years, and I have 5 computers! (and a lot of other computer junk:)
20 This is a great mouse!
I went to the computer store to buy a Microsoft explorer mouse for my Mac. Yes....I said for my MAC. My friend has that mouse on his Apple, and it worked great. Well once I got there, I tried all the mice out, and I fell in love with this IBM Navigator! It's actually more comfortable than the Microsoft mouse if you can believe that. And because Macs in general are smarter than PCs (hehehe), I didn't even need the CD with drivers on it. The Mac comes equipt with USB drivers, so once I plugged the mouse in, it automatically recognized it as being a scroll wheel mouse. It works great! The only button that doesn't work on the Mac is that little side button by the thumb, but I would never use that anyways. I'm a happy boy now :)
21 Looks Good, But Lacks Performance
After My Microsoft Intellimouse wore out, I wanted to try another optical mouse. After looking around, I Found The Optical Navigator. It looked really great in the picture, and had great reviews, so I though I'd give it a try.
It really does look as cool as the picture. The motion-LED on the bottom is bright red, and the scroll bar glows bright blue. But that is all that I really like about it.
I've found that the styling is generally uncomfortable. I can't rest my hand on the mouse: If my fingers are on the buttons, the rest of my hand has to be perched over the back end of the mouse. This isn't terrible, but it's not really comfortable. If I had smaller hands, I think I'd find it much better.
The other major gripe I have with it is that the cursor is undependable and jumps. I didn't realize how bad it was until I had used another mouse for a couple of months. When I came back to the Optical Navigator I was amazed at how badly it jumped around the screen. I'm finding that I'm getting far better at Windows keyboard shortcuts than I'd really like.
At this point I'm probably going to buy another mouse - maybe another Intellimouse or a Logitech equivalent. I'd reccomend doing that directly rather than buying this mouse first.
22 Stylish
Great mouse, looks good with my IBM T30. One promblem: mouseware software that comes with the product is not updated to Windows XP. I had to go to MicroInnovations web page to get updated drivers because IBM support did not even list the product.
23 Good product, bad company
This company doesn't honor its rebate offer, customer service doesn't take the phone, doesn't reply to emails. No matter whether the products are good or bad, avoid it.
24 A Beauty in the World of Mice.
I bought this mouse for cheap, at $19.97 from a retail store. My initial thought was, "Why so cheap? There has to be something wrong with it." I was wrong. This is a beautifully crafted mouse, both visually and functionally. Works great. Although it only scans at 1500 frames, while other newer mice scan at 6000 frames, you can't tell the difference. Its just numbers. I play games as well as use it for Design and Multimedia creation. And it works fine. The blue scroll-light, as well as the perfect color of the body, sold me right away. I was willing to take the chance at such a good price.Evidently, there was no "chance" to be taken, because it works wonderfully! Why IBM discontinued production of the mouse, we will never know. IBM should have had Logitech and Microsoft running for cover! If you have a silver-, black- or grey-colored case and/or keybooard, buy this mouse now!! Note: Works best with a mousepad due to surface-consistency.
25 Having Problems with V1.72M install (XP driver SW)
I have read all the reviews and hope that when I succeed in installing the driver software my experience will be a positive one.
I run XP on a Sony Vaio and when I went to install v1.72M of the driver software (downloaded from the Micro Innovations web site) I got the message that the software had not passed windows Logo testing and MS warned me to go no further. In view of the guy on this site who warned about crashing mice, I have gone no further. Mouse now in box, sour expression on face, and I am getting better on the touchpad.
26 Best of the opticals
I have now owned this mouse for 6 months and am very happy with it. The Microsoft mouse feels like a cheap toy next to this finely crafted and contoured mouse. The ergonomics are perfect, it fits perfectly in my hand! It is very precise AND I use it for first person shooter games as well as graphic design. No complaints, get one now. Plus the blue glowing scroll wheel is about as cool as a mouse can get.
27 One of the Best......
I'll keep my review short and sweet. This mouse was a refreshing change from the mouse that originally came with my IBM Aptiva 2270. It's comfortable, precise, and the blue-lit wheel is the cherry on top of a very versatile mouse. The software allows you to adjust the mouse speed, angle, and button function (among other things) to fit your exact needs. I can tell you that I have had absolutely no problems or complaints regarding this mouse. If you are looking for a nice change from your current mouse, strongly consider this one.
28 It's all GOOD!
I've used microsoft's Intellimouse Explorer at work for couple of months and did like it a lot. But this mouse beats MS mouse easily. Looks definitely cooler (the blue light beats the red light!). Precise is the middle name for this mouse. The shape of it is also very natural and fits my hand perfectly. The only drawback is that it didnt come with up to date driver/software for WindowsXP. ...it seems like Big Blue is still alive and well.
29 Beware of crashing mice
I have had this mouse for about four months and have had nothing but trouble with it. It freezes upon start-up of windows from time to time and the driver installation disk has never installed the drivers correctly without freezing up my entire system. This is not an isolated incident as I have attempted to install this mouse on both my last computer, a Hewlett Packard Pavilion running Windows 98 (CRASH!) and most recently on my brand new SONY Vaio running Windows XP Professional (CRASH AGAIN!). Terrible mouse, and an utterly ininstallable driver disk....Try a microsoft optical mouse instead, at least the windows operating system will agree with it.
30 Looks good but useless for me.
I had big expectations on this purchase but turned out to be big disappointment. I am using KVM switch and manage two computers. When I connected it to my switch it was detected fine but once the software was installed I lost the curser. Updated driver set did helped neither. I never used the software but I assume without it you can't program the bottons therefore device turns out to be a useless 4 botton mouse. I had explorer mouse, this is piece of j...k compare with optical explorer.
31 Cool looking, but get a wrist pad
I used to have a run-of-the-mill Logitech wheel mouse when I needed to upgrade to a USB model. This model has a pronated grip which is 2" high at its peak, a full .5" higher than my old Logitech. This made a difference in comfort for me...negatively. After a couple of hours, my wrist felt sore from having my hand arched up so high. A wrist rest with a thin mouse pad did the trick though. See I wasn't ready to give up on the glowing blue scroll wheel. The only other downside is that motion settings (how fast the mouse moves from one side of the screen to another) are not saved properly. They work for the active session but when you restart the computer, they are reset to the default value, which for some reason is the slowest. A real pain. I've got an e-mail into tech support. But for about US$30 for an optical mouse, it can't be beat. Although I did read somewhere that, ergonomically speaking, these arched mouses should be avoided in favour of flatter symetrical models. But none of those have a glowing blue wheel!
Updated info:
The motion settings were being hampered by the Logitech software for my previous mouse. The funny thing is that the IBM mouse software detected it and told me that it would uninstall it. It didn't. As with any replacement peripheral, uninstall the associated software and drivers before you run the install program on your new device.
32 Great, but
I generally agree with the other positive reviews here. My only complaint is that the setup software that comes with the mouse doesn't allow for mouse acceleration as well as mouse speed. My previous mouse allowed for both. Without acceleration, I have to move the mouse a lot more to get the cursor across the screen... which is not the biggest problem in the world but is on the other hand a problem that could have been avoided by adding the acceleration feature to the software.
33 IBM beats out Microsoft & Logitech - Well, just Logitech now
I had an old mechanical Logitech Mouseman Plus that I wanted to replace with an optical mouse. I first got a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer which worked fine for about 3 or 4 months, then it started turning on & off when I was trying to use it. I tried the mouse on multiple computers and had the same results, so I knew the mouse was history. Because I bought an OEM model, though, Microsoft doesn't support it like they do the ones you buy retail (for more money).
I bought this IBM as the next replacement & am I ever happy the Microsoft died! This mouse has worked flawlessly for me and even looks cool. The software package is excellent, too, because it allows you to compensate for off-angle motion. The most comfortable position for me to hold the mouse in my hand is at a slight angle. Because of this, when I move the mouse up & down, the mouse isn't pointing straight up & down at the time. With other mice, I just had to get used to moving the mouse at slight angles to get it to move straight, but the IBM software lets me tell it what direction I want as up & down.
I've also tried many other mice & the IBM is the best I've used, both in comfort (the size is just right), performance, and looks. It's also not as expensive as the Microsoft was, so what more could I ask for?
UPDATE: The first generation of Microsoft Intellimouse Explorers had a known defect so Microsoft replaced mine free (they even paid the shipping). I don't know why they wouldn't support it initially, but now that I have my replacement, I use it full-time and the IBM mouse has been placed on the "other" computer. The new Microsoft software is also excellent and the slight changes in the mouse itself are enough for me to recommend that mouse over the IBM.
34 Better Than Microsoft
I have been using this mouse for a month now and it has passed every test. The best part is the ergonomics, I spend several hours a day on a computer so this is a key point for me. The size, shape and texture are all excellent and side button placement is out of the way so you will not accidently hit it but still within easy reach.
At work I use a Microsoft Internet Explorer optical mouse, which is very good, but the nod goes to the IBM hands down in every catagory. Ergonomics, performance and appearance.
And I have to be honest, the blue lit scroll wheel is totally cool and makes the mouse look impressive to others. The wheel itself still has that same rubbery feel, so nothing was sacrificed to make it illuminate, which was one of my concerns because I purchased this mouse from pictures and reviews.
Installation of the mouse and it's software was as easy as it gets. I tried it on both the USB and PS2 and could not see any performance differance.
The one and only down side is for gamers, like me, when you move the mouse excessively fast from side to side the pointer just sits there. I can not fault the mouse for this because I hooked up a Microsoft Optical and it did the exact same thing. This seems to be a quirk with all optical mice, not just this one. You can adjust the ballistics to minimize the effect, and then just get used to moving your wrist a little slower and it plays just fine for most games.
35 Precisely, my Dear.
I consider the mouse to be one of the three key components of a computer system which will greatly affect your enjoyment and productivity (keyboard and monitor, are the other two) so quality is important. As a result, I have been hooked on Microsoft mice since 1991. When optical mice came out, I switched over to a MS Explorer and thought I had found the perfect mouse...until I bought the IBM Optical Navigator. It surpasses the MS Explorer by a wide margin.
The ergonomics are superb. This mouse fits so comfortably in your hand, better than MS. And, the buttons have that "just right" amount of resistance/click, travel and user feedback which MS mice have always had.
But the best feature about this mouse is its precision and accuracy of movement. I immediately noticed it and so did my wife. The pointer becomes an extension of your hand. I don't know how to describe it any other way...but it is distinctly superior to my MS optical mice (we have two other computers equiped with MS optical mice, also). This mouse is a sleeper and IBM should market it more effectively. It is that good.
Oh yes, even though the glowing blue scroll wheel does nothing to improve performance...it is a strangely sublime experience that is reason enough to own this mouse. I don't know why, but it is. Trust me.
36 Excellent mouse
I can't add much to what has already been said...mouse moves smoothly and has a soft rubbery grip, fits in the palm of my hand perfectly...left handed users may have a big problem with this mouse. Only problem that I have is the scrollwheel tends to have some lag on it...I have no idea how that is possible, but when I scroll, there is a usual delay, but its easy to overlook in an overall great mouse.
37 Top quality, and really cool
I can only echo LoopGarou's review. This is a great device.
38 Blue Light Special
About a week ago, while on a mouse hunting expedition at the local computer store, prompted by my utter failure to successfully come to grips with a well-known optical wireless mouse, I decided that my layout wasn't right for the wireless route and opted to return to the cord. With that in mind I began searching the shelves for a particular (again well known) model which happened to be out of stock.
Well, needing a mouse and feeling adventurous I opted for the new IBM Optical Navigator Mouse. Retailing at $35 to $40, it's in a comfortable price range for optical mice in general.
Setup was a piece of cake. The drivers and included Mouse Suite software were a breeze to install. As is typical nowadays, the mouse can be run from a USB or a PS2 port.
Once it was hooked up I experienced the big surprise (having done my usual poor job of box reading). The scroll wheel glows with a really - I mean REALLY! - cool blue light. What a thrill. I just love seeing it sitting on my desktop in the dark!
The mouse body is shaped much the same as the newer Logitech types, with a deep undercut area for your thumb. Though clearly not for left-handers, this thing is comfortable as it can be for a righty like me. It's actually a 4-button setup, with the usual two top buttons and (unusual blue)scroll wheel. The fourth button is a thumb button which, unlike most such buttons I've encountered on other mice, is almost completely out of my way until I need it. The mouse is all black (or at least a dark, dark gray) with dark rubber-textured sides.
It's an optical mouse (duh!)and glides as smooth as silk. Not too heavy or light in the hand. I use a slightly textured black mousepad and couldn't be happier with the movement. Scrolling was extremely smooth, too. The wheel has a good smooth feel to it.
The optical sampling seems superb. There is no jerkiness or lag whatsoever. This is the most precise mouse I've owned (and I just ditched a Razer 2000 for it!!). The software allows the usual myriad of adjustments and button assignments.
I know it's just a mouse, but it really is one of the most pleasant computer hardware surprises to have come my way in a long time. Not only is the IBM Optical Navigator a great product from a price and performance standpoint, it's one of the coolest looking things out there.
