Get a FREE fully-working copy of Steganos Security Suite 7 (worth £49.99) when you sign up to the Practical PC Newsletter. Review: Genius Traveller 915BT Laser Mouse
When is a mouse not a mouse? – When it’s also a laser pointer. Ian Waugh clicks and points…
| Product | Traveller 915BT Laser Mouse |
|---|---|
| Company | Genius |
| Web | www.geniusnet.com |
| Price | £34.95 |
| We like | Comfortable, accurate, multi-function, uses Bluetooth |
| We don't like | Not much |
| Rating | 10/10 |
| Requirements | Windows XP/Vista, Mac OS X 10.2.8, Bluetooth connectivity |
If you've ever done or seen any PowerPoint presentations, you'll probably know how useful it is to point at various parts of a slide. It's easy to do with a long stick or even with your finger but this can cast a shadow over the screen. Habitual presenters may well use a laser pointer which has many advantages, not least of which is that it doesn't obscure the slide and you can point at items with considerable accuracy.
Enter Genius' Traveller 915BT Laser Mouse. It's a combined mouse and laser pointer. It's compact, has a low profile, and is suitable for both left-and right-handed users.
It works over Bluetooth so you don't have to faff about with wireless connectivity or - worse - cables. If you have an old computer, it may not have Bluetooth but you can add a Bluetooth dongle to most systems for a few pounds. The Traveller works with both PCs and Macs, although with a Mac you need OS X 10.2.8.
There's an On/Off switch under the mouse to help preserve battery life and the power indicator on the top flashes when the batteries are running low.
A Mode button on top switches between mouse and laser modes. The power indicator is blue when in mouse mode and red when in laser mode so you can see at a glance what mode it's in.
Once your computer's recognised the mouse via Bluetooth you don't need any additional software. However, there is an installation CD containing additional software to allow 4D scrolling - left, right, up and down, on the internet.
The scroll wheel is not at all "bumpy" and you can click it right and left to simulate Esc. and F5, two useful functions in presentations.
The travel on the buttons runs half way down the length of the mouse. Pressing both together switches between 1600 dpi and 800 dpi resolutions. 800 dpi is ideal for normal use although if you've never increased your mouse's pointer speed in the Control panel you may find it a bit fast. 1600 dpi is perfect for precision work.
Conclusion
The Traveller is a great little mouse. It looks neat and its low profile is very comfortable. It's very portable and obviously designed for travelling alongside your laptop - it even comes with its own little carry bag - but you may like it enough to use with your desktop, too, particularly for detailed work. It tracked perfectly on most surfaces, and even worked well on a trouser leg!
The Traveller 915BT is obviously going to appeal those who do presentations but it's also one of the best mice we've tested.
