Logitech LX7 Cordless Optical Mouse
Company: Logitech
Price: $39.99
http://www.logitech.com
I’ve always been impressed by Logitech’s mice and trackballs, particularly since I’ve continued to use the Cordless Optical TrackMan for quite a while here. So when Logitech came out with the LX7 Cordless Optical Mouse, I decided it was time to see if an upgrade was due.
The first thing I liked about the LX7 was the fact that it is truly cordless. No more plug the USB cable into the back of your Mac and then place the receiver on the desktop so that it can communicate with the mouse/trackball. The LX7 features a wireless mini-receiver, no longer than my thumb, that installs easily into a free USB slot on your Mac, eliminating desktop clutter, and works with either desktops or notebooks. An optional USB stand also comes with the mouse just in case you want to increase the range of the mouse. You install two AA batteries inside the mouse, press and hold the power button for one second and the green power LED glows for 20 seconds and you’re ready to install the software. I went up to Logitech’s website, downloaded the latest software and installed it. (Users of Logitech products that utilize the Logitech Control Center software need to be aware that while the download shows it as lcc160.dmg, which you may already be using with another Logitech product, it is in reality Rev 1. If you try and use your present Logitech Control Center software, the LX7 will not function, as it should)
Once the software is installed, which supports only Mac OS X, it permits you to program your mouse buttons to perform different functions and to take full advantage of your LX7 mouse. You can scroll in the windows of applications built for Mac OS X, scroll up and down with a single keystroke or wheel movement or switch between open applications. The LX7 features soft-touch rubber sides, forward and back button, a tilt scrollwheel, “smart power management†that states it can extend the battery life for up to eight months. Logitech advises that if you use the on/off button, you can extend battery life even longer. An indicator light will alert you when the batteries are finally running low. The LX7 also utilizes Invisible Light optical technology, which basically means you can’t see the light as compared to most other mice that show red light when being used.
Part of the information on the LX7 states that it has side-to-side scrolling plus zoom with Tilt Wheel Plus Zoom.™ I was supposed to instantly zoom in and out, plus scroll horizontally or vertically. While I could scroll up or down, I couldn’t get it to scroll horizontally or zoom in/out no matter what I was doing, be it viewing a digital photo or a spreadsheet, as I was advised I could.
The LX7 mouse features an ambidextrous design and it feels great in either hand. I’m not a small-handed person and it worked and felt great. I was able to set up the mouse to do what I wanted, except for the zoom and horizontal scroll. The LX7 is available in three colors: dark blue, silver and dark silver and uses two AA batteries.
System requirements: Mac OS 10.2.8 or higher, USB port.
So to review: Nice mouse, great use of wireless USB technology, lessens desktop clutter, programmable, feels great in the hand and comes in 3 colors- dark blue, silver and dark silver.
Cons: Would not scroll horizontally or zoom in/out no matter what I was doing, be it viewing a digital photo or a spreadsheet.
Recommended.
MyMac rating: 4 out of 5
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