Digital Trends

Logitech MX Revolution

February 9th, 2007 | by Brandon King

Use and Testing Cont'd

A second major innovation, and one we were giggling with happiness at, is the quick search feature. Highlight any word in any application and click the quick search button below the scroll wheel to be greeted with a pop-up search engine summary. (By default, the Revolutions use Yahoo! ) This is an invaluable tool for researchers and students who work with technical documents and has changed the way we use our PC as much as, dare we say, spell check has. To get a taste of how useful the ability to look up any term is, check out the application on Answers.com, which performs a similar function with a hot key + mouse combination (though you can only see the Answers.com site info, and it opens a full browser window).

The VX offers most of the power of the larger MX mouse, but with a few significant changes. First, the flywheel is not engaged by the software. Instead, a slider on the bottom of the mouse, next to an on/off switch, is set to the mode of operation you prefer. This takes much of the fun out of the flywheel concept. The VX uses a similar USB dongle with Logitech’s proprietary wireless technology (these are not Bluetooth mice), but lacks the charging stand for obvious reasons. What the VX does have is a slot in the mouse itself, which houses the USB dongle for easy transportation. Also, the eject button launches the USB receiver from the slot using a spring-loaded mechanism. The final difference is the zoom function. Instead of a wheel at the thumb position, the VX opts for a sliding switch that snaps to center. The additional thumb buttons, horizontal scrolling, quick search, and laser technology remain the same as the MX.

The only change we would like to see made would be the inclusion of a Bluetooth version of the VX, since many laptops come with Bluetooth built in.

Conclusion

The Logitech MX and VX Revolution mice may not be a revolution, but they represent the next major evolution of input devices. They offer the best software-hardware integration available, innovative scrolling, first-class ergonomics and build quality, and the most advanced tracking system on the market. Even though you may not use every feature these mice offer, they give the user the ability to learn new features as they become useful.

Pros:

• Innovative fly-wheel
• Accurate and responsive tracking
• Laser technology

Cons:

• Only supports right hand users
• Scroll wheel can be too sensitive at times