Mice That Do Double Duty

If you have ever wanted to stand 20 feet from a notebook and use a wireless mouse to run a presentation, or if you have ever needed numeric-keyboard capabilities on your laptop, new mice now shipping from Genovation and Gyration may be the answer.

Gyration's $79 Ultra Cordless Optical Mouse doesn't require a surface to do its pointing work; instead it moves your PC's pointer in whatever way your hand and wrist move, using the company's patented GyroPoint technology. I found that after a little practice with my shipping model, I could easily move the pointer without ever having to rest the mouse on a surface. However, if you need to make lots of quick movements or do precise clicking in your applications, this just isn't the best mouse for you.

But its wireless RF technology means no line of sight to the recharging base station is needed. That, plus the stand-away distance of 25 feet or so from a PC, makes this a great tool for running presentations. And its rechargeable batteries top off whenever the device is in its desktop station.

Now, if you wish your notebook's keyboard offered a numeric keypad, the $79 Optical Mouse Keypad by Genovation could help you out.

Its translucent plastic cover guards the built-in keypad from accidental presses when you're employing the device exclusively as a mouse. After my trials with a shipping model, however, I have to say this might not be your only mouse, as it's too wide to use comfortably for long stretches. But the convenience of having two functions with one USB connection may make it worthy in a numbers crunch.