Mice have come a long way since the early days of the Macintosh, with its innovative roller-balled brick. Fast forward 22 years and meet the Logitech MX Revolution. With innovative scrolling technology, rechargeable batteries, and improvements that make it easier to do common tasks, the MX Revolution is definitely a big step in the right direction. Whether or not this mouse is a revolution is up for debate, as it doesn't completely change the way we interact with our computers like the Macintosh mouse did, but it's clearly an important step in the evolution of one mankind's most indispensable tools.
Feels good in the hand, and the intelligent scroll wheel is a revelation. |
Just remember to turn it off. This baby is a power gulper, not a sipper. |
The mouse feels great in small and large hands
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Ergonomics and Design
The first thing you'll notice about the MX Revolution is the distinct shape, which is very reminiscent of a cresting wave. Fortunately, the design does more than look good. The mouse feels great in small and large hands, and the curved channel--which accommodates the thumb nicely--makes it easy to use the document "Quick Flip" dial on the side of the mouse. Above the Quick Flip control you'll find a pair of thin, customizable buttons that by default operate as forward and back controls for Web pages.
The top of the mouse houses Logitech's tour de force, the MicroGear Precision Scroll Wheel, which dynamically controls the speed and resistance of your scrolling tasks. Side scrolling and a scroll wheel-based button press are also supported. Just behind the scroll wheel sits the quick search button, which pops you into the search engine of your choice.
The "Quick-Flip" thumb wheel makes it easy to quickly switch between active windows. |
All in all, it's a surprisingly simple layout for a device that offers a great deal of functionality. Lefties beware, though. You'll find it awkward to use the quick flip dial that's located in the channel on the left side of the mouse. Although Logitech has designed a small ridge on the right side of the mouse that lefties may find supportive this is obviously a mouse built for righties first.
The MicroGear Scroll Wheel
Logitech says that the MicroGear Scroll Wheel "represents the single largest engineering effort ever undertaken by our engineering team," and their hard work shows; the scroll wheel is not only well designed with a smooth, progressive feel, but it is also surprisingly intelligent. Need to quickly scroll through large Web pages and documents? Place the scroll wheel in "freewheel" mode and give the wheel a quick, frictionless spin. The action feels much like a well-oiled roller-ball and offers blazing speed. Need slow scrolling for browsing photo libraries or spreadsheets? Switch to ratchet mode for precise movement. The included SetPoint software can automatically switch modes--a feature called SmartShift--or you can switch modes manually with a light press on the scroll wheel that shifts "gears." A note for Mac users: The Mac version of the MX Revolution Software does not appear to support SmartShift.
The action feels much like a well-oiled roller-ball and offers blazing speed
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Quick Flip and Fingertip Search
Two other nifty functions make the MX Revolution a great tool for productivity freaks and power users. The included software installs an application switcher that is linked to the mouse's thumb wheel, an action called "Quick-Flipping." Clicking the thumb wheel brings up a window listing all currently active application windows. Rotating the wheel and then pressing it again when you've reached your selection brings up the window of your choice. The Fingertip Search, which relies on a small button just behind the scroll wheel, allows you to input any copied text into the search engine of your choice. For OS X users, the action brings up a Spotlight search window.
Connection and Power
Connecting the MX Revolution couldn't be easier. The included wireless USB dongle was immediately recognized by Windows and Mac machines, and after switching on the power switch on the base of the mouse, we were mousing almost instantaneously. Wireless mice are often a pain when it comes to battery life and replacement. The Revolution MX solves one of these problems by integrating a rechargeable battery. The included charging stand is simple and stylish, although it requires wall power--no USB charging. You'll be using the stand a lot, as we couldn't squeeze much more than a day's work out of the mouse before the low battery indicator appeared. The mouse does not appear to have a sleep mode when it's not active (or when folks inevitably forget to turn it off), a notable omission from a device that is otherwise a home run--as long as you're a right hander.
Pros
- Great ergonomics
- MicroGear scroll wheel and fast application switching
- Nifty charging stand
Cons
- Mac support not on par with Windows
- Poor battery life
- Don't bother if you're a lefty
What's in the Box
Logitech MX Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse, recharging station, AC power cord, USB micro-receiver, Logitech SetPoint software CD, user's guide, and three-year limited warranty.
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