Broken Mouse

I can’t remember a time when a mechanical failure with a mouse forced me to stop using it. Unfortunately, I am experiencing that now with a Logitech MX 500. The right mouse button goes through cycles of sticking, something that drives me nuts. I’m on the second cycle, and I’ve once again packed the mouse back in its original box with the hopes of contacting Logitech and getting them to repair the thing. I just bought it in October, so it’s still covered by the factory warranty.

I pulled out a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer 4.0 with Tilt Wheel to replace it but really don’t like it as well as I do the Logitech mice, even though the latter don’t have tilt wheel functionality. I’ve discovered that my 20 inch screen makes that almost unneeded, anyway. I really like what Logitech calls “Cruise Control”, which are small buttons ahead of and behind their mice’s wheel buttons that tell the computer screen’s vertical scrolling bars to move up and down. Microsoft mice have an “auto scroll” functions, too, but I find it easier to just push a button than drive an arrow up and down on a screen the Microsoft way.

I put the MX500 back in its box and replaced it with a Logitech MX510. The MX 510 is lighter than the MX500 and has a better feel, has the same functionality, and is royal blue. We’ve been running the MX510 on two iMacs here and both my wife and I like them and have had no problems. I’m happy I’ve got one on my PC now, too, though I really hated to spend $50 on a replacement mouse right now.

What ever happened to the $5 mouse?