[Ryan]

Does anyone have any good suggestions for a Bluetooth mouse? I'm getting tired of switching my wired mouse from my Cube to my Powerbook when I need more than a trackpad, and that Bluetooth chip isn't being used right now.

So, the requirements:
- Under $70
- Looks good with a Powerbook and Cube(so no red, green, whatever). Silver or black preferably.

I've looked around, but I just can't find anything that looks that great, or it looks good but has horrible reviews.

[Luca]

This one by MacAlly looks okay. It's out of stock at NewEgg, but it's also about $10 cheaper than if you were to buy it directly from MacAlly. Don't know how good it is.

Kensington has probably the best bluetooth mouse available. I'd say it's probably better than either the MX900 or the Intellimouse. It doesn't fit your aesthetic requirement, but it's probably the way to go unless you're willing to put up with something that doesn't track well. From what I've heard, most bluetooth mice track poorly.

[DMBand0026]

I know I'll be shot for saying this, but I really like Apple's BlueTooth Mouse. If you can stand one button it's really a great little mouse. Excellent battery life, and I've had no problems with it in the 6 months I've owned it.

However, one button = teh devil now and it is white, which doesn't clash with the PowerBooks, but doesn't exactly compliment it either.

[LoCash]

I use an MX900 by Logitech at work, and I love it. Works great.

[Ryan]

Thanks guys, I've decided on the MX900.

[SonOfSylvanus]

You know the MX900 has a silly cradle don't you? That's completely unneccessary with a PowerBook.

[Mr Beardsley]

Couple questions on bluetooth mice:

1. Do you guys know of any that work with the battery status built in to OS X? I have the apple bluetooth keyboard, and its kind of nice that it tells me when the batteries are low.

2. Are there any mice that you can turn off? I like being able to turn off the keyboard to save the batteries.

Thanks

[Maciej]

Naturally the Apple Bluetooth mouse does. And it also has a switch

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by SonOfSylvanus You know the MX900 has a silly cradle don't you? That's completely unneccessary with a PowerBook.

Yeah, but it seems that either you get a good mouse and a cradle, or no cradle and a bad mouse. Unless someone knows of a better mouse.

[Luca]

Originally Posted by SonOfSylvanus You know the MX900 has a silly cradle don't you? That's completely unneccessary with a PowerBook.

The cradle isn't just for the connection, it's also to charge the mouse's batteries. Leave it plugged in while at home and unplug it while on the road and the mouse will still work. I think you can even plug the cradle into a power outlet WITHOUT plugging it into the computer, which allows you to charge the mouse without adding clutter to your setup.

Almost all wireless mice will automatically shut off when you don't use them for a period of time. The problem is that some of them wake up on mouse movement, which means if you put the mouse in a carry bag, it'll be constantly waking up and therefore the battery will drain. This is how the Logitech works (I know, I own an MX700 myself). I read that the Kensington works in a similar way but requires a mouse click to wake from sleep, so it's much less likely to accidentally turn on while in your carry bag. Apple's way of providing a switch is the most reliable but probably the least convenient, though flipping a switch isn't exactly a chore.

As for a wireless keyboard, batteries should last forever. I know my MX700 mouse eats batteries like nothing else, but the keyboard just sips power. I've had it for something like 8 months and the batteries are still going strong. Assuming Apple has better power management characteristics than Logitech (which is likely given the MX700's short life), the Apple wireless keyboard could probably last at least as long as their stated life, probably much longer.