Verbatim Nano Wireless Mouse

Laptop and notebook users know that sometimes the touchpad is just not very easy to use - especially if you are only familiar with using a mouse. Even if you are familiar with using touchpads, they can be clunky, slow to respond and difficult to use for tasks more demanding than just web surfing.

The Verbatim Nano Wireless Notebook Mouse is built as an easy-to-use replacement for touchpads. Available in multiple color choices, it is also small-sized for easy portability and stylish enough to blend with modern looking laptops. Let's take the Nano mouse for a spin to see how it performs as a daily use replacement for touchpads.

Design

The Nano Wireless is designed to be completely portable with it’s small size, and includes a small “Nano slot” to store the wireless receiver when you are traveling with the Nano and not using it. It is also designed to be easy-to-use with it’s 2.4GHz wireless connection - meaning no mouse cord will ever get in your way when using it.

Available in 6 color choices – you are more than likely to find a color choice that fits to your liking. The curved design is similar to mouse mice on the market, as the contour shape is built to fit the natural shape of your hand while gripping the mouse. The curved shape does not extend to the sides of the mouse, meaning it can easily be used by either a left-handed or right-handed person.

Also included with the drive is mouse configuration software for Windows. It allows you to configure the basic settings of the mouse, but does not have some of the more advanced configuration features of high-end mice (such as DPI adjustments). It is not necessary to install the software in order to use the mouse.

Features

• Nano Receiver – Small enough to plug in once and leave connected.
• Wireless – Plug in nano receiver and go wireless. 2.4GHz reliability and performance.
• Nano Slot – Convenient nano receiver storage for when you need it.
• Comfort Grip - Smooth, rubberized grip designed for comfort and control.

In the Box

• Nano Wireless Mouse
• USB receiver
• 2 AAA batteries
• Mouse software
• User guide

Out of the Box Setup

The last thing you want is to have trouble installing a device as critical as a mouse. Thankfully, getting the Nano Wireless mouse up and running out of the box was simple. The small USB receiver plugs into any open USB port in your laptop, and the mouse just needs the two AAA batteries installed in order to be ready to use.

After plugging in the receiver and clicking the mouse buttons to ‘activate’ it, Windows Vista recognized it and it was ready to use. No driver installation was necessary and the whole process took about 2 minutes.

Usage and Testing

Testing of the Nano mouse was done by running it through the day-to-day tasks with my Dell Inspiron 1525 laptop. This includes web surfing, working with documents in a word processor and spreadsheets, playing music and so on.

The Nano mouse uses a high sensitivity, so my initial impression was that it moves the mouse cursor around the screen very quickly. I installed the mouse software to see if the DPI could be adjusted, but there is no capability to adjust the mouse DPI. It takes a little while to get used to, especially if you are not used to a high sensitivity mouse, but after 10-15 minutes of usage it became natural and easy to use. The rubber build of the mouse is very easy to grip, though, so it you are able to precisely control the mouse pointer and there was never a scenario where the mouse slipped out of my hands. Some users would benefit from having a lower DPI setting, and it would have been nice to adjust this using the included software.

The scroll wheel works very well and it is really a necessity for any mouse. The absence of a scroll wheel on touchpads is reason enough to switch to using an external wireless mouse. The scroll wheel is also rubber and was a bit tight during my initial usage, but it loosened up after a few hours.

The contour grip feels natural as you grip the mouse and it fits quite neatly in the palm of your hand. In my hands the mouse was small enough that the tip of my index finger reached past the mouse buttons, so I had to move my palm down so that the tip of my index finger was flush with the buttons. For people with smaller hands (e.g. women), the mouse fit easily into the palm with the index fingers naturally reaching the mouse buttons.

As with all optical mice, the Nano had trouble on glass surfaces. The optical sensor does not track well on any sort of see-through or reflective surface. If you plan to use the mouse on any reflective surface such as glass, you will need to use a mousepad.

Finally, the pink color of the mouse made it easy to spot and it’s unlikely that you’ll misplace such a bright colored object. It certainly stands out on my desk as the only pink colored device!

Portability and Battery Life

A wireless mouse intended to be used with laptops is only useful if it can be easily taken along with the laptop when you are on the go. The Nano mouse succeeds here, as its small size and “Nano Slot” make it extremely easy to carry along with your laptop. You can store it in a pouch in your laptop case, or just throw it in your carry-on bag if you are on a flight. You can leave the USB receiver plugged into your laptop, too, but I would recommend removing it from the USB port and storing it in the Nano Slot. The USB receiver is much less likely to get damaged this way.

The battery life of the Nano mouse is exceptional. I’ve used it for dozens of hours – at least 75 hours – and it is still going strong. Verbatim does not list the expected battery life for the Nano, but it does automatically turn itself off when not in use for 5 minutes. This is a great feature that extends the battery life immensely. It is also easy to activate the mouse – just click one of the mouse buttons and it instantly turns itself back on.

Verbatim Nano Wireless Notebook Mouse

The Nano Wireless Mouse is a winner in my book. It’s high sensitivity takes a bit of getting used to, but it’s simple to install and easy to use. Anyone will be able to get the Nano installed and ready for use within a few minutes of opening the box. With a handy slot to store the USB receiver, it is also conveniently portable. Add in the extraordinary battery life and the reasonable average online price of $30, and it deserves a close look if you are in the market for a wireless mouse.

While the pink color isn’t exactly my favorite, there are plenty of other color choices. My thoughts can be summed up by saying this: I’ve found a long-term companion for my laptop with the Nano Wireless Mouse.

Pros: Easy to install, batteries last a very long time, pink color stands out.

Cons: Does not work well on a clear surface, DPI cannot be adjusted, pink color stands out!

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

www.verbatim.com