Think Outside Bluetooth Mouse For Pocket PC

[marlof]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pocketpc-club.nl/content.php?id=3104' target='_blank'>http://www.pocketpc-club.nl/content.php?id=3104</a><br /><br /></div>Roel Martens of the great Dutch Pocket PC site <a href="http://www.pocketpc-club.nl">Pocket PC Club</a> has posted that Think Outside is not only to offer a <a href="http://www.thinkoutside.com/products/stowaway-bt.html">Bluetooth keyboard</a> for your Pocket PC, but also a Bluetooth mouse. I think that is a great idea, since when I'm using one of these foldable keyboards I don't like that I need to tap my screen once in a while. Using a mouse would be more natural to me. What do you think? Would you need to bring more on the road than the following setup?<br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/marlof-june04-thinkoutside-bluetoothmouse.jpg" />

[surur]

Try doing that with infra-red or wifi!

One up for bluetooth!!


Surur

[PR.]

Would be handy if they did a version of the keyboard with a built in Laptop style tracker pad or stick controller...

[Vincent M Ferrari]

I love the idea, but in the back of my mind I'm wondering how well my Ipaq will hold up with its bluetooth radio on while I tap away at a keyboard or slide around a mouse. I have a feeling that these two things together would kill my battery pretty quickly...

[Stephen Beesley]

Would be handy if they did a version of the keyboard with a built in Laptop style tracker pad or stick controller...

Something like a BT version of the Targus IR keyboard with the built in directional mouse pad (reviewed on ipaqabilities (http://www.ipaqabilities.com/reviews_articles/reviews/0504-targusuniversal.php)) perhaps.

[Shadowcat]

I though the current bluetooth specifications only allow one device to be used at a time?

I also wonder what this mouse will cost and whether they will bundle a bluetooth USB adapter for use with a desktop or laptop.

[marlof]

I also wonder what this mouse will cost and whether they will bundle a bluetooth USB adapter for use with a desktop or laptop.

According to the Dutch website, the mouse should be $99. I don't know if this will include any adapter, but for that price, it (sh)(c)ould. I mean: I've bought my Microsoft BT desktop for about that price, which included a keyboard, mouse and dongle.

[ctitanic]

I wonder how long the battery will last in the Mouse and in the keyboard.

[Scott R]

Is there anything special about this mouse or is this more about drivers? If so, I'd like to see ThinkOutside sell the driver separately so that you could buy whichever Bluetooth mouse you liked best.

I also would like to see them produce a foldable keyboard with an IBM-style pointing stick and mouse buttons below the bottom row of keys so that you could type and move the mouse without having to shift your hands around. It would also keep the size down, as this would be smaller than having to carry around a separate mouse.

Scott

[ricksfiona]

Is there anything special about this mouse or is this more about drivers? If so, I'd like to see ThinkOutside sell the driver separately so that you could buy whichever Bluetooth mouse you liked best.

I also would like to see them produce a foldable keyboard with an IBM-style pointing stick and mouse buttons below the bottom row of keys so that you could type and move the mouse without having to shift your hands around. It would also keep the size down, as this would be smaller than having to carry around a separate mouse.

Scott

Great ideas! I agree though that having the driver separate would be good so you can use your own mouse.

[brianchris]

Isn't this a first? Anyone know of ANY other kind of mouse sodftware for the PPC? As far as I know, this will be the first time we'vee seen a mouse pointer arrow on a Pocket PC.

[ctmagnus]

Actually, Deje (http://www.pitoday.de.vu/) already did this (http://www.deje.gmxhome.de/software.html). ;)

[Sven Johannsen]

Isn't this a first? Anyone know of ANY other kind of mouse sodftware for the PPC? As far as I know, this will be the first time we'vee seen a mouse pointer arrow on a Pocket PC.

Targus's Universal (IR) keyboard has a mouse button/pad and their driver puts a cursor on the screen.

[Chucky]

Well I am looking forward to much increased gaming abilities with a keyboard/mouse combo. Hopefully FPS will start to emerge, I'd be happy with a multiplayer Pocket PC port of Doom :D

[Phoenix]

Now this is slick. It's turning the Pocket PC more and more into a very small laptop. I'd love the ability to use a mouse.

Just make the mouse very small and optical along with the BT, and this would be a winner, IMO.

But please, for me personally, don't just go with a pointer stick. I know others do, but I do not like pointer sticks. I would much rather have a mouse.


The only other thing I would add, is that they need to lower the price on these things. $150 for a keyboard and another $100 for a mouse is WAY too expensive! $200-$250 for this combo is ridiculous. I can buy a Logitech MX900 BT optical mouse - which is their top of the line mouse (and much better than anything Stowaway would put out) - for $99! I mean, c'mon! Stowaway's keyboard and mouse bundled together should cost no more than $100.

[rmasinag]

99 friggin dollars! :bad-words:

I think that's being too innovative in pricing!

Microsoft can build a cheaper BT mouse.
I'm willing to pay for someone to program to be able tot use the MS BT mouse instead

[freitasm]

Actually, Deje (http://www.pitoday.de.vu/) already did this (http://www.deje.gmxhome.de/software.html). ;)

Yes, and no. The link is to a HID software that uses USB mouse. Your Pocket PC must have USB host - which is a rarity in this world!

Now, I wasn't going to show this, but here it goes (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=2908):

http://www.geekzone.co.nz/images/news/thinkoutsidebluetoothmouse.jpg (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=2908)

It actually is the same driver used by the Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard we reviewed (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/content.asp?contentid=2903) and is in another PPCT post. The driver will actually work with any HID mouse, but they'll sell their own, and I suspect the driver will not be available separately.

[leebu]

Hmm... I just tried this with the BT Stowaway driver and a MS BT mouse but the connect button was disabled when I selected the mouse.

What's the secret to getting this working? Or are we talking a newer driver than what as on the CD with the keyboard?

[freitasm]

This functionality is only available in a newer package, currently in beta.