Wireless touch mouse. Logitech Touch Mouse M600: touch simplicity. Box, packaging and appearance

IntroductionA keyboard with a touchpad is a rare phenomenon, but still familiar to many and does not evoke any special emotions. But this is the first time we’ve seen a mouse with a touch surface (for the PC platform, of course - this is no longer new for the Mac). How convenient and functional will the Microsoft Touch Mouse be compared to the usual models? Let's try to figure it out. But first, let's go over the main milestones in the still short history of mice with touch-sensitive coating.

The history of mice with touch controls is still quite short and only lasts about six years. It is possible (or rather even “very likely”) that individual concepts were born earlier, but the first such serial cursor control device went on sale in August 2005.

It was the Apple Mighty Mouse, which caused quite mixed reviews from users: while admiring the new control capabilities, they noted the lack of selectivity of the touch sensor (sometimes confusing, for example, the left and right “buttons”) and the rapid contamination of the scroll ball, which was not easy to clean.

In October 2009, this model was replaced by a mouse in the Apple product line Magic Mouse with support for multiple touches, which received less criticism, and the design still delights not only Yabloko fans.

Apple's eternal rival, Microsoft, is noticeably behind in terms of release dates for mice with touch surfaces. The company's first mouse with touch controls, the Arc Touch Mouse, was released only in the fall of 2010, and its capabilities for controlling touch to a surface were very limited. All Arc Touch had was a small touch strip in place of the scroll wheel with a middle button, which obviously can't compare to the touch-sensitive coating that takes up 3/4 of the surface of the Apple Magic Mouse.

So it’s only now, almost two years after the release of Magic Mouse, that Microsoft has launched a full-fledged response. The first truly serious competitor to Apple's touch beauty, the Microsoft Touch Mouse, will hit the shelves this summer - we'll test this mouse right now.

Appearance and equipment

The packaging of the Touch Mouse can hardly be called typical for Microsoft pointing devices. Instead of the usual blister packaging with the mouse exposed under the company’s previous decisions, the new Touch Mouse is enclosed in a small but rather tall cardboard box in the traditional red color for Microsoft hardware with a magnetic lid clasp. On almost every side of the container, in different font sizes, it is emphasized that the Touch Mouse is designed specifically for use in systems running Windows 7, and some features of the device are also listed.

The scope of delivery is somewhat more extensive than one might expect from a modestly sized package. The mouse itself hides inside a pair of pre-installed Energizer AA alkaline batteries (although the manufacturer’s website at the time of preparation of the material talked about two AAA batteries) and a compact USB radio receiver “Nano Transceiver” in a recess on the bottom.

Traditionally, for wireless models, there is a battery compartment on the bottom, in the middle of the lid there is an island with a power switch and an optical sensor. The batteries are located on the sides of this protrusion.

The mouse rests on two rather large supports placed across the body at opposite ends of the device: on all the surfaces we tested, from a worn rubber mat to denim, they ensured easy gliding without excessive effort.

In addition, the box contains a USB extension cable about one and a half meters long to place the receiver closer to the mouse and an envelope made of thick paper that hides inside a stack of traditional waste paper and a pair of self-adhesive Velcro for fixing the end of the extension cable.

From the inscriptions on the packaging, you can only learn that the mouse is equipped with an optical sensor that uses BlueTrack technology, and has a touch surface with multi-touch support. Other characteristics will have to be dug up in the documentation on the official website, where you can find out that the Touch Mouse boasts the following:

sensor resolution - 1000 dpi;
optical sensor reading speed - up to 8000 frames/s;
mouse movement speed on the surface - up to 1.83 m/s;
the average operating life from a set of batteries is 3 months;
button resource - 3 million clicks (with processing of no more than 4 clicks per second).

The mouse has a symmetrical shape and therefore is equally suitable for both right-handers and left-handers. The dimensions of the Touch Mouse are not too large - approximately at the level of typical inexpensive “office” mice, but due to the use of a pair of relatively large and heavy AA batteries, this baby weighs a lot.

The touch-sensitive part of the body cover is decorated with a sand-colored cross-shaped pattern, between the elements of which there are dots of the same color, which somewhat enlivens the utilitarian black appearance of the mouse.

The contrast between the snow-white “belly” of the Touch Mouse and the dark top is somewhat surprising. In my opinion, a black base would look more harmonious, but we will assume that Microsoft designers know better.

Note that Microsoft did not take the radical path of completely abandoning conventional buttons. The standard left and right keys have a mechanical design with a fairly tight, but clearly fixed press.

Software

There was no disc or flash drive with device drivers in the box, as could already be seen from the description of the package. Windows Update also couldn’t help completely: despite the fact that the mouse is specially “tailored” for Windows 7, which is emphasized by numerous inscriptions on the packaging, it only “downloaded” the USB receiver drivers, after which the mouse started working, but, if possible, to express myself, not in “ full power" Most of the touch functionality, which is the main feature of this input device, was left behind: only a couple of mechanical keys worked, and of all the touch capabilities, only vertical scrolling, similar to a regular mouse wheel, was available.

However, it is worth noting that on another system running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit (the first system tested had Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit) Center Windows updates completed its tasks completely, downloading and installing not only updated receiver drivers, but also latest version IntelliPoint.

After installation current version IntelliPoint software (at the time of testing - 8.1.5) “touch” problems were left behind: the mouse began to do everything that was stated in the brochure included in the package. The possibilities for controlling gestures are very wide. Commands given with one, two, or three fingers are supported.

You can use your index finger to scroll data in any direction or zoom the image (if fast movement fast scrolling is enabled). The thumb, which with the most comfortable grip of the mouse is located on the side, in the area of ​​the highest point of the device, is responsible for the “forward/backward” rewinding (up/down movement, respectively) that is typical for the side keys. IntelliPoint allows you to choose a left or right thumb configuration.

Two-finger movements control windows. You can maximize a window to fill the entire screen (swipe up) or exit full-screen mode (swipe down), and you can pin or unpin the active window to half the screen, as the Snap feature in Windows 7 allows you to do (swipe to the side).

A triple “strokes” with your fingers allows you to minimize all windows and show the desktop (movement down) or display thumbnails of all open source software to select the one you need in this moment(upward movement). The size of the preview image is scaled depending on the number of open windows, the program preview window over which the cursor is positioned is slightly enlarged, and the desktop background is darkened.

Movements with two or three fingers are accompanied by a corresponding indication on the screen (the number of dots shows the number of fingers involved, and the trail behind them indicates the direction of the gesture). This feature, active by default, can be disabled if desired.

Since the way to control this mouse is not yet familiar to the user, IntelliPoint has built-in video hints for all the gestures used.

General impressions

Although, if you wish, you can find fault with the not too large size of the mouse and its considerable weight, even long-term work with the Touch Mouse did not cause discomfort: the grip is quite comfortable (which cannot be said about the analogue made by Apple), and the material of the case is pleasant to the touch and does not slip.

Although the package contains a USB extension cable, in practice it is unlikely to be needed. With a communication radius of 10 feet (3.05 m) stated in the specifications, we observed stable operation at approximately twice the distance of the mouse from the signal receiver.

An accuracy of 1000 dpi is quite enough for everyday work or entertainment, but it may seem insufficient, for example, to fans of dynamic shooters. However, shooters clearly do not belong to the area of ​​​​programs in which the Touch Mouse will show itself in all its glory. The reason for this is not only insufficient sensitivity (for most users, except for particularly picky players, it will be enough), but also in the imperfect operation of touch scrolling, which in such games is traditionally responsible for changing weapons.

In fact, scrolling is the least successful aspect of the Touch Mouse when working in regular applications (say, in office programs or a browser). It is easy to scroll the page further than required with a strong “strokes” of the finger, and weak touches are sometimes not recognized (especially often in cases where the mouse has been inactive for some time before).

In general, in terms of accuracy and stability of scrolling, the traditional wheel will give Microsoft's touch scrolling a hundred points head start, and the Logitech MicroGear dual-mode wheel will be offended in the best feelings by the very fact of such a comparison.

In addition, it was noticed that at times of high load on weak system(Athlon 64 3000+ with 1 GB RAM) touch gestures sometimes worked with a delay or did not work at all. Moreover, no such problems were observed with a parallel-connected conventional mouse: in situations where the touch scrolling of the Touch Mouse “went into itself,” the usual mechanical wheel confidently scrolled the page. However, it is unlikely that buyers of an $80 mouse will use it on such “calculators,” and no such problems were observed on a more powerful computer.

However, despite some problems with scrolling, system control when Microsoft help Touch Mouse turned out to be very convenient. Where previously you had to press a combination of buttons on the keyboard or make unnecessary movements with the cursor (say, to fix a window using the Snap function), you can now get by with an almost instantaneous gesture.

Conclusion

Let's see what the Microsoft Touch Mouse offers the user.
The model has the following advantages:

the touch control system is somewhat unusual at first, but generally very convenient in everyday work;
good ergonomics;
“omnivorous” BlueTrack sensor;
long battery life;
Wide range of customization options for gestures and multiple taps (including individually for different applications);
pleasant and strict appearance.

But it was not without its drawbacks:

low scrolling accuracy;
unclear processing of touch commands under high load on weak machines;
Compatible with Windows 7 only.

Overall, as you can see, the balance of pros and cons generally leans in favor of the Touch Mouse. However, it is worth noting that this mouse is not suitable for everyone.

For a user who often works with a large number of open programs, but is not too keen on dynamic games, the Touch Mouse is almost guaranteed to bring a lot of pleasure, providing the most convenient control (even the not very successful implementation of scrolling is lost against the background of overall comfort) with ergonomics that do not cause significant complaints. However, enthusiastic gamers or owners of low-power systems may be disappointed in such a purchase.

Other materials on this topic

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Logitech MX 1100 mouse: revolution at a discount
Blue-eyed mouse - Microsoft Sidewinder X8

A mouse with interesting touch technology, which is very useful when actively working with a large number of windows

Today we will talk about a rather interesting product Microsoft- their new Touch Mouse. In general, the company has long had a reputation for producing very good keyboards and mice - it’s a pity that only among a rather small audience active users. However, Microsoft never wanted to become the leader of this market, and sees its task (at least according to statements) in introducing to the market and popularizing certain new technologies and technical solutions.

So, let's see what technology Microsoft is presenting to the audience today.

What can Touch Mouse do?

The concept of the Touch Mouse is that on the top of the mouse, instead of buttons, there is a touch zone that can track the movement of several fingers.

First of all, associations with touchpads and multi-point input technology on the touch panel, i.e. multitouch, come to mind. Moreover, multi-touch technology itself has existed for a long time, but Apple became its active popularizer, with whose light hand this technology began to be implemented everywhere, with or without reason. However, within the framework of this material, it is much more interesting to mention Apple not only and not so much as a popularizer of multi-touch.

The fact is that they have a very similar product in concept and functionality: Apple Magic Mouse. This mouse entered the market back in mid-2009, and was reviewed on our website. It was developed just in the wake of the popularization of multi-point input and was even called a “multi-touch mouse.” In this Apple models All controls have been removed from the body, and their functions are assigned to the touch surface of the mouse. Only the functionality of the button remained, but the entire body of the front of the mouse was pressed. However, the functionality of the touchpad in that mouse is not amazing. Scrolling back and forth, moving through galleries on the Internet, photos, etc., if you use two fingers. You can also scale the image, but to do this you need to hold down the button on the keyboard. In general, there are too few interesting features. At the same time, the mouse has a global drawback, noted in our review. We'll come back to it later.

In terms of functionality, the Touch Mouse is much more interesting, because it can do more, and additional functions are more useful in work applications.

All additional mouse functions are only available with a special driver. If you do not install it, then it works like a regular two-button mouse, without a scroll wheel. The driver should be installed directly from the receiver, but for some reason this did not happen for me (the system gave a driver installation error). Therefore, the driver had to be downloaded from the site and installed separately.

Let's see what functions the Microsoft Touch Mouse can perform. The mouse works by moving from one to three fingers along the touch surface in four directions and perceives gestures in this way:

• One finger movement anywhere:
  • Scroll in any direction.
• Two finger movement:
  • Up: Maximize the window to fill the entire screen.
  • Right or Left: Expand to the right or left half of the screen (Aerosnap).
  • Down: If the window is maximized, it becomes normal (not full screen). If it’s normal, it collapses.
• Three finger movement:
  • Down - minimize all windows.
  • Up - Thumbnails of open windows appear on top of the screen (a bit like the traditional Alt+Tab switch, but done in a more modern way, above a darkened desktop), where you can select the desired program.

Also, if you move your right thumb up or down along the side of the mouse (in its touch zone), it is perceived as “forward” or “backward,” depending on the direction of the finger movement. Naturally, this gesture will be most in demand when working with a browser.

Box, packaging and appearance

The mouse comes in a beautiful black and orange box, very similar in color to the colors on the promotional site. The mouse in the package strongly resembles a car model, even the mounting method is similar.

The mouse itself looks elegant and beautiful. It has a black matte body, which looks very nice, and an unusual shape: the mouse smoothly slopes towards the sharp front edge. Small gray crosses are marked on the touch surface. The mouse fits comfortably in your hand.

The mouse is symmetrical, it does not have buttons on the sides, i.e. it is equally suitable for both right-handers and left-handers. This, by the way, can become one of its big advantages: after all, all functions are fully accessible to those who use the mouse with their left hand. You rarely see completely symmetrical multi-button mice; they are usually made for right-handed people.

For some reason the bottom is made white, because of this the mouse takes on a resemblance to an animal. There are two large sliders at the bottom (and it’s good, there’s less chance of them coming off), and there’s a sensor between them. There is also a switch here: you can simply turn off the mouse when it is not needed (or if you are going on the road). There is also a special recess in the bottom with a spring-loaded lock, where it is easy to remove the receiver when carrying the mouse.

The receiver is very small, it sticks out from the laptop body by about three millimeters, no more. When working with a laptop, you don’t have to pull it out of the port (although to be fair, when I put the laptop into a bag with a horizontal stowage, it sometimes got caught on the side of the pocket). In a computer, I think it is completely invisible. Just in case, the manufacturer provides an extension cable with Velcro to the receiver so that you can take it away from the body and avoid interference and uncertain operation.

Driver

As already mentioned, a driver is required for full operation of all mouse functions.

Since the mouse was tested on a laptop, two devices were connected at the same time.

The driver itself is generally quite standard and provides standard configuration options.

Firstly, it allows you to configure click parameters for both buttons.

It should be taken into account that IntelliPoint is universal program for all Microsoft mice. If the mouse has a large number of hardware buttons, then the extensive customization options are a big plus. However, in this case, when there are only two buttons (and even then...), they will most likely remain unclaimed.

The driver also allows you to set specific settings for individual applications.

I think they are also irrelevant for this mouse.

The most interesting tab is the one with touch surface settings.

Here you can adjust the sensitivity of the mouse when moving with one finger, a navigation gesture with your thumb along the edge of the mouse (and at the same time the ability to select left-handed/right-handed use), and enable other mouse functions.

Impressions from work

With Touch Mouse good form body and weight, the mouse lies pleasantly in the hand. It may seem narrow to people with large palms, but for most users its size and shape are optimal. The mouse fits well in a woman's hand.

This mouse uses Microsoft's Bluetrack technology (read about its introduction on our website).

I didn't have any problems with using Touch Mouse on every surface I tried it on. Even on a wrinkled blanket it worked well. There were no problems with cursor positioning, the mouse works well. There were no complaints about the movement speed and acceleration parameters; I got used to the mouse almost instantly. Pressing the buttons is average in terms of hardness, the click is not loud. You can hear it, but it does not distract others.

I decided to stop experiments on range when I found out that the mouse worked normally from the next room through a non-permanent wall. The receiver was plugged into one of the laptop ports, without an extension cord.

In general, the Touch Mouse is very suitable for use as a regular mouse. So let's move on to advanced functionality.

Based on the list of implemented gestures, we can conclude that the mouse is aimed primarily at work - I would even say, office use. It is especially good to use when working with large quantities open documents or application windows that need to be simultaneously monitored, content compared, etc. In these work scenarios, the mouse is far superior to other solutions. It’s very convenient to see thumbnails of everyone open applications and documents and (without taking your hand off the mouse) switch to the desired window. Or minimize all windows and open the desktop. It's very easy to scatter two documents onto their respective halves of the screen if you need to compare them. And so on.

In order to start working with a mouse confidently, you need to get used to the gestures. The mouse software has a whole presentation built into it, and it’s done very nicely, showing all possible gestures. You can also practice there. This is a very useful feature that allows you to quickly get used to performing gestures “automatically”.

However, I found it difficult to get used to, even though the description of the gestures looks simple and clear. I had to force myself to use gestures for a long time in order to at least somehow remember them and begin to perform them “automatically”, without being distracted from work. You usually get used to hardware buttons faster, although I even had difficulties with additional keys. Overall, getting used to it, even with software to practice with, has proven to be a difficult process. By the way, once you get used to it, it’s even harder to get out of the habit - sitting down at another computer, you scratch someone else’s mouse on the back and wonder why the window didn’t roll up.

Well, from the advantages we smoothly move on to the disadvantages.

Main disadvantages

In general, the Touch Mouse is based on the idea of ​​the Apple Magic Mouse, which Microsoft creatively reworked and adapted to the needs of its operating system. However, the history of the development of electronics teaches us that we should not get carried away with copying, and with the Touch Mouse we are dealing with a very good example the truth of this statement. The fact is that the Touch Mouse directly copied the main problem of the Apple mouse.

I will quote from an article by Sergei Uvarov, to which I already provided a link:

The entire surface of the mouse is one large button, the right part of which is responsible for the right click, and the left part for the left one (if you noted in the settings that you need to imitate the right button). However, since the position of your finger (whether it is on the right or the left) is determined by the sensor located under the transparent button plate, only one finger should be in contact with the mouse when you click. That is, if your index finger is on the left side of the surface and your middle finger is on the right, and you try to press with your middle finger, nothing will work. Magic Mouse will interpret this as a left click.

Mighty Mouse had the same problem, and I personally expected Magic Mouse to solve it. Still, four years have passed... But alas. And this drawback (coupled with average ergonomics) makes it almost impossible using Magic Mouse in computer games. Where the outcome of the entire mission can depend on a well-timed click, Magic Mouse will constantly strive to let you down.

This is how I described the same problem with the Touch Mouse when I was taking notes for the article.

If your fingers are on the buttons, instead of a right click you get a left click. That is, if you put your index finger on the left button, and your ring finger on the right (the middle one lies in the middle, where the groove is) and press the right (!) button, then the mouse will act as a left click. If you lift your index finger from the surface, then everything is fine, the right button will work.

This happens for the same reason: the Touch Mouse also top part housing is one big button across the entire width of the mouse (reminds me of nothing?), and it distinguishes right and left clicks by which finger lies on the touch surface. The problem is that the mouse does not distinguish between “lying” and “pressing”. So if your fingers are on both keys, then the left press is selected as a higher priority.

Therefore, every time you use the right click, you need to lift your finger from the left button. With constant active work with the mouse, I well appreciated how much this problem interferes with life. Well, along the way I found out how often I use right click, and how annoying it is when it doesn't work. In principle, you can get used to it, but it is very inconvenient, and when you return to a regular mouse with hardware buttons, you feel well how much easier it has become to work. You still miss the convenient window arrangement functions for a while, but a properly functioning right button is more expensive.

By the way, for some reason the mouse does not support the most common gesture of the multi-touch system - zooming. Perhaps this gesture was abandoned due to the large number of false positives, I don’t know. But the fact remains a fact.

The surface of the mouse is rough and creates noticeable resistance when moving your fingers. If you do not squeeze the mouse (for example, it just lies freely on the table), then when performing a gesture it tends to move after your finger.

Finally, due to some touchpad quirks, the mouse has problems implementing scrolling. Sometimes the mouse does not react to a slight movement at all, sometimes it reacts too sharply. To do what is called “move one click” in a regular mouse is almost impossible here. Sometimes scrolling gets stuck and continues for some time after you remove your finger from the surface. For some applications, the problem was solved by slightly reducing the sensitivity in the settings, but not for all. And I was left with the clear impression that the mouse does not always respond the same way to the same movements.

General impression of use and conclusions

The mouse is focused on a specific application: active work with the Internet and with documents in all cases when you need to switch between several windows or arrange them across the screen. For other applications - for example, for games - it is absolutely not suitable. In principle, it is more interesting to use it in systems with a large monitor, where the problem of window ordering plays a significant role. If the screen is small and the windows normally open to fill the entire screen, then the mouse will not demonstrate all its advantages. Although opening and hiding windows, as well as switching between them, is still more convenient. Then this functionality is greatly lacking with other mice.

If we put aside the problems with getting used to it (and no less problems when switching back to using “regular mice”) stemming from the peculiarities of the technology, then the mouse has two main drawbacks that personally greatly interfered with my work.

Firstly, it is unstable scrolling, when the page moves jerkily, does not scroll, or scrolls too much. Secondly, the need to raise your left finger if you need to press the right button. I can say that after working with the mouse for two weeks in office mode and on a large monitor, you get used to it and begin to appreciate the additional functions. But if you start using another mouse, the skills are forgotten very quickly. At least for now.

If we consider this mouse as a finished product sold in stores, it is very well made. It has a comfortable shape, good body material, it works on any surface, and has no problems with operating range.

Gesture recognition is a very interesting and unusual technology. However, it has a limited scope of application, as well as a couple of significant shortcomings that make its daily use inconvenient. However, I think that even in the current implementation there are many professionals for whom the convenience of working with windows on a desktop will outweigh these disadvantages. We hope that this technology will remain on the market and will actively develop, getting rid of shortcomings and gaining new and interesting functionality.

The success of Apple's Magic Mouse touchscreen has prompted other manufacturers to produce similar solutions, in particular its main opponent, Microsoft, which currently has several such models - the Touch Mouse and the recently announced Wedge Touch Mouse. Touch controllers can also be seen in the model ranges of Verbatim, Rapoo and SPEEDLINK - Wireless Optical Touch, T6 Multi-touch and CUE Wireless Multitouch Mouse, respectively.

The Swiss company Logitech did not ignore this trend, introducing this spring a touch mouse, which we will get acquainted with in this review.

Specifications

Manufacturer	Logitech
	Touch Mouse M600
Sensor type	Optical (Logitech Advanced Optical)
Resolution, dpi	About 1000
Interface
Connection	Wireless
Receiver type	Logitech Unifying USB Receiver (2.4 GHz Logitech Advanced)
Radius of action, m
Number of buttons	1 + Touch surface
Number of available actions/programmable actions
Gesture support	Absent
Sole type
	2 AA batteries
Additional features
	Black gray
Dimensions, mm	111.3 x 64.3 x 29.2
Software	Logitech Unifying Software Logitech Flow Scroll (Scroll App)
Supported OS	Windows XP/Vista/7
Official guarantee	36 months
Products webpage

Delivery and configuration

The manipulator comes in a small black cardboard box, on the front side of which, in addition to several logos, there is a large cutout that allows you to familiarize yourself with the appearance of the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 and the tiny Logitech Unifying USB receiver. The reverse side provides brief descriptions of the main features, as well as images of possible actions that the touch surface can process. On the sides there is information about what can be found in the box.

So, in the package, in addition to the mouse itself, you can find:

USB receiver;

suede cover (bag);

2 AA batteries;

a brochure describing the main features;

brochure for setting up the manipulator;

brochure with warranty information.

One of the first, and most importantly important, features is the use of the Logitech Unifying USB receiver, which not only has a miniature size and operates at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, but also provides the ability to simultaneously connect up to six compatible devices. It is worth noting that the receiver encrypts the transmitted signal with a 128-bit key using the AES algorithm and has built-in protection against interference.

The presence of a suede case made in the form of a bag allows you not to worry about the appearance of scratches and abrasions on the mouse body during various trips, and also removes fingerprints that have accumulated during work.

Appearance and arrangement of elements

The Logitech Touch Mouse M600, due to the absence of familiar controls, looks very unusual and very original, and thanks to its smooth contours and the almost complete absence of sharp edges, the manipulator is quite reminiscent of some decorative element or a stone well ground with water, rather than a device for positioning the cursor . This impression is also facilitated by the abundance of gloss with unusual texture on the "back".

The mouse body turned out to be too squat, its height is only 29.2 mm versus the usual 40 ± 3 mm, so many, especially those with large palms, may find it uncomfortable. However, you can get used to this feature quite quickly. In addition, thanks to the symmetrical shape of the body, the manipulator is suitable for both right-handed and left-handed people.

The upper part, painted black, is smooth and carries only a large touch panel, occupying approximately half of the entire area. The underside is also black, but has a matte rough surface. Located on it optical sensor, significantly shifted to the front, with a power on/off button and an LED indicator, as well as two fairly large Teflon legs and a plastic cover.

Removing the cover reveals a compartment for installing two AA batteries and a socket for a USB receiver.

On the side edges, as well as the front and back, you can only see a large translucent border made of glossy gray plastic. There are no more additional elements in the Logitech Touch Mouse M600.

Mouse Features

Undoubtedly main feature Logitech Touch Mouse M600 has a touch surface that replaces two standard and two additional buttons, as well as a scroll wheel.

However, although there is only one mechanical button, it is present and when it is triggered, it is not the usual area in the front part of the case that is pressed, but the entire upper part of the mouse, which in turn affects the convenience, but more on that below.

In total, the manipulator offers the user only six actions, all of which are very simple: left and right clicks, vertical scrolling and the “Back” and “Forward” functions. Unfortunately, it does not implement actions such as the middle button or any gestures that would certainly be useful.

However, it is interesting that at the hardware level, the touchpad used has the ability to process multi-touch actions, so it is likely that Logitech will soon release new drivers with support for this function and a set of several gestures.

It is also worth noting that for normal operation of the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 it is enough to install only one AA battery, but then it will only last three months, instead of the stated six when installing two batteries.

Software: Logitech SetPoint and Logitech Flow Scroll

To configure touch mouse settings, you can software, which must be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.

The program, which has a fairly simple design, is, as usual, divided into two tabs - “My Mouse” and “Tools”. Moreover, each of them has several points.

In the “Button settings” item, you can select the left or right button, although you cannot assign any other function to them. Also from here you can invert the functions of the buttons, which will be useful for left-handed people, and restore the default settings.

Next comes the “Pointer and scrolling settings” item, where you can change the speed of the pointer movement, i.e. dpi value (although there are no specific numerical values ​​here), select the desired pointer acceleration and enable the Smart Move function, which automatically sets the cursor to the button by default when the dialog box appears. You can also enable the pointer trail, select the scroll increment, and enable smooth scrolling.

The “Mouse Batteries” item displays information about the charge level of the batteries or accumulators being used.

The last item in this tab is designed to launch the Unifying program ( Logitech Unifying Software), with which you can connect additional compatible devices. This application must be downloaded and installed separately.

The first item in the “Tools” tab is “Information”, where you can find out the software and mouse driver versions, go to the support site, install the PS/2 driver and save the system report.

In the “SetPoint Settings” item, you can configure the display of the SetPoint icon in the notification area (tray) and pop-up status indicators, as well as check for software updates and return all settings to the default value.

The last item, as such in the “My Mouse” tab, is intended to launch the Unifying program.

Utility Logitech Flow Scroll, or rather an add-on or extension, contributes to smoother scrolling in different browsers, namely in Internet Explorer 8, Internet Explorer 9, Firefox 6 and later, and Chrome 13 and later. It is worth noting that Flow Scroll only works under Windows 7.

Impressions from work

Working with the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 is quite convenient, however, only after getting used to the very low body and the non-standard location of one single button - under the entire upper part of the manipulator. The result of this arrangement is an uninformative, one might say sluggish, process of pressing the button, while it feels a little “sticky” in the pressed position (after all, the button has to lift the weight of almost the entire mouse), which makes it difficult to perform a quick double pressing. Also, the consequence of using only one button is the impossibility of simultaneously performing actions with the left and right mouse buttons, which is often found in games when you first need to aim and then shoot. However, the manipulator is not designed for games.

Otherwise, there are no comments. The touchpad perfectly detects all six available actions, and they are very convenient and perfectly designed. Moreover, after the M600, when working with a regular mouse, at first you just want to go to the previous or next page by simply swiping to the side. In addition, it is worth noting that Teflon feet facilitate easy sliding on surfaces.

Although the touch mouse is expensive, it uses an optical sensor rather than a laser one. This model is equipped with Logitech Advanced Optical, which is more than enough for the purposes for which the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 is designed. Thus, the sensor does an excellent job of positioning on all frequently used surfaces, in particular ordinary plastic mats, hybrid playing surfaces and various types of tabletops, including varnished ones. Mirror and glass surfaces, as expected optical technology, remain unavailable.

Results

In general, the touch mouse is a very interesting device that will definitely find its buyer, but it is not particularly popular. First of all, due to the rather high cost, and secondly, due to the not very comfortable body, which is too squat. However, if you need a stylish and unusual mouse that will spend most of its time as an addition to your laptop rather than as your main device for controlling your desktop PC, then the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 may be an excellent option to choose.

Of course, the manipulator due to the absence of program level support for multi-touch gestures, offers only six fairly simple, and most importantly quickly memorable, actions, unlike its main competitors such as models from Apple and Microsoft, but at the same time it offers up to 6 months of uninterrupted operation. After at least a week of using the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 as my main one, the battery level remained the same.

Logitech for providing the touch mouse for testing.

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When Touch Mouse first appeared on the market, it was wildly compared to Apple's touch mouse - the first Magic Mouse. Simply because at that time there were... two fully sensory mice in the world. The new product from Microsoft did not correct all the shortcomings of the Apple mouse, but it was a little more convenient to use. For example, about the special pattern on the front of the case: it is laconically incorporated into the design and does not distract attention, nevertheless, under the fingers the textured pattern feels better than just a smooth surface.

Who knows, maybe we are the only ones who see this as an advantage.

One common drawback, however, was and remains: the fact is that when several fingers are on the mouse at once (the index finger is on the left button, the middle or ring finger is on the right button), it is impossible to execute a command with the left or right button until you touch the adjacent one. remove your finger. It is enough to simply lift your second finger for a second for the mouse to work correctly, but in games, bugs with clicks can play a cruel joke.

We repeat: for regular work It doesn’t interfere in any way - you get used to it literally right away.

So that you don’t look askance at this mouse, let’s say that Microsoft is ready to vouch for the quality of mice and keyboards: the brand does not produce bad products, and has been holding the brand for a long time. Why haven't you heard of him then? Maybe because Microsoft doesn't do PR for its products. The only advertising is “word of mouth”, i.e. our user reviews.

Microsoft Touch Mouse Specifications

• Connection type: wireless
• Purpose: office/home
• Connection interface: USB
• Mouse type: laser
• Design: symmetrical
• Number of keys: 1
• Mouse power: 2xAA
• Dimensions: 120x62x37 mm
• Polling rate: 127 Hz
• Travel speed: 5.26 m/s
• Sensor resolution: 1000 dpi.

Microsoft Touch Mouse ergonomics and accessories

Microsoft can be praised here: the mouse not only looks beautiful, but also feels great in the hand. It can be used freely by both ladies with delicate small hands and men with fairly large palms.

Plus, the mouse has a weighting element: it doesn’t fidget on the table, but moves smoothly and confidently. If the table surface is smooth, you can work without a mat. There are no delays or cursor jumps without a mousepad thanks to the BlueTrack laser sensor, Microsoft’s own technology (the laser does not work except on glass and mirrors, but you can use the mouse even on a crumpled blanket). The sensor resolution is 1000 dpi.

There is only one physical button on the case, and even that one is successfully disguised. So she is responsible for left/right clicks, depending on which key the finger is currently on. Touch zones are responsible for performing other actions.

Instead of a wheel, the Microsoft Touch Mouse also has a sensor, which can be programmed in any way you like. A little higher on the body there is a light indicator: as soon as you install new batteries, it lights up green. If the battery charge is critical, it will light up red. Once the red indicator appears, you will have an hour active work mouse to have time to change batteries. But more about autonomy later.

The indicator is turned on only when the batteries are changed or need to be replaced - it does not light up constantly.

There is a switch on the back of the Microsoft Touch Mouse: when the mouse is not in use (during transportation, for example, or after work), it is better to turn it off. There is no “sleep mode”, so if you want to preserve your battery life longer, don’t forget about this button. The Microsoft Touch Mouse comes with two AA batteries—you can use the purchase right out of the box.

The package also includes a receiver (hidden in a spring-loaded slot near the battery compartment cover) - connect it to the computer, and the mouse is ready to use. All that remains is to install the drivers and set custom settings. Ideally, the drivers will be installed automatically when you connect the receiver. But if for some reason this did not happen, they can be found on the Microsoft website (link here).

Just in case, an extension cord with mounting stickers is included with the receiver. In case of changing workplace, it is convenient to place the receiver in a slot on the mouse - it will not get lost, because always has its place.

Perhaps the only inconvenience of the receiver, which protrudes 5-6 mm from the laptop body, is that sometimes the laptop clings to the bag when packing/unpacking because of it.

Important!The mouse is symmetrical, so it can be used by both left-handed and right-handed people. The touch zones can also be configured equally for left and right hands.

Microsoft Touch Mouse functionality

The presentation that comes with the mouse will better tell you what the Microsoft Touch Mouse can do; there you can also learn new gestures and practice working with them.

It can be controlled with one or three fingers, depending on what you want to do. In addition to standard vertical scrolling in the browser, you can scroll through visited sites using horizontal scrolling. To do this, just “pat” the mouse with your thumb on the side: up if you need to go to the next page, and down if you want to return to the previous one.

With the same movement, for example, you can scroll through photos both in a regular viewer and online.

What's great about this mouse is that it can be fine-tuned to suit any need, from laser sensitivity to surface area for horizontal scrolling.

1. One finger touch. Acts on the entire surface of the sensor, scrolling can be done in any direction.
2. Two finger touch. Moving up zooms the window to fill the entire screen. A downward movement at 100% scale changes the scale to medium, the same movement at any other scale minimizes the window. Swipe left/right with two fingers to pin an open window to the left/right half of the screen, respectively. A very convenient movement if you often work with several windows at the same time.

By the way, if three or more windows are open, when you swipe left/right, only the active window will be transferred to the desired half of the screen, and the rest will appear on the second, free half as a preview. If you want to occupy the second half of the screen, choose a window from this kaleidoscope. Very practical.

1. Three finger touch. Another couple of useful movements is to simultaneously swipe down with three fingers to minimize all windows on the desktop. By the way, if you don’t know, the same action in Windows is performed by a special unobtrusive button (look in the lower right corner of the display). But, of course, it’s much more convenient to do it with a mouse in one touch.

Swiping up with three fingers will put everything in thumbnail mode. open windows, and the desired program can be selected from them.

1. Thumb touch. As mentioned above, this option will allow you to flip pages in the browser or navigate between open files. By the way, you can quickly scroll through photos with this gesture if the swipe is sharper and a little longer.
2. Touching the middle touch zone. Can be configured in normal mode scrolling, familiar to the wheel, and set the reverse scroll setting.

If someone is worried that the mouse won’t be the same without a wheel, then let’s say this: some options can actually be replaced using Ctrl with a mouse click, and other key combinations. In games and Photoshop, sometimes it’s just inconvenient without a wheel, and sometimes it’s critically lacking - no “hot” keys can save you here.

For reference:The mouse polling rate is 127 Hz, and the maximum moving speed is 5.26 m/s. The mediocre polling rate is another reason why this mouse will be uncomfortable to use for gaming.

Autonomy

There is no official data on how long a mouse will work from one pair of AA. From personal experience of use, we will say that with two old 2300 mAh rechargeable batteries and a full 8 working day, the mouse honestly lasts 2 weeks and requires replacing the batteries. If you use rechargeable batteries, the operating mode is quite normal, but if you buy regular salt batteries, it’s expensive to shell out money for components for the mouse at least once a month.

So, just in case, it is better to immediately purchase rechargeable batteries and a charger for the mouse. Such a purchase will definitely justify itself in the long run: if it’s not the Microsoft Touch Mouse that needs to be powered, it’s a flashlight, a camera, or, like a lifesaver, the unexpectedly dead batteries in the remote control.

Apple Magic Mouse vs Microsoft Touch Mouse

At the time the Microsoft mouse was released, it was impossible to say that it really competed with the Apple mouse. Not because Apple is “the nicest in the world,” but because we are talking about products designed to work with different operating systems. Just as Magic Mouse would be almost useless on Windows, you can work with Touch Mouse on Mac, but not with full functionality.

Both manufacturers, by the way, managed to release a new touch-enhanced product – Apple Magic Mouse 2 and Arc Touch Mouse. And if Apple made the mouse even more minimalistic, then Microsoft took a different path. The new Arc Touch Mouse becomes a “bridge”! One mode is for work, the body takes an arched position that is convenient for the hand. The other is straightened, practical for carrying and storage.

But Apple has moved away from the idea of ​​installing batteries in the mouse - the new Magic Mouse 2 can be recharged, the model has a built-in battery.

The cost of both models may be a little alarming, considering that these are not gaming mice, but almost office ones. But if you are looking for a high-quality, stylish and modern product that is different from other products on the market, this is definitely in the top ten.

Is it worth buying a new Arc Touch Mouse or is it better to buy a Touch Mouse? Arc Touch Mouse, due to its different design, has a little more functionality: if the wheel is critical to you, then the choice is obvious. Otherwise, the first Touch Mouse remains relevant even almost 5 years after its release (as a nice bonus: it costs less - save money and get a presentable mouse).

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Elizabeth

Without a twinge of conscience, I ask for “phone numbers” from guys and girls I don’t know well. To check whether the lock button fits comfortably under your finger and whether the autofocus works quickly :) I would like to visit MWC and conduct a live blog from the thick of things.

Today touch control has firmly captured the market mobile devices, whose users prefer phones and tablet computers without mechanical buttons, but with a large display. Moreover, modern touch substrates are distinguished by very high accuracy, and many users are already so accustomed to them that they can no longer imagine working with mechanical keys. Perhaps it was the massive spread of touchscreen mobile devices that forced manufacturers of manipulators to once again think about introducing already proven and debugged technologies into new models.

Not long ago we already wrote about the Microsoft Touch Mouse. Today, another representative of this kind came to our test laboratory, the capabilities of which are not limited only to mechanical buttons, but also include controls with simple gestures. The Logitech Touch Mouse M600 is Logitech's first touch mouse.

⇡ Technical specifications

Unifying USB receiver

The new product works with the proprietary Unifying USB receiver, traditional for other wireless devices from Logitech, at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. The receiver is interesting because up to six different compatible Logitech devices can be connected to it at the same time. In addition, among the features of the receiver, one cannot fail to note encryption with a 128-bit key using the AES algorithm and built-in anti-interference protection. The optical sensor of the mouse is also branded - Logitech Advanced Optical.

The chosen power supply scheme is no less interesting. By default, the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 uses two AA batteries. This pair, according to the manufacturer, is enough for the manipulator for about six months of operation (not continuous, of course). But if you wish, you can use one battery. In this case, the operating time will be reduced by exactly half, but the mouse itself will become noticeably lighter.

⇡ Equipment

Logitech Touch Mouse M600 Package Contents

The new product comes in a small box with a blister. Inside, in addition to the device itself, we found the following accessories:

• USB receiver
• two AA batteries,
• case,
• brief instructions on how to get started.

Interestingly, there is no CD included with the Logitech Touch Mouse M600. However, for its full operation, it still requires the installation of proprietary software, which can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website.

⇡ Appearance and ergonomics

The developers tried to give the new product the most original appearance possible, as far as possible for such a conservative device as computer mouse. No, in this case we are not talking about any intricate shapes, because the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 has a symmetrical body, suitable for both right-handers and left-handers. But its curves, low profile, and interesting color design make the manipulator stand out from similar devices. When looking at the new product, two associations immediately come to mind, the first of which is associated with wet pebbles on the seashore, and the second with some imaginary giant beetle from tropical forests or science fiction films.

Logitech Touch Mouse M600 front view	Logitech Touch Mouse M600 rear view

From Microsoft Touch model Mouse mouse The Logitech Touch Mouse M600 is very different not only in the geometry of the case, but also in the material from which it is made. If the first manipulator has a rough coating that is pleasant to the touch, then the plastic of the new product from Logitech is polished to a mirror finish on both the top and bottom. We will discuss below how convenient the varnish coating is when working. For now, we note that the coating, although of high quality, is still easily soiled. The mouse quickly becomes covered with fingerprints and loses its neat appearance.

Appearance of Logitech Touch Mouse M600

The body of the new product is both visually and actually divided into two halves. The upper one, dark gray, has a characteristic pattern that intensifies at the edges and gets lost closer to the center. The lower half is made of light plastic, the top layer of which seems transparent, which gives the appearance of the device additional mystery and uniqueness. Interestingly, there are no visible buttons on the external surfaces of the Logitech Touch Mouse M600. There is no traditional mechanical scroll wheel here either. But the outer surface of the manipulator is turned into a sensor field.

But the developers did not abandon mechanical buttons either. Just to find them, you need to put the mouse on the table and click on those places on the body where the corresponding buttons should be. During this action, the manipulator will “peck” downwards with its entire body, moving relative to the stationary base. And again, we should pay tribute to the designers who worked on the concept of the Logitech Touch Mouse M600. It is difficult to say how important such a solution is from the point of view of ease of use, but the fact that it will attract many users to the new product is certain.

Logitech Touch Mouse M600: bottom view

Battery compartment

The lower part of the body of the new manipulator has two large fluoroplastic legs, a power on/off button with a nearby LED indicator and a plastic cover, under which the battery compartment and the socket of a miniature proprietary Logitech Unifyling USB receiver are hidden. The latter is reliably protected from accidental loss during transportation, but is too difficult to pull out of its storage. But, as already mentioned, up to six compatible mice and keyboards can be connected to this receiver.

Pouch included in delivery

The cloth pouch included in the delivery kit can perform two tasks at once. useful features. Firstly, it perfectly protects the manipulator from external influences and dust. Well, secondly, the bag is very convenient for wiping the shiny surface of the mouse, eliminating traces of working with the manipulator - fingerprints on the surface of the case.

⇡ Settings

Installing the Logitech SetPoint utility

IN technical specifications Logitech Touch Mouse M600 says that the new product only works with Microsoft Windows 7. In fact, only this OS works with the proprietary Logitech Flow Scroll utility, designed to manually adjust the scrolling function. But the Logitech SetPoint utility, traditional for Logitech manipulators, designed to adjust all other parameters of the new product, worked quite normally under Microsoft Windows XP. However, you cannot configure the mouse under Mac OS X and Linux.

Configuring pointing device parameters in the Logitech SetPoint utility

Since the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 only has two buttons, they perform only basic functions. With Logitech SetPoint, the functions of the buttons can be swapped, but they have no other settings. What I would really like to see is the ability to customize the touch field. In particular, it would be nice if gestures could be programmed. In the meantime, the user of the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 only has access to the functions of regular vertical scrolling and moving to the previous or next window. The first action is carried out by dragging the finger in a vertical direction, and the second - in a horizontal direction. Interestingly, these simple gestures do not require you to move your finger to the center area. Actions can be performed anywhere on the touchpad, that is, on the top of the mouse body.

⇡ Testing

Due to the squat body, the mouse lies quite unusually in the hand. You quickly get used to it, but at first you get the feeling that the manipulator is constantly trying to slip out. In addition, the center of mass of the new product is noticeably shifted back, but after a couple of hours of operation it becomes clear that this is not a disadvantage, but an advantage. Due to the unusual mass distribution and the optical sensor shifted forward, you can move the cursor around the screen without moving your hand. That is, the hand, of course, will have to be moved from side to side, but the base of the palm will lie on the table at the same point. All this takes some getting used to, but ultimately significantly increases productivity. In addition, it should be noted that the manipulator glides very smoothly on a table or any other flat surface. There is also not the slightest complaint about the positioning of the pointer.

The Logitech Flow Scroll utility really noticeably increases the smoothness of scrolling pages, bringing this action as close as possible to the capabilities of a well-functioning mechanical wheel. Moreover, the touch scrolling capabilities even exceed those of this very wheel. So, by sliding your finger as quickly as possible along the body of the mouse from top to bottom, you will immediately get to the end of the document. This won't work with a regular wheel. As it turned out, the notorious varnish coating does not interfere with the smoothness of scrolling. It may not be as pleasant to the touch as a rough one, but overall it is quite comfortable to work with.

Possible actions with touch panel Logitech Touch Mouse M600

In general, with the two new gestures in the arsenal, things are much better than expected during the first cursory examination of the manipulator. In this matter, the developers really tried to take into account all the subtleties and nuances. But having thoroughly worked on one, the most difficult issue, they left another to the mercy of the designers. We are talking about the response of the mouse to clicking. Above, we already talked about an unusual design solution related to the fact that the entire body of the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 is turned into one large key. Coupled with the low profile, this design turned out to be not the most convenient to use. Despite the fact that pressing the buttons of the manipulator is clear, with a characteristic click, the entire body of the mouse seems to stick for a moment in the pressed position, which makes the execution double click a task much more complex than on a regular mouse. As a result, a simple double click can often be done only on the second or even third attempt. It must be admitted that after some training things are already getting better, but the process of getting used to it itself can hardly be called pleasant.

⇡ Competitors

Although Apple company released its version of the Magic Mouse touch controller back in 2009, the new product from Logitech still has very few competitors. Its direct competitor today can be considered the Microsoft Touch Mouse, which we tested earlier. This mouse has a more traditional body geometry and a pleasant-to-touch matte touch surface, which will surely appeal to the most conservative part of users.

As for ease of use, everything is far from clear. Comparing mice from Logitech and from Microsoft, it is easy to conclude that the second is much more functional than the first, since it works not with two simple gestures for scrolling text and switching between pages open in the Internet browser, but with a number of complex multi-touch gestures, including which simultaneously use two or three fingers. Due to such rich functionality, usability suffered. Not only do you have to remember all these gestures, but false positives also happen quite often, because the more complex a system is, the more difficult it is to debug.

Developers from Logitech took a different route. They left only a couple of touch movements, but fine-tuned the work with them to perfection. However, the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 model has another problem that its competitor from Microsoft does not have - difficulties with double clicks. So, unfortunately, neither one nor the other model can be called ideal.

⇡ Conclusions

Despite the criticism above, many will certainly like the Logitech Touch Mouse M600. This is a nice-looking, modern computer mouse with a well-functioning touchpad. Its advantages also include:

• case included in delivery,
• debugged scrolling function,
• perfectly smooth sliding on the table.

The main disadvantages are the poorly adjusted pressing of the mechanical button and periodic false positives. It’s hardly worth writing down the small number of gestures in your arsenal as disadvantages. This is rather an advantage, thanks to which the touch capabilities of the mouse are brought to almost perfection.

The price of a new product is a bit steep. If the Logitech Touch Mouse M600 had no problems at all with ease of use, then it would not be a pity to pay this money. The manufacturer would like to wish to correct minor shortcomings in the future and be sure to continue to develop their interesting product. And who knows, perhaps in the foreseeable future all manipulators will be fully sensory.