Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse
On your desk, advanced laser technology gives you precise tracking and instant response. In the air, innovative Freespace motion sensing transforms hand motions into natural, responsive cursor controls. Sit back and listen to music, browse photos, or surf the Web from your desk or across the room. Intuitive wave-and-click control, an easier and more natural way to enjoy your favorite media An operating range of 30 feet lets you navigate media from anywhere in the room
User Ratings and Reviews
4 Stars If you have issues with using mice, this may be a good alternative
I jumped at the chance to try this new “air” mouse out as I suffer from repetitive strain issues in my elbows from my long hours at the computer. This isn’t something that can be cured, just managed, so I’m always looking for ergonomic alternatives that help. These types of mice are often marketed mainly for doing presentations, but they really can be a boon to people like me that have RSI issues. Being able mouse while leaning back in a chair and without having to reach up to the desk is something that always helps me a lot. I decided to try this mouse out on my backup system, where I don’t have a decent desk setup and often notice arm strain in just short sessions of work. I have a tablet on my other computer which is another good mouse alternative, so didn’t really need this air mouse on that system.
One issue I’ve had with mice like the Gyration one that I used many years ago is that the accuracy with it in the air simply is never sufficient for my needs and it was a pain to switch from air to desk. The Logitech Air does not have this issue, you can easily switch from using it in the air to using it on the desk and back again and it works nice in both ways. I found it to work quite nicely in the air compared to similar mice I have used, it was steady and reasonably accurate for things like reading email and browsing. For finer control, even after several weeks of using it, I still find it requires steadier hands than I personally have so I do have to go back to the desk for such tasks. This is where the easy switching of this mouse really is much appreciated. In the air, it does sometimes need a second or two to sort of recalibrate and find center, but I didn’t find this too cumbersome in general. Sometimes it would just stop working though, and has to be manually clicked back on.
The mouse has a fairly unique scroll bar, that has the Logitech Turbo scroll ability that I really love. Having had another Logitech mouse with the Turbo scroll, I would hate to be without it, and was glad to see this mouse included it as well. You can either press the scroll key at the top or bottom to scroll, or just lightly run your finger over it to scroll slowly, or a fast flick to use the turbo. It allows for really nice control of scrolling. The only issue I have is that I find the flat scroll area hard to use with my middle finger the way I normally would (keeping my index finger on the left mouse button). So I find I often have to go back and forth with my index finger which is simply not as easy as having a raised scroll wheel that I can easily work with a different finger. The buttons on the mouse take some getting used to as well, they are not easily used without looking at them, as they pretty much all feel the same, and you have fewer buttons than most mice in this price range. The play/pause and volume buttons though are certainly ones you would not have a problem looking down when using, and an interesting addition.
Overall, this is not a mouse I’d recommend for the average user. If you have a need to use a mouse remotely (such as for presentations) or have RSI issues from mousing, this may very well be worth looking at as a replacement for your current mouse. With the price cost of it though, a wacom tablet is also going to be an alternative well worth considering, and one that has other good uses as well.
4 Stars Great mouse
I really like this mouse. It is unique and fun to use. At first I found it difficult to use it like a pointer or remote, but with some practice, I really like it. I like the scrolling action, you just have to move your finger over the buttons. Very light and easy to install. It can also be used like a regular mouse. Great quality, works well. I highly recommend.
4 Stars Interesting concept… takes some getting used to.
As part of the Amazon Vine review program, I received a review unit of the Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse. This is one of those items that sounds interesting in concept, but it takes a bit of work to get comfortable with it. I definitely will keep and use it, especially in certain circumstances. But I don’t know that it will replace the current optical mouse that I use…
The feature that sets the MX Air apart from other mice is the fact that it can function as both a desktop mouse and an “air” mouse. If you pick up the mouse and hold it like a remote control, you still have full control over the cursor activity on the screen. The left and right mouse buttons blend into the overall flow of the mouse design, and it takes just a slight amount of pressure to activate them. The mouse wheel, a feature I can’t live without in a mouse, is replaced by a touch-sensitive strip that allows you to slide your finger up and down to get the screen to scroll. You can also press on the upper or lower range of the strip to get continuous scrolling. Underneath the touch strip are four buttons that are set to navigate back, navigate forward, start/stop video, and control the volume. The start/stop button also allows you to “freeze” the cursor on the screen so you can reposition your hand without having the cursor react.
When I first started using it as an air mouse, my cursor was all over the place. Any slight shake or tremor in your hand will, of course, show up as cursor movement. I found that trying to hit smaller targets on the screen wasn’t exactly a piece of cake. I got better at it, but it’s still not a natural sensation. Also, due to the strangeness of not resting your hand on the desk, the mouse wheel and buttons were a bit harder to control as you had to think about what you were doing. Again, it got better with use, but still isn’t completely smooth yet. The fact that it can also be used as a regular desktop mouse is nice, in that you don’t always have to be holding it. At that point, it starts to become a simple matter of whether it feels good in your hand. I’ve been a bit spoiled with my MX Revolution mouse, so I can’t say that this would be my first choice to replace my normal desktop mouse.
Where the MX Air would really shine is during presentations. Just think… You could roam around a bit, have a real application up and running, and still maintain some level of control without having to bend over or sit down. Granted, keyboard input would still bring you back to your laptop, but other than that, you can interact much more freely with the audience. Given that I do present on occasion, this will likely become part of my techno travel bag. I just have to remember to practice with it occasionally, otherwise the effect on the screen could be more distracting than useful.
5 Stars George Jetson is Jealous!
First of all, I must say that I have become such a huge fan of Logitech through the years. Over a decade ago (that’s like 30 years in web time!) I had this little Connectix camera ball (QuickCam) on my monitor that shot black and white images and became the biggest perv-sensation through CU-SeeMe… and then Logitech comes along, takes over, and things have just been getting better and better. They have set the standard of what computers and the internet is all about. Ironically I was a product tester for Connectix in about 1994, so I’ve been following them for a long time.
In recent months, I have been amazed at the QuickCam 9000, the beauty and function of remote controls and their Harmony series, and my favorite … Squeezebox Duet Network Music System … seriously rocks!
Now we have the MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Air Mouse… something we are just taking too much for granted at what this is doing. It’s not just a mouse, it’s a freakin’ light saber. Setup was easy, the usb and mouse connect immediately. I already have a Logitech cordless mouse and keyboard set. But that has now moved to the old computer. This being rechargeable is very key, no batteries, long “air” time, and cool looking in the charging dock etc. The photo makes it look rather long and big, but it’s actually standard if not thinner, light and feels great holding it. At first, I had it on the desk like a normal mouse, and it’s completely great like that, but when you lift it, it then becomes mind-blowing in it’s “air” state. It’s motion sensitive and at first I was afraid of how to hold it, and wondering if I am blocking something on it, or what to point to etc.. but then I just held it the way I wanted to, and pointed at the screen without hesitation, and noticed we were getting along just fine. You are teaching yourself how to use it, how to click, pick up, highlight etc in a matter of minutes. It’s essentially a remote control, and you can do everything a normal mouse can do, just in the air. It really is quite fun and makes many things much easier. Imagine the possibilities on all those “tube” like sites! There’s a play and pause button, and …. well.. you have no idea what you are missing!
On a more serious note, this is definitely a perfect tool for office presentations. If you surf in a group with a projection or large screen, this serves as your pointer. Only difference is that you are actually performing the functions instead of referring to them and getting in the way.
This is laser technology at it’s finest. The movements you make are spot on, and you adjust as the mouse adjusts to you. The learning curve here is to simply to let go of the standard limitations, and be free to move around the web in comfort and ease. There is certainly something better coming in the future, and I am sure it will be from Logitech.
This is the future, here, now, and worth every penny tomorrow.
4 Stars Very good once you get used to it.
This is a very good device once you get used to using it in the air. I personally think it excels for use in presentations. I have yet to use it to play multimedia or video games, so I’ll leave those reviews up to others.
Set up is a breeze, and it worked on my Vista laptop without a hitch. As a desktop mouse, it’s OK, but I have others that I use that are more responsive.
You’re going to want to change some of the settings – particularly the scrolling feature. As other reviewers have mentioned – it’s way too fast.
I do find the device comfortable and it has a slick design. It’s definitely a “hey check out my cool new tech-toy” thing.
Once you’ve spent a week or so with it, using it in the air becomes second nature.
