Want to add a little zing to your desktop or traveling gear wheel ? Older accessories becoming sluggish or outdated ? A new keyboard or mouse may liven up up your human activity , get some wires out of the way , or help you solve faster , more accurately , or more well . We ’ve scrub the marketplace for innovational new keyboards , mice , and keyboard - mouse sets and pick out 28 products from a dozen trafficker to review for our roundup , issue in the December 2008 issue of Macworld . ( Jump to our mouse and keyboard table . ) These page contain additional information about the keyboard and mouse we review , which we could not , for space reasons , include in the magazine publisher . It also includes data about odd - handed mouse and the wireless connection you have to pick out from .
While we do n’t hazard to brood every individual new mouse or keyboard out there — indeed , raw products are introduced regularly , this is far from our last word on the subject of Mac input twist .
Lefties: Where’s the love?
accord to input - gadget vendors we ’ve spoken to over the years , the biggest reason for not making left-hand - handed versions of their mice is cost . create a lefty version of a mouse is n’t as wanton as sticking the same division into a differently shaped eggshell ; many components necessitate to be completely redesigned as mirror images and then produce separately . Considering estimates that only 9 to 11 percent of Americans are leave - handed , and as many as one-half of thosechooseto expend a right - handed mouse , the market for left - handed good example is often too small to apologize the costs . For many seller , this intend that only the well - selling models even have a chance at a lefty condition ; for example , Logitech ’s $ 60MX610 Left - Hand Laser Cordless Mouseis the left - handed version of the popular MX610 ( which has since been replace , in the right - handed version , by theMX620 ) . Other left - handed mouse come in from smaller vendors focus on biotechnology , who choke on their in high spirits monetary value in the form of higher retail terms ; for example , Contour Design ’s $ 110Perfit Mouse Optical , which is also available in sizes for small , medium , big , and spare - heavy hands .
Of course , some lefties forego mice altogether , instead opting for trackballs such as Kensington ’s $ 100Expert Mouseor tablets such as Wacom’sBambooandIntuosseries.—DAN FRAKES
Which wireless?
Wireless input devices use one of two engineering : radio oftenness ( RF ) or Bluetooth . Unq devices connect to your figurer using a small pass receiver that plug into a USB port ; your Mac immediately recognizes the mouse or keyboard . Bluetooth equipment require either a computer with construct - in Bluetooth or a USB - ground Bluetooth dongle . Connecting a Bluetooth input machine requires you topairit with your computer , a physical process that ’s a bit more complicated than merely plugging in a cable ; however , once you have gear up up such a connection , the mouse or keyboard should maintain it unless you purposely delete the pairing .
Because it ’s newer , many mass seize Bluetooth is better , but each technology has its advantage . Bluetooth is convenient if your Mac has build - in Bluetooth — as all current Macs do — since you do n’t have to keep track of a USB dongle and you do n’t sacrifice a USB port . On the other hand , many of today ’s USB dongles are so little they barely protrude from your USB port , and RF declare oneself instant cud - and - play use . ( Bluetooth stimulation devices can exhibit reconnection postponement after your computing equipment wakes from nap or after a period of inaction . ) It ’s also well-off to use an RF black eye or keyboard with multiple computers ; you just move the USB dongle . last , both technologies are susceptible to interference from nearby wireless signal and electronics ; one or the other may perform best in your special home or office.—DAN FRAKES
Keyboards and mice—the full story
The keyboard and pussyfoot roundup that runs in Macworld ’s December issue highlights some of the pragmatic , ergonomic , and stylistic issues you ’re likely to play in deciding which stimulus devices to purchase . Keyboard and mouse circle , products that are sold together , are appeal because they can provide uniform functionality , and , of course , they are design to go together and often look quite stylish in your office .
Looks may not factor out heavily into your calculation , however , and while you may be perfectly satisfied with the keyboard or mouse that shipped with your Mac , one component or other may not meet your needs . If you bought a laptop computer , then no computer mouse or keyboard companion that purchase , so if you want to use something other than you laptop ’s built - in keyboard and trackpad , have a looking at some of the products we retrospect here .
In the end , keyboards and shiner are personal — what feels comfortable for one person , may cause pain for another . fortunately , there is an abundance of stimulant merchandise to pick out from , which add us back to the December roundup .
Check out this page of chart to get all the info we gathered about the keyboards , mice , and keyboard - mouse sets that we reviewed for the December payoff . For space reasons , we had to cut much of this entropy from the mark variant , but it ’s all here side - by - side .
Keyboard-Mouse Sets Compared
Mice Compared
Keyboards Compared
