I just got a new wireless mouse for my laptop. If you have a laptop but not a mouse I highly recommend getting one. This one was just under $12 shipped, on Amazon. Get a mouse pad too. It's easier, faster and more accurate than using the touchpad. It's worth it alone to be able to hook the laptop to the big Vizio and be able to control it from across the room. Before I'd have to pull up a chair and sit near the TV within the HDMI cable's reach, and use the touchpad. Bummer.
But there's a hidden benefit I didn't know about- an Easter Egg if you will, and it's a big one. I've been watching some DVDs on the laptop. The speakers don't get very loud for YouTube videos and such, and I don't like to use earbuds or 'phones. I need to be able to hear what's going on around me. It's only a problem if a video is recorded at a very low volume level, but some are, and sometimes I'd just like more volume.
DVDs usually are no problem except for some from older shows and movies. Some parts of the dialog can be too quiet. I cranked the laptop as loud as it would go, according to the volume meter, but it was still a little quiet. I was playing a DVD and as I clicked on something I must have rolled the scroll wheel and the volume went up. Way up. Cool. I may be a little slow but I had no idear it did that. I cranked it so loud it hurt my ears, whereas before I'd be cupping my hand to my ear going "Eh?"
A new volume meter appeared on the screen. With it cranked all the way the volume level was more than twice as loud as any YouTube videos or DVDs had been. Instead of being the scroll wheel like it normally is for web pages, it becomes a volume knob for DVDs. That's incredibly handy. I thought that maybe the speakers would only go so loud because they were so shitty that they'd distort if they went any louder, but they handled the extra volume no problem. I wonder why they won't get that loud for YouTube.
Some people will say it's preaching to the choir and, duh, everybody should know it, but I didn't. I found out by happy accident. Before I discovered the volume knob I was watching an old movie with quiet dialog. According to the stock volume indicator on the DVD player I was in the red, and the volume wouldn't go any higher. The volume was at 100% on the laptop. I went into every setting and custom setting I could find on the laptop relating to volume and speakers but I couldn't get it to go louder until I accidentally found out that the scroll wheel doubled as a volume knob for DVDs. I wish it could work that way for YouTube. As far as I know it only works for DVDs. Maybe there's a setting I can change or something. At least I know the speakers will get louder, and it's nice to have even if it only works for DVDs.
This is a sleek little unit. I've had wireless mice before but the scroll wheel was more like a wheel. It was thin and it stuck up a quarter-inch from the mouse. The "wheel" on this one is more like a marble and it's more flush with the body of the mouse. It's nice to be able to use it as a left-click too. It's really nice not to have to be right up on your laptop to be able to reach the touchpad. You can sit a bit back from it and not have to keep your finger hovering over the touchpad like you're playing piano. It's much more comfortable.
I know that lots of people get wireless mice for their laptops, but some don't. If those who don't found out how much easier and more comfortable it makes things they'd buy one immediately. Speaking of buy, I just checked the price to make sure I had it about right, and they've dropped the price by a bit over $2. It's $8.66 shipped, so with tax it's a bit under $9.50 You can't go wrong. You may find them cheaper at a bargain store, but this one is better quality, and hopefully it'll last longer than the ones I've gotten at bargain stores.
It's easy...you pop off the battery cover, and put in an AA. There's a little piece that's about 1/2" by 2/3" that plugs into a USB port. In this mouse it's stored inside but in the bargain mice it was just alongside the mouse in the blister pack, and easier to lose. You can just pop this one back inside the mouse when you aren't using it. It keeps it from being damaged or lost. When you get ready to use it again you just open the mouse, grab the little part and stickeemonin the USB port of your choice.
I didn't think I'd be doing a post about a mouse but the volume feature is cool, even if it only works on one thing. You don't always want to use a mouse with a laptop, if you're in close quarters and actually have it on your lap or whatever it might be, but when you have room to kick back and get comfortable and be able to get far enough away from your screen that you don't go cross-eyed, a wireless mouse is a must.
This one is the Jelly Comb brand. It's the best one I found in a casual search on Amazon, and with the price drop I doubt you could beat it. The link is >>> HERE. I was looking at the different colors and man they have some colors. I got the black with gold trim, always a classic look, but I decided to have a look at some of the colors, and they're pretty impressive. Some look like custom car finishes and such, and they got creative while staying tasteful, if you can say that about a computer mouse.
There's a rainbow of colors to choose from, and if you wanted to go so far as to match your rig to your wallpaper or bedspread or general color scheme or whatever, you could definitely do it with these mice. These are decorator mice. This is not your mother's mouse. The colors are so impressive in fact that I think I'll post some of them. I didn't think I'd be posting pics of computer mice either, but never say never. Here's a tour of the kaleidoscope of colors that is the Jelly Comb wireless mouse. Enjoy.
Black/silver. In addition to black with gold trim there's black with silver trim. This is a classic look and it will never go out of style. I'd call this one, like the black with gold trim that I got, the "executive" models. Trump might have one like mine only his would be trimmed with real 24K. Melania's would be this one, except in .999 sterling.
Blackout. We see the blackout look on vehicles, watches, fashion and other things. Sometimes it's cool and sometimes it looks like shit. I like the look of this mouse. They're advertised as "sleek," and all-black makes it look even sleeker. Huh...isn't that something...black really is a slimming color, even on computer mice. Who knew? You can see it. That's wild. You know what they say- it's easy to accessorize with black. This is the stealth mouse.
White/silver. This is another timeless look. It's clean and clinical, like a fancy Kohler lavatory or something. Nice.
White/light green. This color scheme reminds me of a Sunbeam iron or something like that.
White/gold. This looks like something you'd see at your grandmother's house...maybe fancy dinnerware or a porcelain figure or maybe a candy dish. It's a universal look. It's clean and classic. Trimmed in real gold it could be Trump's "daytime" mouse. This would be a good one to give as a gift. It makes it look like they gave a shit, and maybe it's good on the inside too. Great for use at Christmas and Easter.
White/black. Another classic look. Formal and elegant, like a BMW. Futuristic and retro at the same time. Graphic. Black-and-white. All-business. With a tiny bowtie this could be a tux. White with black trim...can't go wrong.
White/pink. This reminds me of an Easter Egg. This would be an obvious choice for a girl's room but I like it a lot myself. I'd have one and I'm a boy. I'm not big on pink as part of my fashion style or anything but I really like how the pink trim goes with white, at least on a computer mouse. I haven't seen that much before I don't think. Ordinarily pink and white don't really float my boat...it reminds me of thrift-store dinner plates or something. This is cool though. I'm not sure why I like it...maybe I'm a fairy. Haaaaa-ha, just kidding. Get this for your little girl.
Blue. They call this color "sapphire blue." I call it "dismal blue." It reminds me of a lame knockoff of a Ryobi power tool or maybe a game cartridge or something. Looks cheap. I'd avoid this one but some people would eat it up. "Sapphire blue" my ass. Sorry, apparently this color in mice makes me angry, lol.
Red. They call this color "wine red." I think maybe that's the screwtop variety rather than a $100 Pinot. It's a lot better than sapphire blue but it's still kinda bland to me. It looks like a plastic flower pot.
Red. Now this is red. This is red-ass red. It's fire-engine, candy-apple, panic-button red. I'd have this mouse definitely, although I might switch to a more calming color at night, like green or blue. Looking at a red mouse all day might raise your blood pressure but who knows. This mouse would stand out in any situation. It's a hotrod. Statistics show that computer users who drive red mice are more likely to get pulled over.
Red/black. This is another great look and it's a hotrod too, only more subtle. It's nowhere near as cool as the red-ass red one but it's a great look. It also reminds me of a power tool, only an upscale one, like Snap-on. It has balls.
White. They call this "pure white." Maybe it's just the image but it almost looks like there's just a hint of green, like...what's that drink with cream and Creme de Menthe...a Grasshopper? I don't know but this is a nice mouse color. Clean, simple, pure and innocent...that's white. Another can't-miss choice in computer mice. If they had used computer mouses in the classic Woody Allen movie "Sleeper" they'd have used these. Seeing all these colors is almost making me want to start a collection of these. Once we all have chips in our heads they'll be obsolete, and maybe worth something on future eBay. These are nice mice.
Purple/black. Now here's a look. The Black Purp. The Purpinator. I don't know what this reminds me of...a kayaking shoe with a black sole, or a dog bed with a food dish, or a groovy sandal...I don't know what, but it's purple.
Pink. Again this looks like grandmother stuff, or even great-grandmother. It's sort of that faded-rose thing. It looks like one of those compacts that women power their noses with, only old-school. One-room-schoolhouse old-school that is. They straight-up call this pink but I might call it "Dusty Rose." Say, isn't that a Country & Western singer? Yep...this is grandmother-pink.
Fuchsia. As long as you're making different-colored computer mice you might as well make a fuchsia one. Fuchsia isn't a color I particularly gravitate toward but it's a perfectly fine color, and I know it rocks some people's world. Some little girl with My Little Pony wallpaper and a My First Computer computer would go nuts over this mouse. Fuchsia...funny name, funny color. Is it pink or is it purple? Fuchsia, fuchsia, fuchsia...it's fun to say. "What color's your computer mouse?" "Fuchsia." "Oh."
Violet. You say violet...I say purple...let's click the whole thing off. I thought it was "Roses are red, violets are blue, computer mice are purp...WHAT?" This one and the fuchsia one could hide in an Easter basket. Violets come in a wide range of blues and purples and you could match this mouse perfectly if you were so inclined. Therefore it would look great at the register of a plant shop surrounded by violets. Or if you call this color "lavender" you could give it to your gnarly college-age, Earth Modulator daughter, to go with her lavender bedspread and her lavender diffuser oil.
Gray/black. Another simple and sophisticated look. All-purpose look. Serious. Bond...James Bond. Industrial. Stark. This looks like a mini-sub with a port window. This color scheme fits right in with computer stuff. Another excellent choice for a gift. Never look a gift-mouse in the scroll wheel.
Blue/black. I can't tell if this looks okay or if it looks like one of those cheap, import crossover vehicles, where they re-release the same garish colors every few years and wrap shitty-looking black plastic panels all around the sides and it looks like total shit. I really can't tell, but what I can say is that while it may look okay for a computer mouse it looks like shit on a car. If you buy a car like that you already hate it before you even get it home and into the driveway. "Why did I buy this ugly-ass vehicle that's ugly-ass blue and has black plastic panel shit all around the bottom of the doors?" It's fine for a mouse.
Green/purple. I just went back to see what color they officially call this and I got it right. It's not violet or fuchsia, which is fast becoming my new favorite word... it's just plain purple. Some colors fight each other and this has a bit of that, but purple and green can play nicely together sometimes. It's definitely a statement. Red and blue make purple. Green plus blue would be turquoise, but green and red would be gray, so maybe there's some "color dissonance" in there. It's almost like the edge of the purple pinstriping is vibrating. Maybe the colors are fighting. Colors are frequencies, and just like musical notes some blend well and some don't. That's interesting.
Well, that's the tour of Sea Cucumber Mice or whatever it is...Jelly Comb I mean. It's funny to do a post about computer mice for laptops, but again some people don't think about it. It didn't occur to me for a while that I could use a mouse on a laptop. I dig it. Remember what The Most Interesting Man in the World said- "I may not always use a mouse with my laptop, but when I do I use Jelly Comb."
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