Review: Macally iOptiJr Mouse

Dan Knight - 2002.10.04

I've been using a Contour MiniPro optical mouse with my TiBook and love it. It's compact, comes with a case to keep the cord from tangling during transit, and even lets me change the color of the mouse button. I can also program the second mouse button for a double-click, command-click, etc.

My wife also used a MiniPro with her 14" iBook until she wore the poor thing out. Nobody seems to stock Contour mice locally, so it was off to CompUSA to look at our options.

First, it had to be optical. There is no going back to the traditional rubber ball mouse. Optical tracks beautifully and doesn't need constant cleaning. Second, it had to be inexpensive. Third, it had to have a good feel to it.

Using a small mouse spoils you. I used to love full sized mice; now I prefer something smaller - and it's not just because I'm using a laptop. A mouse doesn't need to be something so big you can rest your whole hand on it.

Anyhow, looking over the vast range of optical USB mice from Macally, Logitech, Microsoft, Kensington, and others, we decided to pick up a pair of midsized Macally iOptiJr mice, one for the iceBook and another to replace that horrendous round mouse on her business's iMac.

The iOptiJr falls between the larger size of traditional mice and the compact size of the MiniPro and other tiny mice. It has two buttons, each with a depression that fits a finger just so, and a clickable scroll wheel. The cover, strawberry in the photo above, can be swapped for other flavors such as lime and blueberry. Macally also makes a white version to complement the white iMac and iceBook, the iceMouseJr.

Drivers are available from the Macally website; they do not come with the mouse. These settings work very nicely: one click on the left, command-click on the right, double-click on the scroll wheel. If you have other ideas, you can program other behaviors - and you can create custom sets for your most used applications. The driver works the same way whether as a control panel in the classic Mac OS or as an application in OS X.

We've been using the new mice for several weeks and are very happy with the results. I'm finally getting used to a scroll wheel (this isn't the first mouse I've used with one, nor will it be the last). The scroll wheel isn't the smoothest I've ever used, and the amount of pressure required to use the scroll wheel as a button seems excessive, but it's still a nice inexpensive mouse.

Overall, we're very pleased with the iOptiJr. Not only is this a nice mouse, it's quite affordable at US$30. If you're looking to replace an old mouse, want a mouse to use with your 'Book, or just want more buttons than Apple offers, the iOptiJr merits consideration.

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