Design

Since the Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 uses Bluetooth to communicate with the host computer, it does not come with or require a special transceiver like most portable wireless mice do. You do need to have a Bluetooth transceiver in your system, either internally or through a USB dongle, though.

The device is powered through two AAA batteries, housed in the bottom of the mouse and accessible via a removable door. This isn't as clever a scheme as some other mice, but it works. Also on the bottom of the Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 are a Bluetooth broadcast button to announce the device's presence to transceivers, and a power switch to turn the mouse off when you're done using it.

An LED battery indicator on the top center of the mouse lets you know when the batteries are running low. I didn't have the chance to test this mouse for a long period of time to gauge its power efficiency, but I would guess that it's not any different than other wireless laser mice.

The scroll wheel moves in clickable increments, like on most desktop mice, and offers slightly more resistance than I'm personally comfortable with, though I'm sure this will loosen up with time. The wheel also functions as a clickable third button, but does not tilt to scroll sideways in side-scrolling windows, as many other Microsoft mice do. There is one "back" Web navigation button on the left side of the mouse, above roughly where the middle of your thumb rests. It's not positioned so that you'll accidentally click it, which also means that it's not in the most convenient of positions when you actually want to use it.

In terms of size, the Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 is about half the size of most desktop laser mice. That means that it's not terribly comfortable to use, but it is highly portable and comes with a nice black carrying case. You can easily put this mouse in your pocket or computer bag without having to sacrifice space for other necessary items. It's shaped much like a neutral-hand desktop mouse, but not like Microsoft's ergonomic or Explorer mice. The mouse fits comfortably in about 1/4 of my hand, with my thumb along the left, and my first two fingers along the button paths. This allows for a decent level of control, but it isn't comfortable to use for a long period of time, or repeated use on a daily basis.

Compatibility

Since the Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 uses Bluetooth to connect, and doesn't have a lot of software-specific features, it should work perfectly on any operating system that supports Bluetooth peripherals.

Putting it to the test

The high-definition laser in the Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 tracks reliably on improvised surfaces such as countertops, paper documents, briefcases, and manila folders. This is a step above optical and rollerball mice, which have trouble operating smoothly on anything other than traditional mousepads.

It's a bit of a hassle to set up a Bluetooth connection, even in Windows Vista. That doesn't have anything to do with this mouse specifically, and once you have the mouse connection established it's easy to re-establish it later, but it's worth mentioning, especially if you're considering a conventional wireless mouse as an alternative.

The detachable cord is only necessary to charge the battery. Its magnetic connectors are really cool -- they just pop into place on the bottom front of the mouse and on the back of the USB transceiver, and you can go on using the mouse as it's charging. I suspect that the contacts could easily become corroded over time, making charging inconsistent, but you can clean them with a swab and rubbing alcohol if necessary. Contact oxidation is a problem for all rechargeable mice; this one is no exception.

Conclusions

Given the fact that so few laptop computers have a Bluetooth transceiver built in, and the wide availability, greater comfort, and lower price of conventional wireless laptop mice, I can't see a good reason to choose the Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 over any others. Overall this is a good product that does exactly what it claims to do. However, there are better laptop mice for the same or similar amounts of money. Unless you have a specific need for a Bluetooth mouse, I'd recommend some of Microsoft's other laptop mice over this one. If you really do need Bluetooth and want something more comfortable and innovative, check out the Microsoft Mobile Memory Mouse 8000 instead.