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A4Tech - NB-30 - Battery Free Wireless Optical Mouse
& The Easy Go Optical Mouse
Date: Saturday, December 25, 2004
Author: Joe Di Figlia
Provided By: A4Tech
Page: 1 of 2
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Every now and then, innovation makes its way over to our world. Some things, change our lives dramatically, others we tend to not even realize. If a company wants to save me money, I WANT TO LISTEN. Well, this is what A4Tech wants to do. They want me to take a look at a cordless mouse that uses no batteries, and I will do so with an open mind and a closed wallet. To stir the pot a little, they also shipped me their "Easy Go Optical Mouse" for those of us with laptops that can't stand that friggen ball or that damned touchpad.
First, the "Easy Go Optical Mouse". You didn't think I was going to let you read the neat stuff first did you? I travel quite a bit, and everywhere I go, my laptop goes with me. I have gone the way of the little ball in the center of the keyboard. I hated that! I have gone the way of the touchpad. I HATE THAT EVEN MORE!! (Every time I type, I hit the touchpad and I end up adding sentences together.) My solution, carry a mouse with me every where. Enter the Easy Go Optical Mouse.
A4Tech isn't trying to redefine the traveler's mouse; they are simply trying to organize some clutter. As you can see, even the packaging is simple, simple to open too. No need for the chainsaw. This mouse is much like any other mouse with one exception. It has a neat little way for organizing your cord to not only to lessen the mess of wires in your laptop bag, but to appear more organized and professional in those important meetings.
Their design is a very simple idea. The mouse is notched for the USB plug to fit in. An idea so simple, I can't believe I didn't think of it first! I bet a bunch of companies are singing that tune too.
Ok, now we can get to the cool stuff. I have in front of me (and using at this moment) the battery free cordless optical mouse. Yeah, I'm cool…
This mouse, the NB-30, doesn't use any batteries; instead it gets its power from Electromagnetic Induction.
Thank you Britannica.com for the definition: Induction of an electromotive force in a circuit by varying the magnetic flux linked with the circuit.
There is some controversy out there about electromagnetic fields and health issues. Just by the shear definition of the term Electromagnetic Induction one can discover that there is a magnetic field here. Some of the controversy relates to the biological affects that these fields have on the body. From affecting melatonin, hormone secreted by the pineal gland that influences the sleep-wake cycle by acting according to the day-night alternation, to inducing electric currents and fields in living tissues. Two things that are perenially under scrutiny for this are cell phones and power lines. Just remember here that the key word in this paragraph is controversy.
Unfortunately, I don't have a means to measure the power of the magnetic field that this thing generates; I did try to get an idea of how powerful it was. I stacked a full ream of paper on top of the mouse pad to see if it still worked, it didn't. I removed about 75 sheets and guess what... I was mouse-ing around like a drooling fool.
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