Kensington Ci95 wireless mouse with nano receiver

Cool Yule rating: 3 stars

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Cool Yule rating: 3 stars

Price: $39.99

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Description: A big problem with wireless mice is that the USB receiver ends up jutting out from the side of the notebook, which can snap off if the user forgets about it when packing up the notebook. Or it gets lost in a laptop bag or misplaced. The Ci95 solves this dilemma with its Nano Receiver (see picture), which fits almost flush to the USB port, so it won't break during notebook transport, and once you insert the receiver you'll probably forget that it's there – Kensington calls it a "plug-and-stay" receiver.

The mouse uses the 2.4GHz wireless frequency to communicate with the receiver, and the mouse includes a rubberized exterior for extra grip. Other than that it's a pretty standard mouse, other than one odd feature – to activate the mouse from an idle state you don't move it like other mice – you have to click on it to wake it up. Having been trained for 20+ years to move a mouse to wake it up, it was a bit disconcerting to try and remember that the activation process is different. If you don't mind that, this mouse is a fine addition to your travel bag.

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