March 9, 2006 Roughly 13% of the population is left-handed, meaning there are around 850 million people on planet earth with a preference for using their left hand for a variety of tasks, including throwing, pointing, catching and presumably, using a computer. Astonishingly, there has never been a mouse designed just for left handed computer users until Logitech announced its MX610 left-hand Laser Cordless Mouse at CeBIT today. Until now, most left-handed computer users have only had the choice of navigating with an ambidextrous-shaped mouse or unnaturally using their right hand to scroll, point and click.
Not surprisingly, given that roughly one in every eight people is a molly dooker, there have been some very outstanding left-handers over the period humanity has been keeping records – Leonardo Da Vinci, Aristotle, Mahatma Gandhi, Michelangelo, Raphael, M.C. Escher and Joan of Arc among them. In terms of sporting prowess left-handers such as Maradona, Pelé, Ayrton Senna, Babe Ruth, Jimmy Connors, Rod Laver, John McEnroe and Valentino Rossi have reached the pinnacle of human sporting endeavour and musically the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Cole Porter, Ravel, Rachmaninov and Mozart show that being left-handed doesn’t take the edge off one’s ear. Finally, we’d love to hear the mouse manufacturers try to explain to Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar or Napoléon Bonaparte, were they alive today, that there’s no mouse designed for left handers.
So in some senses Logitech is to be commended for finally offering a left-hander mouse, and from another point of view, we’re still scratching our heads as to why it took so long – a billion people surf the internet, so there’s a small 130 million person marketplace in itself.
Sculpted to fit the left hand, the Logitech MX610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse provides the same advantages afforded to the right hand, with Logitech's precision laser tracking system, advanced cordless technology, navigation controls, and e-mail and instant message notifications.
Until now, most left-handed computer users have only had the choice of navigating with an ambidextrous-shaped mouse or unnaturally using their right hand to scroll, point and click -- which can be awkward and frustrating.
With contoured thumb and pinky-finger grips, the Logitech MX610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse fits naturally in the left hand. The mouse's soft-touch grips help make it more comfortable to hold over long periods of time.
A mirror image of the award-winning Logitech MX610 Laser Cordless Mouse, the new mouse features 10 buttons, including e-mail and instant messaging buttons that illuminate when new messages are received within Microsoft Outlook, Windows Messenger, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Instant Messenger. With a wireless range of up to 30 feet, people can take the mouse as they step away from the computer, and still be notified when important messages arrives. The mouse also includes volume up, down and mute buttons for controlling music on the PC. Logitech's Tilt Wheel Plus Zoom scroll wheel allows people to effortlessly scroll left, right, up and down, and zoom in and out of images, Web pages and open documents.
With Logitech's laser technology, the Logitech MX610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse tracks more precisely and will work on a wider variety of surfaces than optical mice. Logitech was the first company to introduce a mouse with laser tracking. The precise nature of laser light allows a laser mouse to see much greater surface detail than a typical optical mouse with a red light-emitting diode (LED).
The Logitech MX610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse includes a 2.4 GHz USB micro-receiver that reduces the possibility of wireless interference and latency. The receiver connects instantly with the mouse when it is plugged into a desktop or a notebook PC. As the mouse and wireless receiver send information back and forth, the mouse periodically may sense a wireless interruption or interference. In a matter of moments, the mouse seamlessly shifts the wireless channel until it finds one that is interference-free. The micro-receiver eliminates clutter created by larger corded receivers.
The Logitech MX610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse has an expected battery life of up to three months with regular use, a significant accomplishment considering its powerful Logitech MX Laser engine. The mouse achieves this long battery life by mimicking the power status of the computer to which it is connected. As it sends and receives wireless signals, the mouse can sense when the PC has gone into sleep mode or is shut down, and the mouse powers down accordingly. Also, when the mouse battery level is low -- less than 10 percent of full charge -- an indicator light on the mouse illuminates.
The Logitech MX610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse will be available worldwide beginning in early April. Its suggested retail price in the U.S. is US$59.99.
