Posts by :
- Very Simple to use
- Clever Concept
- Price is very affordable
- When typing can be really clunky
- Easy to point the laser into eyes
- Novelty can be tiresome
Fighting The Crunch: The Right ISP
February 1st, 2009In the current economic climate, we’re all looking to save money where we can. If you’re reading this you obviously have an ISP (internet service provider), but have you ever considered whether you’re getting what you pay for?
The test below will measure your current download speed in kilobytes per second.
To make the most of the results, you first of all need to know how much speed you pay your ISP for. You can then work out wether your actually getting value for money.
For me, I pay £10 a month to Sky Broadband (bskyb) for 1600kbps (16mb) and my download speed currently averages at 1400kbps, since I am on a wireless network with multiple machines attached, thats a a fairly good speed.
If your speed falls below your expectations of your ISP, it may be worth seeking a cheaper, more cost effective deal, that would supply you with speed your actually received internet access at.
Feel free to share your upload/download speeds along with your ISP and average payment, in the comments box below.
Finger Mouse
January 31st, 2009I first saw this when I was randomly linked to it on youtube, the video I saw had no audio, and no actual explanation of what this thing was. So naturally I decided to search eBay and buy one.
I paid £5.98 for it and that included free delivery from Hong Kong to the UK. I opened the envelope to find a simple standard vacuum formed wrapper, and paid no attention to the cardboard insert and just removed the mouse ready to plug it in.
When I actually glanced at the insert I was surprised by what I saw. It’s been along time since I’ve bought a mouse, but I’m sure the boxes never have this much detail. The insert explains the life span of all moving components as well as the product overall, as well as the usual stuff promising ergonomic comfort and so forth. The device also boasts 1200dpi resolution “the fastest mouse in the world”.
The box also boasts to be compatible with pretty much every OS known to mankind, with the exception of Windows 3.1 much to my dismay…
The Product
What you see is what you get, a nice standard black finish with a hard wearing durable shell. Its cable is approx 1 m in length and provides a great deal of length for you to manoeuvre with.
In terms of ergonomics, the device appears to be right handed only, although does although the standards options of reversing the clickable button functions. The buttons themselves are nicely placed centered by a mechanical wheel that almost everybody will be familiar with.
On the main body you will find a pack away Velcro/elastic ring, which I found most comfortable on my index finger sitting between the top and central bend in my finger. This allowed my thumb easy access to the control buttons and wheel. Its also practical to grip the mouse as you would a pen or pencil, which allows a great deal or freedom when navigating your screen.
Plugging In
As it is USB, you get the standard plug and play options, and automatic driver installations, this takes a matter of seconds, and as you would expect it registers as a human interface device. From an operational stand point, the mouse works great.
Experienced computer users will have no trouble picking this up and using straight away. People new to computers and technology might need a few moments to get their bearings with the mouse, but its pretty straight forward.
In terms of surfaces, the optical laser seems to work on most opaque surfaces. Its handy in that I can slouch back in my office chair and use the arm of my chair as my mouse mat. You can of course do this with a conventional mouse but this is obviously not as bulky.
Weighing It Up
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
|
Summing it up
Overall I like the finger mouse, it’s such a simply adaptation of an everyday item. As mentioned in the ‘Cons’ it does have some notable downsides, since with a conventional mouse you never pick up a cup or scratch your face with it in your hand, you never find yourself blinded by the laser, but this, with the strap in use, is stuck to your index finger. It does have a fail-safe dimmer like a normal mouse when lifted from its surface, but the dim makes little if any difference. Another issue picked up on, is the clunkiness of it. If like me you can touch type and type fast, it can be a problem, the mouse adds weight to your index finger, which means typing is noticeably slowed down.
On the positive side, the practical applications and noticable, although I would probably limit my use down to powerpoint presentations. Taking the price into account, it is a very welcomed addition to my peripheral box, and despite the downfalls I would still recommend the finger mouse to other people.
Welcome
January 31st, 2009Welcome to GiveMeHelp.net eventually this website will become a wiki based information system full of: reviews; tutorials and demonstrations for a range of technology based products. To begin we will be focusing primarily on Computer Hardware and Input/Output devices.
