Mouse First Aid

We feel for people who have a hard time using their computer mouse. Really. It’s not an intuitive process for folks coming to computers later in life, and it can be tricky getting the mouse positioned in just the right place.

Enter Logitech’s iFeel Mouse, a $40 optical mouse that uses force feedback to let users know when they hit clickable pay dirt. Frankly, this is not something we would buy for ourselves. But we might pick up one for someone frustrated by clicking too often in the wrong place.

The mouse uses force-feedback technology similar to that found in joysticks and other video game peripherals. When users roll the mouse pointer over an active link in a Web browser or a clickable portion of any open application, the mouse gives a little bump.

Imagine rolling your current mouse over a lumpy mouse pad for a sense of what it feels like. The intent is to give users one more sense--touch--to let them know when they’re in the right place.

If you’re already comfortable with a standard mouse, the constant bumping of the iFeel Mouse can be annoying.