Logitech Reveals Mouse Mat That Is a Giant Wireless Charging Pad (theverge.com) 62
Logitech has just revealed a new Powerplay technology that builds wireless charging directly into its mouse pad, allowing compatible wireless mice to charge constantly while on the pad. The Verge reports: The wireless charging tech built inside the Powerplay mouse mat is proprietary to Logitech, and the company claims it took more than four years of research and development to make it a reality. I asked Logitech why it didn't go with something more ubiquitous like the Qi standard, and the answer I received was that it wouldn't have been possible to cover the whole surface (275mm x 320mm) of the pad with Qi. Alongside the Logitech G Powerplay, which is to be priced at $99.99 and released in August, Logitech has also announced the first two mice officially compatible with it: the G903 and G703. The G903 is a very modest upgrade from the G900 while the G703 is practically identical to the well liked G403; both of the two new models use the PMW3366 optical sensor and just add improved switches rated to last longer. The G903 will cost $149.99 and the G703 will be $99.99 when they go on sale later this month.
All of you get off my lawn (Score:5, Insightful)
I had a mouse with this same functionality back in 1992, and it cost much less. It even came with a wire to keep it attached to the computer, so it wouldn't get lost.
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I bought a corded USB mouse, by choice, only a few weeks ago.
It's much easier to unplug than fiddle with the wireless receiver - which had a nasty habit of waking up my laptop from sleep whenever a button on the mouse was accidentally clicked while in my backpack.
Re: All of you get off my lawn (Score:1)
There's a power button under nearly every wireless mouse. You should use that since it would save your mouse battery while your backpack jiggles around.
Re:All of you get off my lawn (Score:5, Informative)
I just switch my mouse to OFF when I do that. Heck, it lets me charge the mouse still in OFF, but buttons won't make up the computer.
Most wireless mice I've seen had an on/off switch on the bottom.
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I used wireless mice as soon as they became available up until a couple years ago when I finally gave up on them and went back to corded; wireless mice and keyboards are just too unreliable compared to their wired alternatives.
Re: All of you get off my lawn (Score:1)
Varying magnetic fields can destroy dividing cells (Score:2)
"TTF" (tumor treating fields) are varying electrical fields that disrupt cell reproduction by interfering with gene segregation during mitosis [youtube.com].
They can be produced, in turn, by varying magnetic fields. This allows treatments to be done with magnetic coils, rather than electrodes.
While they are used for cancer treatment, they work by killing ALL cells that attempt division while exposed to the fields.
This is very handy for treating, say, glioblastoma (an aggressive brain tumor), because cells that are NOT t
What is the point of a wireless mouse. (Score:3)
When you need a wired mousepad.
I am not a big fan of wireless mice anyways. But the main benefit is it keeps your desk clean of excess wires But if your mousepad needs a wire then what is the point.
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some systems don't have a place to attach the f'ing wire any more. this is called progress, why have your comm confined when you could be sharing bandwidth and spewing your comm to potential snoopers
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Many brand of wireless mice have a USB radio receiver. That will need to use up one of those few available ports. Mostly because they think Bluetooth isn't a good enough protocol so they make their on.
Re: What is the point of a wireless mouse. (Score:1)
I wanted a Bluetooth mouse a few months ago for just that reason but they were much less common than wireless mice which made me think perhaps they were inferior. The main criterion was a quiet mouse so I went wireless.
Re:What is the point of a wireless mouse. (Score:4, Insightful)
Not having a wire dragging against your mouse movements if it gets caught on something, or just the weight of the cable dragging if you let it hang under the tray.
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if you have that sort of problem, you need to rethink your space. five minutes spent, and perhaps an extension cable or cable hanger, and you're set. no need to further help destroy the environment with more toxic batteries. wired mice are far superior, particularly for gaming, even ps2 ones, which are better than wired usb.
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Wireless and wired mice have different problems for gaming; wires do get in the way, even with a carefully laid out setup, and if you have a cramped area (very common at tournaments) it becomes worse. Wireless has batteries, weight and arguably more lag, although with modern USB wireless dongles that seems to be much less of an issue.
When I was a competitive FPS player, I used a wireless mouse that you could also plug in; preferred to use it wirelessly for serious matches and left it plugged in for casual o
wireless mousepad (Score:2)
So how does this help? (Score:2)
This is going to be so awesome on my wedding ring (Score:2)
Inductive field + metal object. I can feel my hand sweating already.
Re:This is going to be so awesome on my wedding ri (Score:5, Insightful)
No man can serve two masters. You're either committed to your marriage, or your mouse.
If you try to do both, expect to be burned.
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Wacom tablets anyone? (Score:2)
Hmm, they could have used inductive sensing/power as Wacom does since eons ago and completely eliminated the need for a battery or even a separate radio in that mouse (the Wacom ones communicate using the same signal that keeps them powered). The mouse would have been lighter too - some Logitech wireless mice are literally bricks with significant momentum due to their weight, making them very tiresome to use over longer periods.
Of course, you can't use the Wacom mouse outside of the tablet surface but I gue
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I have a Wacom mouse around here someplace, it came with one of their earlier cheap tablets. There are two problems with it. The first is surprising, they made it too light. Wacom is usually pretty good about getting the mass right, for example of the airbrush tool. That could have been lighter, but they gave it some heft. The other problem is that obviously as soon as you go off the pad it fails. Modern mice don't do that unless your desk is transparent. Hmm, I just thought of a third problem. It doesn't w
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exactly what I was thinking.
you need that mouse pad now with you.. so.. uh.. what the frig. why not have all the sensing in the pad as well and you could have a super light(or super heavy if you choose) mouse.
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You have been able to get puck's for Wacom tablets since forever. Basically a mouse, usually with a bit of plastic and a lens sticking out the top to aid digitizing.
That said tablets are absolute positioning rather than the relative positioning of mice. However I guess that could be fixed with an updated driver.
Forgot about the patent? (Score:2)
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How I would love to see Logitech slapped with a nice fat patent lawsuit.
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In this particular case, it's a couple of guys trolling for licensing. I'm not aware of the particulars but it seems these a**wipes haven't been particularly interested in making it worth it for mouse manufacturers to pursue. I wonder if the trolls actually relented or if Logitech just being brazen?
About a decade ago this would have been a rather useful product for which I've long been frustrated to not see. However, between improvements in battery tech and power efficiency, it's kind of more a novelty a
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"In this particular case, it's a couple of guys trolling for licensing."
Patent date 2003-2004.
With actual devices available using said tech from said company.
No, they're not just trolling.
Try looking at the companies (including parent company) behind the patent and look at their product portfolio.
Shit's in use, captain.
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That's still a great deal more than most other patent-holding companies do.
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Re:Forgot about the patent? (Score:4, Informative)
I wonder if Logitech forgot about the patent on this [google.com]
Why would it matter? That isn't a patent, it's a patent application. The application was rejected in 2005 (because of prior art) and abandoned by the PTO when the lawyers didn't respond for 6 months.
You can see the complete history by going to USPTO PAIR [uspto.gov], searching for application 10/737483, and going to the Image File Wrapper tab.
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I don't remember Intel being involved, but this [google.com] is probably the more salient one. Being some 15+ years ago I'm probably remembering some of the specifics wrong. I don't recall now whether it was this one or, the former I cited. Perhaps even yet I different one.
Regardless, as far as I can tell this is still a patented tech.
Going forward in reverse? (Score:4, Insightful)
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My car can go off-road, but roads are a much nicer surface to drive on.
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Yes, and since I went optical, I ditched the mousepad. The neoprene ones suck (and are great dirt magnets, eww), and there aren't ones that are better. I do use a mouse "pad" at home, but that's just a stone slab I got at Home Depot to keep from wearing down the
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Wtf is wrong with you Slashdot? (Score:2)
11 comments and nothing but complaints and grousing. Where's the apps guy, to accuse you all of being Luddites?
I've been using a cordless keyboard and mouse since 2001, Logitech's very first model with a USB antenna. They're a marvelous invention. The antenna is a brick as big as the mouse with a four foot cable coming out of it with two separate USB connectors on the end. Still works beautifully, even though it looks like something from the last century. Admittedly it didn't cost $200-$250, even thoug
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Because this makes no sense.
A wireless mouse is great, when you want to move it around the room, use it from your couch to TV, etc.
If you're going to be using it where there is a WIRED mouse pad - then just use a wired mouse, as it is immensely lazier (as you pointed out, we are all lazy) - and you don't have to deal with charging anything, it just works, and it works better.
So dock your rechargeable wireless mouse for your TV situation, use a wired mouse for your normal desktop situation, this is just cool
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Maybe once every 12 months I take the rechargeable AA battery out of the mouse and stick it in a battery charger overnight; hardly a major inconvenience.