Cordless Mice

My whole life, I've always taken people's hand-me-down computers. (I think I've mentioned being cheap.... Well, cheapness comes along with being broke!) Anyway, about a year ago, I decided I wanted a new computer, and I wanted to build it myself. Fortunately, I met a person who became a fast friend and helped me with that project. I'm very proud of my system, which I stuck together with my own little hands. My friend insisted at the time, "You must dump your ball-mouse and go wireless." So we got me a Logitech LX-300 keyboard and mouse.

This choice was mostly my friend's. I have a pretty bad history with Logitech, mainly its mice. My first hand-me-down computer came with its original old two-button IBM mouse, and it lasted forever! Then I thought, "Ooh, wheel mice!" and got a cheapie one of those. It lasted a little while and then started acting crazy -- the cursor would go on a self-possessed rampage across my screen. People said, "Get a Logitech, they're good," so I got a Logitech, and it was good. For a bit. Over the course of about 5 years, I'd say I burned through not one, not two, not even three, but four corded ballsy Logitech mice. I thought maybe it was the ball. I think I thought wrong.

The LX-300 is a wireless keyboard/mouse combo. The keyboard took some getting used to. The keys seem to be closer together than some of my previous keyboards, so there were (and, admittedly, still are) a lot of typos. The mouse's usability is fine -- there are lots of programmable options for the wheel button, and it seems to respond well -- but its realiability is questionable. Its first big test was a long RPG. That ate up its batteries like crazy. So I thought I'd just invest in some rechargables and a charger (have yet to get around to doing that -- have I mentioned I'm broke?). But before I could, even with fresh regular batteries my mouse seems to be having sensor problems. As it is lately, I have to have the mouse right in front of its wireless receiver, or its goes all flaky.

I'm thinking of getting a wired optical mouse. Because ballsy mice are annoying. I'm sold on the optical part, but wireless...nah. Perhaps when I do invest in a charger (which will have to be soon, since I fear for the Eneloops I bought for my camera, used up, and are now just sitting there waiting to be charged), I'll try wireless again. Till then, I can't take the heartache every time I turn around and my batteries/mouse start dying or flaking out. The thing that kills me is that I'm still looking at Logitech. I guess I figure, If everybody else has success, why can't I have success too? Corded/optical is my last Logitech mouse experiment. If I still have problems, I guess I'm going to have to find a new brand.

Any suggestions?