What is a Bluetooth® Mouse?

The ubiquitous computer mouse, which many computer users are dependent on, have now gone cordless. This is made possible by a variety of technologies, one of which is Bluetooth®.

A mouse is a pointing device that controls the movement of the cursor on a computer monitor. Unlike a Bluetooth® mouse, the regular mouse is "cabled," meaning it uses an electrical cord that connects to PS2 or USB ports. This type of mouse can crowd your workspace, lessen available ports for other devices like flash drives, and reduce the freedom with which the user can use the mouse.

With Bluetooth® technology, a mouse can easily and quickly connect to a laptop or desktop computer without the need for wires. In order for your computer to use a Bluetooth® mouse, it needs to have a Bluetooth® adapter. Many new computers already have built-in adapters. If your computer doesn't have one, you'll need to plug in an external one in the form of a Bluetooth® dongle, which is usually small — about the size of an adult thumb.

Bluetooth® mice are excellent for business presentations because they can be used up to 33 feet (or 10 meters) away from the computer. That means the user doesn't have to stay close to the computer, giving him or her the freedom to move about with ease.

A Bluetooth® mouse is also designed for ease of travel. No wires means no time wasted untangling your mouse from the rest of your laptop's cables. Some Bluetooth® mice are so small and lightweight that they can snugly fit into one's pocket. Other variants have been made to be more sensitive to surfaces and are usable almost anywhere, be it on an office desk, in the plane, at your favorite coffee shop, and even on your bed. Not only that, but the mouse can be used on a horizontal or vertical surface.

A Bluetooth® mouse can come with different features, including optical sensors, additional and programmable buttons, clickable scroll wheels, and an ergonomic design. A Bluetooth® mouse that supports any operating system is also common on the market.