When I got all cranky about Bluetooth mice

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As I write this, the world’s a pretty scary place. And I have to admit, it’s making me reconsider some of my earlier rants. I mean, were some of these things really as bad as I said, back then?

My sworn enemy: Bluetooth

I remember writing this article in 2015. Back then I was using a Dell all-in-one with a known issue with Bluetooth. The Bluetooth mouse would just sorta, stop working sometimes. Dell’s own keyboard and mouse, based on Logitech’s wireless technology, weren’t a problem, but those devices were uncomfortable to use for a long period of time. It seemed back then the best mice were Bluetooth ones, and there was the source of my annoyance.

I remember the routine of turning the mouse on and off six times a day just to be able to get something done. It sure was a pain.

Bluetooth “might have” gotten better

Actually, I doubt that it has, at least from the Bluetooth point of view. My latest computer uses a generic Bluetooth driver so at least I can continue to update it. Plus, I finally found a brand of mouse I prefer to use, one that doesn’t rely on Logitech’s wonky software or Microsoft’s baked-in weirdness.

The latest mice use Bluetooth LE so they won’t work from across the house but they will go several months on a set of batteries. That’s a plus by itself because I did realize that anything less than a perfect battery creates problems with a Bluetooth mouse.

But then again…

if you’re reading this and you’re using a Bluetooth mouse at work, you’re probably pretty glad to be working at all. I know I am. So I think we can take a few minutes and realize that there are a few things in life worse than a Bluetooth mouse that turns off a few times a day.

We’re going to get through all of this, at some point, it’s going to happen. The world is going to open up again. And, it’s going to get to a point where the only worry we have in the world is a mouse that gets on our nerves. That’s for certain. Sounds great right about now, right?

About the Author

Stuart Sweet
Stuart Sweet is the editor-in-chief of The Solid Signal Blog and a "master plumber" at Signal Group, LLC. He is the author of over 10,000 articles and longform tutorials including many posted here. Reach him by clicking on "Contact the Editor" at the bottom of this page.