'Tis very annoying when the cordless mouse dies, especially as it tends to do so suddenly, in a house where there are few batteries.

It seems a waste to have them on all the time, when they are not always in use.

I propose that cordless mice have a little button to the side which can deactivate them when not in use. Thus lots of power can be saved.
-- dbmag9, Jun 20 2006

my apple mouse already has this. hee hee and it goes to sleep automatically if you don't use it for a while (extra smugness abounds)
-- xenzag, Jun 20 2006


I'd rather have a mouse that dies suddenly, than one that dies slowly.

What you need is a rechargable mouse.
-- BJS, Jun 20 2006


"...and it goes to sleep automatically if you don't use it for a while..."
I'd assumed they *all* did that.
-- st3f, Jun 20 2006


The led only dimes, so that the mouse will still work as soon as you move it again.
-- BJS, Jun 20 2006


Everything that uses power, however little, should have an off switch. [+]
-- wagster, Jun 20 2006


your watch?
Grandad's pacemaker?
-- methinksnot, Jun 20 2006


If it has an off button than wouldn't it need an on button also?

There is a power button on the computer which also turns the mouse off.
-- BJS, Jun 20 2006


Great film, Micky Mouse meets Nicholas Cage - astounding.
-- zen_tom, Jun 21 2006


An acceleration detector (piezoelectric, of course) could switch the mouse on as soon as you move it, after an automatic power off. Such a sensor would only require a tiny current. The off switch could disable even this, but batteries run down even when no current is drawn, so the advantage might be small.
-- spidermother, Jun 21 2006


The off button would double as an on button, in a strange dual existance. The power button on the computer, used to having control over the mouse via its cord no longer has this because of the mouse's new-found cordless freedom... the plot thickens into the consistency of custard.
-- dbmag9, Jun 21 2006


easy solution - use a wired mouse. A good one is not awkward because of the wire as long as it is configured correctly.

Or failing that, keep spare batteries, invest in rechargeables or buy a rechargeable cordless mouse.

This is also baked, I have seen a cordless mouse with a switch.

Spidermother - i thought they already do this, i.e. the radio transmitter does not actually transmit unless you move the mouse, the rest of the time it is in standby.
-- webfishrune, Jun 21 2006


I had an old logitech ball mouse. It was cordless, and only transmitted when moved. Consequently it would run six months on two little AAA batteries.

The mouse I have at the moment is optical & cordless; the laser goes into a sleep mode when not in use and I assume no transmission takes place at such times either. It'll do a few days in between replacing it in its charging station. I've never had it cut out, either - a red flashing LED warns you of low batteries, but performance doesn't suffer even over the next few hours. Not sure when it would actually cut out.
-- david_scothern, Jun 24 2006


I love my logitech cordless ball mouse. Battery lasts forever.
-- RayfordSteele, Jun 24 2006


how about a capacitive switch on the top that turns the mouse on when you put your hand on it. no complicated motion sensors or moving parts added.
-- tcarson, Jun 24 2006



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