Anyone who’s in the market for a new mouse, whether for a Mac or a PC, should check out this deal. CompUSA is ***offering the Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer for $14.95|http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=316297&pfp=SEARCH&tabtype=rb***, for this week only (April 3 – 9). This is only for the “Crimson Flame” colored model. The mouse’s retail price is normally $49.99 (at places like Staples, for example), and CompUSA is currently carrying it at a discounted $29.99, but this week only is slashing another 50% off of the price.

I actually purchased this mouse today, not because I was in the market for a new mouse, but because I am in the market for a mouse that is compatible with the ***TrendWare KVM|http://www.trendnet.com/products/TK-206i.htm*** which we ***recently acquired|http://prwdot.org/archives/002459.html***. This mouse has a USB -> PS/2 converter, which in theory would allow it to work with the KVM, which only has PS/2 ports. Well, it did sort of work – but unfortunately there is some issue that causes the KVM to drop every other mouse click. Very annoying. I know it’s not a problem with the mouse itself, because it worked flawlessly when I connected it directly via USB to both our Mac and our PC. So, I took it back to CompUSA, since I already have two working mice, and I don’t really need a third one – just one that works with the KVM. For now, we’ll continue having two separate mice hooked up to each computer… but obviously this defeats the “M” part of “KVM”. I’m going to contact TrendWare to ask about PS/2 adapter compatability. It may simply be that the KVM doesn’t work 100% with PS/2 adapters. Oh well. Update: I’ve confirmed by searching TrendWare’s support database that the TK-206i KVM does not work with USB->PS/2 adapters. So if we want it to work, we’ll have to use a genuine PS/2 mouse. Anybody have one they’d like to donate?

In any case, it is a very nice mouse if you’re hooking it directly up to a Mac or a PC. The wireless feature is not the Bluetooth kind, but rather the old-fashioned 27MHz radio frequency kind… but it still works very well. Highly recommended.