Here’s the wireless travel mouse that needs neither Bluetooth nor USB receivers. It connects to your computer via a small private wireless network.

HP’s new WiFi Mobile Mouse is, as the name implies a mouse meant for traveling, and as such it is a little smaller than a standard desktop mouse. Nevertheless it is relatively comfortable. The HP Wi-fi Mobile Mouse is a symmetrical mouse in a compact format with continuous scroll wheel, side scroll, adjustable sensitivity and two programmable extra buttons on either side.

With easy-grip rubber on the sides and a piece of aluminum-like composite material on top is it comfortable to hold, although it may seem a bit small for those with large hands.

What is truly special about the mouse is of course that it connects to the computer via Wi-fi instead for Bluetooth or RF to a USB adapter, which is the usual way to hook up wireless mice. To get things to work, you install the drivers and the “HP Mouse Suite” on the computer. The program starts a wireless access point and the mouse will automatically connect to your laptop when you turn it on. Very simple and efficient.

It requires a couple of things to work: First of all, the computer must have its own wi-fi access point, it can not access the mouse over a router. Secondly the computer needs Windows 7 and the computer’s wi-fi driver must be Windows 7 certified. If you have a PC or laptop with Windows 7, you can be almost completely sure that wi-fi chip in your computer is certified. T

he program uses a feature of Windows 7, which sets up a so-called ad hoc network with your computer as an access point. This feature is intended to be used with your computer as an internet to share with others. The only problem is that if you run your mouse in this way, you can not also use it as an access point, since the function than occupied by the mouse. This might be a problem for a small amount of users.

Obviously you can still connect to other wireless networks with your wi-fi, and the mouse does seem to be disturbing or throttling the bandwidth on the regular wireless network to a measurable degree. It uses up very little data to keep the connection between the mouse and the computer running.

HP also seems to be missing something considering the application comes on a CD. This mouse is clearly intended for laptops, and more and more of these no longer have an optical drive. A USB stick would have been a better choice, but on the other hand it’s not just HP that persist in doing this. You can easily look up and download the drivers from the web if it comes to that.

As for the pros and cons; the mouse is very easy to use and set up and offers good ergonomics. On the downside it uses up the ad hoc wireless mode, in case you need it.

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