Logitech New Mouse Range Goes Back to the Future

Really Cordless

For its cordless models, Logitech has made an extra effort. Fast RF, the technology used, first makes it possible to switch without any time delay. There is no slowing in comparison with a corded version, despite what the determined fans of corded mice might have to say about it. Furthermore, it has a range of several yards. Logitech used it to make a receiver in the form of a miniature USB key. You can plug it in to any USB port and you have a connection. This means that even the receiver's USB cable has disappeared, making it easier to transport the mouse and tidying up the desk.

Logitech has its own research lab for radio technology. Miniature sensors are fitted with an antenna that rounds around the plate and uses the whole of the available surface of the key. That is why it is possible to get good reception even with a miniaturized component. Although the Fast RF stays in the 27 MHz band, it uses a wider frequency than the other mice. This means it can transmit more information in the same amount of time and thus reduce delay. There is a greater risk of interference, of course, because a wider frequency is being used. Careful setting was needed to guarantee failsafe operation. The part shown on the photo makes it possible to measure output precisely without interference from other sources or magnetic feedback.