Peripherals
Crazy Never Before Seen Logitech Mutant Mouse Prototypes
Posted by Matt Buchanan at 10:20 AM on December 4, 2008
I love Logitech mice, so I actually dug their shameless mouse timeline. Even more awesome, though, are these amazing prototypes that never left their lab, like the three-scroll wheel monstrosity and hockey puck above.
They get wonderfully cheeky about them too, saying that the hockey-puck mouse "looked cool but turned out to be less than comfortable." (WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE.) Here are a few of the more ridiculous ones, but be sure to check out the whole run. It's hard to believe some these even made it off the page, much less into a polished, physical form in some cases. Of course, none of them will ever top my beloved, retired MX500.


Really fantastic. I wish more companies would show us some of their aborted lab creatures. [Blogitech (PDF) via BoingBoing Gadgets]

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
Jono Rogers
Posted December 4, 2008 12:50 PM
Speaking of the mx500, mine is almost dead but i still use it over my mx1000 laser... any chance of an appeal to logitech to keep producing them? I can't find any online.. :(
videoCWK
Posted 11:57 AM 4/12/08
@jonizzzle: I like the Mighty Mouse. My hand fits it perfectly, as in my hand on the desk and my hand on the mouse is basically my hand in the exact same position.
videoCWK
snakepliskin
Posted 11:54 AM 4/12/08
I still have my mx500 hooked up to my ps3. Unfortunately during ike the power surge murdered it. Its still there cause the keyboard still works but the mouse is toast.
snakepliskin
Tikitiki
Posted 11:53 AM 4/12/08
@winkydink: Hockey puck mouse with only one button... Ideal for people with hooves.
Tikitiki
Thats Dr Bear to You
Posted 11:52 AM 4/12/08
That last one made my wrist hurt just looking at it
Thats Dr Bear to You
Firebrand
Posted 11:51 AM 4/12/08
@jonizzzle:
Atleast it's good for lefties. The touch sensitive button however...
Firebrand
Gamer4250
Posted 11:40 AM 4/12/08
A dial actually seems like it could a pretty handy addon to my MX Revolution mouse. I love that sexy beast.
Gamer4250
thegadgeteer
Posted 11:39 AM 4/12/08
I could use a double scroll wheel. but I think it would be better if they were side by side.
thegadgeteer
winkydink
Posted 11:33 AM 4/12/08
I seem to recall that Apple made a hockey puck mouse. I also seem to recall replacing it almost immediately.
winkydink
admoseremic
Posted 11:32 AM 4/12/08
@admoseremic: First attempt at photo posting on Giz = Fail.
admoseremic
admoseremic
Posted 11:31 AM 4/12/08
@admoseremic: Wow. Broken link.
admoseremic
jakeyjohn1
Posted 11:31 AM 4/12/08
HEY! I could use a third scroll wheel and a joystick.
I mean really one could be a quick scroll wheel and one a slow one. the joy stick could move really slowly for sniping in video games. Seriously they should combine all of these into one 'ultra mouse' for the user with never enough features
jakeyjohn1
admoseremic
Posted 11:30 AM 4/12/08
I stick with the classics:
admoseremic
Aoi
Posted 11:27 AM 4/12/08
Nice...
I use to have an old IBM mouse that had a track point dot on it instead of a scroll wheel.
Aoi
jonizzzle
Posted 11:27 AM 4/12/08
Logitec mice are so comfortable to use. I wish apple made their mighty mice ergonomically correct and not just look good.
jonizzzle
Mona
Posted 11:26 AM 4/12/08
WTF is that last one and it's screaming ERGONOMIC UNFRIENDLY LAWSUIT.
Mona
alex_fett
Posted 12:09 PM 4/12/08
Did anyone else see a bike helmet the first time they looked at the first picture? The one on the left?
I think they should put a mouse on a bike helmet, then you could use your head to surf the web. It would be handy for retarded people who keep "accidentally" slamming their head on their desk.....
alex_fett
SwapMeet
Posted 12:06 PM 4/12/08
I've been using Logitech mice almost exclusively since an old Logitech Mouseman. I had a brief fling with a MS-branded mouse with a scroll wheel before going to a Logitech MX 700. Too many hours of Counter Strike effectively killed two of those. I now use a Revolution for general computing and a Razer for gaming.
SwapMeet
D.E.P.C.
Posted 12:01 PM 4/12/08
@jonizzzle: I HATE the inaccessible scroll wheel. It stops working after a week of use, and Apple left no way to clean it.
D.E.P.C.
spittips101
Posted 12:17 PM 4/12/08
@Mona:
i think it is a joke or something
there is a camera under it
spittips101
Sergeant JoKer
Posted 1:10 PM 4/12/08
@jonizzzle: I would be happy if Apple just made the Mighty Mouse in a different color besides White. A black Mighty Mouse would look better with my MacBook instead of the glaring white one.
Sergeant JoKer
HJTravels
Posted 1:04 PM 4/12/08
Logitech seems to add some crap buttons that seem to do nothing you'd ever need. I have my fav one now the new Nano mouse. If you DON'T install the software, the button on the top opens links (like Gozmodo) in a new window. IT's the best mouse button ever. Just don't install the software.
HJTravels
vgart
Posted 1:41 PM 4/12/08
@vgart:
update: -didn't-
vgart
vgart
Posted 1:40 PM 4/12/08
Thank god none of those useless designs didn't make to the shelves. Too bad some did.
Illuminated logo? Yeah, if the logo wasn't ugly it could work.
vgart
something_unique_and_descriptive
Posted 2:09 PM 4/12/08
@winkydink: That was one of the few Apple products I actually liked, I still can't explain why.
something_unique_and_descriptive
KhaiJB
Posted 2:03 PM 4/12/08
@Thats Dr Bear to You: thats a modified MX Revolution... the most comfy mouse I've ever had the pleasure to use :)
KhaiJB
Toastie
Posted 2:00 PM 4/12/08
@jonizzzle: The mighty mouse looks good?
Come back with one in aluminum or black rubber and don't make it look like a suppository and we'll talk about a good looking mouse.
Toastie
Tommasta
Posted 1:56 PM 4/12/08
@Mona: I'm guessing some sort of superimposed reference to a camera mode dial. Where the mode dial on the camera is in the same place as the intended mode dial on the mouse.
Tommasta
something_unique_and_descriptive
Posted 2:14 PM 4/12/08
@HJTravels: If you install the software you can remap it to whatever the hell you want, plus the scroll wheel automatically switches between notched and free-spin modes depending how fast you scroll it.
something_unique_and_descriptive
skreenname
Posted 2:46 PM 4/12/08
That one with the laser pointer looks kinda neat.
And it's a mutant lovechild of the VX Nano (I think) so I would of bought if If they had made it.
VX <3
skreenname
Absent Blue
Posted 3:11 PM 4/12/08
@winkydink: That mouse was so damn annoying. The most uncomfortable, stupid looking peripherals I've ever seen. I'll take a trackball or those tiny little knobbish-joystick mice IBM used to put in their laptops over that hockey-puck.
Absent Blue
urbanminstrel
Posted 4:16 PM 4/12/08
Stark Industries must have helped out on that illuminated logo job.
urbanminstrel
DeanOfAllTrades
Posted 4:24 PM 4/12/08
more buttons are better, right?
DeanOfAllTrades
Sergeant JoKer
Posted 4:56 PM 4/12/08
@willyolio: You can setup the mighty mouse to have right click. I have no problems with my mighty mouse and right clicking. All in all, a good all-around mouse, except for the fact that it only comes in shiny Apple white.
Sergeant JoKer
jiveabillion
Posted 4:48 PM 4/12/08
I have the VX Revolution at work where I do web design and .NET programming. I love it. It looks alot like that last photo.
jiveabillion
godwhacker
Posted 4:46 PM 4/12/08
i won the dough for my mx revolution playing poker, and if i win saturday night, i'll be getting another for work.
hands down, the best pointing device ever. i have used a lot of alternative pointing devices over the years, touch pads, trackballs, and just about every mouse variation i've run across. the revolution just kicks ass.
godwhacker
willyolio
Posted 4:41 PM 4/12/08
@jonizzzle:
comfortable would be a big leap for apple. they have to make the mouse usable first.
most people solve the two-button problem by having two buttons. apple decides to solve it with this touch-sensitive crap that forces you to peck at the buttons instead of just right-clicking. stupid, complicated, broken. at least it's pretty.
willyolio
willyolio
Posted 5:31 PM 4/12/08
@Sergeant JoKer:
yes, you can set it up for right click, but you still have to peck at the mouse to perform the click instead of doing it the "normal" way.
on any other mouse, to right click, i push my middle finger down.
only apple forces you to lift off your other fingers, and complicate an otherwise simple and intuitive task.
willyolio
HMoth84
Posted 6:31 PM 4/12/08
I love Logitech mouses. I literally just retired my MX700 after approximately six years of use! The VX and MX Revolutions take care of me now on the road and at work, respectively. Couldn't be happier.
I work in a design studio and (while they look great) we all chucked our Apple mouses.
Those last few abandoned mouses look useful…
HMoth84
cmuska902
Posted 1:38 AM 5/12/08
@cmuska902: Wow, I apologize. I just tested it, and you're so right. Apparently I just naturally lift my index finger when right clicking. Never noticed that if I kept my index finger down, the right click doesn't work.
cmuska902
cmuska902
Posted 1:35 AM 5/12/08
@willyolio: What? I have no idea what you're talking about. I use a mighty mouse every day, and right clicking is no different from any other mouse. I think you're lifting your other fingers for no reason.
cmuska902
DeadlineX
Posted 3:59 AM 5/12/08
I had a VX Revolution for six months before it started tracking strangely. I tried logitechs tech support, but since I had recently moved and in the process ditched the packaging and receipt I was S.O.L. I decided never to spend more than $20 on a mouse again, especially not on a logitech. Their cheapo mice are bullet proof but their higher end stuff, while brilliant when they work, seem to have build quality issues - a friend has a MX Revolution, and is on his third replacement.
DeadlineX
DJLuca
Posted 9:50 AM 5/12/08
Sure does look like a dead...mau5?
DJLuca
AznSlackerType
Posted 2:19 PM 5/12/08
@Absent Blue: I had those in my elementary school, part of the reason I was so biased towards apple in my past was purely due to that dang uncomfortable awkward mouse >=(, also no right-click o.o
AznSlackerType
sombie
Posted 11:12 PM 4/12/08
Although I'm a Deathadder user, I recognize Logitech as a worthy mousemaker.
A joystick would have been great on a mouse, what are those guys thinking?
sombie
FiveLiters
Posted 4:28 PM 6/12/08
@vgart: Like,say,on Apple computers? (ducks and runs)
FiveLiters
FiveLiters
Posted 4:38 PM 6/12/08
That isn't a hockey puck,it's a Roomba Nano!
FiveLiters
FiveLiters
Posted 4:38 PM 6/12/08
@DeanOfAllTrades:
[new.music.yahoo.com]
Absolutely!
FiveLiters