I mean, why, why didn't they make the right mouse button as large as possible? Why restrict it to be smaller than the left button, even though there's all that space remaining on the right side of the top of the mouse? When I use a mouse with a wheel, I place my index finger on the left button, my middle finger on the wheel, and my ring finger on the right button. This mouse isn't designed for that. You can do it, but those three fingers have to be clutched together, which means that your little finger is dropping over the right side about an inch or so from your ring finger. I don't know about you, but my ring and little fingers are fairly strongly connected, and if I move one, I'm moving the other a bit, too. Even if I can't explain this particularly well, it's not comfortable. Maybe I'm only supposed to use my index and middle fingers to operate the buttons, using the middle finger for both the right button and the wheel, but, well, why? Why have the ring finger just sit there doing nothing?
(As an aside, my mouse on my own computer at home has four buttons and a wheel, so all of my fingers have something to do. If this surprises you, then you obviously haven't been reading my columns for very long.)
This mouse does have a thumb button, on the left side. But the left side isn't a smooth curve. Nope, instead they've put a rubber pad around the thumb button, which is all well and good. Increased traction, and all that. Unfortunately, left side of the mouse drops off a FREAKIN' RIDGE OF PLASTIC. My thumb wants to sit right on the edge of the ridge, which really should just be a smooth curve instead of a bloody drop off. Sure, we're talking about a ridge that sticks out 3mm from the rubber pad below it, but that's more than enough to be irritating. And the button is too small. Oh, it's plenty long, but it's not nearly tall enough. Which is ok if you have the thumb button set to active the "Delete all files and format drive" command and don't want to accidentally press it more than once or twice a day, but is otherwise a bad design.
Of course, the mouse looks good. It's stylishly futuristic, like a late model Star Trek phaser. It's accurate as heck, so you don't get that wacky skipping cursor that some optical mice give you. But, damn, it's only when you use these things for more than a few minutes that you realize that it was designed for Antarians. It's all about features over functionality, and now it's just another item to return. Good thing I didn't tear the manual out of its plastic bag, eh?*