e-blue Pequeno Mini Mouse Review... smallest wireless mouse?

by Infiniteblue
Image credits include:
usb.brando.com.hk, geekstuff4u.com, and a crappy cell camera



**Update**: Shortly after finishing up this review I did something rather klutzy. I was going to plug the USB dongle into my desktop, but as I reached over the tiny thing slipped out of my hand and fell straight into my glass of drinking water. It took me a second to realize what had happened, after which I grabbed the glass and went over to the nearest sink to dump it out. As I strained out the receiver I was already considering whether I should try to get a replacement or just buy a new mouse. However, after drying off the little doodad I plugged it in on the off chance that it might work... which it did. Despite being submerged in a glass of water for about 20 seconds it seems to still be working without fault. Obviously this is not something to try at home, but it's nice to know that this mouse can deal with some of the human incompetence it might be exposed to.



Manufacturer

e-blue International Corporation is a a relatively new Japanese computer accessory developer, having operated for approximately ten years. While I could find relatively little information on the company itself in English, it appears to have contact information with a primary location in Tokyo, Japan and alternate locations in Honk Kong and China. The limited number of reviews I found on their products via a Google search seemed to reflect positively on product quality. I even found a couple comments on this particular mouse which were encouraging and pushed me over the edge to purchase it. As far as customer service goes, I have e-mailed e-blue support once so far and got a prompt reply to a question I asked about the multiple DPI settings. This is my only interaction so far, but I entered this purchase with the expectation of just going back to my name brand mice if I encountered problems. Personally, I'd rather just eat the cost of the product before hassling with international support. However, I will add that the reseller I bought the mouse from (brando.com.hk) seemed reputable based on only top ratings at resellerratings and positive googled comments. You can also buy this mouse from US based resellers, but the few I found were asking more than double the price with markup.

Technical Specs:

Available colors: Black/grey, Silver/black
Interface: USB 2.0, compact receiver
Resolution: 400 / 800 / 1600 dpi (3 adjustable resolution options)
Frame rate: 3200fps
Receiving distance: 32ft (10m) max
Working frequency: 2.4GHz
Battery type: Built-in lithium ion power cell
Battery operating life: At full charge, the mouse can be used for 21 days (3 hours utillzation per day). In the case of continuous usage, the power can last for 70 hours
Sleep mode: Enters sleep mode after 3 minutes of inactivity
Dimensions: 2.6” x 1.5” x 1.1” (68 x 38 x 28mm)
Weight: 32 grams
Supported OS: Window ME/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OSX 10.2 or above
Package contents: Mouse, compact receiver, retractable charging cable, instruction manual



Reasons for Buying

Despite having bought well over a dozen mice for my personal use across the years, up until this purchase all but one of the mice have been Logitech or Microsoft products ( I bought a Razer some time back). So when I realized that to get the features I wanted I'd not only have to look outside my traditional brands, but to a foreign manufacturer I'd never even heard of, I was fairly hesitant. My main criteria for this particular mouse purchase were that it be very compact(mini), feature both a scroll wheel, an automatic sleep mode, and a rechargeable power cell, but not have an inconvenient dongle. Though I was tempted by the VX Nano despite its larger size and lack of a power cell, I decided that it was time I try my first mini-mouse and branch out to a new company. The e-blue Pequeno met my criteria so I gave it a try.

Purchase
After looking at my purchase options I decided to go for the one that saved me a few bucks (well about $40 actually) and bought mine at usb.brando.com.hk. The price I ended up paying was a measly US$ 29.00, including shipping. Shipping was free with my order, and still is at the time of this review. As you might have read in the manufacturer info listed above, Brando seems to be a reputable site and so far my experience with them has been smooth. I placed the order without any hassle and a straightforward checkout, and was promptly e-mailed the typical order information and later a shipping notification with tracking information. They shipped the item out the next day, and it took about two days for it to depart Hong Kong and reach New York via airmail. Another 3 days followed as it traveled the length of the country over to Washington state, arriving in what I thought to be a rather timely fashion for free shipping from Hong Kong; not to mention it would have been even quicker if I happened to live on the east coast. The package was shipped in a padded bubble-mailer which I found to be satisfactory.

Box Front

Box Back

Tiny USB Receiver

Design

Size
The most obvious design feature of the Pequeno is its size. Advertised as the smallest wireless mouse, I wouldn't doubt that it's amongst the smallest mice commercially available based on my research. To give you an idea of how this might fit your hand, I'll describe how I hold it in my fairly average size male hands. The most noticeable fit difference is that your palm will not rest on the mouse, it is only long enough to support your fingers. I personally rest my middle and index fingers along the top, and thumb and ring finger on either side. The top slope is actually just about what I like in a mouse, not too steep or shallow. The lack of palm support is different, but I couldn't say it was uncomfortable. One thing it forced me to do was keep my wrist off the desk surface, which is a problem I have with full sized mice as even with a cushioned/gel mouse pad my wrist rubs against the surface over long periods of use and can even get a little tender. I would compare this to using a writing instrument; after long periods of intense use your wrist will probably be a little tired. However, you are not supporting any weight like picking up a pen/pencil, just not fully relaxing your wrist like you would when setting it on the desk. I suppose that some users may hold their full size mice without resting their palms on them, in which case this would be somewhat similar. In my personal experience I did not find the size to be a significant ergonomic impairment to the Pequeno, but I realize it's not uncommon for users to find mini-mice unbearable for extended use. To each his own.


Full Size Image

The Pequeno is basically symmetrical, so I assume it would be equally viable for left or right handed users. One note, I would NOT use this mouse for gaming. Besides the lack of “gaming” precision and customizable buttons, I personally find that my motor skills allow me to be much more precise and responsive when I'm actually resting my palm on a mouse. For activities such as web browsing and document editing while on the go, its intended usage, I find it suitably comfortable.

Buttons
As far as buttons go, this mouse is not for those who basically want a TV remote with a sensor for their computer. Having a grand total of 2 full buttons and a third middle button built into the scroll wheel, it gets the job done efficiently and without any gimmicks. I rarely use more than 2 buttons on a mouse, even my gaming mice. My personal preference is towards keyboard shortcuts, but if you are a user who needs buttons for everything from zooming to launching specific programs, look elsewhere. The Pequeno's buttons are of what I would call average responsiveness, nothing unique there. Size-wise they are slightly wider than my fingers, but only just barely. You would have to have really thick fingers for them to actually touch while in use I think, but if your hand is that big I would advise against the mouse in general. It's a good thing I don't work for their marketing department as I might put a “Warning: Not intended for users over 350lbs” label on it and end up being fired for insensitivity or such. Seriously though, this is a MINI mouse, the larger you are the worse the fit will be.

Scroll
The scroll wheel is adequate, featuring the typical click-to-click scrolling available on most mice. It is slightly thinner than some wheels, but length wise I'd actually say it is similar, though again slightly smaller. While I get by with this wheel, I can't help missing the free scrolling wheel found on my Logitech VX revolution, the VX being my regular mouse of choice. At first I thought that the somewhat opaque whitish color of the wheel was rather drab, but after using the mouse I realized this was to allow light from the charging LED etc to be noticeable through it.

Performance

According to the included instructions (yes, there are a few in English even though most of the packaging is Japanese) the initial device charge is supposed to take 10 hours!(only the first charge, after it is supposed to be a small fraction of this time) This was definitely not my experience after pulling it out of the box; it took all of about 30 minutes for the charging light to go off indicating that the battery was charged. After using the mouse for about a week I have yet to have to charge it, so battery life shouldn't be an issue especially since all you have to do is jack in the included cable to recharge when needed.


Full Size Image

E-blue claims that the battery is powering a “High Definition optical sensor”, so let's talk about DPI. DPI is basically a measurement of mouse sensitivity, specifically the number of steps a mouse will report per one inch of movement. In the Pequeno's case there are three selectable settings: 400, 800, or 1600 DPI. To give you a little context, most modern productivity mice will have a DPI of around 800. Logitech's VX Revolution and Nano both run at that rate, while the Microsoft Explorer and BT 5000 mice both run slightly higher at 1000. Pricey gaming mice range in the 1800-3200 area, with extremes being up to 4000. So while the mouse is by no means cutting edge sensor technology, it does offer you flexibility in your sensitivity options without requiring any driver or program installation. If you get an adjustable DPI mouse, I would definitely recommend hardware adjustment vs software. The former is becoming more readily available, though usually in a price bracket above the Pequeno's. I have been using the 1600 DPI setting which zips fluidly across my screen. To adjust the DPI setting on the mouse the user can cycle through the options by holding down both the left and right mouse buttons for 4 full seconds. At first I thought it would have been better to have a switch or knob on the mouse for adjustment purposes, but as I considered the limited surface area and the possibility of inadvertently hitting any switch this option seemed quite reasonable. I rarely if ever have to hold down both buttons at once (let alone for a few seconds) so I don't foresee it getting in the way of normal activities.

This is a wireless mouse, so let's talk wireless. First off, I have had no problems with it cutting out or being less than responsive. I didn't fully test the wireless range to its max, but at about 15 feet the mouse still worked seamlessly. The Pequeno features an automatic sleep mode which activates after 3 minutes of inactivity, allowing for prolonged battery life. Upon resuming use of the mouse there is no delay/lag in resuming fluid motion. However, I will say that the method of “waking” the mouse isn't what I had hoped. Rather than waking when you move it, you actually have to hit one of the buttons to bring it back. It's not a big deal, and probably prevents accidentally waking it when jostled.




Conclusion

If you are in the market for a mini-mouse alternative to more bulky laptop devices, the e-blue Pequeno is definitely worth a look. While it lacks certain portability amenities such as being bluetooth to eliminate the dongle or including a carrying case, by-in-large the bang for your buck value on this mouse is high, let alone bang for your size. Even though it's roughly half the size and weight of “compact” notebook mice competitors such as the Logitech VX Nano, it manages to pack in the features such as higher adjustable DPI, a lithium battery cell you won't have to change, one of the smallest receivers available, a convenient auto-sleep feature, and oh – all that for about half the price. While I wouldn't suggest it over various larger mice for stationary use, if you are on the go all the time and seek to fit everything into the smallest space possible, and if you can handle the size then this mouse is a recommended option.

Pros

• You don't get any more portable
• Quite affordable
• Built in lithium cell, no changing batteries!
• Sleep feature
• Small receiver dongle
• Adjustable DPI up to 1600
• Retractable charging cable
• Conversation starter

Cons

• Lack of a click free scroll wheel
• Lack of a carrying case
• Receiver still sticks out slightly, enough to get a grip on to pull it out I suppose (very similar to VX Nano receiver)
• Some may find it uncomfortable due to size
• No bluetooth

 

nice looking mouse

 

After having gotten used to the MX518 I have a feeling a mouse like this will give me some major hand cramps :$

 

Good review provided, and it's a cool looking mouse!


Cin

 

Its really cool! But the size... I can't imagine using it all day lol.

Anyway, great review! Very detail.

 

Yeah, it's really tiny...I already have small hands, I guess it might work~not sure. Never hurts to try, though! I like the size of my mouse just fine


Cin

 

Thanks for the review!! I loved how detailed it was. I just bought my MSI Wind Netbook ("Love Edition") and wanted something compact for travel (for the airport and so on) so this is perfect. I have the Microsoft 3000 USB mouse but I'm always wary of breaking the long & protruding USB receiver and I didn't want to look into a bluetooth mouse because they waste more laptop battery than a USB. I was going to buy the Logitech VX Nano because of its tiny USB receiver but then stumbled upon the Brando page offering this much smaller mouse. I also live in WA so I'm glad it won't take ages for the mouse to arrive. I searched the internet to see if anyone was offering it for less than $29 but the only other retailer was selling it for $74US. Crazy! Brando charges $3 to ship worldwide, which isn't bad at all for international shipping! Can't wait to try it out - rather anxious for it. If I remember to, I'll repost after I get it

 

hello! i just got my mouse in the mail today, and i can say that there was no hitch whatsoever when i ordered it till the time it was actually delivered to my house. The thing is, when i tried to use it (it said in this thread that it only took 30 minutes for the red light to go off and it did), the mouse doesn't work! As far as i know, i have done everything right since it is very straightforward anyways, i just inserted the USB receiver to one of my USB ports and the mouse did nothing! any suggestions?