It’s Wednesday and that means, it’s Wreview Wednesday! Okay, I’m stretching things a bit with the “wr” but you all know a review is coming up. I’ve got a number of software reviews in the pipes including some iPod Touch ones, Symbian, accessories. So, stay tuned!

Palm Discovery would like to extend a BIG THANKS to Thomas of USB Fever for providing the product for this review.

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Sometimes, it’s just not convenient to allow others to see what you have running on your computer. Whether it be at the local coffee shop, at home, or at work, sometimes, you just want to keep whatever you’re seeing, working or doing from prying eyes or even just from a casual glance in your direction. For those instances, either you spend the money on a privacy screen filter like 3M’s Privacy Filter which I’ve previously reviewed here or simply get USB Fever’s USB Smart Privacy Mouse which will allow you to quickly hide all those programs from being shown on your computer screen, all with the click of a mouse.

USB Fever’s USB Smart Privacy Mouse is just like many other computer mouse out on the market today. It has the left and right mouse buttons, a scroll wheel and ergonomic design with a special feature: a side mouse button that can be configured to hide specific windows and programs from view upon a button press.

The package contains the USB Privacy mouse and a mini CD with software and drivers. You can opt to use the computer mouse without installing the software and drivers but you would be giving up on the main privacy feature of the product. Depending on the configuration, the side mouse button can perform different tasks. If you don’t install the driver, pressing the side mouse button will work as a shortcut key at the windows toolbar (I’m not sure what that means myself). If you’ve installed the driver and haven’t configured it, it works as an “ALT+TAB”, allowing you to jump from one Window to another. If you’ve installed the driver and software and configured it, pressing the side button will hide all specified visible windows and make previously hidden windows visible. Pressing the button again will reverse this. This toggles between hiding and revealing the windows. If you have it installed and don’t run the program, pressing the side button when on a browser (this may be only happening in MY case) will go back to a previous page or website. Again, this may be happening on my computer because I have the multi-button media mouse (see my review here) working as well, which has a back side button. I don’t know.

For those who want to skip over all the detailed review and just want a summary, you can jump to the review summary

Specs and Details

Highlights:

It seems that this is an ordinary mouse, yes it may be, and no it might not. What makes it different from others is that it has an extra button. (see picture 1)

This button works

- If you use it as an ordinary mouse without installing the driver, it is a short-cut key performs as the short-cut key at your right of your windows tool bar

- If you’ve installed its driver and still have not yet configure it, the it works as the short cut ket “ALT + Tab”, helps you jump from Windows to windows

- If you’ve installed its driver and configured it, once you press the button, you can conceal any and all programs in windows and jump to your dedicated windows. It might save your job…

Features:

- Protect your privacy: quick click to shut your current windows
- USB interface
- Optical Technology
- Scroll Wheel, no need to rely on scroll bar again
- high precision: 800dpi
- No need for extra power

Package Contents:

- USB Smart Privacy Mouse with 1.3m cable x 1
- Driver CD x 1
- User Manual x 1

Click on the thumbnail images for a bigger picture

Slideshow of the above pictures

USB Fever USB Smart Privacy Mouse Video

USB Fever’s USB Smart Privacy Mouse video review at YouTube

USB Fever’s USB Smart Privacy Mouse software review and demonstration at Blip.tv

I Like

Ease of use

The mouse is very easy to use. Just use it like any other computer mouse. It has the left and right mouse buttons, the scroll wheel with button and of course, the extra side button. You can install and configure the button or not, depending on your preference. Configuring it is easy as well. Run the software from the included mini CD and install the program. It should run when Windows starts up or you can manually run it yourself.

Ergonomic design

The mouse has a very nice ergonomic design with side curves for the thumb and fingers. The side privacy button is well located for the thumb to easily press it without the hand to be adjusted.

Privacy feature

The main feature of this mouse is its privacy feature. Once installed and configured, a simple press of the side button will either hide or reveal specified windows and programs. Pressing the side button again will toggle the action to reveal windows and programs that were previously hidden. It works very well.

I Didn’t Like

Side button can’t be personally customized

I originally thought that the side button could be personally configured to do whatever task I wanted and was slightly disappointed that it didn’t. However, the side button will work even if the program isn’t running. For me, I was able to go back to a previous page/website on my browser when I press on the side button and didn’t have the software program (Quick Button) running.

Must be running for privacy feature

Although the button can work without the software program, Quick Button running in the background, if you wish to use the privacy feature, you must have it running or you won’t be able to hide the windows from view.

Button clicks feel rigid

Similar to many Chinese made computer mouse, the button clicks feel “rigid” or stiff when pressed. By that, I mean that unlike brand name mouse buttons like those from Logitech or Microsoft which offers a soft spring back feel when pressed, the Chinese manufactured mouse usually spring back with a quick stiff feel. Hopefully you can understand what I mean. This isn’t a big deal with me, but if you are used to the soft spring back feel of your mouse, you may find it annoying.

Review Summary

USB Fever’s USB Smart Privacy Mouse may be an inexpensive solution for those who desire privacy whether it be at a library, local coffee shop, at home or at work. Once configured, you can easily hide windows and programs from view simply by the click of the side mouse button. Click the button again and voila! The previously hidden windows and programs re-appear! As opposed to purchasing a privacy filter like the 3M Privacy filter, this privacy mouse may be a much cheaper alternative. Whether you have the software and drivers installed and configured or not, the mouse works very well as a regular ergonomically designed mouse or as a privacy mouse. Either way, it just works.

Enjoyed this review? Check out the many other Palm Discovery product reviews of USB Fever products here or other hardware, or accessories reviews.

Palm Discovery is not an affiliate of USB Fever but thank them for their gracious provision of products for the reviews.

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