Okay Geek Farm
Logitech Cube review
Allen Tyson
At CES 2012 when I heard that the Logitech Cube mouse was selected as a CES Best of Innovations Honoree, I wasn’t surprised. Logitech has always produced solid, and for lack of a better word, innovative products. And to an extent I found myself biased; I expected to see something like what I’d seen before from Logitech: something updated, honed and even more refined from the current product line. It wasn’t until I saw that device that I realized two things: 1) Logitech isn’t afraid to challenge themselves and deviate from convention and 2) I was completely wrong. The Logitech Cube is a mouse unlike anything we’ve ever seen. If I were to describe how it’s affected my workflow I would use two (not to sound cliché) words: paradigm shift. — Our full review after the break!
Features
- Smooth-as-smartphone scrolling
- Built on Logitech Unifying Receiver technology
- Ability to move from presentation to mice mode seamlessly
- Built to last - backed by a 3 year warranty
- Innovative and extremely portable design
Our Impressions
Logitech sends a clear message that you’re about to experience something unique even before you open the box. The small, minimalist square box the Logitech Cube comes packaged in has a sleek presentation that draws your attention to what’s important; just how unique this device is—you won’t find specs, data, or a stat sheet as happens on most packaging; your eyes stay fixed on this intriguing little cube. While I completely understand packaging is, somewhat utilitarian these days, it’s hard to ignore an aesthetically pleasing presentation. From the moment you open the box things the layout is done in a very—dare I say—Cupertino-esque way. In my opinion, Logitech has always produced stylish products—in fact I think the name Logicool as they are known by in Japan fits the brand well—but this is big a departure from what we’ve seen from Logitech in the past.
After opening the box, a nice message greets you to “Look Inside” as if you’re seeking some sort of buried treasure and this is a map to guide you…more on that later. It’s below this map of sorts you find the package contents: The Logitech Cube, a small yet functional carrying case, the Unifying Receiver, a small white USB charger for the lithium-polymer battery and a quick start guide. At this point, after unpacking the contents, one gets a sense of just how small the Cube really is.
The Cube has a smooth ribbed touch surface that is well crafted, and show’s a distinct attention to detail—each side of the mouse is composed of what appears is one sheet of plastic instead of being a composite design. It feels similar to a Magic Mouse, but it has striations on the surface that give you a better sense of where your finger is in relation to the primary and secondary click buttons. Black accent lines round the Cube (mirroring the box it came in) which adds to a visually appealing style that easily places it at home on the desk of an iMac or PC. Everything about the Cube screams design, design, design. From the recessed on off on button, to the bottom track interface to the off-grey Logitech logo on the side…make no mistake this is a conversation piece as much as it is a mouse. The carrying case is a nice touch—it’s the right size to hold not only the Cube, but also the USB charging cable in a nice clean package; making it easy to place in a purse or shirt pocket. The Unifying Receiver doesn’t fit as safely into the case as we would like, so be advised to store it somewhere else securely so it’s not lost during transit. Also, given the small size of the Cube, you may opt to simply place it in shirt pocket—just don’t forget it’s in there.
So with all this emphasis on design, how does it actually perform? Holding the Cube took time to get used to. Because of its size, holding it in a conventional way is out of the question. Placing the Cube between my thumb and middle finger while using my forefinger to scroll was the best option. The smooth touch surface on the top of the Cube was responsive and accurate. While browsing web pages, scrolling through documents in Word, or reading PDFs, the Cube responded immediately to my inputs and gestures. The primary click and secondary click buttons performed well as expected, and the lack of a scroll wheel was easy to adjust to after a few uses. The Flow Scroll software worked equally well perusing sites in Chrome and Firefox, after initial setup. One thing to note is that, while the Flow Scroll software operated as advertised, it’s very specialized and didn’t cross over into other applications. Also, as of this writing, it’s only for Windows 7 which is a shame as the device fits aesthetically into the Apple ecosystem and the software would be a nice fit.
The Cube’s Presentation Mode also lived up to expectations. Once the Cube you pick up up off the table, the sensor turns off so the tracking on the mouse so doesn’t move the cursor around on-screen, and now the primary click button advances slides. To go back, simply turn the Cube over, click the primary click, and then the slides advance backward. After a short adjustment period, Presentation Mode became second nature and I was able to zip through a PowerPoint during an ad-hoc training session with ease.
Overall
So do we recommend the Logitech Cube? Well, this is where I circle back to that discussion of a paradigm shift in workflow I mentioned at the beginning. The Cube is a great device… provided you understand what it, and what it is not. The Cube will not replace your everyday mouse or track pad and that’s not really what it’s designed for. The Cube is a companion to whatever it is your already using. If you’re a the road warrior, this will negate the need to have a presentation clicker…or worry if the conference room you’re headed to will have one. The ability to use it as Presenter, to move around, gesture and still have the ability to quickly use it as mouse makes it worthy of consideration to place in your travel bag. The only thing lacking on the device is laser pointer which may not be possible given the tech inside, but would be a nice touch. The Logitech Cube squarely falls in to the old adage of “Using the right tool for the right job”. If the job requires the features the Cube offers then look no further.
Pro’s
- Presentation Mode functionality
- Responsive touch surface
- Eye-catching design
Con’s
- No laser pointer
- Software not OSX compatible
Where to buy
Logitech Cube — MSRP: $69.99
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This review was done by Allen Tyson, who was provided the Logitech Cube by Logitech
