Buttonless Logitech Mice Scoff at Touch Monitors

Windows 8 was bound to cause the appearance of strange devices, and while touch-based mice aren't new, they do seem to be getting more active and bold, or at least their makers are.

Touch-enabled monitors aren't likely to become all that widespread just because Windows 8 has advanced support for such human-machine interaction.

Peripherals, mice in this case, are more likely to be replaced though, which means that Logitech stands to gain more than some may think.

Unlike the wireless rechargeable touchpad, the two newcomers (Zone Touch Mouse T400 and Touch Mouse T620) have the advantage of familiarity.

Sure, they may be strange mice, but they are still mice, whereas the touchpad is something seldom seen outside notebooks.

The former model, Logitech Zone Touch Mouse T400, is the one that stays closest to the look and feel of this type of peripheral, with its scroll-replacing central indentation.

It has no buttons though, but a glass surface which can detect touches, including gestures. However, it does come with side rubber grips.

The Touch Mouse T620 doesn't even try to look like a mouse, beyond keeping the same overall form factor (a palm-sized oval).

Curiously, the former is cheaper, at $50 / 50 Euro instead of $60 / 60 Euro, even though its battery can keep it running for three times longer (18 months versus six). Such is the price of style we suppose.

"This new family of products takes the traditional mouse functionality you’re used to and optimizes it for the navigation experience offered by Windows 8," said Mike Culver, vice president of brand development for consumer computing platforms at Logitech.

"Our new mice and touchpad replicate the touch-screen experience that you’ve grown accustomed to on smartphones and tablets. With Windows 8 now offering up a similar touch experience, our products give you quick, easy and dynamic access to the core elements of the new interface."