What is it about mice that fascinates both manufacturers and computer users? There are one-, two- and three-button mice and mice with scrolling wheels. At the COMDEX computer industry convention in Las Vegas last fall, I even saw the u1ltimate--a talking mouse.
Now along comes the GyroPoint Pro II "freespace" mouse for controlling presentations.
I've watched many presenters of PowerPoint slide shows struggling along with a variety of pointing devices from trackballs to traditional mice. Few of them, including the accomplished speakers, were comfortable with the devices they clicked to make the slides change. Presenters looking for something reliable for their computer-based slide shows will want to use the GyroPoint Pro II.
GyroPoint Pro II is manufactured by a company called 3CX that recently spun off from ixMICRO. 3CX aims to develop multimedia products that integrate computers and communications technology with consumer electronics. 
The gray, egg-shaped device is a wireless, radio-controlled mouse with a 75-foot range. Although I was unable to test it beyond that distance, my experience with traditional, radio-controlled AV devices is that they often easily exceed the rated distance. The GyroPoint Pro II is a plug-and-play device that, unlike similar pointing devices, contains a miniature gyroscope that translates wrist motions into cursor control. The GyroPoint Pro II works with any LCD projector or monitor and runs on both Windows and Macintosh systems.
Like all wireless control devices, there are two parts to the system: the transmitter and the receiver. The GyroPoint Pro II receiver is a small, sleek box designed to be connected to your computer through its mouse port. Cables are provided for PS/2, Macintosh ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) and RS-232 serial mouse ports. If you use a serial port, you must plug an adapter into the keyboard port, then plug your keyboard cable into a pass-through adapter. If you don't do this, the system won't work. The transmitter end of the system is the mouse itself, which has excellent human engineering.
The GyroPoint Pro II, while somewhat lightweight, improves in handling when two AA batteries are used to run it. To avoid any potential interference, place the receiver as far away from other electronic devices as possible. It's also a good idea to keep the receiver away from a monitor, and don't place it on top of or near an LCD or other projector. In the deluxe AV unit, 3CX includes what it calls a safety cable, which provides a hardwired connection to a computer. But you'll only need it if you have a location that has unavoidable radio interference. No driver software is provided, and your PC should see the GyroPoint Pro II as just another mouse. If you have a problem, you may have to play with the mouse control panel to make it recognize the new mouse. Mac OS users won't have any problems with the Apple ADB installation.
When holding the GyroPoint Pro II in your hand, you'll feel left and right top-mounted mouse buttons contoured to match the egg shape. They function just like the two buttons on any mouse you've encountered previously. On the bottom front of the egg--right where your index finger would fall--is the "Activate" button. There are two modes for activating the cursor. You can hold down the Activate button, then move the cursor anywhere on the screen; when you release the button, the cursor stops. You also can double-click the Activate button to keep the cursor active. Clicking it once parks the cursor.
Because the GyroPoint Pro II has a built-in gyroscope, you can move your wrist up and down to move the cursor vertically--you don't have to move your entire arm. How fast it moves can be controlled by the mouse control panel, so it may take a little experimenting to get it to match your presentation style. If the cursor appears unsteady, click the steady button nestled between left and right mouse buttons. When not in use, the mouse has a flat bottom that lets you set it down in an upright position.
While the GyroPoint Pro II may never replace your desktop mouse for day-to-day use, it's worthwhile if you make presentations.
(ComputerUser Contributing Editor Joe Farace is a Colorado writer/photographer who's written 21 books about computing, graphics and digital imaging.)
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