HP Bluetooth Laser Mobile Mouse - HDX Series [Mini Review]

Just had to share my experience with HP's Bluetooth mouse they currently offer because I can barely find any information regarding their mouse, just that they offer it and the specs. I just recieved it, I've gotten about an hour or two of full use with it after an awful installtion on Windows 7. So yeah my thoughts so far, pretty nice once you get it working.
Another thing, if you have EPP discount, or Academic discounts, and some other coupon codes you can get this at a nice deal. I was able to get it for about 44$ with a retractable mouse (20$) and free shipping at that point. So I got about 81$ (including shipping) worth of stuff for 44$, almost 50% off with all the discounts I had. Not bad I would assume for a nice looking mouse.
I'm just trying to provide an informational post with this mini-review. I hope it helps some people who are looking for a BT mouse.

Installation
In a couple words, pretty bad. Being bluetooth, I'd thought I'd fire up my bluetooth adapter, then just hit pair using native Windows, and let Win Update do it's thing if needed. Everything went through fine, choose no pairing code, and things installed, but things didn't work. Threw in the disc, followed instructions, no worky still. After a restart, and trying again, seemed to work....

Usage
... but buttons weren't working correctly, specifically the middle click (default is apparently zoom, can disable to get "regular" middle click action.). I'll get back to buttons in a sec. Movement is uberly sensitive being at 1600 dpi*. I didn't really see a place to select an 800 dpi mode, you barely move your hand to move this mouse. However, a quick work around is just lower the mouse pointing speed, but that slows down the pad. Either get used to the sensitivity, or adjust the pointing speed all the time (I got the hang of it pretty quickly though.).
Back to the buttons, I just uninstalled the software, with the driver (I think, but doubt). Retried adding again with Windows, and it works, and all the buttons work and what not, but you lose horizontal scroll from what I can tell (rather have accurate middle click than horizontal scroll).
Can't comment on power usage obviously because I haven't used it long enough.
Overall, pretty solid experience for myself, but with some quirks, but got it working how I want it.
*See updates below.

Body
You can see how it looks on HP's site (link towards beginning of post). Size wise, it's mobile size, but not tiny like most mobile mice, a tad bigger, which is a bit of a con for me, as I prefer desktop size mice (sensitivity means you barely move it though, so it works out for me). Chrome trim appears kinda cheap, and on HP's site there's a few complaints of chipping, and yes after about a month of use the chrome trim chips off in some places, but it doesn't just all fall off, after the initial chips, seems like it stops. Comes with two battery covers, solid and patterned (HDX). Wheel lights up blue when it connects (off when connected), flashes when pairing, not sure what low batt does though. Has a nice weight when the two AA's are in. On off switch, with a rather long battery life about par with other mice I've read. After my use of a month and a half, I'm at like 50%, it's like 7-10% a week of loss from daily usage, and not powering it off every night. If you calculate this linearly (which seems to be a rather decent estimate for this so far with my estimates), that's about 10-12 weeks of use before switching the batteries, so about 3 months. Has nice semi soft, but solid clicks, very quiet from what I've experienced. Wheel horizontal tilt feels stiff compared to everything else, but works for the most part. Scroll isn't "floaty" I guess, but it is relatively normal with a smooth feel.

Other Thoughts
Thing comes with 2 AA batts, another cover, and a case, along with documentation and driver cd. Says it's compatible with Vista and XP, but nothing about 7 on the label, but I confirm that it works, but I'm not sure if my installation trouble came from using Win 7 64-bit. Software seems wonky, not way to choose dpi from what I could tell. Think you can install the driver from the disc minus the software. Support is lacking, driver and software isn't available from HP's site, only their quick start manual can be found. Those looking for a gaming mouse, I can't really provide an opinion regarding that as I don't really game (read though that wired mice are better for gaming though?).

Overall
Solid mouse once you get it working I suppose, I'd give ie like a 8.5/10.

Cons
- Not a friendly installation (on Win7)
- Software included doesn't work great. (Breaks some functionality)
- Price ($50 reg)
- Poor Documentation
- It's bluetooth (BT dongle or integrated required)

Pros
- HP users have a nice matching mouse.
- Choice of style
- It's bluetooth, no dongles needed if integrated.
- Works well once you get it working. (does work on Win 7)
- Larger size that mouse mobile bluetooth mice.
- Nice weight
- Sensitivity
- Feels sturdy.

Neutral
- Price ($50 reg, on par with most other bluetooth MSRP)

Update:
#1: Horizontal scroll does work. After a quick Bing search, found out that only certain programs have horizontal scroll support. Doesn't seem to work in many programs for me, but it does work in Notepad. Right now, my config with the mouse is native pairing through Windows, not through the included software.
#2: Did a system restore prior to installation of mouse, just did a pairing using Windows (no included software), paired fine, didn't work after device was installed, a minute later it worked. Did see in the Bluetooth devices, that it had a black little "loading" icon on it during the period when it didn't work. when it kicked in, it disappeared. Might take a bit of time when you do it natively.
#3: Checking out ebay (personally I don't shop ebay), you can get the mouse for about 10$ (9$ shipping), or about 25$ w/ free shipping depending on the seller, rather cheap for those who use ebay and would like a nice matching mouse for their HP laptop.
#4: DPI Settings: To change the DPI of the mouse just hold down both buttons for about 4 seconds to switch between 1600DPI and 800DPI. 800 DPI is more like optical mice, and require more movement to move the mouse.
#5: Chipping on the trim does occur (I keep my stuff really clean and take care of things like they're babies), and battery life. Battery lasts for about 7-10% loss per week, estimating about 3 months of use on the stock batteries (which came expired, lol!).

 

The Microsoft laptop bluetooth presentation mouse 8000 (that's a mouthful!) can be had in white-box bulk packaging via ebay for around $35-. A much nicer mouse.

 

I like my Logitech G5 and Logitech Anywhere Darkfield mouse. xP

 

If we consider ebay, you can have the HP mouse for like 10$ before shipping (~19$ w. shipping). The presentation mice from Microsoft has an MSRP of 80$, and it sure does do a lot of features, but for those looking for more style over functionality for their HP laptops the HP offerring seems to be a better idea, and I just wrote this up to give some feedback on it because there is so little feedback regarding this mouse.
Most mice that are BT being discussed are Logitec or Microsoft. So thought I'd throw some first hand information out there with information that I was looking for when I was mouse shopping. MS 8000 is a better buy for those looking for a nice presentation mouse, but I really don't like the look of it.

 

There is probably a reason why the HP mice sell at such a discount from msrp while the msft mice sell at 50% msrp.

"style over functionality" is hardly ever on my radar screen. Especially with HID devices.

Some of the best looking mice/keyboards are the worst possible to use in terms of comfort and functionality.

The MS 'presenter' mice also double as WMP/MCE media remote controls, etc, etc.