Review: An hour with Hillcrest Labs’ Loop Pointer

In Brief: The Loop Pointer is cheaper than Logitech’s MX Air, which uses the same technology, and it gets the same job done: high-precision wireless mousing that doesn’t need a surface. If you have an application at hand needing something like this, such as couch browsing, you won’t be disappointed. Impulse buyers, however, will find that the whole idea isn’t the convenience its cracked up to be.

Hillcrest Labs’ Loop Pointer is a wireless pointing device that works with PC, Mac and Playstation 3. You hold it in your hand and wave it about, like a Wiimote.

Placed so they can be hit with the thumb, the $100 Loop Pointer has a two mouse buttons, a scroll wheel, and a “mute” button so that you can lay it down without moving the pointer. It comes with a 30-ft RF dongle that plugs into a USB port, and requires two AA batteries. Thoughts follow.
• It looks like a sci-fi ray gun. Pew pew! It’s a little smaller than a CD, and weighs about the same as a large mouse.

• It requires no fancy software: plug it in on PC or Mac and it just works. Thank you.

• If you’re used to the Wiimote, you’ll find tracking very smooth and accurate. Hitting specific points isn’t too hard, but you won’t be whipping across-screen to precise points like you can with a mouse.

• There’s a small “dead zone” to ignore hand tremors.

• Though it’s fun to play casual shooting games with it, that’s probably the only gaming it’s good for.

• You can also get it running with AppleTV and Kodak home theaters players.

Product Page [Hillcrest Labs]
Loop Pointer [Amazon link]

1. [Modern-Gsdgets.Com]

   Great Stuff..
   Keep Your Good Work Going..
   Regards!
   Boblee

   Processor

2. [Pete]

   Awww, I love that picture of the gadget being used by the bird.

3. [siliconsunset]

   Can we get a mod on this Wohuhu(etc) jerk?

4. [Rob Beschizza]

   It’s dead, Jim.

5. [notpeter]

   Can anyone compare this to Gyration Air Mouse stuff?

   I have an old 2.4ghz Gyration wireless kb/mouse set I got off woot for $40 4yrs ago and the mouse still works great. It uses a trigger button you hold to enable movement (double click to toggle) instead of on/off mute button. The integrated optical sensor for alternative use tabletop is handy too.

   If you’re willing to pay $100 for a mouse, new kb/mouse kits from Gyration fetch $120 (3x what I paid in 2005!) and they might scratch a similar itch.
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001LDKO60?&tag=duckiesorg-20