I'm always a bit leery of "portable mice" and "travel mice" because more often than not those terms really mean "too small to use, and uncomfortable, too." That's why Radtech's BT500 Mobile Mouse was such a surprise: It is actually a usable travel-size mouse.

The BT500 is an 800dpi optical Bluetooth mouse with rechargeable batteries. It includes left and right buttons along with a scroll wheel that acts as a third button. A custom USB charger cable is included, and the mouse also works with AAA batteries in case you forget the cable while on the road. I'm not big on custom cables since that means you have one more bit of charging gear to potentially forget.

Battery life on this little mouse seems totally reasonable. After an initial charge, I used the BT500 for a week without killing the batteries. That tells me I can get several days use on the road even if I leave the charging cable behind.

The BT500 and charger cable.

After I paired the BT500 with my PowerBook G4, I noticed that it immediately adopted the button settings I created for the BT600 mouse I've been using when I travel. It seems that RadTech's RadMouse Preference Pane automatically applies your settings to any Bluetooth RadTech mouse. That's a brilliant move in my book especially since I can picture users with the BT600 in their office, and the BT500 in their travel bag. No need to change settings when switching mice.

The shape of the BT500 fits nicely into your hand, but it is a bit small for me. Keep in mind that I really prefer full-sized mousing devices, so the size may not be an issue for you.

A key bonus for me: The BT500 is ambidextrous. Comfortable mice can be difficult for us lefties to find since so many are shaped to fit your right hand. The hand-neutral shape of this mouse is a pleasant change.

Just like its big brother, the BT600, the BT500 tracks just as it should and is precise enough that it selects what you are clicking on - unlike some travel mice I have tried that leave you clicking all around the item you want to select hoping one of the clicks will actually hit the target. Wasting time trying to click on the right thing is no good, so thanks, little BT500, for not wasting my time.

The Bottom Line
RadTech's BT500 is one of the first travel mice I have ever felt comfortable recommending. It's shape makes it usable for left or right-handed people, and the RadMouse Preference Pane lets you program the buttons and scroll wheel to work exactly the way you want. If I were to carry a travel-size mouse when on the road, the BT500 is exactly what I would choose.