The Swiftpoint mouse is a tiny, ergonomic mouse designed for slipping into your go bag, but I found it equally good for desktop use. It even held up to some clicky gaming (The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion), which says a lot about how comfortable and durable it is.

What I like about the Swiftpoint

The Swiftpoint is a seriously tiny mouse. Check out the image at right to see how small. It’s more like using a tiny pen than palming a normal mouse.

Due to the size, you can use it in more convenient places like the space in front of your keyboard, if you are sitting at a desk, or the palm rest on your laptop. That’s what makes it ideal for using with a laptop; you can use it even if there isn’t much room to maneuver. It is also light enough that you can keep your thumb resting on the mouse while you type, which is convenient if you are using your laptop in your lap.

I even liked using it even with my desktop. It’s nice to leave it sitting in front of my keyboard where I can grab it more quickly. It’s a different way to point, but it’s a pretty natural feeling, overall. It’s not even too bad for light gaming, surprisingly, which speaks to the overall ergonomics more than any benefit it might have for navigating Fastcase.

Battery life is also good. I used it for a couple of weeks without running out of juice, and the manufacturer claims you should be able to go 2–4 weeks between charges.

There are more tricks hiding in the Swiftpoint. You can change the up direction to suit your grip, scroll while holding the left mouse button, and more.

Overall, I really liked using the Swiftpoint.

What I didn’t like about the Swiftpoint

It’s not perfect, though. Using the right-click button feels a bit unnatural because of the way you have to curl your finger back to reach it.

The USB dongle/charger is nifty, but it really only works if you are using a laptop with a horizontal USB port. If your USB port is vertical like the ones on my ThinkPad, it won’t fit. I had to set my laptop on a book to get enough clearance for charging. And I couldn’t use it at all on my desktop, because the rear USB ports are all full, and the front ones are recessed. Since the battery lasts several weeks, this isn’t a dealbreaker, but it’s a bit annoying.

More concerning is my experience of the build quality. The scroll wheel on both test units I had felt grabby, as if the rubber wheel was rubbing against something on each rotation. On the first, it ruined the experience. On the replacement unit I got, it was still noticeable, but didn’t really get in the way. Hopefully this is a fluke, but two Swiftpoint mice with the same issue points to a potential build quality problem.

Summary

Swiftpoint Mouse Review is a post from the law firm marketing blog, Lawyerist.com

Start spreadin’ the news. Websites will be leaving New York soon. While personally I tend to like the idea of making anonymous comment spam illegal, New York’s recently proposed bills to ban anonymous online speech, seem like good old-fashioned overreaching to me:

21 2. A WEB SITE ADMINISTRATOR UPON REQUEST SHALL REMOVE ANY COMMENTS
22 POSTED ON HIS OR HER WEB SITE BY AN ANONYMOUS POSTER UNLESS SUCH ANONY-
23 MOUS POSTER AGREES TO ATTACH HIS OR HER NAME TO THE POST AND CONFIRMS
24 THAT HIS OR HER IP ADDRESS, LEGAL NAME, AND HOME ADDRESS ARE ACCURATE.
25 ALL WEB SITE ADMINISTRATORS SHALL HAVE A CONTACT NUMBER OR E-MAIL
26 ADDRESS POSTED FOR SUCH REMOVAL REQUESTS, CLEARLY VISIBLE IN ANY
27 SECTIONS WHERE COMMENTS ARE POSTED.

The purpose of the bill, as reported by the Guardian article, quoting Assemblyman Jim Conte at Lipolitcs, who co-sponsored the bill, is to combat cyber-bullying:

With more and more people relying on social media and the internet to communicate and gather information, it is imperative that the legislature put into place some type of safeguard to prevent people from using the Internet’s cloak of anonymity to bully our children and make false accusations against local businesses and elected officials.

And of course the natural solution to protect our children, businesses and elected officials is to make a law that abridges the right of people to speak freely online.

Wait, did he say elected officials? Yeah, I’ve always thought political speech is too nasty. Let’s clean it up.

One might assume that, as a graduate of State University of New York at Stony Brook with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Political Science, Assemblyman Conte might have stumbled upon the document that binds us all. But then again, you know what they say about assumptions.

And here’s NYS Senator Tom O’Mara eloquently expressing his support:

And setting aside the seemingly clear violation of the 1st Amendment issue, there are of course the practical ramifications.

Since the onus is placed on the website administrator to remove anonymous comments upon request, the likely outcome will be that many website admins will simply shut-down comments to their sites altogether.

And what about online surveys? And as Columbia law school professor, Tim Wu, told the Guardian, online course evaluations?

But assuming these bills become law, the most obvious outcome seems to be that people just won’t register and admin websites in the state of New York. Which is great news for the development industry in New Jersey!

But of course these are only a few of the practical consequences of this important legislation. I’m sure you can think of some more.

Perhaps PC Magazine’s Damon Poeter (@dpoeter) puts it best: Proposed NY Ban on Anonymous Commenting So Stupid it Hurts

Author requests that all comments to this article be made anonymously.

Freezing Anonymous Online Speech is a post from the law firm marketing blog, Lawyerist.com

A federal judge in Miami disqualified an attorney and his firm from a case for, amongst other things, the attorney’s deplorable behavior. That behavior, according to The ABA Journal, included scheduling depositions at Dunkin’ Donuts and attending the depositions in T-shirts and shorts. At the depositions, the attorney “drew penis pictures and played the game Angry Birds during deposition testimony.”

Professionalism Tip: Don’t Do Depositions in Dunkin’ Donuts is a post from the law firm marketing blog, Lawyerist.com

Retail establishments seem to use any excuse to have a sale and Memorial Day is no exception. In fact, Memorial Day weekend seems to have turned into one of the biggest sale weekends of the year in stores and on-line. If you find yourself having some free time between barbecues and time with loved ones then check out some of the best sales this weekend around the internet to stock your closet.

Ann Taylor – A great place for all things professional take an extra 40% off sale items

Anthropologie – For a little bit quirky and a lot of feminine, check out Anthropologie’s semi-annual sale

ASOS – This UK based shop truly has something for everyone and prices to fit every budget. I love looking for ultra feminine and retro-inspired pieces here. They always have great sales and in addition to their regular sale, this weekend they have 20% off some regular priced items.

Banana Republic – Always filled with classic office styles, Banana is offering 35% off everything this weekend

Bluefly.com – A great place for designer styles at discounted prices, all sale items are an extra 30% off this weekend

Calvin Klein – Spend $100, save 25%, spend $200 save 30%, spend $300+ save 40%

Cusp – Owned by Neiman Marcus, Cusp caters to the young professional female crowd and is giving 40% off new arrivals this weekend

Express – Stacked offers depending on how much you spend, a great place for dress pants and pencil skirts

French Connection – Extra 50% off sale items

J Crew – There is always something to be coveted at this preppy staple, this weekend take an additional 30% off sale items

The Limited - One of my favorite place for work clothes, the Limited is taking 30% off your entire purchase all weekend.

Lord and Taylor – 20% off sale and clearance items with an additional 10% if you use your L&T card

Madewell – Extra 20% off all sale

MaxStudio – You may have to search a bit for office pieces but $50 off $200 or more gives you a chance to mix business and pleasure

Nordstrom – My favorite place for office wear is having their half-yearly sale, at least 33% off most apparel, handbags, and shoes.

NY and Company – A great place for basics, NY and Co has 40% off everything this weekend

Rachel Roy – A great place for out of the box office pieces, take an extra 25% off sale

Ralph Lauren – 25% off sale items

White House Black Market- 25% off select styles

Memorial Day Sales is a post from the law firm marketing blog, Lawyerist.com

I’m honestly sick of hearing the word innovation, though. (Via I Love Charts.)

Lawyers and Innovation (Chart) is a post from the law firm marketing blog, Lawyerist.com