techtv

Those aren't bugs! They're cute, kid-friendly mouses.
By James Kim
October 2001

Let's face it, kids are pretty tech-savvy these days. So it's not a big deal to see a proliferation of kid's tech products. TechTV Labs has seen everything from kiddy remote controls to colorful PDAs, so we weren't surprised to find a trio of cute little mouses in our products room. The KidzMouse is a specially designed USB mouse that fits both a kid's hand and a playroom perfectly.

The KidzMouse is the brainchild of Susan Giles, who was concerned with her 3-year-old granddaughter's difficulty using a normal mouse. Thus, Giles is the mother of a peripheral invention designed to bridge the gap between computer work and play.

There are three colorful models to choose from: a ladybug named CoolBug, a bumble bee named BenjieBee, and a funny bug named MollyMouse. Each of these creatures feature two large curved buttons that allow kids to squeeze rather than tap to click. And what kid wouldn't be attracted to a computer with a cute little bug attached to it?

The bugs -- er, mouses -- can be used in the conventional fashion (clicking from the top) but squeezing the head may be a bit easier for those with really small hands. One problem that arose in testing: Squeezing the head means that you press both mouse buttons simultaneously, which will cause some problems on a Windows desktop. Kids will certainly learn about the differences between the left and right mouse buttons.

Summary: A mouse designed for kids ages 2 to 102. Cute and colorful, the mouse comes in three fun designs and can be squeezed to click.

Pros: Perfect size for small hands; cute addition to desktop.

Cons: Squeezing means clicking on both buttons.