A controversial new study done in England suggests that 1 in 3 Britons are “addicted to technology”.

Professor Nada Kakabadse of Northampton University in the U.K. published results stating that up to a third of of the individuals they researched feel deprived if they are separated from internet access or the devices that provide it.

“You would be surprised how many people keep their PDA or BlackBerry next to their beds,” she told the BBC.

“Technology has become much more interesting over the past 10 years with the internet and everything. It is much simpler and much more portable which makes it more accessible.”

The study drew from a pool of 360 people, which is not statistically a broad enough reach to satisfy many critics. Otehrs, like the folks at Gartner (a mega-research corporation) say that the study doesn’t dig deep enough into what the Internet represents - is it the technology? Or the conduit it provides to the world?

However, most experts agree that the growing need of individuals to be ‘plugged in’ has become a widespread psychological phenomena.

So the next time your significant other insists you’re addicted to your new iPhone, you can point out you’re in good company!

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This is just my opinion, but…

The biggest wow at MacWorld had to be the “Air” - that new, tragically slim laptop that Apple unveiled. It could be argued that it’s the only other product out there that gives as good as the MoGo in the low-profile department.

But Air’s critics have been mounting. Primarily that it doesn’t come with a CD/DVD Drive (external one costs $99).

It was a bigger issue that Slate’s Harry McCracken came up with that has been ringing around in my head for a couple of weeks.

Now I’m going to put it in front of you.

Why is the Air a step backward from the iPhone?

No, Seriously.

The reason the iPhone (And its non-Apple cousins) blew us all off our feet was because that little device gets it.

The Future is Less Stuff that Does More.

We, the People, do not want to keep marching to the future wearing a superhero utility belt holding our 2 dozen gadgets.

This is why the MoGo rocks - because it is not only cool AND functional, but it stores in the device it augments. One fewer thing to worry about.

The plain truth is that phones and laptops (and computers and televisions) are converging. The iPhone was the standard-bearer of that reality. Internet + MP3 + Phone. That was 3 devices plucked from the utility belt and tossed in the bin, replaced by a single wicked multi-tasker.

The next tick in the evolution should not only have been a thin big dog laptop, but one that does more.  For example, when MoGo rolled out the next gen of its product, it had more functionality.

The Air should have, too. It should be touchscreen, it should have cell-hookup capabilities, it should act like -in fact - an iPhone with a whole lot more memory and display and applications. After all, this is Apple. If they don’t get it, then who will?

So, what do YOU think?

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One of the biggest challenges on the road can be getting something printed out. There’s two problems: first, finding a printer. This usually means finding one you can piggyback on. And second, getting what you want onto the paper you got.

For the second problem, there is now a really cool piece of freeware called GreenPrint.  This nifty piece of software allows you to pick out just what you want to print.

For example - say you’ve got a webpage with a ton of information about the convention you’re attending. A straight Control-P is going to get you something like 6 pages. With GreenPrint, you can condense the parts that you really want onto a single page or two. Nifty, no?

And because GreenPrint is an environmental initiative, it also tracks for you how many pages you don’t print over time - and converts that into real-life statistics that demonstrate what that equals in trees, resources, and waste.

If you’ve got your page all lined up but still need a printer, there’s a great how-to over at HowStuffWorks. One of my common fall-backs is printing by emailing my documents to a local fax machine. Reality is that I am more likely to find WiFi than an open printer on most days. But most places have a fax, and there’s a ton of services that will do it for you for free or very low cost.

Good luck!

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A couple of new reviews of the X54…

First of all, the intrepid and patient Andy Fertal wrote that he’s received his new MoGo X54. Andy has often commented here, was one of the first to order the new release, and was enthusiastically awaiting delivery as deliveries caught up with the huge backlog of pre-orders.

This is what he wrote;

I got my Mo-Go (X54 Pro) workin!

After a loooooong wait, I received my X54 Pro from Tiger Direct on December 21st… one day after I had left for a two-week trip to Mexico. Sadly, I had to lug around my Microsoft Wireless Presentation Mouse 8000, which works great, but requires batteries and a storage case and weighs at least five to ten times what the X54 Pro weighs.

..but now I’m back and I got my Mo-Go workin’…..

The X54 Pro is great! It protrudes just enough from the X54 slot on my Dell Laptop to allow for easy insertion and removal. Once it is paired, it is recognized by the system (Windows XP) upon startup prior to login so you can slip it out of the slot and begin using it immediately. The scroll function and center (scroll wheel) click functions are a great addition to the original 2-button Mo-Go design.

The overall feel when in ‘mouse’ mode is much more solid than I had expected. It is also quick and responsive and tracks well on a variety of surfaces. The ‘presentation’ mode functions well with PowerPoints and Windows Media player and does everything the Microsoft Presentation Mouse 8000 does except provide volume control.

All in all, the X54 Pro is a great product and has my vote as one of the most useful new computer gadgets to come along in quite a while….

Andy Fertal

Andy - thank you from all of us for that great review, and for being such a great customer!

Over at VNUNET, the reviewers are also impressed with the X54 MoGo.

Although at first a little sceptical of the design; “What at first appears to be an extremely uncomfortable mouse actually turns out to be surprisingly pleasant in use.”

In the end? They give it 4 stars!

Just more evidence of how exiting and revolutionary the mouse is!

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Although many orders have been filled, there are still some folks patiently (and running-out-of-patiently) waiting for their new X54 mice.

To those folks (yes, I’m looking at you, Andy) I want to express a personal thanks. Your comments have been intelligent, clear, and often humorous as you look to your mailboxes for that order.

Although no one lets me play with the postage meters,  I want you to know that we read and personally pass to the right hands each email and comment.  If you are one of those handful looking for specific help  - please remember that the North-American Direct Support Mailbox  is  HERE.

Always helpful if you send include your order number, order date, company you have ordered from, in the “issue” box. Thanks.

In the meantime, a special thank-you and bow to Scott - who made us laugh out loud with the way he wrote about his issue:

Hi. I want to love you and your wonderful little Mogolicious Mice, but I
can’t. And do you know why I can’t? Because I have been told no less than
SEVEN (7) times from Tiger Direct that my X54 order will ship on x date,
only to have that day come and go with no fanfare, no joy and most
disheartening…no mouse, because, according to them, they are waiting
on you. Today, I was given a new date of December 20th…lucky number 7.
Please, can you guys give me a straight answer on when I really might be
able to expect my X54? I sent you a note a month ago, and was told that
Tiger Direct would have their backorders filled by the beginning of December.
That is looking not to be the case.

Scott - the MoGo team has your info and I’m sure they will be in touch, soon.

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For the past few weeks, the ‘Ask Elizabeth‘ column has had an influx of emails with the same question: when will the X54 Pro deliver on the early orders?

This is the question that I bring to the management at MoGo. They, in turn, pass to me whatever information they have as they work to facilitate fulfillment between the production and the retailers.

The bottom line? The incredible package of features on the new X54 products has spurred an overwhelming response.

As someone who’s just had a week of using one, though, I can say… it’s worth the wait.

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I’ve had a lot of emails in past weeks about support questions. As I work to respond personally to each one, it seems a very opportune time to remind our wonderful customers and readers of MoGo support lines.

The FAQ, which has answers to all the most commonly asked MoGo product questions, is HERE.

In the  United States and Canada, the phone number for MoGo support is (800) 945.9122.

In Europe, the Middle East, and Asia,  the number is +31 (0)55 538 4325.

MoGo also has online videos with instructions on installing, setting up and configuring their products HERE.

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Q. When will I get my new MoGo x54?

A. First of all, if you have ordered a new MoGo mouse and the delivery has not met the schedule you were given, please feel free to contact me or MoGo’s support line. We are here and want to help if you are having problems.

Secondly, if you order today then you should be quoted about a 4 week delivery time. Gateway, for example, is giving out mid-November for a ship date.

By the end of the year, expect this lead time to drop. In the meantime, please accept our deep felt thanks for being some of the first  to buy these exciting new products!

Q. When will UK orders ship?

A. The lead time internationally is the same as domestically. If you order now, then you can expect it to be shipped mid-November.

International reviewers, like the UK’s Pocket-Lint, have already received their models to try out and talk about.

Q. Where can I buy them outside the US?

A. To make life easy for you, here’s that link again: . Find your nearest MoGo retailer here.

Elizabeth is a professional writer & geek with most of the last decade spent in senior management at a leading global IT provider. Thousands have attended her seminars in the US & Canada on subjects ranging from basic TCP/IP networking to high-end data storage solutions.

Got a question? Ask Elizabeth.

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Q. Will my Bluetooth Mouse work with my Linux system?

A. Yes.

If you’re using the commercially available desktop GNU/Linux platform, then you should already have the Bluetooth kernel drivers compiled as modules and ready to load once your systems detects a Bluetooth hub and/or a Bluetooth peripheral device.

If anything, you may need to buy a Bluetooth USB adaptor, like MoGo’s about-to-be released Daptor.

Tyler wrote a great post on this a few month back. Andthis article is a little old but has tons of good information about Linux and Bluetooth.

Q. Will MoGo products work with Vista?

A. They already do.

Issues with Vista getting Bluetooth peripherals to work almost always have more to do with how the platform handles the Bluetooth protocol than any specific Bluetooth device (like the MoGo Mouse).

Here are the official Microsoft instructions for setting up any Bluetooth device with Vista. The Microsoft TechNet has a bunch of answers for the common problems you may encounter.

Q. I don’t live in the U.S. and don’t want to pay the outrageous shipping to buy a MoGo mouse from a US retailer. Tell me there are international sellers!

A. OK, there are International Sellers!

It’s true. Find your nearest MoGo retailer here.

Elizabeth is a professional writer & geek with most of the last decade spent in senior management at a leading global IT provider. Thousands have attended her seminars in the US & Canada on subjects ranging from basic TCP/IP networking to high-end data storage solutions.

Got a question? Ask Elizabeth.

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Q. I really don’t want to order my new mouse from Tiger Direct. When will other retailers offer it for purchase?

A. NOW!

The x54 is now widely available from several US retailers. A quick Google search reveals the many options you have for ordering.

For those who swear by their BT model, rest assured that product is still in production. I’ve become so enamored of mine that I rarely use the ‘full sized’ one any more, even at home.

And remember, we are here and listening. If you have any feedback or comments about your ordering experience, please let us know.

Q. I was at SkyMall site and I think I saw the MoGo mouse for sale there. Are they selling it?

A. SkyMall is indeed featuring the MoGo products; as a catalog that features items geared towards the mobile traveler, it is a perfect fit for them.

Please note, though, that SkyMall features items from other companies gathered under the umbrella of their catalog and website. Thus, buying a MoGo mouse from them is really a purchase through Tiger Direct - which was the first US retailer of the new x54’s.

Elizabeth is a professional writer & geek with most of the last decade spent in senior management at a leading global IT provider. Thousands have attended her seminars in the US & Canada on subjects ranging from basic TCP/IP networking to high-end data storage solutions.

Got a question? Ask Elizabeth.

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