Genius recently released the new Traveler 9010LS mouse as a new addition to their popular Traveler series of products. Armed with Genius’ DarkEye technology, the mouse is said to work on just about any surface, including glass. Before we get started having a close look at the Traveler 9010LS, here is some information on Genius, which is part of KYE Corporation.

KYE Mission

“To envision and to fulfill our goal of creating an agile wireless world, KYE has dedicated its major resource in core wireless technology to design and innovate a totally free environment of personal interface products. Since the boundary between IT industry and consumer electronic field is not as clear as before, our target market is not only in the IT field but also in the mobile phone segment. Therefore, KYE stipulates “Create a Totally Free Enjoyment & Environment” as its mission.

Based on this mission, KYE has numerous product and marketing plans this year so you will see many new innovative products (wireless input device, digital camera, home theater, .etc). We expect these new products will bring more fun to the user, so all of us can benefit from it.”

KYE Vision

“Competition is everywhere in the IT industry. To cope with this challenge, KYE will keep enhancing its core technology not only in Pointing Devices, Digital Imaging and Gaming products for PC, but also developing more accessories and components for mobile phones.

KYE has envisioned this trend, and will “Create Infinite Value with a Magic Touch”. We believe this can be accomplished through the Magic Touch of KYE products, which can bring convenience, efficiency, and entertainment to all of us.”

Here are the specifications and system requirements for the Genius Traveler 9010LS as provided by the Genius website:

System Requirements

• Windows® 7/Vista/XP, Mac OSX 10.4+ or above
• Available USB Port

For a mouse, there certainly are a lot of features Genius has implemented into the Traveler 9010LS.

• 2.4 GHz 4-Button Wireless Laser Mouse
• Precision 1600 dpi Laser Engine
• Powerful Laser Tracking works on Clear Glass Surfaces
• Double Injection Grip Provides Extra Comfort
• Contoured Shape Suitable for Either Hand
• Convenient Battery Compartment Design for AA or AAA Battery

Genius’  surface friendly laser technology allows the mouse to work on surfaces you might not have ever tried with a normal mouse.

Packaging

The Genius Traveler 9010LS comes packaged in a clear plastic box, with a colorful cardboard insert depicting many of the product specifications and features. Inside you will find the following items:

• Traveler 9010LS
• USB Pico receiver
• AA Alkaline battery
• Stick-N-Go mount
• Multi-language user manual

Here are some pictures of the Traveler 9010LS from the various angles. Of note here is the Double Injection Grip design which feels extremely comfortable on the hand. Even though the pictures give the impression of a grainy surface, it’s actually quite smooth to the touch while still providing a good amount of grip.

The four button feature includes the standard left and right click, along with the “Magic-Roller” and dpi select button. The Magic-Roller allows you to press down on the scroll wheel and then moved the mouse up or down to automatically scroll in either direction. The dpi select switch will flash quickly ten times when 1600 dpi is selected, pressing the button again for 1200 dpi makes the light flash a little slower six times, and finally pressing the button again the light will flash four times even slower indicating 800 dpi.

Flipping the mouse over to expose the underside, we can see the on/off switch, the “DarkEye” laser, and the battery compartment. The battery compartment is unique in the fact that you can use either a AA or AAA size battery. I’m not sure if their are any other mice out there that can use two different size batteries or not, but this is the first one I have run across and I think it’s a great addition. Now when you go rummaging through that junk drawer looking for a battery,  your chances of having one have just doubled! Genius has also provided a holder for the USB Pico receiver in the battery compartment, this will reduce the chance of losing it while on the go. Also located on the back is the slot that matches the included “Stick-N-Go” clip. Once you remove the strip from the sticky side of the clip you can attach it to your laptop or other portable device for quick and easy mouse mobility. Once you have permanently attached the clip to your device, then you simply slide your mouse over it, and you’re mobile… mouse and all! The slot on the mouse that mates with the clip can also double as a storage area for the USB Pico receiver.

As far as testing goes on a mouse, there really isn’t a whole lot that can be done other than seeing if it does what it claims to do. The first thing I did was grab the mouse and drag it over every different kind of surface I could find. Everything from my granite counter tops, bare wood desks, mouse pads, and yes… even a sheet of glass were no match for the Traveler 9010LS. It worked just fine on any surface I could conjure up. So, those of you that have your portable device carrying bags packed with a mouse pad, you won’t need it anymore if you decide to purchase this mouse. For the professional on the go, it’s one less thing to worry about.

The dpi function works very well, and I like being able to switch from one setting to the next, on the fly, without having to open a software program to do it. Depending on the work you are doing, being able to control the sensitivity quickly is a real time saver, and will improve the quality of your work as well.

The USB Pico receiver was immediately recognized by Windows 7 and installed effortlessly. It takes literally seconds to have the Traveler 9010LS up and running from the time you open the box.

A quick search shows the Traveler 9010LS selling for under $35.00 USD at many eTailers. If you are looking for a mouse that takes portability to the next level, looks great, feels nice to the touch, and does what it claims to do, then the Genius Traveler 9010LS is a must have item!

-Dino DeCesari (Lvcoyote)