1. Two Mice, Two Better Mousetraps

A mouse is a mouse is a mouse, right? Scrolling and clicking may have become mass market commodities that any manufacturer can get right, but Logitech and Kensington have produced laser notebook mice that introduce new elements to the boring peripheral that everyone takes for granted.

The innovations are simple, obvious upgrades that we can’t believe nobody thought of until now (though you’re welcome to correct us). Logitech’s Nano V550 introduces a snap-on element that attaches to the lid of your laptop, while Kensington’s SlimBlade Media Mouse flips over to reveal a remote control.

Logitech’s Clip-n-Go

When carrying around something as portable as a notebook, you want a small, wireless mouse to go with it. Logitech’s got that covered, but with the V550, announced by Logitech on August 14, it makes the mouse easy to carry, too.

Frankly, you shouldn’t have to juggle a mouse, a cup of coffee, and perhaps a pad of paper and a cell phone when you walk to the conference room at work with your laptop. You shouldn’t even have to hold the mouse in one hand while you carry your laptop from the home office to your living room—this endangers your precious laptop, which you really shouldn’t put at risk of a fall by using only one hand to carry it.

Logitech’s Clip-n-Go system comes with an alcohol swab that you can use to clean off a spot on the lid of your notebook. Then, after the spot dries, you peel the paper back from the super-sticky bottom of the small plastic dock, which is less than three quarters of an inch square. You stick the dock firmly onto the lid of your laptop—Logitech recommends the left-center or right-center—and wait for it to dry. Then you can snap your mouse onto the lid of your notebook and carry it with you anywhere. I found that it stays put even in briefcases and messenger bags.

Friends, family and co-workers all marveled at this simple trick. Every mouse should do it.

Kensington’s Remote Control

Pricy presenter-mice that control PowerPoint presentations have been available on the road warrior circuit for years. Kensington’s, though, is the first consumer mouse I’ve seen that comes with a built in remote control for managing notebook audio and video from a distance.

The receiver’s range is 30 feet, so you can control DVD playback from the couch, change iTunes tracks when something unsavory comes on, or pause playback or turn down the volume when the phone rings. You can also control a photo slideshow while friends are gathered around your screen to watch.

The remote controls are housed in a rubbery circle on the bottom of the mouse—a smart design that can’t be felt when you’re mousing over a smooth surface like a desk, but one that’s very tactile when flipped on its back.

Usefulness score: Logitech: 5/5 Kensington: 4.5/5