"Why the hell does this mouse need to connect to the Internet?"
Razer asks users to activate gaming mice online, uproar follows.
In this hyper-connected, networked world, many more of our devices are getting linked to the cloud, whether we want them to or not. That's sometimes good, and sometimes bad, so when a basic device like a mouse requires a user to go online and set up an account to activate all of its functionality, people are understandably going to ask why?
We've seen really bad implementations of cloud connectivity for devices that simply don't need it. Witness Cisco's "Connect Cloud" program that replaced the traditional management interface for wireless routers with a cloud-connected one that was less useful and contained some bizarre anti-porn and anti-piracy terms of service. Users protested in what we think was a completely justified rebellion, and Cisco quickly back-pedaled to save face.
Now we have a new entry in the saga of "Why the hell does this thing need to connect to the Internet?" In this case, the company on the receiving end of the backlash may not entirely deserve it, but hasn't done a great job avoiding confusion among customers.
Please activate your mouse
...
Can see someone buying this and has no Internet connection and it wont work... Or midway through your game you lose Internet connection and your mouse stops working...
JUSTICE, n A commodity which is a more or less adulterated condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service.
Without activation the mouse will work as a normal PnP USB mouse.
Activation only allows you create profiles for the mouse, map keys and sequences and all that other goodness people who pay more than $10 for a mouse want...
hamin_aus wrote:To be fair the article is outright lying.
Without activation the mouse will work as a normal PnP USB mouse.
Activation only allows you create profiles for the mouse, map keys and sequences and all that other goodness people who pay more than $10 for a mouse want...
I can do all that using a competitors mouse for the same price without the inconvenience of having to register online. So in effect you buy a really expensive mouse that without Internet connection is a really expensive PnP mouse. The correct way to handle this is simple, allow for the offline method. Really cruddy move from Razer IMHO...
JUSTICE, n A commodity which is a more or less adulterated condition the State sells to the citizen as a reward for his allegiance, taxes and personal service.
Can see someone buying this and has no Internet connection and it wont work... 
. You need to active a mouse over the internet just to change some pointless profiles. Man but is that daft 