DUAL WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY GAMING MICE

The G309 Lightspeed delivers next-level connectivity with Bluetooth and Lightspeed, putting the best of both worlds in users’ hands. The alkaline battery-powered gaming mouse seamlessly integrates Bluetooth, Lightspeed, and USB for users seeking to maximize their connectivity options. For advanced gamers with streaming needs, dual connectivity creates a seamless bridge between Bluetooth and Lightspeed. The G309 also improves on the G705’s functional lighting design, contributing to more intuitive productivity, gaming, and streaming experiences.

Bringing Design Challenges to Light

As just the second Logitech gaming mouse with a three-connectivity (Lightspeed, Bluetooth, and USB), dual wireless approach, the G309 Lightspeed faced a unique design challenge: How would users be able to easily determine which connection is active?

The G309 takes its Human Machine Interface (HMI) cues from the Aurora collection, which features a single status light and button for all three connectivity options. However, the QA team brought to light two specific issues impacting user satisfaction: The status light was confusing for users, and the reality of hardware limitations compounded the problem. The single LED, which emitted blue for Bluetooth, cyan for Lightspeed, and white for USB, lacked enough color distinction for quick identification of the active connection status. Further contributing to the problem was the muddiness of LED lights typical of lower grade parts. With a lower color spectrum capability–despite the theoretical 16M digital input–a higher variability in emitted colors was inevitable.

Intuitive Lighting for Seamless Productivity/Use

I was brought on board by the NPI Core team, responsible for new product design at Logitech, to develop an HMI solution that would enhance user experience and provide clearer, more intuitive controls. I explored a variety of design options including a single LED vs. two LEDs, one vs. two separate toggle buttons, and status light LEDs with printed icons vs. LED lightguides that eliminate the need for printed icons.

In the end, the NPI Core team opted for a single toggle button with two LED status lights to balance user experience and cost efficiency. The toggle button lets users effortlessly switch between Bluetooth and Lightspeed, while universally recognizable icons and separate status lights clearly indicate the active connectivity mode.

With unmistakable visual indicators, G309 Lightspeed users can quickly check their connection status, enhancing user experience and ensuring smooth transitions between modes for confident, uninterrupted performance.