I’ve been using Microsoft Mouses… Meeses… Mice… handheld input devices for several years. They gave us the scroll wheel and a solid set of drivers upon which we could operate. I remember reluctantly moving from the original PS/2 Intellimouse Pro to a full-on USB controller several years ago; I didn’t like the form factor as much, which is a big deal when it comes to pointing thingies. Turns out, I appreciate having a castrated mouse to control; once you go optical, you can’t turn back. No moving parts = smoother screen sailing. I jumped onto the first Intellimouse Explorer as well, although I’ve never used the side (Back / Forward) buttons. The tilt wheel addition doesn’t do it for me in either; I find it more of an annoyance than anything. Still, I’m pleased with Microsoft’s series of Mouses… Meeses… Mice?

Today, I installed my first wireless mouse - the Microsoft Intellimouse Wireless Laser Mouse 6000, to be exact (and the name is much bigger than the actual product). It’s a bit bulky in my hand, but not to the point where I’m ready to chuck it back into the box. Since it contains two AA batteries, I’m finding it a bit heavier than “normal.” I have to lift it often to maneuver the cursor properly; there’s not a lot of mouse-space on my desk at the moment. The two side buttons, again, are out of reach for my short thumb. Something new: you can set a button to launch an integrated screen magnifier (which has a handful of cool auto-discoverable options inside). I haven’t felt confident with wireless products until now, really; this Intellimouse has laser precision and a “longer” battery life. The Imaging Rate is dynamically adaptable to 6000 frames per second, with X-Y Resolution jumping in at 1000 points per inch (39.4 points per millimeter). The tracking speed is no slouch - reaching up to 20 inches (508 millimeters) per second. Bottom line? Good mouse, Microsoft. Good Microsoft Mouse.

[tags]mouse,wireless,microsoft,microsoft mouse,intellimouse,laser,laser mouse 6000[/tags]