Microsoft’s Mystery Mouse Is Coming

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Normally we wouldn’t be getting all excited over a mouse but, according to the this article, Microsoft is releasing a new mouse on the 9th of next month and the only hint the company is giving is “Say Goodbye To Laser” and this logo.

The obvious guess is that it's a new mouse technology, maybe replacing the internal lasers currently used to determine the relative position of mice. But it could be something else entirely. Microsoft isn't offering any details. Does the shape of the logo provide any clues? I'm doing a little digging, and I'll update this post if I turn anything up.
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think wiimote.

or very large touchpad + multitouch.

I doubt either are right, but they are guesses none the less
 
teststrips said:
think wiimote.
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I am guessing the same thing. A mouse that is senses motion the same way the Wii-Mote does. No need any type of optical sensor. I know it has been done before, but they've all seemed to have sucked.
 
brom42 said:
I am guessing the same thing. A mouse that is senses motion the same way the Wii-Mote does. No need any type of optical sensor. I know it has been done before, but they've all seemed to have sucked.
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Yes this is probably what it is, I watched a few videos a while ago on the development of the tech, although it seems cool I think I would still feel comfortable using a mouse compared to flailing my arms, hands, or fingers around...
 
I'm going to say that going by the shapes in the photo's that look similar to "Eyes" that it's some type of gesture sensitive tech that works with eye movement. Canon had something like this in digital cameras a few years back.

I'm not sure how they would immulate mouse fuctions like scroll, left/right click,etc though. I'm probably thinking too far ahead in the future though.
 
somehow I Think it's still going to suck. Every microsoft mouse is only good for one thing, general office use. I'll stick with my G5, HyperGlide feet, and my new Ratpadz XT
 
eh I have to say my M$ mice have been my fav for gaming for a long time. It is really tough for me to get used to anything besides my MS Intelli Explorer (various versions). I don't even think that the MS Razer Habu can take on my Intelli (I own them both, and the Habu frustrates me compared to the Intelli). The buttons all have great tactile feedback, and I have had no driver issues ever configuring different buttons for different functions in games (unlike some friends of mine with some Logitech mice in the past many years ago).
Jason
 
haha, might be worth checking out, but what's wrong with laser / optical?

There was a reason to move from ball to optical, but I don't see any purpose for this
 
From Engadget Article: http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/27/microsofts-new-blue-track-mouse-spotted/

"We're not really sure if Microsoft is peddling a revolution here or just the mousing tech flavor of the month, but we've got ourselves a much better idea of where things might be going. After that little "Say Goodbye to Laser" teaser turned our pointing device world upside down, a reader spotted this MS Explorer Mini Mouse with "Blue Track" technology over on Amazon.de. Coincidence? We're guessing no. We followed a bit more of the PI work done by our fine commenters and discovered Blue Track to be based on a blue LED combined with a wide-angle lens that's supposed to work on more surfaces than laser and optical. Microsoft only really seems to be aiming this at the portable spectrum, hence the wireless adapter and miniature size, so perhaps Blue Track isn't the end of laser after all."

Interesting. Don't think I'll bite. I was hoping for something better than that.
 
Aww man, it still wont work on glass? Lameo.
 
No need for a laser when you are tracking mouse movements with GPS.

Thats right, Microsoft InteliGPS!
 
compslckr said:
haha, might be worth checking out, but what's wrong with laser / optical?

There was a reason to move from ball to optical, but I don't see any purpose for this
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Microsoft says Blue Track can be used on even more surfaces that laser and optical mice would not work on. It's basically an improvement of the same thing, pretty much. Improvements are always a good thing in my book =)

Those of you who's talking about Wii Remote clones, check out Logitech's MX Air. That thing's awesome as an HTPC mouse. http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_pointers/mice/devices/3443&cl=us,en
 
If I had to guess, I would put the sensors in the mouse pad, and just use a fake mouse like with a small magnet for the sensors to pickup. Not saying its better, but something different (and prob not hard to make).
 
vxspiritxv said:
If I had to guess, I would put the sensors in the mouse pad, and just use a fake mouse like with a small magnet for the sensors to pickup. Not saying its better, but something different (and prob not hard to make).
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That would mean you have to take the mouse pad with you everywhere you take your mouse. Not to mention it limits your choice of pads. You'll have to pry my Ratpadz from my cold dead fingers.
 
If it's as comfortable as Logitech MX610 and MX1000 with thumb buttons and a tiltable mousewheel and their mouse software does demonstrate bloat, nor suck or blow while giving me the freedom to assign keystrokes to mousebuttons and not take up too much ram, sign me up. I want just a single alternative to this.
 
I've gone through a couple of Logitech MX line of mice and I still keep going back my Intellimouse 3.0 for gaming and general use. Best mouse I have ever used. If it works as good and as comfortable as that, I may just upgrade.
 
Deviationer said:
somehow I Think it's still going to suck. Every microsoft mouse is only good for one thing, general office use. I'll stick with my G5, HyperGlide feet, and my new Ratpadz XT
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The G5 is one of the poorer gaming mice, and in the past MS has gone head to head with the best of Logitech.
 
odoe said:
I've gone through a couple of Logitech MX line of mice and I still keep going back my Intellimouse 3.0 for gaming and general use. Best mouse I have ever used. If it works as good and as comfortable as that, I may just upgrade.
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I never could get used to the thumb buttons, i have to say the best gaming mouse for me was the classic intellimouse design, the slight curve to the shape fit my hand perfectly and i wasnt accidently pressing any "extra" buttons.

I think that if you take the classic intellimouse, and add one fairly firm (firm enough that you dont accidently press durring rigirous movment of the mouse) "trigger" button where your thumb rests that could be an awesome mouse
 
Does this logo look like a pile of blue (moldy?) lemons to anyone else?

Until they have a full-size wired one of these with a decent clicky wheel I’m not about to give it a try; even tho I am easily mesmerized by anything with blue or green led's. :p
 
Anyone ever notice good ol optical mice work on just about any surface to begin with? My wife has used her Microsoft Explorer wireless mouse on everything from a couch arm, the cushion in her easy chair, a pillow in the bed, etc... I have used the darn thing on my blue jean pant leg with no problems....
 
I can see it for laptops, and depending on how sensitive it can get probably photo editing.
Other than that I will be using the new Sidewinder I that is "out for delivery" right now (replacing my nice wireless MX that won't last all day anymore-needed for long sessions).

Check out Amazons price on the new sidewinder (not "newest-without the extras) $37-delivered
 
Jakalwarrior said:
Anyone ever notice good ol optical mice work on just about any surface to begin with? My wife has used her Microsoft Explorer wireless mouse on everything from a couch arm, the cushion in her easy chair, a pillow in the bed, etc... I have used the darn thing on my blue jean pant leg with no problems....
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All the surfaces you mentioned here have a lot of texture in them, which are easy to read. All the led-optical mice I’ve owned (Logitech mx310, which is still my preferred mouse for work, and one wireless ms mouse that sucked for pretty much everything) had problems with certain materials that desks are often made out of like glass, slick plastics, and even highly-polished wooden surfaces, which required the use of mouse-pads. The laser mice I’ve owned like the G5 and G9 easily read every surface I’ve used them on without any mouse-pad at all; unfortunately there are a lot of upper-level gamers who still don't trust the precision of laser-mice - I still don't quite understand that.
 
vxspiritxv said:
If I had to guess, I would put the sensors in the mouse pad, and just use a fake mouse like with a small magnet for the sensors to pickup. Not saying its better, but something different (and prob not hard to make).
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What I'll never understand is...if we have been able to create a device capable of measuring changes in electrical fields accurately enough to play an instrument since 1919...why not a smaller scale device for a mouse?
 
I say the only way a new controller would impress me now is the introduction of a wetware neural input device. OCZ's NIA is pretty interesting but clumsy but then again, at least you don't need a surgical procedure to use it.
 
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