| ||
|
|
|
Posted: Mon, February 18, 2002
Review: Microsoft Intellieye TM mouseMatthew PearceIt's a mouse without a ball. It employs 'intellieye' technology - an optical sensor that scans surfaces 1,500 times per second to track movement. This uses a tiny CMOS digital camera. Unlike your ordinary mouse, there are no moving parts in this mouse. As a result, it can be used on virtually any non-reflective surface, which means no need for a mouse pad.  First of all, it's easy to install, and it even comes with
software that enables you to make your mouse work for you as
you want it to. As you install the software, you have the option to program the buttons to do whatever you want. If the standard mouse
functions don't meet your needs quickly enough, this is literally a very handy facility.
Then, of course, there's the fact of the missing ball. Dust in your mouse's ball means less responsiveness. We've all experienced a sticky ball, and we all know how fiddly it is to clean the dust out of our mouse. Having no moving parts, the intellieye is accurate, smooth and precise - for good. In fact, it's the movement of the mouse that's most impressive. The mouse feels different - it reacts in a very literal way, and this is because it has no tactile relationship with the surface it moves upon. Once you get used to its smooth movement, the mouse is a pleasure to use, and (Gamers will be glad to hear) performs well even when moved very rapidly. 
Not being confined to a mouse mat, the intellieye also has more freedom to rove around your desk. If you are working on a big screen,
this is a big help. Another nifty feature is that the scroll wheel can actually zoom aswell, which, when you're familiar with it, is
actually quite a handy feature.And it looks good.What don't we like about it? Not a lot. This is a genuinely good mouse that does have definite advantages over your average ball-based solution. If we had any criticisms they would be that the mouse takes a bit of getting used to, and that two buttons on the side of the mouse for internet navigation can be clicked by mistake. And then there's the price. £35 is no small sum for a mouse. We like this mouse. It is expensive, but if a you like the idea of a dust-free mouse that isn't confined to the mat, we think it's worth the extra. 9/10 |
|
|
Subscribe to ITWales Updates Click Here! |