Microsoft Revives the Mouse

Microsoft today announced a new mouse, the Arc Touch that has a touchpad in place of a scroll wheel and folds flat.

While the media has branded mice as obsolete because most portable devices make do with an integrated touchpad, one-third of mobile PC buyers also purchase a mouse with their new notebooks or netbooks, according Microsoft internal research, June 2010.

"This is not the first time that the mouse has been threatened — look at 10 years ago when people started buying laptops that had integrated pointers and touch pads. Still, the mouse category continued to grow and grow," said Brett Ostrum, general manager for the Hardware Group at Microsoft. "The reasons people need external mice will not change: comfort and precision."

The touchpad may take some practice, but Microsoft has included three integrated buttons activated with taps to page up, page down and a customizable button for "user's choice". As people become adept at using touchscreens in their phones and other devices, applications like the Arc Touch mouse that use the same haptic feedback will seem familiar. The haptics were employed to simulate the vibration of a scroll wheel.

The wireless mouse can track on virtually any surface, according to the company. Two AAA batteries offer more than six months of batter life. The Arc Touch mouse is available for presale on Amazon.com, BestBuy.com and Buy.com for about $70; the mouse will ship in early December.11 Technologies in Danger of Going Extinct

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