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Amongst the tiny laptop mice and the huge roller ball behemoths I came across the master of all mice, the Microsoft IntelliPoint Pro. Packaged in a simple yet effective transparent fronted box, the IntelliPoint pro looks fabulous. Although a bit bulky on top and with a lack of couler ... Read review
Advantages: Stylish,Hardy,Comfortable,Smooth and easy to use Disadvantages: Rubber bits on the bottom get dirty
...master of all mice, the Microsoft IntelliPoint Pro. Packaged in a simple yet effective transparent fronted box, the IntelliPoint pro looks fabulous. Although a bit bulky on top and with a lack of couler co-ordination due to its to silver side buttons, Even though the packaging you can tell this mouse is a quality product. The off white body work and silver side buttons pull off a slick and expensive look whilst the alluring price tag beckons with ... ...are a little inexperienced with Microsoft software there’s always the help and user tutorials contained within the cd . Still a little baffled with this program? Then log onto Microsoft’s online help and support centre for easy to follow advice. Any further information on the specs or functions of this software can also be found on the Microsoft web site.
The IntelliPoint pro program enables total customisation of the ... more
Being a self confessed sucker for anything gadget’y or with flashy lights, I found myself browsing a well-known computer store searching for the perfect mouse. Now this may sound like an easy task especially with a computer shop of this size and stock levels, but trust me its not. There are literally hundreds of mice out there, picking the right one takes both experience and a keen eye for design. If the mouse is to small it’s hard to use and your fingers drag along the mouse mat making it more like a shrew than a mouse. Too big and gadget’y and you have the extra complications and discomfort that you don’t really need when having to finish an urgent presentation at 2am in the morning.
Amongst the tiny laptop mice and the huge roller ball behemoths I came across the master of all mice, the Microsoft IntelliPoint Pro. Packaged in a simple yet effective transparent fronted box, the IntelliPoint pro looks fabulous. Although a bit bulky on top and with a lack of couler co-ordination due to its to silver side buttons, Even though the packaging you can tell this mouse is a quality product. The off white body work and silver side buttons pull off a slick and expensive look whilst the alluring price tag beckons with a cool low price of around £30.00. Above all it looks like a mouse, it’s not to big and not too small and would look right both in the home and office.
On unpacking the mouse I was surprised to see just how comfortably it fitted into my palm, just the right size for the long distance user. The off white top of the mouse has a textured grip presumably to aid those with sweaty/slippery palms. The two buttons are divided neatly by the now familiar roller button, an essential for long document reading. The roller button is ribbed and easy to roll, it can also be clicked inwards and used as separate button. On either side are situated two silver buttons which blend seamlessly into whole stylish design. The IntelliPoint has a respectably long cord, which comes in handy for those with only rear USB ports. It is designed for USB1/2 (Universal Serial Bus) compatible computers but comes complete with a handy USB to Serial adapter for older Systems.
The software provided Is CD based so you will defiantly need a CD-ROM if you want this mouse to reach its full potential. The driver/ software suite is Microsoft’s own IntelliPoint Pro, a handy program that allows you to configure your mouse for optimal performance. Compatible with most windows versions ( 95/98/ME/NT and XP) its easy to install and only takes a small amount of precious hard disk space. IntelliPoint pro is easy to use and nicely engineered, anyone with even a basic knowledge of computers should be able to use it with ease. For those who are a little inexperienced with Microsoft software there’s always the help and user tutorials contained within the cd . Still a little baffled with this program? Then log onto Microsoft’s online help and support centre for easy to follow advice. Any further information on the specs or functions of this software can also be found on the Microsoft web site.
The IntelliPoint pro program enables total customisation of the mouse settings. Scroll speed, click speed, roller settings and button allocation is all customisable using the provided software package. Somewhat disappointingly however, the IntelliPoint’s software runs at start-up and remains idle in your systems memory. This can cause problems for older systems as it utilises important system memory, newer computers (which tend to have more ram than a field of sheep) shouldn’t have a problem. As a side issue, the mouse’s side buttons are automatically set to make your web browser go back or forward. This can be very annoying as its easy to catch the side buttons with your thumb and get sent back to the web page you have just come from. You can edit this within the provided software package, I found it easier to assign the side buttons to the Alt key as it has no real function in the windows environment.
On plugging the mouse in, a satisfyingly bright laser red light illuminates the mouse’s transparent base. It glides effortlessly not requiring mouse mats as it uses laser technology to find its location on your desk. Making over 1,500 little flashes a second the mouse’s laser-roller is incredibly accurate ideal for professional or leisure users alike. Like most optical devices, The IntelliPoint’s laser-roller doesn’t work well on reflective or white surfaces such as glass or paper.
With no internal moving parts and a good strong easy to clean outer shell, this mouse should have a long life span. I have personally had my mouse for about 4 months and its still as good looking and effective as the day I brought it. On the base of the mouse at each corner there is a rubber pad used to give the bottom grip and keep the laser lens free from dirt and gunk. These pads (after long use and accidental salt sprinklings from my late night feasts) gather dirt and eventually impair movement until easily cleaned with a damp cloth. These pads shouldn’t cause a problem, they look sturdy enough and I imagine with regular cleaning they would never get into the messy sticky state I let mine get into.
To summarise the mouse is good value for money with extra features that appeal to gadget addicts whilst not causing discomfort to the user or impairing usefulness. Its good looking and strong with a long cord and a useful easy to use no nonsense software package. I can especially recommend this mouse to online gamers as the side buttons add a much-needed extra function (especially for first person shooters). I will always-own one of these mice it seems to be what Microsoft does best and its just pure brilliance.
Advantages: No ball so clean, responsive, fast, precise, extra buttons that can be assigned different tasks. Disadvantages: Restricted by a wire!
...I came to own a Microsoft IntelliMouse. Well the people on the Customer Service desk in PC World took one look at it after I told them my story of trying to buy a working mouse and told me I could have a refund or exchange it for a new mouse. I decided to take a look at their choice of mice in the hope of exchanging it.
Their shelves were full, a whole aisle dedicated to these pointing and navigating devices. The display was well laid out with ... ...small red light under the Microsoft logo. Altogether this mouse has five buttons, yes five! There seems to be plenty of room even though there are five buttons on this mouse. It is not made to be a left or right handed mouse, so can be for a left or right handed user, as some tend to curve to suit one user more than another. It has the normal left and right buttons on the top and the front and the scroll wheel is located between these two. The on ...
PeterFarrell 03.01.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 - mouse
Advantages: Highly customisable and best of all it has a shiny red light! Yay! Disadvantages: More complicated than most people need
...IT LOOK LIKE?
The Microsoft Intellimouse comes packaged well, in a nice sturdy red box with a clear window so you can see what you're buying. The mouse itself is an undeniably foxy little thing; it has a nice ergonomic shape so that unlike my old mouse it fits comfortably in your hand. Either hand in fact, as it is designed for left and right handed use. The buttons are all positioned well, and the scrolling wheel is ridged and easy to grip. The ... ...less complicated models of the Microsoft Optical Intellimouse around which are cheaper, so it's worth looking around to find one that suits your specific needs. HOW EASY IS IT TO SET UP?
It isn't quite so simple as just plugging in the mouse and carrying on as usual, as it uses the USB port rather than the mouse port (though it can be converted if you are already using all your USB ports, but remember you will lose a certain amount of the efficiency ...
Sootica.P.Monster 13.04.2002
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 - mouse
Advantages: no mouse ball means no fluff, as good as normal mouse Disadvantages: none
...(Source Microsoft.com)** For the Microsoft Operating System: Hard Disk 30 MB of available hard disk space. Drive CD-ROM drive Operating System One of the following operating systems: Microsoft Windows® 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT® Workstation 4.0 Service Pack 3 or later or Windows 2000. PeripheralsRound mouse port (PS/2-compatible) or USB port (USB requires Windows 98,Windows Millennium Edition or Windows 2000). Miscellaneous ... ...Microsoft. I have used other Microsoft hardware products before, such as their older mice and their keyboards. These I found to be very good, the build quality was excellent and the ease of their installation and use was re-assuring. Having used the mouse for a couple of months now, I have become a custom to the red glow that eminates from the mouse as the optical sensor does it's business. This red glow has become quite soothing, apprt from when ...
ia_young 28.09.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 - mouse
Advantages: Very accurate. Usable in both hands. Good software. Good build quality Disadvantages: Tweaking needed if you run WinME. Price?
...latest addition to my increasingly Microsoft orientated PC (i love hating them, but they do have good stuff every now and then) was the Intellimouse Optical.
Its pretty much the next step (dare i say?) forward in terms of their intellimouse range. For starters, it comes as a USB mouse. Fear not though, mine came with a very nifty USB to PS/2 transformer, that you can whack onto the mouse so that you can plug it into the normal mouse socket if you ... ...free. Technically, putting it in the USB port would give you better control over the mouse, as the mouse would then be able to refresh its position more times a second than through a PS/2 port, but in reality (as with most gimmicks) there is not much difference.
For those of you that dont know, this mouse is based on a newish technology whereby an optical CMOD camera takes around 1500 pics a second of the area under the mouse. this is then sent ...
cool_bob 13.06.2001 (21.06.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 - mouse
Advantages: MS Name Disadvantages: Could be more comfy
...the other day, it's a Microsoft Intellimouse Optical. Hey, this was the mouse I was going to buy myself instead of my Logitech Optical mouse that I bought. Microsoft make good mice, theres no denying that. They are the leader in the field of mice and probably will be for a long time, with Logitech following closely behind. Their mice are normally very durable, but you do pay for them. Take for instance my mouse at work. It's been used for 3 years ... ...buying a piece of hardware. Microsoft give me that. Surprising then that I didn't buy this mouse and didn't recommend it. It just turned up on my desk for me to put on a doctors computer. The doctor had infact bought it for himself because he has a similar Microsoft mouse at home and loves it. There was nothing wrong with the basic 'Dell' mouse he already had on his computer, he just wanted a wheel mouse, and Microsoft was the one he went for. The ...
GR-Design 21.07.2002 (03.08.2002)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 - mouse
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Manufacturer's product description
Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer is Microsoft's award-winning optical mouse with a new design featuring unique comfort enhancements and is supercharged with Microsoft's new proprietary IntelliEye optical technology - the most powerful in the world. The new design of IntelliMouse Explorer leads in comfort and style, adding enhanced grip support, finger grooves and a new curvy shape to its signature titanium silver shell and glowing red underside. Microsoft's IntelliEye optical technology marks a major milestone in the optical mouse category, taking mousing to the next level and giving IntelliMouse Explorer unprecedented performance, accuracy, and control.
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