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The mouse of choice is Microsoft's Optical Wheel Mouse.
Part of my work involves the testing employees work based knowledge, this is done with the use of a large number of computers and this involves in excess of three hundred candidates. Not all of these candidates are computer literate, ... Read review
Microsoft Optical Technology replaces the old-fashioned mechanical mouse ball and works on ... more
virtually any surface. With a convenient scroll wheel and comfortable design, Wheel Mouse Optical is a great value. Wheel Mouse Optical brings the precision
Postage & Packaging:
Free Delivery Availability:
3-7 days
MSoft Wheelmouse Optical WhiteAffordable and reliable optical mouse with high-performance ... more
optical technology - no mouse ball Optical sensor delivers greater accuracy and control Simple to use Programmable buttons plus a wheel for easy scrolling.
Postage & Packaging: £3.85 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
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A mouse in the house
Advantages: Easy to use Disadvantages: None
...Software Included: Drivers & Utilities, Microsoft Intellipoint
Microsoft two year warranty service and support
How does it connect to a computer?
This is dependant on what connections the computer has. The normal method of connecting these on newer computers is through a USB port. However older computers had a connection called a PS/2 port (these are the computers that had two round coloured coded ports; one for ... ...System requirements
Microsoft Windows 98/ME, Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP Professional, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6 or later, Apple MacOS 8.6 - 9.x, Apple MacOS X 10.1 - 10.3
Minimum Pentium - 233 MHz
RAM 128 MB
HD 25 MB
Any downsides?
On occasions I have used a mouse on a laptop, being the lazy person that I am, I have on occasions held the mouse in my hand and scrolled ... more
At work we have a lot of computers, as to be expected these computers each have a mouse. The purchasing of all the computers and associated equipment is done by our IT department. The mouse of choice is Microsoft's Optical Wheel Mouse.
Part of my work involves the testing employees work based knowledge, this is done with the use of a large number of computers and this involves in excess of three hundred candidates. Not all of these candidates are computer literate, so I not only guide them through the tests but I also find myself assisting the candidates in the use of the computers themselves. The tests are point, click and drag type tests so although the candidates do not need a great deal of knowledge about using a computer they still need to be able to use a mouse. This is where the optical wheeled mouse really comes into its own, the candidates find it easy to use and it does not stick or freeze. The candidates have enough to think about without the added pressure of a computer mouse not working correctly.
What is it like?
It is a standard three button mouse; left, right and centre wheel (the centre wheel can be used to scroll up and down as well as it becomes a button when pressed, this allows a controlled scroll by moving the mouse). Underneath is a red light that is projected onto the mouse mat and some pads that allow the correct distance for the light and to make the mouse glide over the surface of the mat so to help the user. It is also readily available in both black and white.
What does it come with?
The mouse has an attached cable (approx 1.8m in length) for connecting to the computer; the end of this cable has a USB connection. Also included is an adapter, this allows the mouse to be connected to a computer that uses a PS/2 connection (more about this later in the review). Software Included: Drivers & Utilities, Microsoft Intellipoint Microsoft two year warranty service and support
How does it connect to a computer?
This is dependant on what connections the computer has. The normal method of connecting these on newer computers is through a USB port. However older computers had a connection called a PS/2 port (these are the computers that had two round coloured coded ports; one for the mouse and one for the keyboard) and you can connect the mouse to the computer by fitting an adapter to the USB on the end of the mouse cable; one of these are supplied with the mouse.
How is it to use?
Very simple with xp computers, it is simply plug it in and use. I have also used this mouse on a windows 98SE computer and did not have to install any drivers for it to work. However you are supplied with drivers just in case you need to install them.
By moving the mouse on a mat you control a corresponding pointer that is on the computer screen, certain actions take place depending on a click of the left or right mouse button as well as the program that you are using at the time.
How is it when compared to a ball mouse?
The main advantage is that because it does not have a ball underneath, it does not have the associated wheels that connect and over a period of time collects gunk and fluff. How many hours have I spent in the past taking the ball out and then cleaning the little wheels and the ball itself? Thankfully with this mouse that is now a thing of the past Because you do not need to access the inside of this mouse (unlike the ball type where regular cleaning of the ball and wheels was the norm), it has been made so you cannot access it with ease.
Does it need anything to help it work better?
In general it is a component that does not need very much; the addition of a good quality mouse mat is a bonus as it allows better contact and a smoother movement of the mouse and therefore the control of the pointer on the screen. A mouse mat however is not essential, the mouse will work on a smooth flat surface, but rubbing this on delicate surfaces could result in fine scratches on the surface, therefore I always use a mat and would recommend their use all the time.
System requirements
Microsoft Windows 98/ME, Microsoft Windows 2000 / XP Professional, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6 or later, Apple MacOS 8.6 - 9.x, Apple MacOS X 10.1 - 10.3 Minimum Pentium - 233 MHz RAM 128 MB HD 25 MB
Any downsides?
On occasions I have used a mouse on a laptop, being the lazy person that I am, I have on occasions held the mouse in my hand and scrolled around the screen using my thumb on the roller ball, this cannot be done with an optical mouse as there is no ball. That apart I cannot think of any downsides for this mouse.
Overall
When the design of the mouse moved from the ball type to the optical they were quite expensive, however now they have become much cheaper and this mouse now fits more into the budget end of the mouse market. I have found this to be a well designed and fully functional product, add to that the cost is relatively low therefore I have no hesitation in whole heartedly recommending this mouse to anyone who wants to buy an optical mouse and who does not want to spend a vast amount in the process.
If you are looking to buy one then the price is between £7 and £20, but I would suggest that you pay no more than about £10.
Advantages: No ball, very durable Disadvantages: Length of lead
...happened to be selling the Microsoft Optical Intellimouse, which for some reason is titled on here as the MS Wheel Mouse, at half price. Now, I bought this mouse going on for two years ago for £24.99, and it appears to still be available for the same price, although the design has changed slightly.
~~~Installing the mouse~~~
The mouse is very easy to install, especially if you are using Windows XP, as the drivers are already on your computer. Simply, ... ...USB port going spare, then Microsoft have kindly supplied a PS/2 adapter. An installation CD was also supplied, but I haven't used it, seeing as Windows did all the work for me.
~~~The styling~~~
Well there's not much you can say about a Mouse's looks is there. My mouse is a light grey colour with darker grey sides. However the new look, is grey with silver detailing. The first thing you will really notice about the mouse is the red light, that ...
sandemp 09.02.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical - mouse
Advantages: Doesn't get clogged with fluff or dirt Disadvantages: Still wired
...position to review it.
Microsoft is one of the largest producers of computing software in the world to date. Most people are consumers of such programs like Windows for their operating systems.
They produce their own equipment and one of their products from the Microsoft range is the Optical roller ball mouse.
Looks
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The mouse looks and feels sleek with it's curvy features. The design of the mouse fits perfectly in the palm of your ... ...can use this mouse with Microsoft Windows 95/98 , Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows 2000 , Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3 or later , Microsoft XP.
It will take up 29 MB with the software for using the mouse.
Cost
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Like all new technology, these mice where very expensive when they first came out on to the market but you can now pick one up on computer websites for around £10.00 Where to buy
-------------------
Most ...
redballoon 01.06.2004 (16.03.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical - mouse
Advantages: Less maintenance, cheap, reliable, connectivity options Disadvantages: Still a corded mouse
...with the intellimouse drivers from Microsoft to help your PC recognise it. To be honest these are quite uneccessary as most computers are able to pick up the mouse without them.
Reliability.
Very good. We have rolled these out throughout the office as people were constantly needing the old Mice replacing due to them losing sensitivity (dirty balls and rollers) and this has proved a cost effective replacement. It has significantly reduced time spent ... ...number of terminal failures suffered by the mice as there are no real mechanical parts to wear out.
Pricing? You can pick this up for as little as £12 now which i think is a real bargain. Check out www.dabs.co.uk or uk.insight.com for prices. Why buy an older style ball mouse at this price?
Downsides?
Only one would be that it is still a wired mouse. It means you are limited to the range you can use this from the PC. ...
andycharger 01.11.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical - mouse
Advantages: Doesn't eat batteries, works on any surface Disadvantages: Light never goes out, sometimes moves (on the screen) of its own accord
...my mouse! I use a Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical.
If you read my review the other week, you'll know I got a black Acer mouse when I bought my computer. I almost immediately switched to using this mouse purely because of its optical ability. The Acer mouse was the old tracing ball kind, and so wouldn't work well on anything other than my desk. This mouse is optical, so will work on pretty much any surface - wood, bed, skin! The only thing I have found ... ...the base should be the Microsoft hologram showing you this is an authentic Microsoft product. It is claimed that this product has a 100,000-hour life. Which if my maths is correct … 24 hours in a day, 365 days a year, works out to over 11years of life. I think that's pretty damn good and will probably far surpass the life of my computer!
I just noticed that 'robustness' is one of the categories to select for this item, so I thought I'd make a note ...
liz1102 11.11.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical - mouse
Advantages: a wheel thing woo hoo Disadvantages: using non-wheel mice now becomes impossible
...thesis what they think about Microsoft Word, but be prepared for a mountan of venom to be spat out at you, better still call in a UN peace keeping force to take the flak for you, their blue helmets make for good target practice.
So with my pathological hatred of microsoft in mind I got one of these beasties for 9 quid. It comes with either a PS2 or USB port, but since USB is for fun things like MP3 players and digital cameras I got the PS2 version. ... ...it and there was no need for any additional driver disks, so that is a bonus.
The mouse is an optical mouse which means that there is no track ball which will need to be regulary cleaned out another plus. And it has nice red light thingys as well. Onto using the mouse and it has a wheel thingy in between the two buttons. This is the first mouse I have had that has one of these things, and in my opinion it is simply the best invention ever (next ...
Champ666 25.03.2004 (14.09.2005)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical - mouse
Responsiveness
Robustness & durability
Look & feel
Ease of use
Value For Money
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Advantages: Comfortable right-handed, tilt wheel is nice Disadvantages: Terrible tracking, tilt wheel doesn't work in most apps
I'll get the rant about the poor tracking out of the way first, scroll down if you don't want to hear it.
To begin, a quote from the Microsoft page for this product:
"Get superior tracking power
Microsoft® High Definition Opticalmouse products are more precise, more responsive, and deliver smoother tracking."
This is a LIE. Before buying this mouse, I used the MicrosoftWheelMouseOptical (which gave its best until it died). That mouse could work on virtually any surface, and would do it with class. This mouse is only usable on carefully-selected matt surfaces and mouse mats (eliminating one of the main reasons for buying an opticalmouse - no more mouse mats), and even then you get cursor jumping and insensitivity. This is particularly irritating when doing image editing and high-speed game playing, where the mouse puts you ...
Advantages: Very smooth movement, well designed Disadvantages: None
This mouse was designed for my hand? Feels like my hand was designed for this mouse, it's that good.
I recently decided to upgrade my current mouse (a Logitech wheelmouse) to the Microsoft IntelliMouseOptical which I bought from Dabs.com.
Installation
~~~~~~~~~
Upon plugging in the USB connection the computer instantly found the mouse and I was treated to a warm red glow from the device itself. So the basic functions worked straight away - a two button wheelmouse, but I wanted more, much more......
Examining the packaging it came in I found a driver disc and a rather sparse manual covering the basics of installation. So one read later (less than a minute) found me placing the driver disc in the CD tray. AutoPlay revealed a simplistic menu which allowed me to install the mouse in one easy click, and after this the mouse ...
I have just purchased this MicrosoftWheelMouseOptical, unlike my original it has no mouse ball.We had a normal mouse to start and then I purchased a radar mouse with a multi Media keyboard which caused my no end of trouble and I then looked around until I found and picked my wheelmouse.This is a pleasure to use it is smooth and precise and much quicker than any other mouse I have used.It seems to come to life when you turn the computer on its red light in its tail glowing and the one underneath just glows.It is the only mouse in the house.If you were every worried about what mouse to use I would recommend this.I have no problems and it has not let me down.As it has no balls it does not get stuck up with fluff so it does not need cleaning.You also do not need a mouse pad which does make things easier when you use your mouse alot this ...
Product Information for "Microsoft Wheel Mouse Optical - mouse" »
Manufacturer's product description
Microsoft Optical Technology replaces the old-fashioned mechanical mouse ball and works on virtually any surface. With a convenient scroll wheel and comfortable design, Wheel Mouse Optical is a great value. Wheel Mouse Optical brings the precision and accuracy of Microsoft optical technology to an affordable mouse. Move through documents quickly without clicking on the scroll bar. Accelerated scrolling reacts to how quickly you roll the wheel, saving you time and effort. Whether you control it with your right hand or your left, you'll appreciate the way Wheel Mouse Optical is shaped and styled for your comfort.
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