Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse 2000 - mouse

...too flashy, not too tacky. Microsoft slapped their logo across the back of the mouse and I expect that this will wear away soon, but it's not big or ugly at all.

The mouse is approved by a professional ergonomist, Hugh McLoone of Microsoft and if you want you can download ‘Intellipoint’ from www.microsoft.com/hardware. This allows you to just point and press to enlarge and edit image details. The mouse can also be purchased as part ...
...Desktop 2000.

Anything else? Well there is a connect button underneath the mouse to let the receiver know it’s ready to use.

I got mine from Staples because I had a discount voucher to use there and so far I think it was a good buy. As I said, the worst thing would be if the batteries ran out quickly, but the box does say 6+ months, and being Microsoft, they should at least know how to build a quality mouse. There would ... more

This optical mouse takes two AA batteries and as it says on the box, it is totally wireless. I found that upgrading to a wireless desktop made my cluttered desk space slightly more bearable and although it still gets messy, at least I can move things around without yanking the mouse (or keyboard) out of its socket.

The mouse has a matt finish, and this seems to help when you are at your computer eating crisps or popcorn etc. The grease that is usually a pain when it gets on your mouse or keyboard doesn’t cause too many problems here. I’m often a culprit for using the Playstation or computer with greasy hands, but with this mouse it’s more forgivable.

My mouse is actually a different colour scheme than the one pictured – all black but it’s the same model and I’ve only had it a few weeks now. It definitly has a feel of quality, and I expect the AA Energizer batteries provided to last at least a few months. The reciever has a long enough cable (1m) to reach from your USB port to your desktop and as with most mice or keyboards, it doesn’t need any drivers.

The response is perfect. I use the mouse for a range of activities – games, image editing etc and it performs as good as a corded (is that the right word?) optical mouse. I find the mouse a good size – it is just a standard shape and size but it does feel smooth and comfortable. The buttons are kind of hard to describe, but they make a firm, audible snap when pressed. The wheel is average – not too tight or loose, but rolls round with little effort and bumps over each point. The wheel has some grip on it to make it move effortlessly and presses down for mouse button #3.

I don’t know what the actual specification is for this mouse, but I find that mine gets a bit unresponsive when I’m lying on my bed roughly 2.5m away. Moving the receiver helps, but I wouldn’t use it for long distance too much if I were you. The pointer moves ok, but it doesn’t register clicks every time. This gets irritating after a while.

I like the fact that it uses AA batteries – they are cheaper, last longer and generally better than AAA if they are rechargeable. I think that the mouse could have been designed to have a changeable colour scheme like some cheaper Logitech mice, but they obviously decided against this. For my black/grey-black mouse, I find it looks sleek and sharp. Not too flashy, not too tacky. Microsoft slapped their logo across the back of the mouse and I expect that this will wear away soon, but it's not big or ugly at all.

The mouse is approved by a professional ergonomist, Hugh McLoone of Microsoft and if you want you can download ‘Intellipoint’ from www.microsoft.com/hardware. This allows you to just point and press to enlarge and edit image details. The mouse can also be purchased as part of the keyboard & mouse set – the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 2000.

Anything else? Well there is a connect button underneath the mouse to let the receiver know it’s ready to use.

I got mine from Staples because I had a discount voucher to use there and so far I think it was a good buy. As I said, the worst thing would be if the batteries ran out quickly, but the box does say 6+ months, and being Microsoft, they should at least know how to build a quality mouse. There would be something seriously wrong if they couldn’t.

Jonny B. 

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