IntelliMouse Aesthetics

Will it fit in with my décor?

Well, if your kind of bag is "quasi-futuristic" silver-metallic, then you've just found yourself the perfect complement. Unfortunately, most of us have tastes a little more grounded in reality, in which case the IntelliMouse is certainly going to stand out, at the very least. It's unlikely that any of your computing peripherals will even come close to matching the outlandish appearance of this mouse, and whether it's a good or bad thing is up to you. At least when it comes out, this is going to be the most tricked out component on your desk, and it might not be bad for it to be a little bold in its appearance.

What's the meat of the mouse?

When it was time to stop ogling the mouse and actually try it out for size, the first thing we noticed was the size. This is one huge rodent. It stands taller and longer than the standard IntelliMouse/MS Mouse 2.0, and even dwarfs the hefty IntelliMouse Pro in size. In fact, it's even slightly larger than Logitech's gargantuan Mouseman+. Though neither of use are particularly fans of large mice (we feel there are vertical aiming implications when your palm is resting on the back of a large mouse), they've gained widespread popularity due to their increased comfort.

Mouse 2.0, IntelliMouse Pro, Mouseman+, IntelliMouse Explorer

Microsoft has done more than just increased the size. The IntelliMouse is also significantly lighter than a standard mouse, because of the lack of components needed. Of course, the removal of the mouse ball counts for the most weight savings.

The more, the merrier!

There are now a total of 5 buttons on the IntelliMouse. The standard left and right, the wheel button, and two thumb buttons. The larger button closer to the center of the mouse defaults to "back" in your browser (tying in that link between "IntelliMouse Explorer" and "Internet Explorer"). Intuitively, the front button is "forward."

Side buttons for the Internet

The IntelliMouse we received is very close to what will be released in October of this year, but there are still a few tweaks to make before the mouse goes into volume production. The most notable is the feel of the buttons. The standard left mouse button is bigger than that of any other mouse, and has a light touch, that some may feel is too light. It hasn't gotten in the way of our everyday operations though, and we can make do with it as is.

Strip it

Also, Microsoft has chosen to go back to using 4 teflon feet, in the form of small ovals, rather than the two long strips they've been using since the first revision of the Mouse 2.0. While less surface area means smoother movement, the feet are so big that in the end, the surface area in contact with the mousing plane is actually equal or greater than that of the 2 long strips used in the standard IntelliMouse. Larger pads should make for a longer life however, and we hope that Microsoft provides some way to replace the feet once they've become worn (though we're not holding our breath!).