Style meets function with this amazing optical mouse. Microsoft has combined optical and wireless technologies with their revolutionary Tilt Wheel Technology to achieve a new standard for performance in freedom, comfort, and style. With their new longer battery life many users average more than six months without changing batteries!
1 Apple's Mouse is Better
I purchased this mouse, and after using it for a few days in Mac OS X, I became very frustrated. The precision on the mouse is awful. I've tired adjusting it in the IntelliMouse software, to no avail. It's either too fast or too slow. There seems to be a constant drag when using it. It does have seamless right-click integration in Mac OS X.
The mouse looks great, however. The tilt and scroll wheel, along with the buttons on the side are welcome luxuries. I'm left handed, but I "mouse" with my right hand.
I did use Microsoft's Optical Explorer mouse, and was much more satisfied with it. Also, the mouse is not truly wireless. It shouldn't be called wireless. You need a brick looking transmitter on your desk near the mouse. The transmitter also requires a constant USB connection.
If you're a Mac user, and can deal with it, stay with Apple's Bluetooth TRULY wireless mouse. While it doesn't have a scroll wheel, it is much more functional. As a recent switcher, I'm also becoming more acquainted with keyboard shortcuts in Mac OS X that make right-clicking not necessary.
Not satisfied at all. Poor performance.
Pros:
-Nice looking
-Useful side buttons when browsing in Safari
Cons:
-Precision
-Ugly transmitter
-Not wireless
-Poor customization interface
2 Is it sad to have fun with a mouse? :(
The feel of this mouse is fantastic, and everything about it is great. There is only one thing: I think the back buttons above where you rest your thumb are useless. I think my other laser mouse is better in that aspect but that one is not wireless. This one is wireless, works and feels good, and it's the best on the market. ( that's what the dudes at Best Buy say. ) This mouse is a little on the heavy side, too. ( It's not heavy, but it weighs more than most mouses. )
Enjoy your mouse.
3 What product are these people reviewing?
For some reason, many people have written things about this mouse that simply are not true. (I think some were writing their reviews based on an older version of this product)
- Some say that the installation software uninstalls touchpad drivers on laptops. All the built-in mouse-like controls (i.e. touchpad) still work fine on my laptop.
- Some say that the button functions are not universally reprogrammable, but this is simply not true (the standard middle-click or wheel-click function is called "AutoScroll")
- Some say that the regular downward scrolling is more difficult or awkward with the smooth "clickless" wheel, but it only took me about a minute of scrolling through web pages to get comfortable with it
- Some say that it's difficult to click the wheel button without accidentally rotating the wheel, thus canceling the click. I have yet to have a problem with this and have been able to wheel click many times in a row without trouble
- Some have complained of terrible lag, even to such an extent that the cursor was almost completely unresponsive to movement of the mouse. I experienced this problem at first, until I simply repositioned the receiver to a position where there were NO solid objects between the mouse and receiver and since then, the it has felt almost every bit as responsive and precise as a wired mouse.
That being said, there is a slight lag in the response of the mouse, but it would only be noticeable to those using it to play a game; it most likely would not be noticeable to anybody during regular (i.e. word processing, web surfing, etc) use.
Being that the slight lag (which is just a consequence of it being wireless), it's unsuitability for gaming (the smooth scrolling action apparently isn't good for fraging), and cost are the only downsides I see to this mouse, I give it 5 stars.
4 Feels great works great
I thought it would take a long time to get used to the additional features of this mouse. I am amazed at how handy the extra features are. The 'push' to jump to other open applications is a great feature when cutting and pasting between applications.
5 Not for left-handed people
I agree with all the technical praise of this mouse. However, if you are left-handed, or use a laptop, this is not the mouse for you. The mouse is not symmetric, so it feels awkward in the left hand. Most annoying for a laptop user is that the transmission base is almost as big as the mouse, and is connected by a long cord, so in some sense this mouse is not wireless at all. If you are sitting away from a desk, or are using a portable desk, there is little place to put the base, and the wire dangles down and gets in the way. Other wireless mice have small "stick" transmitters which plug into the USB port and are unobtrusive. Get one of those if you work away from your desk much.
6 For Mac OSX, this mouse is great!
I've tried several Logitech "mice" and, although their hardware is very good, their software (driver) to control the mouse settings is terrible. This mouse surpasses Logitech in almost every way.
The mouse itself feels right at home in my hand. The scroll wheel is very smooth without being too loose or too tight. Response is also excellent. The two buttons above the thumb are slightly awkward for me to press. They would have been better placed below the thumb. No biggie, though.
What really sets this mouse appart from Logitech, is its driver. Microsoft really did a great job in designing a driver that works extremely well in Mac OSX.
I've never used one, so I can't compare this mouse to the Kensington brand.
If the buttons and features on this mouse appeals to you, you probably won't be dissapointed with your purchase. And if you're a Mac user and you've been using a Logitech mouse, make the switch to this (or any Microsoft) mouse immediately!
7 Excellent Mouse... take care with the environment
This mouse from Microsoft is quite brilliant. The feel and responsiveness is just excellent.
The lag that some people experience probably comes about because of a few reasons. Make sure you get a Lithium Battery. Place the "transmission" base at a reasonable place in terms of line of sight to where you use the mouse. Also, if you have a wireless Phone, and even a wireless Network( at home or elsewhere), check the transmission frequencies. If, for example, you have Linksys 2.4 Gigaherz wireless, you may experience some interference. ALSO, if you have a 2.4 Ghz wireless network, then do NOT have a phone on the 2.4 Ghz Frequency... either get a 900 herz phone, or go for the 5.8 Ghz phone. If you are careful of the frequency overlap, then you can get some great response from the Mouse... and if you like the MS Wireless mouse, and you are getting a DELL pc, do NOT get this MS-Wireless... stay with the DELL wireless Mouse and keyboard because it is superior, feels better, and has a great keyboard ( better than the MS Wirless Keyboard by a country Mile).
8 Very comfortable, reliable mouse
Microsoft really knows how to build hardware. Very comfortable, I have 2 of them, one at home and one at work. I use them 20 hrs a day, and have nothing but praise.
Highly Recommended!
9 Outstanding
I never have time to write reviews. But I making time for this product because this is a great mouse. easy to control with precision. I had a Dynex cordless mouse which was terrible; it lost connectivity frequently and the transmitter flashed a very annoying blue light. The transmitter even snaps into the bottom of the mouse for travel.
10 ergonomic design with optical technology
no more cleaning the ball!!! I don't have to waste my valuable time trying to clean out the ball mouse anymore! This mouse is extremely comfortable and the battery life is unbelievable. It came with 2 AA batteries and it's still going for 8 months without batt replacement!!! saves money and gets rid of wire. I didn't think wireless was a big deal until I've actually used it. I use my plasma TV as my PC monitor and i can sit back 8 to 10 feet away on my couch and surf the web! i bought a bundle that came with an awesome wireless keyboard... Thanks, MS!!!
11 Nice mouse- few glitches
It's a nice mouse overall. I am very pleased that the batteries have lasted for months but when you use this mouse through a KVM you lose the forward/back buttons. The other glitch is that whenever I wnt to scroll up, the browse would go bac and forth between pages a couple times. I decided it wasn't worth is and bought myself a Logitech MX 310.
12 Don't recommend
Been using the corded 3.0 for 5 years and dissappointed in this one. Microsoft replaced my 3.0 with a 4.0. The f/b buttons were moved up higher so your thumb is constantly moving up & down. It is more narrow and doesn't support the cup in your hand. This has been painful for me since I use all day with a wrist pad never had that problem with the 3.0. I have to stop frequently to rub my palm and stretch my hand because it causes you to cup your hand more. I do have large hands for a woman and the 3.0 fit well. I would wait for another design, or try it out in the store first. This would be better than some 2 button mouse but not for a heavy user. 3 stars for the optical - 2 stars for the design.
13 ugh! no precision
The mouse drove me nuts... I finally just threw it away. I finally went back to my old wireless mouse. Perhaps the longer battery life was a mistake as it seemed to go to sleep every few seconds.
... the mouse was moving (or clicking) but nothing was happening.
14 So pleased that I'm buying another!
I'm a right-handed male (big hands) and this mouse has served me well for over six months. Microsoft really does not kid around with this thing's battery life. I still haven't replaced the batteries and I am a HEAVY computer user (minimum of 8 hours per day). The mouse can even run on just one battery!
I have become extremely dependent on the "back" and "forward" thumb buttons on the side of the mouse (although I actually reach the "forward" button with my pointer finger, but I've gotten used to it!). The scroll wheel scrolls smoothly, unlike the click-click jerky motion of those logitech scroll wheels. I also enjoy the tiltwheel when I'm working with Excel documents.
The only con is that, when using the scroll wheel, web pages don't scroll continuously. I constantly have to refind my place when I'm reading a document and using the scroll wheel, but I can live with that. I only wish Microsoft would update their software and fix this.
Overall, I would recommend this product. If you imagined that owning a wireless mouse entails changing batteries every week, then buy this mouse for a pleasant surprise.
15 Not really that impressive
The only nice feature of this mouse is that it's wireless. For normal usage, the mouse is OK, though a bit heavy. For gaming, it's totally useless, here's why: #1, the scroll wheel doesn't click into place, so if you have your scroll wheel bound to previous/next weapon like most people do, weapon changing will be erratic. #2, the tracking on the optical mechanism is TOO good. Meaning, it's very common in games to move your mouse to the left, pick it up just slightly, move to the right, drop it, and move to the left..and repeat the process (quickly spinning your character around to the left). With this mouse, the tracking is so strong on it, when you're lifting up the mouse slightly and moving it to the right, it will detect that and turn your character back to the right again.
So, take my review with a grain of salt. For non-gamers, this is a pretty solid mouse. For gamers, it's a flawed product, avoid it.
16 Very decent mouse for the price
I bought this mouse because I just purchased a new computer and was sick of getting the mouse tangled in the cord. I decided on this particular one because of the reputation and the design. It works wonderfully most of the time. The only complaint I have is that is tends to get slower the more I use it. For example, when I first start using it, the mouse is very responsive and accurate. But in about 5-10 minutes of use, it gets sluggish. I have found that if you pick the mouse up slightly and put it back down on the desk when this happens it will work well again. Also, the mouse must be very close and in direct line with the receiver for it to work. Overall, it is a decent mouse for the price.
17 Beware of this "mouse"
I changed my wired USB Intellimouse Explorer with this one.
Read this: If you are going to use this mouse for Web Development and/or Gaming, better buy another mouse, not wireless.
* I had troubles to get it work because of syncronization
* The wheel is not too soft... it it the harder wheel I have ever touched!
* Side buttons are for X-treme Large Fingers (F**k), Why 5 buttons if you can't touch them?
* THIS MOUSE IS *** HEAVY ***, come on we are on 21th Century!
* After all of this, the price is really high because of being platinum. there are other wireless microsoft mouses half the price.
The only pro of this mouse is the really new style and its ergonomy (Right handed only).
18 do you really need wireless?
I had to replace my wired mouse and went to Staples. The only mice they had with decent ergonomics were wireless, so I decided to try one out.
What a mistake. I can see using a wireless mouse in a conference room or other setup where you don't want to be tethered, but for a typical office setup they're kind of silly.
1. The receiver (which incidently could easily be mistaken for an actual mouse, as it is the same size and shape and is attached by a cord to the computer) sat about six inches from the mouse in my setup. That's like sitting six inches from yout TV and using a remote.
2. My mouse pad is slightly sloped and, without a cord to hold it in place, the mouse frequently slides off onto the floor.
3. I now have something else to buy batteries for.
4. I paid more for this than a wired mouse.
Aside from that it's a decent mouse. The feel of the wheel is nice and I like the side scrolling feature. But it's going back and I'm getting the wired version.
19 Superior battery life....
Wow, I've had this mouse for about 9 months, and it just ran out of batteries! And I use my system about 10 hours a day, as I'm a Software Engineer. My husband had replaced the batteries in his Logitech Optical, 3 times, while my Intellimouse was still chugging away on the same batteries. As far as the other reviewer stating that the mouse buttons aren't configurable, if you don't need to configure the buttons, this mouse is great! It feels so comfortable in your hand. The one negative comment is that I often accidentally click the mouse button on the left side of the mouse, because it's not in the best position. I've learned to compensate for this though.
20 Caution left-handed users
This mouse is not so ergonomic for left handed users. The two "thumb" buttons are not on the thumb side for lefties and the shape of the mouse is not as comfortable. If you are right-handed the mouse is nice.
21 NO CHARGER AND NOT RESPONSIVE ENOUGH
In short get the LOGITECH MX 700 instead. Superior in comfort, performance and battery life irrelevant because of built in charger (hello Microsoft). I'm so happy I switched.
22 Not as good as one might think
I've been a user of the original (and then 3.0) version of the wired Intellimouse Explorer products and have been completely satisfied with them. Best I've ever used. I was looking forward to using the wireless version.
However there are more disadvantages to this version than the wired ones. They include:
1) The Intellipoint software (v5) this ships with does not allow for full customization of the buttons. For the work I do, this is essential. What's the point of having 5 buttons if the customizations are basically limited to Internet Explorer or Word commands?
BTW, for the more technical users...you can load Intellipoint 4.12 and get the program-specific customizations working, but the two thumb buttons are not customizable, plus the tilt wheel is disabled.
2) For those who need to middle click often *will* become very frustrated. It seems that MS may have gotten quite a few complaints regarding accidental clicking the middle button while scrolling. Therefore if you want to click, you must make sure you do not move the scroll wheel at all. This is not easy to do. I'd say my success rate at deliberately clicking and dragging the middle mouse button is 1 in 4. That's a lot of wasted clicks and movements.
3) The tension on the middle mouse button is very high. It's really straining my finger, probably in combination with #2 above.
Otherwise, it feels pretty sturdy. I like the precision and the freedom of this wireless mouse. But that's about it.
It is perfect for people who want a 5-button mouse... but don't *use* the extra buttons. For serious users who need customizations and the middle mouse button, stick with the wired versions.
23 Not for laptops
I bought this mouse for my work laptop which I primarily use at my office. I was very excited about the side scrolling feature since I look at very large spreadsheets on a regular basis. What I discovered was the software that comes with the mouse conflicts with my touchpad. I talked to customer service and there doesn't seem to be a resolution to the problem. Now I am using it with my home computer and I have found that the side scrolling is a little slow to be useful. Overall the feeling, buttons, and precision are very good, but the two selling points (side scrolling and wireless) didn't work for me.
24 Tilt Wheel Needs Work
I am a serious PC Gamer and an avid Web Surfer. That being said, I can only compare this mouse to the last few I've had.
First of all, the new tilt wheel...
I love and highly promote *wheel* mice, but this new *tilt* wheel is awful. The ability to tilt/scroll left and right is something I haven't found myself needing anywhere as much as scrolling up and down, but it is a feature I don't mind on my mouse either way. However... THIS new Microsoft tilt wheel suffers from a major flaw. The wheel shifts up and down ON ITS OWN from time to time. Only a little bit, but enough to really tick me off- I'll go to click on something, and the wheel, with its weird 'rubberiness' will shift a little and move the page a smidge. It drives me insane.
While surfing, it can be annoying. While playing a first-person shooter game, where it will randomly switch you to your next weapon, it can make your blood boil! I even exchanged it for a new one at the store, to see if I just had a defective one, but the replacement had the same problem. It looks like it needs more work.
Optical-wise, it's decent. It is not my FIRST optical mouse, and I can't tell if it is better then my LAST Microsoft optical mouse.
Wireless-wise, it is my first. I can really get used to the chord's absence, but I have the unshakeable impression that it isn't as reliable as I need it to be during my online frag-fests.
Ergonomically, I haven't had a much more comfortable mouse.
In short, if they fix the tilt wheel it would be a decent everyday mouse. But as a serious gamer, I intend to return it for a 4-button, non-tilting, optical, wheel mouse with a chord.
25 Comfortable and Functional
Despite what many other reviewers have said, this is a pretty darn good mouse. It fits my hand well as it is shaped more ergonomically than the Logitech flagship, the MX700. It is rather bulky but fits medium to large hands relatively well. Smaller hands should look out for another mouse or at least go to a store to see how it feels first.
A unique feature of this mouse is the new tilt and smooth scroll wheel. The tilt wheel is handy when going through large spreadsheets and helps on certain web pages where the margins are blown out. It does feel a bit flimsy to use but it's still functional and practical for some. The smooth scroll wheel is a big plus for users who scroll though hundreds of web pages and documents like I do. I do admit it is a bit more sensitive for my tastes and isn't very good for games but it still feels better to use for office and browsing work. I've heard of some people complaining about the difficulty in using the middle-click with the scroll wheel. I can confirm this problem does exist but if one clicks it using the entire fingertip rather than just the very end of your finger to click works.
Wireless capability seems good. The receiver usually isn't more than two feet away from my mouse but I've used it a good 4-5 feet away with no problems. It comes with standard Energizer batteries, which are supposed to last 6 months. I have not been able to test this out since I've only had this mouse for a week but I have confidence they'll last me at least 3-5 months.
I usually only do office work, web page browsing, and the occasional FPS game on my computer but the optical sensor is good enough for me. More hardcore gamers may want to look at the Logitech MX series since they claim to have a better sensor. I have not had the privilage of testing the MX series so I can't give any more information on that. Another gripe some may have, mostly gamers, is that the extra explorer buttons and scroll wheel cannot be programmed to represent a letter or a key command. Again, this is a non-issue with infrequent gamers and those who mainly do office work.
Overall, this is a pretty nice mouse for those not willing to splurge on the Logitech MX700 and for those who do more office work than gaming. It's not as bad as many claim it to be. I'd recommend it with a few reservations for gamers.
26 Disappointed after using the corded version
This mouse looked good and felt good in the store. It worked right out of the box after getting it home. However, being a female with smaller hands, it is fatiguing to move around after a while, and I find myself stretching my finger just to reach the wheel. It seems like it is meant for big hands. This mouse is much heavier than the corded optical mouse, most likely from the batteries. But it feels big and clunky when moving it around. The wheel is also not as sensitive as the corded version, and does not have that nice little "click" when you move it. Also, the wheel does not move very easily like on the corded version where you could just roll it and fly down a screen. This one takes some work! Maybe I will give it to my husband or son to use.
27 I guess it works...
It works pretty well, but if you're the type of user that needs a middle mouse button then I'd skip this one. You can assign a middle mouse click to any of the buttons, but I prefer to have it in the middle where the scroll wheel is. I've found that if there is ANY scroll motion on the wheel, it won't function as a button when clicked. Basically, you have to be very careful to not scroll the wheel even a hair when you click it, and that requires skill and concentration.
28 Won't connect, Flimsy tilt, Short battery life
Don't get this product! I returned one already.
1. Won't connect
Mouse didn't work out box. Had to return to get another one. What a hassle. I wonder how long this mouse will last.
2. Flimsy tilt
What a lousy and flimsy design... How often does one use side scroll anyway? In any case, to use it takes large amount of finger extension and force. Lousy gimmick at best. And I miss the scroll with "click" as smooth scroll doesn't feel "right".
3. 6 month battery life?
Now that's a LIE! The damn Intellipoint software keeps on reminding me after 2 months that I need to change the battery and I used it only at home. I wish I got the Logi with built-in charger.
Finally, I wish I bought the Logi with 600 dpi and recharger instead. I tried one and regret this terrible unreliable piece of trash.
29 If you want to assign buttons - stay away from this one.
Info for gamers: The new intelliMouse 5 software does not support assigning normal keys to any button except "enter". The droplist is pretty extensive(ie. open, close,back etc) but no user assignable keys(like "f" or "d") are available. The tilt wheel also won't work for the games. I was hoping to use it for leaning around corners - but no go. Hopefully MS will release some new drivers...
30 Users of predecessor model may be disappointed with this.
Even though this model (Intellimouse Explorer 2.0) brings a number of improvements, it is much less comfortable to hold than the original Intellimouse Explorer. Microsoft has unfortunately removed the thumb rest that made this model's predecessor such a pleasure to hold. They have also reduced the overall size, which I feel further reduces grip comfort. While the soft rubber sides on this model indeed feel better to the touch than the old model's plastic, they hardly make up for the missing thumb rest and smaller size.
Apparently, Microsoft does currently produce a mouse which has the thumb rest - the wireless Bluetooth model (which costs a premium). However, according to the comparison charts released by Microsoft (currently available with just a few clicks at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/mouseandkeyboard/), their "Most Advanced Model Ever" (the Bluetooth) lacks the "Long Battery Life" that the Intellimouse Explorer 2.0 touts. And after reading how often people have been claiming they need to change batteries in the original Intellimouse Explorer, purchasing a Microsoft made mouse that doesn't tout a "Long Battery Life" seems risky.
So it seems that Microsoft's product line does not meet the demands of people who are looking for both the grip comfort of the original Intellimouse Explorer and the long battery life of the newer model - even if those people are willing to pay a little more for quality.
Make sure to try this mouse before you buy it.
31 Disappointed -- buying a wired one
I bought this mouse a few months ago and have had annoying problems with it. You click on things and it doesn't always register -- so you don't know if you really clicked or not, end up double clicking, etc. Not having a wire is not enough of a benefit for this hassle. Also, having a wheel which doesn't "click" is bad if you use Access forms. The old, clicking style wheel takes you through subforms at one click per page -- this new one is arbitrary. Plus if you spin the wheel fast it can lock up, forcing you to sit there and watch while it scrolls and scrolls. I cannot recommend this product.
32 Very Pleased So Far!
I purchased the original Microsoft Wireless Intellimouse last July--though I loved the concept and overall feel of the product, it was sadly returned. My biggest complaint at the time was a lag in cursor response that manifested itself when your hand rested on the mouse, with no movement, for several seconds. I found this very annoying when working with a wave file editor program, and reluctantly went back to my corded Intellimouse Explorer.
I saw the new version today, immediately fell in love with the smooth/fluid feel of the scroll wheel, and decided to give cordless technology a second chance. So far, all is well! Cursor response is immediate, indistinguishable from a corded mouse--I've tried repeatedly to duplicate the lag problem experienced with the original wireless Intellimouse, and have been happily unsuccessful so far.
Oddly, another reviewer of this mouse has complained about the lag. I'm puzzled--either that individual has purchased last year's version, or perhaps it still existed in early production runs of the current product. Regardless, I'm extremely happy so far. Freedom from a cord is most welcome, the mouse fits my hand comfortably, and the redesigned scroll wheel is worthy of kudos a second time--no clicking when rotated, just a wonderfully smooth, continuous, and very precise movement. Pushing the wheel to the left or right will now move an oversized page on your monitor to the left or right--a very welcome addition.
The receiving unit is located on the far left of my computer desk, in a small cubicle, with a block of wood separating it from the mouse--which is at least two feet away, on the far right side of the desk. No problems whatsoever, in spite of the distance and the block of wood--the mouse is responding quickly and smoothly.
When returning the original wireless Intellimouse last year, I kept hoping that Microsoft would "get it right" eventually. This time they seem to have a winner!
33 Costs a fortune in batteries
If you buy this mouse get ready to pay a fortune in batteries! I use heavy duty batteries and they last about a week.
34 Very smooth
This is the best mouse I've used (and I've used many - ever since getting a special preview of the original one in the 1970's). It is very smooth, both in moving the cursor manually, and with scrolling using the wheel. The main buttons are also more smooth and precise than in earlier products.
A few comments on previous comments:
- You have to install the software, or the mouse will not work properly. This may be worth noting for those with laptops who want keep their touchpad software. With the software installed, I do not get the described lag or any sort of evidence of the mouse not working instantly - even when waking up the computer.
- The customer from Germany appears to have the wrong page, since this mouse has not been available for a year. So he must have the 1.0 version, and thus has not experienced the greater battery life that 2.0 owners have. A wireless mouse like this one with long battery life is better than a rechargeable one, because you have the mouse available 24 hours a day.
- The reviewer from Illinois seems to be holding the mouse too far forward, as the peak should not be under the palm at all. The mouse should be held loosely - this is one of the ergonomic benefits. And I feel that the smooth scroll wheel is a significant improvement over the clicking one - however, it seems clear that some people are very set in their ways.
The mouse seems very suited to use in IE6 browser, and this is probably the majority of my PC use. The scroll wheel seems to naturally work very well in every app I've tried, including the tilt wheel. (Note that I am using this product under Windows XP). The wheel software has the nice feature of working wherever the mouse pointer has focus - a very useful refinement. The new default setting for the wheel button of "switch apps" seems to indeed be the most useful possibility, and thus I don't miss the larger number of button setting possibilities found in previous versions of software.
It's now "hip" to never give Microsoft the benefit of the doubt, and as a result many people continue to use Windows 98 - even though Windows XP has virtually none of the classic problems of earlier Windows - I can run it for weeks without rebooting. Similarly, few people seem to be trying this new mouse product, considering that this page has only 8 reviews, while mediocre B-movies get 200 reviews... well, more fool they.
35 Feels good, but has problems
This mouse cost me more than I wanted to pay, but I decided to indulge myself this one time. The sides of the mouse have a nice rubbery feeling, and the scroll wheel is seamless. However I returned it only one day after purchasing it. Firstly, I bought this for my laptop computer, and the driver software insisted on uninstalling my touchpad software before installing itself. I canceled the installation and decide to use it without the software enhancements (whatever they may be.) The second problem has to do with the power saving features. When the mouse is not moved for a few seconds, it turns off transmission, and switches into a polling mode where it checks once or twice a second to see if it's moved. This is very annoying because the mouse lags behind every time I start using it. Additionally, using the mouse wheel does not "wake up" the mouse, so if I'm looking at a web page and the mouse has decided to turn itself off, it doesn't turn back on when I try to scroll with the wheel; basically I have to shake it before the wheel starts working again.
I don't know if these problems are unique to this mouse, or if they are common problems with wireless mice, but I went back to the store and exchanged it for a cheap, wired, optical mouse from GE, and so far the new one works way better than the expensive MS one.
36 Great Product
Sometimes it is hard to believe this thing is made by Microsoft. I've been using this mouse for over a year now. A good mouse is something you can take for granted these days. It is one of those products you use every single day. This beauty is a work horse of a mouse. It fits your hand perfectly and is ergonomic. My hand does not get tired after long hours of usage like just about every other mouse. I've actually tried Microsoft's top end Wireless Bluetooth mouse. I went back to this one because the shape was more ergonomic. The Bluetooth design is a little different. Functionally they are both the same, but this one has the edge because of the design. I use the thumb buttons extensively. They are very useful and fully programmable with the software this mouse comes with. Contrary to other reviewers I've noticed the battery life isn't great. I usually replace the AA batteries ever other month. It's not a bad ratio; you just need to consider that when you purchase this. You will be buying a lot of AA batteries. What would be awesome is a rechargeable intellimouse. Something you could use during the day then stick it in a recharger at night. Anyway, this is a good product and well worth the price tag. I think the price will come down again since the Bluetooth Intellimouse is starting to take off.
37 Best Mouse I've Ever Used
About a month ago I decided I needed a new mouse. At the time i was using a standard optical 2 button, scroll wheel, compaq mouse. After reading many reviews about how great the Logitech MX700 mouse was i bought that... It was very smooth and precise, BUT it was the MOST UNCOFTORABLE mouse I've ever used and my whole arm was sore after a little while of use!!!! I returned it the next day and after reading some reviews tried this mouse, the Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer with Tilt Wheel... This is a great mouse and is very precise, but even more important it fits my hand perfect, very comftorable! It's great for games and the battery seems like it will have a long life. The side scrolling thingy isn't used much, but when I have used it it's very easy and useful. The front and back scroll wheel is smooth, its like one long scroll down, no stop at all, which is very hard to use in games, but now I've got it down perfectly just takes time. Just try this mouse out, you won't be dissapointed.
38 Best mouse I have ever used
Comfortable stylish design. Very good response. Long battery life. Smooth scrolling wheel. My favourite is the scrolling speed depends on how fast the wheel is scrolled. Battery & Wireless connection statuses. Variety of colours to choose.
One comment as others said, the software does not allow you to set buttons on the mouse to work different features in each individual applications. Hopefully newer software will addressed the problem.
39 Tilt Wheel, cruise, ac....
This mouse is smooth. I enjoy the new shape and contours as I have a large hand for most men my size. However, other men in the office of average size find the new shape pleasing. The non-ratcheting action on the scrollwheel will decrease risk of carpel-tunnel, but it might be a bit touchy for sensitive users (if you like to use the 3rd button click). The wireless technology works great. The connection never fails, 6' range is more than enough and battery life seems fine. I was surprised to find that it takes AAs and not some crazy custom battery. Only complaint is in the software - you cannot set up program specific button settings like the old intellimouse. But I am sure this will be fixed in a matter of time? Finally the array of new colors fully completes the office desktop ensemble. Happy driving!
40 Excellent mouse well worth the price!
I'd never owned a wireless mouse before and when my old Microsoft mouse went kaput after accidentally dropping on the floor several times, I decided to go wireless. Wow I'm glad I did!!
This mouse has great fluid motion and feels great in my hand even though like a previous reviewer, I have smaller hands than most adult men. It scrolls wonderfully up and down the page, much smoother than my old mouse. The fact it doesn't have a cord does take some getting used to, because this mouse a lot less restrictive. The sensor for the mouse fits perfectly into either your old PS/2 mouse port or a USB port and the software is very easy to load. The mouse also doesn't require you to sit the sensor right in front of it either, I've got mine sitting on top of my monitor and it works great. In addition, if you've got other wireless devices nearby, the software will alert you to any interference with the mouse, and give you help in fixing the problem. This takes a a little while for a new wireless user to get used to, but once you'll do you'll never want to go back to a mouse with a cord again. A great investment!!
41 Steps forward, steps back
As a long time user of the first version of the MS Wireless Intellimouse Explorer I was excited to get my new 2.0 version with tilt wheel horizonal scrolling. The new mouse looks nicer with soft rubber sides, runs on one AA in a pinch but with two has nearly 6 TIMES the battery life of my old mouse (up to 6 months now) and has smoother response on screen than the old version. There is also much less signal interference with all my other wireless equipment and the new horizontal scrolling action is easy to pick up and really "works."
That said there are *several* steps backwards. The new mouse is about 10% smaller than the old Explorer and even though I have small hands for most men this new mouse doesn't fit like the "glove" that the old Explorer did. The top is too peaked to allow my hand's palm to rest in total comfort and the thumb rest slopes inward nicely but no longer flares at the bottom to hold my thumb in place. The new scroll wheel has a gel like feel with a smooth scrolling action with no "clicking." This feels so unnatural for current wheel mouse users and takes a long time to get used to. I control it well now to the point it doesn't bother me but I certainly don't think it is an improvement over a wheel that has a clicking feel. The two back and forward extra buttons for web browsing etc. are even smaller and higher now turning the old Explorer's weak spot into even a bigger weak spot. Finally the Intellimouse software no longer allows you to set buttons on the mouse to work different features in each individual softwear application, instead allowing only global changes.
The horizontal tilt feature, colors, look, battery life, and response are all winners. It just begs the question why the ergonomics and softwear had to take a step back. If you are looking for a good wireless mouse this certainly is a winner, but if you already own the orginal wireless intellimouse explorer you might want to put your hand on one of these before you decide to "upgrade."
