Microsoft's useless "Designer Series" USB Hub mousepad

Besides the fact that mousepads are technically made obsolete by the existence of optical and laser mice, this is one particularly backwards example of a mousepad. The Microsoft Designer Series 4 Port USB Hub Mousepad is just that: a mousepad with 4 USB ports. About the only thing that it brings to your desk is a bunch of cable clutter, as the Hub itself is only USB 1.1 compatible, and as the image above shows, there's a fair degree of curling at the edge due to its roll-up packaging, and curling has to be the biggest no-no when it comes to mousepads. Move along, nothing to see here.

[icfleming @ Mar 20th 2007 7:51PM]

"Microsoft innovation at its best... What will they think up next."

A way to prevent you from posting in triplicate?

[js @ Mar 20th 2007 9:35PM]

The Mighty Mouse?

Applebots, FTW!

[Eric @ Mar 20th 2007 7:00PM]

It seems unusually small too.

[MacVicta @ Mar 20th 2007 7:02PM]

A useless product from Microsoft.

Who saw that one coming?

[Revrant2394 @ Mar 20th 2007 7:17PM]

HO HO HO, a Microsoft joke.

Who saw that coming?

[MacVicta @ Mar 20th 2007 7:57PM]

That was no mere Microsoft joke.

THIS is a Microsoft joke:


Bill Gates dies and fronts up to the pearly gates.

St Peter: Well, you've got a choice. Have a look around here. Pop down to Hell and see what Satan has to offer. Check us out, and then let me know your decision.

Bill has a look around heaven. Lots of sombre people singing hymns, praising the Lord (and probably writing AdA). He goes down to Hell. There are beautiful beaches, lots of sun, sand, attractive women (and a lot of C and Basic). Long cool drinks that never get you drunk. He loves it.

He goes back to St Peter.

Gates: Look, I know you're really doing good things here, but Hell seems more with it. More my kind of scene, you know what I mean? No hard feelings, but I pick Hell.

St Peter: No worries. You've got it.

----------------

Bill finds himself back in Hell, neck deep in fire and brimstone, suffering eternal torment. He can't work it out!

He goes back to St Peter.

Gates: Hey! St Peter! Where are the beautiful girls and long beaches and cool drinks?


St Peter: Sorry if you got confused, that was just the demo version.

[Jeff @ Mar 20th 2007 8:05PM]

That's not a product, that's a schwag giveaway. Note the "Discover the Difference" tagline which never appears on any Microsoft hardware product.

[KC @ Mar 20th 2007 8:05PM]

I think they should re-brand these with Apple and they will sell like hotcakes.

[mike @ Mar 20th 2007 8:27PM]

Although im not going to say there is a need for a usb mousepad, I would like to say that optical and laser mice do not render mousepads obsolete. I used a mousepad with my optical mouse for 2 years and I still do now with my laser. I like the added friction the pad gives me, + the comfort on my wrist.

Moral = Lets not render mouse pads obsolete just yet.

[Wade @ Mar 20th 2007 10:33PM]

Hey Mike I agree with you. There are times when the surface of a desk plays havoc with a laser mouse. I wish I had used a mousepad on my current desk, all the movements have left wear and tear marks. Just my 2 cents.

[Ben @ Mar 20th 2007 9:34PM]

After I saw the title, and before I clicked this news link i said one thing

...Conrad...

[Christian Martin @ Mar 20th 2007 9:35PM]

If it were made by Apple, this guy would think it's the greatest thing evar.

[csnoke @ Mar 20th 2007 9:40PM]

If it were made by apple it WOULD be the best thing evah.

How many apple products look/function like that?

[Colin @ Mar 20th 2007 9:42PM]

Response 1:
If it were made by Apple, it wouldn't be so fugly.

Response 2:
If it were made by Apple, it would only have one USB port.

There, happy? Now both MS & Apple have been teh zinged. Let's see if we can keep at least one article from turning into an OS holy war.

[Jake @ Mar 20th 2007 10:14PM]

Mousepads aren't obselete. I use one because my desk isn't the best surface for a mouse. It works a lot more smoothly and quietly with a mouse pad.

[gxti @ Mar 20th 2007 10:23PM]

Yes, that thing is tiny. Also, mousepads aren't obsolete if you do anything that requires more precision than, say, blogging. What I'd like to see is a mousepad/bluetooth mouse combo that charges/powers the mouse while you're using it.

[Guest @ Mar 20th 2007 11:17PM]

just use A4 blank sheet as a mousepad.

[OddManOut @ Mar 21st 2007 12:15AM]

I'm with 'Mike' on not abolishing mouse pads just yet. I've noticed both Laser and more traditional optical mice actually can be rather finicky about the surfaces they are used on. Not all mice, and not all surfaces, but odd things happen.

I had one that worked on one desk (dull matte type surface), behaved eraticaly on another (vauguely shiny/reflective), and defied logic by working fine where, based on the second desk, it shouldn't work at all (clear glass table top, tinted glass table top, 4"x6" mirror).

So mouse pads still have their place. I mean users have to hide the sticky notes with their passwords SOMEWHERE, and most sys admins a hep to the keyboard and the monitor bezel already...

[narcszm @ Mar 21st 2007 3:02PM]

I get it. Designer types always have those pretentious glass desks. Which laser mice don't work so well on. But don't those pretentious designer types always have a Mac keyboard with USB hub?

[Gosroth Otafuku @ Mar 21st 2007 9:28PM]

this product, real or not.. joke or not.. holy war aside is a good idea. it has easy access to thumb drives and also keeps wood finish intact

[Mymac @ Mar 23rd 2007 9:18AM]

At least my useless usb-hub mousepad has blue lights in it. It's completely useless as a hub but it looks cool when plugged in

[fastm3driver @ Apr 8th 2007 11:36PM]

I HATE mousepads!
That said, I never used a mouse pad with a ball mouse and they worked fine.
Now I have to use a mouse pad. aggg
I have used 3 different optical with my HTPC on my black couch and none of them work. Now I have a computer desk that is glass and optical and laser don't work! Are there and good ball mice you can still buy?