Microsoft Wireless Arc Mouse folds up, makes you look cool
Microsoft has had its share hits and misses as far as product design goes, but this Arc Mouse due this winter looks to be a slick little input device. Wireless and collapsible, the Arc Mouse promises to combine both portability and style for those of you on the "fashion edge" (their words, not ours). Hyperboles aside, this $59.95 optical jobby seems to be the real thing, and comes in both red and black. Look for it for the holiday season littering holiday gift guides.



















wow... this is actually really nice. why didn't i think of this?
"Set your phasers to kill"!
my point exactly.
I Still prefer my logtech VX Revolution... but is cool.
Looks like those rolling droids from Episode I.
ok, big ass mouse that folds into something that looks like a standard size mouse... Groundbreaking!
No regular ass mouse that folds into something that fits in your ... pocket
Very, very nice. I wonder how it feels on the grip though..
looks like a dust buster...
Nice! If it is bluetooth wireless, the folding-portability will make an excellent addition for my laptop :)
Unfortunately, it looks like it's NOT Bluetooth. The full article speaks of micro wireless transceiver. Why Microsoft WHY!?
Bluetooth:
- Doesn't use up a USB port if you already have Bluetooth
- Works with existing wireless.
- Is a standard useful for more than just connecting to a mouse
-costs several times as much as a normal wireless mouse
And most notebook wireless mice are not Bluetooth-enabled too, even Logitech. A mystery!
If the micro-receiver is as micro as those new Bluetooth dongles, I think it's fine to keep it there.
You're right, this one doesn't come with a stick to shove far up your... patootie.
OK - I don't "get" this. It looks uncomfortable and less than practical. Why would I choose this over a portable mouse like the Logitech VX Revolution? Is this simply for people that need a much bigger mouse?
I think it's just a standard size mouse that folds to the size of a laptop mouse for travel. It isn't aimed at desktop users I would assume. I use a laptop mouse with my laptop, but when I'm at home it would be nice to have something that actually fit my hand, but something bigger takes up a lot more space in my laptop bag, this could actually be nice to have.
Full-size mice are just plain going to be more comfortable.
The empty space underneath may be throwing you off. Personally speaking, I can't find a more comfortable mouse than the Logitech MX1000 I've been using for the last 2+ years. For grins, I held it up to the screen and looked at its profile side-by-side with the Arc Mouse's pic - 98% the same contour.
Presumably the battery life will be about 10 minutes?
Well, from using older and newer Microsoft wireless mice, both desktop and laptop size, I imagine it will have quite a few months worth on each battery, just like the rest.
Erm... how does it work?
Is it just me or does it look like a Star Trek TNG phaser
It's not just you.
Will the set decorators sue? Only time can tell
miss.
I still like the rocketfish twister mouse more (and the twister only costs 8 bucks!) but whatever floats your boat.....or moves your cursor around i guess...
I still prefer this mouse, if ultra-portable is what you're looking for. This one takes up ZERO room in your already-overcrowded bag:
http://www.newtonperipherals.com/mogo_mouseBT.html
cool! oh, wait: my macbook doesn't have a pc card slot. damn limited functionality.
(just ragging on limited connectivity. in truth, i'm seldom using the MB on the road with apps where i need a mouse)
That is both crazy and awesome in equal measures.
Look cool and fairly functional, Microsoft to seem to be able to produce some of the best peripherals around.
Is it really that valuable for a mouse to be able to shrink 1/3 its size?
I'm thinking the lack of a flat surface is gonna make use on uneven surfaces (i.e. your thigh, the chair next to you) difficult to ue smoothly..
You sound a bit schizophrenic.
Finally! Ima be COOL!
I presume you mean the one where the scroll ball gets clogged with dirt after a few weeks and stops working. Correct?
The Mighty Mouse? I have it. Its not as bad as people (Mac users and mac haters alike) say, but every once in a while I have to roll it upside down hard on a sheet of paper.
@ Haikibutsu
Yeah I do, it was meant to be a reply to Ocean.
I'm getting the redesigned MacBook Pro when it's out, and I can just see me getting the Mighty Mouse just for the squeeze function. LULZ.
Looks painful to hold for any amount of time
Hmm.... I quite like this. Depends what it actually costs when it comes out.
Looked at the mogo but my laptop has a mini-express slot.
Any idea if it will be bluetooth?
Well sure it looks cool. But, I haven't used a mouse since my first laptop. And why do desktops need portability? I know...I'm missing something. Or maybe they are.
Ah, the bluetooth generation. I knew I might have been missing something. Would it really help things?
1. It's for laptops, not desktops.
2. Bluetooth doesn't require a USB receiver sticking out of your laptop.
ooooohhh maaaannnn! SOOoOOOOooO close to a hit!
FAIL!
No bluetooth, no way.
Nice style though. Pricey also.
Stop saying "fail". You look like a douchebag.
"ooooohhh maaaannnn! SOOoOOOOooO close to a hit!"
No, THAT makes him look like a douchebag.
Am I the only one who thinks this thing would snap after one day of use?
Yes.
Everyone else knows that, (Xbox 360 aside), Microsoft products are built to last. They have a reputation for high-quality PC peripherals for a reason, and I don't doubt them on this product either.
I like everything but the color. Still skeptical though cause it could end up feelin like crap in ma hand.
I've also seen pictures in black
Very interesting concept. Probably not something I'd use, but interesting nonetheless. I'm guessing that it uses one of those flat button batteries. Also, it doesn't really look that large to me (no larger than a standard laptop mouse).
Good design,but useing?
Hmm... Looks cool, but I think I'll stick with my Logitech G5 for my desktop and VX Revolution for my laptop.
Looks silly to say the least :S Looks a bit like a lazer blaster.
All laptop mice should be Bluetooth, period.
This design is pretty awesome otherwise. Very "out of the box"
The optical engine is at the tip of the mouse instead of the middle.
At first I thought it was a gyration type mouse.
Less "Enter" button, please.
It's annoying when you use it like that.
It's like every sentence is somehow its own paragraph.
Please, no more.
It cool period, cant see anything close to it in the market.
im stickin with my VX Nano.
Looks like Im going to fall of the first time I ride that... can I get that with training wheels?
Looks like it will be a cool mouse...and I think it would scrape ice/frost off my car's windshield nicely as well.
score.
test
Wait a minute... Microsoft makes a bluetooth headset for cell phones now?
Well I looked it over on the link, and I agree with people that since it doesn't have a place to rest your thumb it'll be uncomfortable and I would not purchase it.
plus d'infos ici !
http://www.mti.epita.fr/blogs/microsoft/2008/07/26/arc-mouse/
Just picked one up at Best Buy - not too bad so far!!
I've actually tried it out and it has a micro USB dongle, which is nice. I dislike Bluetooth mice because of the annoying cursor lag after inactivity. It feels good, and surprisingly sturdy despite its light weight. The flip action works well for travel and like most wireless mice there is also a mount to store the dongle underneath. What I didn't like about it was the lack of tactile feel to the buttons. They are a one piece type, similar to a mac mouse, so they take a little more pressure to click. This is could be a good mouse for the check out girl at Ulta to surf the net with, but I don't think you'll find it on the desk of anyone who does actual work.
went to check it at my local best buy, and told the guy it was broken and he went to throw it away...so i took it from the trash and its a perfectly good mouse i love it. thank you microsoft.