Microsoft expands BlueTrack line with two new wireless mice, is fully prepared to track more blue

Microsoft's standing by its BlueTrack technology with two new wireless numbers, the Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 and the Wireless Mouse 5000. The Mobile Mouse 6000 includes Microsoft's first "nano" transceiver, which sticks a mere 0.8 centimeters out from its USB port for continual ensconcement, but can also be stashed away under the mouse for safe keeping in the sake of a peripheral plugging emergency. The full-sized Wireless Mouse 5000 also features a snap-in transceiver, and like its mobile brother is ambidextrous in design. In June it'll be available in a Wireless Desktop 3000 package along with the Wireless Keyboard 3000 for $70, and both will be available separately for $40, with the Mobile Mouse 6000 bringing in the "high end" at $50. Microsoft is also announcing the LifeCam VX-2000, a $30 VGA webcam for all five of you who haven't bought a computer within the last five years with one built-in. You are loved.

Microsoft expands BlueTrack line with two new wireless mice

[HAZE Posted May 19th 2009 9:04PM]

Still not even half as good as the Logitech MX Revolution.

[(Unverified) Posted May 19th 2009 9:14PM]

I would be great if they would put out another trackball like the explorer that they had a couple of years back.

[(Unverified) Posted May 19th 2009 10:39PM]

bluetooth, blueray, blue mouse

with the blue carpet treatment

it doesnt get any better

"as real as it gets" -microsoft

[(Unverified) Posted May 20th 2009 12:46AM]

WHY do they not make it bluetooth? is there something bad about bluetooth or better with wireless (USB)?
most laptops come with 2 or 3 usb ports, and a mice will constantly be using one.

there are no good bluetooth mice out there. the big companies microsoft, logitech, apple only have one each. and all of them are either too small or apples which is just horrible.

[nikster Posted May 20th 2009 1:08AM]

It seems to be pretty difficult to make BlueTooth mouses that work. Even Logitech has only 1 or two. The problems are performance and battery life.

The USB transceiver solution seems to work much better - the battery lasts forever, well 6 months or so, and performance is excellent.

Can anyone tell me if these mouses from Microsoft have tacky blue LEDs on the side or underneath, or if that shine in the press shot is just the sensor? These look pretty nice otherwise, particularly the all black one. As much as I dislike the garbage OSs Microsoft produces, its hardware division is great.

[ToneyC Posted May 20th 2009 9:11AM]

I have the Microsoft BlueTrack Explorer Mini mouse, and I believe the design is similar to these.

On the bottom of my mouse, there's a crescent shaped strip of plastic that runs along the back edge of the mouse that glows blue. There's also the standard hole in the middle for a blue optical light/sensor. I can only assume that the crescent helps the optical portion when using the mouse on something like glass, where the extra light from the crescent produces some extra calibration for the mouse to know what you're doing. That would be my guess though, as I don't know the specifics (if I did, I would think that those would be trade secrets). Otherwise, when using the mouse on an opaque surface, I don't see the glow underneath the mouse. This may have been changed for this series, though.

On a side note, I don't see much improvement on this mouse, other than its ambidextrous design and smaller USB dongle. To me, it seems like the smaller the USB dongle, the easier it is to lose it...

[daisame Posted May 20th 2009 8:49AM]

So what ever happened to Wireless USB? Why should these mice use even micro dongles when they can use WUSB? There is bluetooth, but frankly the mobile mouses that use bluetooth seem to be laggy.

[(Unverified) Posted May 20th 2009 10:46AM]

Bring back the Trackball Explorer! For the love of God, please!

[(Unverified) Posted May 22nd 2009 10:00AM]

Hey Microsoft New Keyboard winkey+L = not lock screen but winkey + ;