This mouse is just PERFECT! it cannot be beaten!
Written: Jul 04 '00 (Updated Jul 10 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: No Mouse Ball! Extremely Accurate! Superior Comfort! Suprisingly Durable!
Cons: Costly...To much as mice are concerned.
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| etrustman's Full Review: Microsoft Intelli Explorer (B75-00001) Mouse |
The Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer is the heir to all past mice that have failed me. You know what happens: first, your basic mouse gets clogged up with junk and then starts to ignore commands from your finger when you push the button. When this started happening to me, I knew that I needed a new mouse; I needed a mouse that I knew wouldn't get dirty, on the inside, with mouse pad hairs and one that would actually click when I push a button. After going to CompUSA and seeing the sign saying "NO MOUSE PAD REQUIRED! THIS MOUSE DOES NOT USE A MOUSE BALL!" I knew the Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer would be the right mouse for me.
Some New Features
Optical Sensor: Why should I want it?
Are you tired of cleaning your mouse after tons of gunk sticks itself to the tiny analog wheels causing your mouse to be inaccurate? I was tired of this too but not any more; the Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer has an optical sensor that reads your position on almost any surface without the use of a mouse ball! This means that you will never need to clean the mouse or do any kind of maintenance what so ever except, I guess, cleaning the dust off it's surface.
Are you tired of struggling to press the "x" in the corner but your analog mouse jerks just enough to where you miss it and end up maximizing the window instead of closing it? If you answer yes, then you need this mouse! The optical sensors make the mouse extremely accurate enabling you to do any kind of mouse work with optimal performance. This comes in handy if you use a mouse to play any kind of game which requires quick responses or if you do any aiming at moving targets.
NOTE: this mouse works best on surfaces with detail for the sensors to track (i.g., a mouse pad, desk, or a piece of cloth). The sensors can not read any glossy surfaces or surfaces that reflect such as glass or a mirror.
More Buttons!
The Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer has two more buttons that can be either programmed or used to go back or forward when exploring the internet. I find the internet to be much easier to control now that I can quickly go back to the places a visit most. In epinions, I save a little time by rating an opinion and then quickly back tracking to the just in page, which I then push the other button I have designated to refresh the page. This way, I don't have to wait for the page to reload before I can quickly go on to the next opinion; It really does save me a lot of time.
There is another function that these buttons are good for. When I am playing "Quake 3", I program these buttons to do different tasks in the game. If you have read some of my other opinions, you know that I use a joystick for many of the game functions, but I still use a mouse to aim and I like being able to use my aiming hand to change weapons while my joystick hand is moving around. It is really useful.
Scrolling Wheel
The scrolling wheel is very important. It is the wheel located between the left and right buttons. Are you tired of scrolling down the page when you are reading opinions? Just use the scrolling wheel to move down the page as you read! It is so easy to use, It becomes addictive; I can hardly stand being without it!
Another use for the scrolling wheel is hidden. If you press down on the wheel, you actually have found the third button! It is useful for long internet pages for you can scroll down in a blink of an eye or you can use it as another button for games. Add another button to the list.
More functional than your standard mouse
Adjustable Sensitivity
Sometimes a mouse may be so sensitive that just walking away from your computer can be enough to bring it out of standby or your screen saver. If you experience this problem, then I may be able to help you right here. As with any mouse, Windows has a mouse control program in the control panel that can be used to adjust many properties of your mouse until it is perfectly suited for you. Just press: Start, Settings, Control Panel, Mouse. It is that easy! This control program can also be used for things such as Double Click Speed, Left or Right Hand Button Configuration, and Pointer Speed (Also Called Sensitivity). Lowering the Pointer Speed will require you to move the mouse a greater distance thus decreasing the Sensitivity to minor movements such as a person walking past.
Comfortable
The engineers at Microsoft have done a great job with the comfort and feel of this mouse. It is contoured to your hand so nicely that I feel like I'm resting my hand rather than moving a mouse around. It's arched shape supports the hand so that it is in a relaxed posture and the rubberized sides allow for better grip and control. It is very comfortable!
Extremely Durable
You will not believe the abuse that I put this mouse through. First, In the parking lot of CompUSA, I just had to trip over a crack in the cement. Not only did I look stupid but I must have looked like an idiot for dropping my mouse and landing on it! But that wasn't the last of the abuse before in was finally plugged into my computer; I was pulling it out of the smashed box only to find that I had butterfingers: it hit my glass coffee table yet was still intact! I just could not believe how durable a mouse could be; it amazed me!
This is not to say it is indestructible. I have talked to some people who say that the optical sensor is very fragile and that if the mouse is dropped from more than 2 feet, it will break. Because of this, I am extreamly lucky that I did not destroy it before I even got to use it!
If it ever does break, it comes with a Hardware Warranty so you can send it back to Microsoft and get a new one. They send it rush delivery so you will get it in about 4 days of sending. You can also take it back to the store and claim that it never worked in the first place.
Software Installation
Microsoft has done it again with their software! Installation is a breeze. Just pop the CD in and follow the simple instructions. It will ask very few questions that don't take a computer expert to figure out. All it will ask you to do is tell it where to install. It will never require you to register or anything for updates like some software, made by other companies, require.
The Disadvantage
The only disadvantage, I have found, is the cost. $65 is a lot to pay for a mouse, especially since you can buy a basic mouse for only $15. You still must consider all the benefits that you get by buying the Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer and these are what make the price. You get the optical sensors that ditch the mouse ball and provide you with digital precision, you get the extra buttons for easy maneuvering through cyberspace, and you get the scrolling wheel for even more control of your movements in the internet. I don't know why people don't start trying them out; I will tell you now: these things make your computer so easy to use, they are addictive! Plus, you can always make up for it in epinions eRoyalties.
System Requirements
You will be disappointed if you buy the Microsoft IntelliMouse and your computer can not handle it! Make sure that you have all of these system requirements before making your decision to buy this.
Microsoft Windows 95 or greater
30 MB Hard Disk Space
Round Mouse Port or USB
CD-ROM Drive
Conclusion
Basically, if you want to ease your way through your computer, this mouse is for you! This is why it makes things so much easier: you ditch the mouse ball, you eliminate having to push the back and forward buttons in your browser, and scrolling down is make easier. I highly recommend it for games too since the mouse wont jerk since there is no mouse ball. Also, this mouse is top of the line in comfort, so no more hand cramps from long days of epinioning. This mouse will just make your life a little easier. It has been one of the best bargains I ever made!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
etrustman
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Location: Boise, ID
Reviews written: 20
Trusted by: 158 members
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