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Adrian Kingsley-Hughes
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Microsoft announces Explorer Touch Mouse

By | July 19, 2011, 12:21pm PDT

Summary: The Explorer Touch Mouse features a touch strip that allows users to swipe horizontally or vertically and have that translated into a on-screen navigation.

Microsoft has unveiled a new mouse - the Explorer Touch Mouse.

The Explorer Touch Mouse features a touch strip that allows users to swipe horizontally or vertically and have that translated into a on-screen navigation. In addition to the touch strip, there’s a wheel featuring three scroll speeds - slow speed for precise movements, medium speed to move forward a page or two, or hyperfast speed to flick quickly through a long document. Oh, and if that’s not enough, there are also five buttons for you to customize and play with.

The mouse also features haptic technology in the form of a vibration when the touch strip is used.

The Explorer Touch Mouse makes use of BlueTrack Technology for seamless scrolling on a variety of surfaces - everything from your carpet to your couch to your pant leg, according to Microsoft.

Worried about battery life? Don’t! This mouse offers up to 18 months of battery life - a first for Microsoft.

The Explorer Touch Mouse will be available in September for $49.95.

Interested … or do you find it hard to get worked up about a peripheral?

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Topics

Mouse, Microsoft Corp., Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Mice, Hardware, Peripherals

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
EricVM 20th Jul
This mouse appears to be aimed right at Windows 8 and it's new UI. I'll get it for sure. Just think of all the others that will be down the road for W8...Kind of a glimpse to the future to me.
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let me guess
Linux Geek 19th Jul
no Linux driver for it!
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
1773 19th Jul
@Linux Geek You use mouse in Linux ? LOSER !! Use the terminal !!
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
statuskwo5 19th Jul
@1773 Haha. But seriously, it's a mouse not a rocket ship.
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
herry.k 19th Jul
@1773

too funny happy
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Contributr
RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 20th Jul
@1773 LOL!
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
xdrunk1 19th Jul
I want one :)P
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
Cylon Centurion 19th Jul
Just went back to a wired mouse. Don't think I could do wireless again. The amount of batteries I ate up was insane.
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
Bates_ 19th Jul
It looks like a whale at certain angles. Very cool looking, but nothing is replacing my WIRED Logitech G9x right now.
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
Imrhien 19th Jul
@Bates_ zomg I just ordered a G9X =D Can't wait for it to arrive!
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
micromac@... 19th Jul
@Cylon Centurion: I sit at my computer 8 to 12 hours a day with a Logitech M705 and can't remember the last time I put new batteries in it.
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
jetsethi 19th Jul
With all the Microsoft peripheral devices that have released over the years, I would love to see what they'd do with an actual computer, as far as physical design and features. It's too bad that this shall never be... sad
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
berriend 20th Jul
@jetsethi ... xBox 360 ...
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
BS0D 19th Jul
I had a Saitek Obsidian touch mouse and people who borrowed my mouse hated it. I thought it was an alright mouse. I then got an Logitech G700 and it is the most amazing mouse ever. Wired and wireless all in one! G700 FTW!
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
joe_friday_99@... 20th Jul
Logitech G570.....with the thumb ball ! Second only to the SPARC Workstation trackball...are these still around ?
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
joe_friday_99@... Updated - 20th Jul
Is this like the emporer's new clothes ?

I do not see any wheel or buttons.

The mouse is naked !!!
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
Nevellin 20th Jul
18 months of battery life? This is insane!!! Kudos to Microsoft for this.
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RE: Microsoft announced Explorer Touch Mouse
EricVM 20th Jul
This mouse appears to be aimed right at Windows 8 and it's new UI. I'll get it for sure. Just think of all the others that will be down the road for W8...Kind of a glimpse to the future to me.

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