ie8 fix

Microsoft Express Mouse finally gets the cord placement right

By | February 23, 2011, 11:20am PST

Summary: I am a mouse person, but I am tired of wireless mice that constantly need batteries. Microsoft has just released the Express Mouse, a simple wired mouse that has the cord placed at an angle.

I am a mouse person. I’ll use a trackpad or trackstick on a laptop if I have to, but I much prefer a mouse to scoot the cursor around the screen. I have long been using one wireless mouse or another, but have threatened to go old-school and get one with a wiry tail. Microsoft has just released the Express Mouse, a simple wired mouse that has the cord placed at an angle that keeps it out of the way for right-handers. It might work for southpaws but doesn’t look like it would do as well on the left side of the laptop/desktop.

The Express Mouse is a basic mouse that only comes in white, with red or gray trim. There is a small scroll wheel on the top of the mouse, and the buttons are integrated into the body of the mouse. Since the Express Mouse is wired there are no batteries required, which is whole point. The mouse will be available soon for $20.

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James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long.

Disclosure

James Kendrick

James Kendrick has no affiliations or relationships that need to be disclosed.

Biography

James Kendrick

James Kendrick has been using mobile devices since they weighed 30 pounds, and has been sharing his insights on mobile technology for almost that long. Prior to joining ZDNet, James was the Founding Editor of jkOnTheRun, a CNET Top 100 Tech Blog that was acquired by GigaOM in 2008 and is now part of that prestigious tech network. James' writing has appeared in many print publications: Smartphone and Pocket PC Magazine, Information Week and Laptop Magazine to name a few. James' coverage of the mobile technology sector has regularly appeared in the New York Times, Salon.com and CNN/ Fortune online. Not just a writer, James has filmed numerous video reviews and how-tos that have garnered well over a million viewers. He has appeared on local news segments and been interviewed by the Associated Press on mobile technology topics. Additionally, James has been podcasting about mobile technology for years.

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Have ALL The MS Southpaws Been Fired???
Lazarus439 23rd Feb 2011
Microsoft has not out with a high(er) end left-handed or even ambidextrous mouse since the Intellimouse Optical which is way longer than I want to consider. Did they fire all the lefties or just revert to the very-old school and force everyone in Redmond to mouse right-handed???
am i the only one that's never had an issue with "cord placement" on a mouse? what are you doing that you're hitting the cord at the top of the mouse??
@bc3tech yea don't get it either.
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Maybe his coffee cup keeps hiting it?
Will Farrell 23rd Feb 2011
@bnlf
@bnlf
I have to agree, I'm missing the whole point of this article. The whole point of going to wireless mouse was to get rid of the cable, not because the cable was in the way, it was just annoying. Now to fix the issue with a wireless mouse needing a battery every 3-6 months, we're going to go wired with the wire moved from the old design to fix an issue that didn't exist?
@bnlf good. one more arrow in my quiver of "see i'm NOT crazy!" happy
@bc3tech
perhaps MS should stick to mice and let the professionals do the rest
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Wow, a right-handed mouse...
jasonp@... 23rd Feb 2011
And an ugly one at that. I guess someone had to write an article about it.
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So true
Richard Flude 23rd Feb 2011
This is what USD8 billion a year in R&D produces. Classic;-)
Wake me up when they develop a wireless mouse that recharges itself through movement, available light, or both. Then they will have the mouse done right.
@Cyrorm Solar powered mouse. Nice idea! you ought to try to patent that. Could be worth something one day!
James, I know that I don't do as much computer work at home as you do, but I have had the same batteries in my wireless mouse at home for about a year. Can't say that the replacement rate gets to me!

And my work wireless mouse outlasted the batteries in my wireless keyboard, which lasted at least 6 months. I just don't see the problem!
@jglopic Agreed. The batteries in my wireless mouse lasted a good 6 months, and that was with extremely heavy usage and accidentally leaving it on about half the time. Anyone raging over battery replacement is silly.
And...it's a mouse for righties. Useless to me.
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Have ALL The MS Southpaws Been Fired???
Lazarus439 23rd Feb 2011
Microsoft has not out with a high(er) end left-handed or even ambidextrous mouse since the Intellimouse Optical which is way longer than I want to consider. Did they fire all the lefties or just revert to the very-old school and force everyone in Redmond to mouse right-handed???

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