Home >> Product Reviews >> Microsoft Intellimouse explorer

Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer

Features

This was Microsoft's original offering in the optical mouse market. Although it has come on a bit since then in its shape and button size etc as well as the quality of the optical eye, its principles are still there from the original. The Optical explorer was designed for easy internet browsing. Allowing the user to easily scroll through pages of the web with the programmable scroll wheel. While the two thumb buttons allowed for the operation of the browsers forward and back buttons.

With the use of Microsoft's Intellipoint software. All the buttons can be programmed to do exactly what you want them to do. I still use a version of the Microsoft Optical Explorer today and I have my thumb buttons set to copy and paste which can be very useful for me when I'm working on PantherProducts. There are many other option to toy with as well though such as setting them to an button on your keyboard such as shift enter or the space bar if you wish. This type of button programming gives you a great help when playing games such as Counter-Strike, Quake or Unreal etc. You are able to set your buttons as keyboard strokes to allow to use the mouse buttons to crouch jump, select weapon etc. Where as on a standard mouse these would have to be extra keyboard buttons for your other hand. Its all about react times.

Microsoft was the first to come up with the optical technology known as the Itellieye. This optical technology did away with the standard mouse ball and made optical mice the norm. No mouse ball has many advantages. For example the ball always used to stick at times or even skid at the other extreme, this is not possible with the optical mouse. The second important feature of the optical mouse is that it can track small movements. With sensitive drawing programs this is a great breakthrough. If you used mice to draw on a regular basis, you will have probably noticed that when trying to draw very slowly the mouse ball was very unresponsive for a while and then would jerk. This is not such a problem with normal mouse movement but when precision is paramount, its a real pain.

Cleaning the mouse is no longer necessary as there is no ball to stick, although you may want to wipe the bottom of the mouse now and then, but no real cleaning is needed. Optical mice are the only way to go these days and the prices have come down so much there is no reason not to go with the technology on this one.

Manufacturer's Description
You'll be amazed how smooth and precise this mouse feels. We've replaced the rubber-ball mechanics with an optical sensor that scans your desktop 1,500 times per second for pinpoint accuracy. The precise optical sensor detects motion on hundreds of surfaces, including wood, plastic, or even your trouser leg. You no longer need a mouse pad.

Mice that track movement using rubber balls need to be cleaned frequently because dust and lint can make the mechanism stick or skip. The IntelliEye sensor has no moving parts, so your mouse is smooth and precise.

Get faster, more accurate Internet navigation without using toolbars or the keyboard. The two buttons on the side act as forward and back buttons for your browser or you can programme them.

Save time and steps. Move through documents by simply rolling the wheel forward or backward--instead of clicking on a scroll bar. Use the wheel to see either close-up or big-picture views without having to use menus or toolbars (in compatible applications).

The comfortable arched shape holds your hand in a supportive, natural resting posture and the rubberised sides are flared for a better grip and feel. With IntelliMouse Explorer, superior comfort is literally in the palm of your hand.

Get the Latest Prices on the Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer