Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse Blue ReviewOctober 3rd, 2002
Pros: Great price; ambidextrous design; easy installation; responsive movement; smooth tracking.
Cons: Limited wireless range; sketchy battery life.
Verdict: With a great street price of $30, the Wireless Optical Mouse Blue is a great choice for users looking at ambidextrous wireless optical mice.
With the rather unsuccessful launch of their first optical wireless mouse behind them, Microsoft has put forth a second attempt at knocking Logitech's Cordless Mouseman Optical off the throne with their new Wireless Optical Mouse Blue.
True Blue Ambidexterity First glance at the Wireless Optical Mouse Blue will reveal a--you guessed it--blue colour scheme. The mouse sports an ambidextrous two button plus wheel layout and an attractive, but plain design. The Wireless Optical Blue is comfortable in both hands and sits rather tall, common of Microsoft mice.
Installation & Performance Installation of the Wireless Optical Mouse Blue is as simple as it gets; just pop in the two provided AA batteries and plug it in (USB or PS2). Microsoft also included their simple & effective Intellipoint software for users that wish to use it, although it's not required. In addition to Windows 98SE-XP, MacOS 8.6, 9.x and 10.0 are supported as well.
Compared to the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer, the Blue performs like night and day. Gone are the lag issues, choppy movement and generally unsatisfactory performance of the older mouse. The mouse responds quickly with only a tiny hint of lag and tracks quite smoothly.
Unfortunately, one negative issue of this mouse is the unsatisfactory wireless range. While Microsoft claims up to 6 feet, it's only a mere 2 feet before the mouse goes out of range and loses signal, seemingly defeating the purpose of a wireless connection. In addition, Microsoft makes no open claims of battery life or power saving features, although battery life seems to be fairly acceptable thus far.
The Bottom Line With a very attractive street price of only $30, the Wireless Optical Mouse Blue makes up for Microsoft's previous wireless optical mistakes and offers users a smooth, responsive wireless experience albeit the weak wireless range and questionable battery life.
-- By Dustin Jones, Consumer Technology Editor
Where to buy Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse Blue?
User Review(s)
"Mouse is dangerous" I thought this mouse was great except for two things - it eats batteries like they are going out of style and if someone else nearby has one, they interfere.
However, last week I was using it, heard a pop and sizzle. The batteries exploded. Thought it was a one time thing - nope. I exploded three in a row. Very unsafe - I have a 3 yr old who used this mouse as well, sure glad it didn't happen when he was using it.
Another sucky MS product. From Melissa, March 18, 2005
"Wireless mouse caused pc to crash" The batteries in the iTouch Logitech wireless mouse we have went dead without warning while I was typing a message..ZAP..pc crashed! Screen to black. Some failsafe mechanism in the pc kept it from frying totally, so we could reboot. That was close. Be aware of this potential major porblem. I still recommend the wireless system...just monitor the batteries!!!! From Calvin Cobb, October 16, 2004
"Thank You... its fixed!!" Someone tossed this mouse into the take it or leave it pile at the town dump. I can never pass up something for free. It didn't work until I read a post about how to reset the mouse. Like the other post in this list said... Press the reset (connect button) on the underside of the mouse and also the one on the USB receiver simultaneously. From Chum Maker, September 29, 2004
"Not a product I'd recommend." This product worked fine, but needed new batteries constantly. This last time it demanded new batteries, I changed them, but it still is requiring new batteries and will not work. I tested the new batteries and they are fully charged. I then tried more new batteries, and it still wants "new batteries". I checked MS website and tried everything, but it just won't work. I feel like I am trying to feed Audrey 2 in Little Shop of Horrors. I am now going to buy a new mouse with a cord from another manufacturer. This MS mouse doesn't perform any better than the MS Wireless Network which I junked when it became erratic and I then replaced it with a Linksys, which is dependable. No more MS hardward--disposable junk. From Arlene Noonan, September 06, 2004
"MS wireless blue mouse" This mouse was the crappiest mouse there is i bought it for 40 dollars and the the movement is very bad u get new batteries every month what a waste of money only if u use rechargable batteries but u still need to recharge them. Its preforamnce sucks not good I would rate this 6 out of 10 for everthing. when ure battery power goes low it lags making it go slower and then u ha ve to put more batteries in the mouse. I suggest u not to buy this mouse.
Jason From Zhang, August 20, 2004
"MS Wireless Mouse Sucks" It seems that everyone shares the same issues with this mouse, laggy performance, occasional brain death and a reluctance to click what you want to. It looks really nice on the shelf below my glass table sitting there with no wires but it's too frustrating to use so back goes the cable version and I will chalk it up to experience and not buy from MS again. The wireless keyboard works flawlessly ... why can't the mouse ..... GRRrrrrrr From Mike, August 16, 2004
"MS Wireless Mouse Sucks" It seems that everyone shares the same issues with this mouse, laggy performance, occasional brain death and a reluctance to click what you want to. It looks really nice on the shelf below my glass table sitting there with no wires but it's too frustrating to use so back goes the cable version and I will chalk it up to experience and not buy from MS again. The wireless keyboard works flawlessly ... why can't the mouse ..... GRRrrrrrr From Mike, August 16, 2004
"Not a soild repsonse skippy" I will fricken kill this mouse. I can't stand the fact that it looks cool and it is the same Blue as the wired one but it doesnt work. I tried everytihng new batteries read the instruction manual front to fricken back hit the CONNECT button on the pointer messed with the blue reciever...nothing. The only problem is with my wired one the bright RED light stays solid, but with my wireless one the damn thing skips and the RED light is not solid. I highly recommend you do not waste your time/money/effort/andything else bad about this mouse From Brett McMillen, May 31, 2004
"big disappointment" I have used this mouse for about two years, and have been relatively happy, the distance to the base had its limits, and the batteries had to be replaced rather often. I got me some rechargeables for that purpose, so while I'm using a set the other one gets recharged until needed.
That was until a few days ago, when suddenly the mouse died, the IR light was still working, and it looked like it was trying to contact the base, but to no avail. I pressed both connect buttons, nothing, I even tried the "tuning coil" tip, but dead stays dead.
do not recommend this product. From Robi, May 10, 2004
"Mouse blues" As with others, the mouse works fine, as long as it works! When it fails, it goes bigtime! I've had mine for about a year & loved it. This past week end it started getting slower & sloooowwerrr!
Took it apart, reset channels, new batteries, the whole 9 yards! Nothing! Well it was great while it lasted but back to Logitech & wires, sorry MS but stay with screwy software, you're good at that! From Mitch Schwartz, May 04, 2004
"Works Great!" I don't understand why so many people are giving this mouse a bad rating. I bought mine right when this thing came out about 2 years ago and it has never failed me, not even once. I use this as a travel mouse with my laptop and take it everywhere. I treat it quite rough and it keeps on going. As far as the power consumption, I don't have any issues. A set of rechargable 1600 mah batteries will last me at least 3 months of daily usage. This is a well build mouse just like any other hardware from microsoft. That is my experience. All of my mice, keyboards, joypads , and driving wheel are all microsoft. In all of these years I've not had one microsoft periphrial go bad on me, even the very old microsoft serial mouse that I still use today. From sc, April 20, 2004
"Awesome mouse..." The problem people seem to be having with the mouse is lag, if this is happeneing try increasing the distance to the reciever. It does not like been right next to it, ideally at least a metre. Try hanging it down the back of your computer desk. Works fine for me in Win2000 with intellipiont installed. Even for fast first-person games such as SOF II. Mind you for games you still can't beat the wheel mouse optical, the best mouse ever period. I use this cordless one mainly for my server. Works spot on From Looker, April 20, 2004
"GARBAGE" Since it was new it only worked about 70% of the time. This morning the wheel stopped working. Thanks to my size 12 shoe, the mouse now sits in the corner of the kitchen floor, IN PIECES. My piece of crap optical explorer mouse is dangerously close to the same fate. I'm now searching for an OTHER-THAN-mircosoft mouse. I suggest you all do the same unless you enjoy throwing your money away!! From JP, March 29, 2004
"Piece of crap" I bought three of these the same day. One was flakey from day one. The buttons never worked right. You could click on something and see the "button" beneath the cursor depress, but releasing the mouse button did nothing. You had to move the cursor before anything happened. This, of course, made double-clicking impossible. This with the latest and greatest software downloaded from Microsoft. Somehow that problem magically cured itself, but after about two months the buttons just started working only if and when they felt like it.
The other two started out fine, but neither of them even lived long enough to see the first one's buttons quit working. One had gotten so erratic in both movement and button function that it was unusable and the other just completely died. I tried the connect buttons, new batteries, moving from PS2 to USB and back again, etc., etc., etc. - all to no avail.
Thes things are worthless junk. I wouldn't give 30 cents for another one, much less 30 dollars. From Lee Norman, March 17, 2004
"Microsoft Blue Crap" I've had my microsoft blue mouse for, oh say 6 months. It worked fine for the first 4, then it suddenly started squecking...NOW it doesn't work at all! I put new batteries in etc etc....but it just constanly blinks (the led underneath thingy) it doesn't stop blinking and it doesn't work. Its a piece of crap!!! From Joe, March 09, 2004
We're currently upgrading our user review system; so we won't be accepting new reviews for now. Wireless Optical Mouse Blue Specs
Interface(s)
Original USB
Released date
September 2003
Platforms
Windows 98, Windows 98 SE, Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0 (PS/2), Windows 2000, Windows XP, MacOS 8.6, MacOS 9.x, MacOS 10.1 or higher
