REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 25, 2001 — The Hardware Group at Microsoft Corp. continues to lead in desktop peripheral innovation with the introduction of its first wireless optical mouse: the Microsoft® Wireless IntelliMouse® Explorer. Built on Microsoft’s new proprietary IntelliEye® optical platform, the most powerful in the world, Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer delivers ergonomic comfort and breakthrough power-saving technologies for unparalleled performance in a wireless optical design.
Intellimouse Explorer Click for high-resolution image
Also launching are new versions of the company’s best-selling wired mouse products, IntelliMouse Explorer and IntelliMouse Optical, extending performance and comfort benefits throughout the Microsoft mouse family. All three mouse products incorporate Microsoft’s new IntelliEye optical technology to capture 6,000 pictures per second, four times the performance of other optical mice on the market. The resulting benefit is smooth cursor control on virtually any surface.
“Consumers are demanding greater performance from optical mouse products,”
said Melinda Graetz, mouse product manager at Microsoft.
“Their feedback led to the development of our new optical chip designed entirely in-house from the ground up. Most optical mouse products cannot track accurately when moved quickly; Microsoft’s new IntelliEye optical technology overcomes this issue to provide accurate tracking no matter how quickly you move your hand.”
In addition to state-of-the-art technology, the new mouse line also offers superior design and comfort appointments, including the following:
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Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer offers a thumb scoop and finger grooves for improved grip, with soft-touch material adding comfort to the side buttons.
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IntelliMouse Explorer’s new design offers enhanced grip support, finger grooves and a new curvy shape in addition to its signature titanium silver shell and glowing red underside.
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IntelliMouse Optical maintains its award-winning ambidextrous design.
Each of these designs was a result of growing customer demand for greater comfort.
“Any pointing device should be designed and used such that the wrist remains naturally straight,”
said Martin Reynolds, vice president and research fellow at Gartner Dataquest.
“Selecting a mouse that is comfortable to use is the single most important decision that a buyer has to make.”
As they did with all their mouse products and keyboards, Microsoft’s award-winning in-house designers and ergonomists designed the new mouse product line to promote alignment between the hand and forearm.
Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer
Equipped with two AA batteries, Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer operates on standard radio frequency, communicating with a receiver that can be placed up to six feet away or even out of sight. In addition, its unique two-channel design and breakthrough power-saving technologies minimize unnecessary power consumption to provide months* of virtually interference-free computing.
Wireless Intellimouse Explorer Click for high-resolution image
“The biggest issue facing a wireless optical design is managing the power consumption to extend battery life,”
Graetz said.
“Our engineers developed intelligent technologies that conserve battery power without compromising performance.”
These technologies include the following:
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Intelligent touch. Unique sensors recognize the presence of a hand, immediately engaging the optical technology. When the user’s hand is removed, the mouse turns itself off, reverting to sleep mode to conserve battery power.
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Intelligent illumination. The Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer conserves battery power by shining the light brightly to illuminate a dark surface and dim it on a light-colored surface.
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Intelligent surface detection. The mouse knows when it is lifted off a surface and drops into a low power mode to conserve battery power.
In addition to design and technology innovations, users will find advancements to Microsoft’s IntelliPoint software. New productivity and efficiency features in the new mouse line (for both PC and Mac platforms) include the following:
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Faster wheel scrolling. Scrolling accelerates according to how quickly the wheel is rolled, providing faster movement through Web pages and computer applications. This enables more area to be covered in less time, increasing scrolling speed on average by 28 percent (on three or more pages).
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Program-specific button assignments. Users can reprogram all five buttons, including the wheel button, to perform popular commands in favorite applications with a single touch. For example, the same button can Cut in Word and Insert Comment in Excel. The side buttons are set by default for easy forward and backward Internet navigation.
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Recording favorite keystrokes. Users can assign common keystrokes to any of the mouse buttons. For example, a user can program a single button to set a highlighted section in boldface, saving time and increasing productivity.
With the combination of breakthrough optical performance, ergonomic comfort and signature styling, the Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer marks another milestone from the group that first popularized PC optical mouse products.
System Requirements
To get full benefit of the scrolling wheel and all programmable buttons with Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer, users need the following:
For a Windows-based PC
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One of the following: Microsoft Windows® 98, Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me), Windows 2000 or Windows XP operating system
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25 MB of available hard disk space
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CD-ROM drive
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Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 with Service Pack 2 (Internet Explorer 5.5 browser software included; requires 45 MB of additional hard disk space, 486DX 66MHz or higher processor and 16 MB of RAM)
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USB port
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IntelliPoint software (included)
For Macintosh
Intellimouse Click for high-resolution image
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Mac OS 8.6 or later (excluding OS X or later)
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15 MB of available hard disk space
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CD-ROM drive
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USB port
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IntelliPoint software for the Macintosh (included)
To get full benefit of the scrolling wheel and all programmable buttons with IntelliMouse Explorer or IntelliMouse Optical, users need the following:
For a Windows-based PC
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One of the following: Microsoft Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows NT 4.0® with Service Pack 5 or later, Windows 2000 or Windows XP operating system
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25 MB of available hard disk space
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CD-ROM drive
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Round Mouse Port (PS/2 compatible) or USB port (USB requires Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows 2000 or Windows XP)
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Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01 with Service Pack 2 (Internet Explorer 5.5 browser software included; requires 45 MB of additional hard disk space, 486DX 66MHz or higher processor and 16 MB of RAM)
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IntelliPoint software (included)
For Macintosh
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Mac OS 8.6 or later (excluding OS X or later)
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15 MB of available hard disk space
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CD-ROM drive
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USB port
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IntelliPoint software for the Macintosh (included)
Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer and IntelliMouse Explorer will be widely available in September for an estimated retail price of $74.95 (U.S.)** and $54.95 (U.S)** respectively. IntelliMouse Optical will be widely available in October for an estimated retail price of $44.95 (U.S.).**
Microsoft Hardware employs innovative engineering, cutting-edge industrial design and extensive usability testing to create products of exceptional quality and durability that enhance the software experience and strengthen the connection between users and their PC.
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq
“MSFT”
) is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software — any time, any place and on any device.
* Actual battery life may vary depending on usage pattern
** Prices are estimated retail prices. Actual prices may vary.
Microsoft, IntelliMouse, IntelliEye, Windows and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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