Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer

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Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer

Gagan Gupta, Jul 12, 2004 0000 hrs IST

The Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer is the latest edition in the series.

Looks and feels good, Works on a single battery

Heavy, Hard to reach forward back buttons

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Microsoft mice have always been known for their high quality standards. They have been innovators in a fast stagnating keyboard/mouse industry and have introduced some concepts that soon became norms like optical mice and the vertical scroll feature to name a few.

With the "new" Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer, Microsoft has given its series a bit of added class. The mouse is designed just like the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer 2.0, only this time it promises a better grip with its leather body and easy to grip rubber buttons. The rest of the features like the two additional thumb buttons and horizontal tilt function stay intact. But more on that later, let's start from the beginning:

The Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer is the latest edition in the series and though it's named exactly like the first generation mouse in its series, its design is more reminiscent of the second generation of the wireless series. The Black leather exterior does feel quite comfortable and the rubber buttons give a good grip, but that's where the novelty ends. The forward and back buttons are once again placed inconveniently on the upper left side of the mouse; the one place you'll rarely take your thumb during regular usage.

The tilt feature has always been a highly appreciated feature of the series and here it's no different. Microsoft Excel enthusiasts will highly appreciate the tilt feature as it makes side scrolling so much easier. Though the mouse takes two AA batteries, it can even work on one battery in case you want to reduce the weight of the mouse. The bad thing is that even on a single battery the weight is quite a killer. It's very hard to recommend this mouse for fast-paced gaming, since it's quite likely to tire your wrists easily with its weight alone, which is quite sad considering how well the mouse sensitivity and grip is.

The wireless RF range of the mouse goes up to six feet from its receiver and since the receiver wire extends to around four feet from the PC, you have a maximum distance of 10 feet covered from your PC.

So what's the price on this one? Well the good news is that the price has reduced since we last reviewed the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer 2.0. The bad news is that at the street price of Rs. 3,300 it's still quite a lot for a mouse. If you're a gamer, you'll be better off with wireless mice that use AAA batteries and are much easier on your wrist than this one. But if you're willing to spend extra on a mouse that looks classy, feels good and performs well in office applications then his might just be your thing.

Test Unit Sourced From: Prime ABGB Pvt. Ltd., Mumbai.