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"BlueTrack" Mouse More Advanced Than Laser, Optical
ThinSkin writes "Just when you thought laser and optical mice were enjoying their reign on mousepads worldwide, Microsoft has to come along and introduces their 'BlueTrack Technology,' a mouse tracking system that aims to work on virtually any terrain short of mirrored and reflective surfaces. ExtremeTech reviews the Explorer Mouse and Explorer Mini Mouse, both of which are powered by Microsoft's newest sensor, to see just how well this technology works. Testing on granite, carpet, marble, and other surfaces, the reviewers were impressed with the responsiveness of BlueTrack, but they also noted that laser mice were competitive on these surfaces as well. Even though the mice didn't get a recommendation from the reviewers (price being a major concern), they did admit that this BlueTrack is the best tracking system available today. MaximumPC has some pictures and a brief technical interview."
Because we all use carpet padded desktops.
I expected at least a Seinfeld quote somewhere.
This is just another optical type of mouse. What we really need is an ACTUAL mouse that has been genetically modified with a USB cable for a tail that can transmit the information issued to its brain by the aggregate information provided by its belly hair as you push it across any surface. More advanced versions will do the same using mental telepathy to another mouse head that was severed and merged with a USB dongle.
My pointing device has about 103 buttons in a very convenient layout. It did take a little while to get used to, but some schools even have classes on how to use it effectively. It's great, because with this pointing device, I can also enter new textual information, rather than pointing and grunting at the stuff that's already on the screen.
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No, we all pretty much agree that Microsoft makes some decent hardware. If they'd stick to what they're good at then we'd all be happy with them. It's just when they try to get into markets where they have no competence, such as software, that people don't like them.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
> Attach a bowling ball to your mouse, put it on a frictionless surface,
> and then move it with an elastic band,
I'll get right on that.
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.
That'd be one heavy mouse indeed.
It is our honorbound duty as patriotic Americans to buy these innovative mouses. Microsoft is one of our great country's most productive companies. Through the genius and vision of Steve Ballmer, Microsoft has given us the finest quality of software available anywhere, but produced right here at home in America. Now it has outdone itself again, and shown how a vital new technology will transform the way we do business. I can see the entire world clamoring for these amazing American devices.
However, we live in difficult times. We encouraged those who, (as governor Palin would say), come from the less "pro-America" parts of the country, to get uppity and cause our magnificent economy to falter. Instead of spending their money on crack cocaine and fried chicken, these folks thought they could sully our land and soil with their fake mortgages. How disrespectful. We could have forced them to pay for their risks and foreclosed them, which would have saved the our country's greatest institution: its banking system. Then Lehman and AIG could have stood proud and bought Microsoft keyboards and mouses instead of cheap Chinese crap which probably poisons you. Instead the Dems punished the hardworking financial executives for their success by legislating away their compensation. This is a slap in the face of Ronald Reagan and all he stands for. It is surely now of greater import and imperative than ever before that we the people, the real America, stand straight, step up to the plate in our nation's time of need, and buy these BlueTracks.
As a proud Republican and supporter of the finest GOP ticket in decades, I am so hopeful for the future of our country. I was recently gobsmacked when I saw an electronic checkout system in our local WalMart! However, we must keep spending to save our economy. We need corporation tax cuts for Microsoft so they can continure their great work in showcasing the best of American values - then Steve Ballmer might be able to employ great, right-thinking folks like Joe the Plummer. We need to help Joe the Plummer buy a BlueTrack by giving him his choice of medical insurance, thereby saving money and not putting bureaucrats between him and his doctor. We need to stop wasting money on affirmative action and college scholarships so folks in real jobs like Joe the Plummer pay less tax and can benefit from tracking technology too.
We need to work to save the pre-borns so they too can know the joy of these mouses. We need to fight to bring liberty, security, democracy and Microsoft hardware to Iraq. We are one nation, under God, and we see here right here in this article the evidence of his favor of our country! USA! USA! USA!
Vote McCain/Palin 2008!
but what self-respecting artist uses a mouse as their main drawing interface?
Disney?
I'm still waiting for the first GSM triangulation mouse, which will eventually be succeeded by the first GPS mouse.
Full Tilt
They sell them at Home Depot between the perpetual motion machines, and the objects of mass m.
Self-what?
It's called "Butter" and it's available at any grocery store!
In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is kinky.
This continual failure of mouse makers to address mousing on mirrors annoys me. Hey, mouse makers, here's how you can address this.
Originally, your mice were based on a rolling ball. The mouse felt the ball rolling, and figured out the movement. In human sense terms, your mice were based on touch.
The current mice are based on sight. They look at the surface under the mouse and see the relative movement.
The sense you should be looking at is smell.
In the center of the bottom of the mouse, there should be an emitter that leaves a chemical trail on the mousing surface. The rest of the bottom of the mouse should be covered with odor sensors that can sense when they are near the chemical. By laying a pattern of odors, and sensing them as they move under the mouse's "noses", the mouse can determine position.
Think ants and the chemical trails they leave to find their way around.
Not only would this address the mirror problem, you could also use this technology to address a serious workplace health issue. You could make it so the tracking chemical has antibacterial properties. This would help keep shared computers sanitary during cold season, reducing sick days and boosting overall productivity.
Well, lets diss the puny little accelerometer then and replace it with a triple ring laser gyro. It'll be accurate to a couple of centimetres for every thousand or so kilometres that you push it on the table. For those unhappy about this level of inaccuracy you could also link it in with GPS and perhaps your own personal DGPRS beacon and so forth to keep the pointer where it damn well needs to be. :-)
after using trackballs and Wacom tablet, going back to a mouse really does seem such a laborious activity.
Oh no, not a mouse, I use a trackpad!
and it opens up your favorite porn web site.
We are one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. Back to you with the weather, Bob!