"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."

Comments

Oh just stick a 2-axis accellerometer inside

[GreyWolf3000]

...and be done with it.

Re:Oh just stick a 2-axis accellerometer inside

[TheRaven64]

Have you tried using an accelerometer as a pointing device? I played with a £400 device with six-axis accelerometers and it didn't have enough precision to track a movement to the right and then a return to the same starting point as returning to its original position. The only reason the Wii controller is accurate is that it constantly recalibrates itself from the bar under the display. Attach a bowling ball to your mouse, put it on a frictionless surface, and then move it with an elastic band, and you'll get an idea of what an accelerometer-based pointing device built with current technology would feel like.

Re:Oh just stick a 2-axis accellerometer inside

[Zadaz]

You might want to study accelerometers more. Despite the runaway success of the Wii and iPhone, they don't cure all ills.

What you would end up with is something that would both be as accurate as your average pedometer and still so sensitive that your pulse would screw up its tracking.

Yes, there are ways to mitigate both of those things but they would dramatically increase the price of the thing. And laser mice are really cheap.

Warning for incredible retarded web design

[aliquis]

The linked review is one of those pages there the article uses at most 15% of the space but still had to be split amount 6 pages or so.

Specs better but Technology Point-Less

[Adambomb]

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.

I wonder if they realize that this is flat out saying "yeah its nice tech, but no one really noticed much of a difference and isnt worth the price". Slashvertisements are getting a little weird these days.

As a Linux user

[FlyingBishop]

I can also say that I've always enjoyed Microsoft's mice, especially their Intellimouse Explorer, and will probably continue to do so.

And this sounds like a nice step forward. But $100? I could get a secondary monitor for that price. Or enough ram to max out my 32-bit system. Or a new hard drive so I can raid my system. The list goes on. Also, I'd prefer to be rid of my mouse at this point. Unfortunately, hitting those slashdot preview/submit buttons is a pain in the ass without a mouse.

Re:Battery: 3 weeks !!!

[mollymoo]

Buy a better mouse. The two alkaline AAs in this LX8 have lasted a couple of months of heavy use so far and, if Logitech are to be believed, can go for as long as 8 months. I've not turned it or the computer it's attached to off in that time. When the alkalines die they'll be replaced by low-self-discharge NiMH batteries (eg. Sanyo Eneloop) and I expect to go months between charging them.

Re:Yeah

[cp.tar]

I've always been amazed by people willing to spend extra money (and significant amounts of it at that) on just a tad faster processor, GPU and whatnot, but then picking a cheapo monitor, keyboard and mouse.
Somehow, I'd rather work on a merely decent configuration with excellent peripherals than on a ultra-fast rig with a $5 keyboard and $2 mouse. Whatever I'm doing, my CPU is mostly idling; my hands on my keyboard are not.

I spent a bunch of money for a Unicomp SpaceSaver keyboard (Model M, for all practical purposes); the shipping and taxes practically doubled the price. I got an MX Revolution from Logitech as a replacement for my defunct MX 1000.
My computer is a single-core configuration that was excellent in its day and age, but is significantly weaker than my year-and-a-half-old MacBook Pro. I don't know when exactly I'll have to get a new keyboard, but I don't expect it to happen in the next decade. And I know I won't be spending a second of that time wondering whether the pressed key took or not.