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Microsoft
Announces Availability of IntelliMouse Explorer
REDMOND, Wash., October 4, 1999 - In 1968,
computer pioneer Douglas Engelbart demonstrated the first computer
mouse. This curious wooden prototype, roughly twice the size of a
hockey puck, eventually became an essential peripheral, paving the way
for the graphical user interface and transforming the way we use
computers. Although hardware and software have gone through countless
quantum leaps in the past 30 years, today's mouse isn't much different
than those manufactured decades ago. Today, the mouse is finally catching up. Microsoft
today announced the wide availability of IntelliMouse Explorer, the
most radical technology and design advance in the 30-year life of the
mouse. With its new optical tracking technology, added buttons and
sleek design, IntelliMouse Explorer is the start of a new era for this
humble peripheral. The most significant improvement is the addition of
Microsoft IntelliEye, an innovative new optical tracking technology
that makes mouse balls and pads seem as archaic as the dot matrix
printer. Older mice used a rubber ball to track movement mechanically;
IntelliEye instead uses a small digital camera and a powerful digital
signal processor, eliminating all moving parts and providing greater
accuracy and reliability. IntelliMouse Explorer tracks movement by capturing
images of the work surface at a rate of 1,500 images per second. Since
the underside of a mouse is dark, the work surface -- anything from a
wall to a pant leg -- is illuminated by a red light-emitting diode
(LED). A digital signal processor operating at 15 million instructions
per second -- faster than PCs built several years ago -- compares the
images to determine which way the mouse is moving. The processor then
translates this information into on-screen movement. This technique, called image correlation processing,
results in smooth, precise pointer movement. Since this technique
requires no moving parts, cleaning is unnecessary; after years of use,
the IntelliMouse Explorer will be as responsive and accurate as the
day it was purchased. For graphics professionals, and others requiring
high accuracy and low maintenance, this technology offers tremendous
productive benefits over traditional mice. The significant advances inside the mouse are
reflected in its bold new look. Gone is the uniform white or beige of
yesterday's mouse - the mouse is housed in a sleek industrial-silver
finish and features a glowing red underside and taillight. It works on
PS/2 or USB ports, so it's appealing to design-savvy users on any PC
or Macintosh. The mouse features the popular scrolling and zooming
wheel, as well as two additional customizable buttons on the left side
of the mouse that can enhance Internet navigation or simplify other
routine tasks. The mouse also features a neutral-posture ergonomic
shape, which positions the hand and forearm in a natural resting
position and supports the entire hand. The IntelliMouse Explorer with IntelliEye is widely
available now at a suggested retail price of $74.95. Since some
retailers started carrying the new mouse several weeks ago,
design-savvy professionals, home users and gamers have snapped them
up; so far, the new mouse has sold twice as fast as expected. More Information Sources
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