LyonHrt
October 20th, 2008, 20:47
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/08/ms-blue-track-1.jpg
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/08/8-26-08mslaser.jpg
We'd say the jump from traditional optical mice to laser mice was pretty momentous, and it sounds like Microsoft is getting ready to jump again -- Microsoft Hardware put up a teaser this afternoon for a September 9th announcement featuring the tagline "Say Goodbye to Laser." Yeah, that's not exactly subtle, is it? We're hoping a return to old-school trackballs with grimy little wheels is in order, but we're just sentimentalists at heart.
Source Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/27/microsoft-hints-at-new-mice-say-goodbye-to-laser/)
Update
We're not really sure if Microsoft is peddling a revolution here or just the mousing tech flavor of the month, but we've got ourselves a much better idea of where things might be going. After that little "Say Goodbye to Laser" teaser turned our pointing device world upside down, a reader spotted this MS Explorer Mini Mouse with "Blue Track" technology over on Amazon.de. Coincidence? We're guessing no. We followed a bit more of the PI work done by our fine commenters and discovered Blue Track to be based on a blue LED combined with a wide-angle lens that's supposed to work on more surfaces than laser and optical. Microsoft only really seems to be aiming this at the portable spectrum, hence the wireless adapter and miniature size, so perhaps Blue Track isn't the end of laser after all.
Source again Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/27/microsofts-new-blue-track-mouse-spotted/).
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2008/08/8-26-08mslaser.jpg
We'd say the jump from traditional optical mice to laser mice was pretty momentous, and it sounds like Microsoft is getting ready to jump again -- Microsoft Hardware put up a teaser this afternoon for a September 9th announcement featuring the tagline "Say Goodbye to Laser." Yeah, that's not exactly subtle, is it? We're hoping a return to old-school trackballs with grimy little wheels is in order, but we're just sentimentalists at heart.
Source Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/27/microsoft-hints-at-new-mice-say-goodbye-to-laser/)
Update
We're not really sure if Microsoft is peddling a revolution here or just the mousing tech flavor of the month, but we've got ourselves a much better idea of where things might be going. After that little "Say Goodbye to Laser" teaser turned our pointing device world upside down, a reader spotted this MS Explorer Mini Mouse with "Blue Track" technology over on Amazon.de. Coincidence? We're guessing no. We followed a bit more of the PI work done by our fine commenters and discovered Blue Track to be based on a blue LED combined with a wide-angle lens that's supposed to work on more surfaces than laser and optical. Microsoft only really seems to be aiming this at the portable spectrum, hence the wireless adapter and miniature size, so perhaps Blue Track isn't the end of laser after all.
Source again Engadget (http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/27/microsofts-new-blue-track-mouse-spotted/).