Date: April 9th, 2005
Article by: Jeff Caldwell (Hardware Reviewer)
Edited by: Nathan Glentworth (Owner / Head Editor)
Product was donated by: Microsoft
<--SHOP FOR A MICROSOFT WIRELESS OPTICAL DESKTOP HERE
PRODUCT WALKTHROUGH & PICTORIAL (cont'd)
The Wireless Optical Mouse 2.0 included in this set is a pretty standard mouse without any extra buttons on it. It has a very comfortable ergonomic design and is made to fit in either hand perfectly. The key feature that ranks this mouse above most is its tilt-wheel technology.
The Tilt-Wheel allows you to not only scroll vertically, but horizontally as well through all your documents, spreadsheets, web pages and anything else you need it for. The Tilt-Wheel has the standard button built into it as well as smooth scrolling.
Flipping the pretty little mouse over you see the battery compartment, optical laser and if you look closely you'll see a tiny connect button. The connect button allows the link up between the mouse and the controlling hub.
Microsoft boasts that batteries can last up to 6 months, I find that kind of hard to believe but can't really test for sure or you'll be waiting a long time before this review shows up online. Included in the packaging were four Energizer AA batteries; two for the mouse and two for the keyboard.
PRODUCT INSTALLATION
Well Microsoft claims that you should install the software before you plug everything in, just in case things don't work out right. Normally I don't follow instruction books whatsoever but since it was for a review I decided it would be best to go by the book.
This is the auto loader for the CD Microsoft includes, it's more or less a point and click yes a few times affair. One of the only questions it asks are which mouse and which keyboard you will be using… make sure you choose the right one. After a quick reboot you will be running on the default settings.
This is the keyboard configuration utility; it can be accessed through control panel or with the tray icon. Just click on whatever you want to modify and choose a new application or folder to open.
I personally chose to stick with the defaults, with the exception that Media will open Winamp instead of Windows Media Player.
Once the software is installed, turn your computer off and plug in the controlling hub and place the desktop set within a 6 foot radius of it and your ready to go as soon as you power back up.
PRODUCT TESTING AND IMPRESSIONS
Quality: I have to hand it to Microsoft, they build their hardware well. I can say that all aspects of the construction of this desktop set is excellent, from the robust, rigid keyboard that can probably be dropped off a building and still work to the smooth ambidextrous streamlined mouse that is just the right weight. This set will give years of devoted service to your computer without any problems.
Aesthetics: To me this is a very important aspect and Microsoft does not disappoint. The appearance of a product is beginning to play a very important role for shoppers now because they want everything to look all snazzy with there setup. Microsoft plays on this by using a sleek black and silver design with very soft, smooth edges that will definitely play into the new designer appearance of computers in today's market.
Range: On the box of the set it says the range is 2 – 6 feet, and thus I tested it at these ranges. I moved the keyboard all around my bedroom and didn't find a single problem with connectivity. Going beyond the recommended length didn't seem to cause a problem at all within the bedroom itself, but once I left the room I lost connectivity almost immediately.
Gaming: Anyone who is sitting at home playing games will see that this will work just as good as a corded desktop set, and provide you the accuracy needed for your games. The mouse is a great weight for gliding across the mouse pad and picks up even the slightest movements accurately, giving you the perfect headshot.
