Say goodbye to ball-type mice and say hello to Microsoft's Basic Optical Mice instead!

Although I have been using MS-DOS/Windows-based personal computers for over a decade (and for six years before that, an Apple IIe) and usually enjoy writing, going on the Internet, and playing games such as Sid Meier's Civilization II, there are things that bug me to no end, such as cheap modems that last only six months, DVD-ROM drives that last only a bit longer, microphones and joysticks that die unexpectedly, and the ubitiquous mechanical rubber ball mice that require mouse pads and have moving parts that wear out, breaking down at the worst possible time and preventing me from performing even the simplest tasks on- or offline.

This weekend, the old-fashioned mechanical mouse that came with my eMachines T2482 PC chose to die a slow but frustrating death. On Friday, it became very sluggish and downright temperamental; it would move up and down -- slowly -- but would not go from right to left without requiring me to make sweeping hand movements (and uttering curses that would make even a Navy SEAL blush). It didn't allow me to make fine adjustments while I was working online, either. I could, for instance, log on to America Online and access my Epinions account since the site is on my AOL My Favorites toolbar on the right of the screen, but although I could put the pointer on review title links and read other members' reviews, I couldn't rate very easily. A simple thing like clicking on the ratings buttons -- which I could normally do in the blink of an eye -- became a dreaded chore that took over a minute to do. And forget about playing games online or off...I ended up trying to play an Internet game three times because my balky mouse would stray and make me click on AOL Search or other such things when I was really trying to see what my score was or what I had in my inventory (for the game).

On Sunday, I figured all the ol' mouse needed was a good cleaning, albeit one that came only a week after the previous cleaning (never a good sign). This I reluctantly did, but although there was a miniscule amount of improvement, the mouse was still balky. Playing that Internet game was still tougher than it should have been, switching from one application to another (say, Weatherbug to Yahoo! Messenger or AOL IM) was tricky, and trying to do precision movements (such as rating reviews) was a major hassle.

Because it was rather late on a Sunday afternoon (the nearest Circuit City closes at 7 PM on Sundays), I knew I'd have to wait until this morning to get a new mouse, ideally one with a PS/2 connector but if need be with a USB adapter. And because Hurricane Katrina (in her Miami Category One incarnation) had wreaked some havoc with trees and power lines in my area, I called the store to see if they (a) were open for business and (b) carried mice that worked with eMachines PCs.

Fortunately, the answer to both was a reassuring "Yes, sir. Don't worry. We are open tomorrow and we have a wide selection of mice that will work with your system."

The Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse

When I decided to purchase my mouse, I figured I would essentially buy the same darned type of mouse I was using, i.e., one with a mechanical mouse ball. Sure, I hated having to worry about the delicate process of cleaning it every so often; when you have cerebral palsy and have limitations on using your hands, you worry about such details. I was told by one of my best friends to get a "laser" mouse, but I am not a techno-whiz and thought those were very expensive, so I told her that if I could afford one I would buy it, but that I expected I'd have to settle for the ol' tried-and-true (and trying) ball-type mouse.

In my ignorance, I didn't know I would end up buying a "laser" mouse; when I was talking to the sales assistant at Circuit City this morning and choosing a mouse for under $30, he led me straight to the Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse, which, according to the guy, was easy to install, easy to use, and didn't have that pesky rubber ball. Instead, a sensor in the bottom scans most surfaces, doesn't require a mouse pad and, best yet, has no moving parts that eventually wear out.

While it's rather unusual for me to write a consumer oriented review only a few hours after making a purchase (the only other time I can recall doing so was when I saw Star Wars - Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on opening day), I'd like to record and share my experiences with my new Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse.

It's easy to install. I'm not, and never have been, fond of gizmos that require a Ph.D in electronics or nuclear physics to install, assemble, or operate. The most complex task I could do on my own was hook up a VCR to my television set and get it to play VHS tapes, but I could never figure out how to program it to record a TV show or even set the VCR clock. Same thing for computers; when I bought my first eMachines system from a store (my first four PCs were custom made by my former neighbor Andreu from parts), I had to have my best friend set it up for me. Thus I didn't know that the PS/2 plugs were so simple to connect; I had the notion that the mouse had the more complicated port connections that required the two screws on the sides of the connection jack to be tightened and locked into place. It was only on Sunday afternoon that I saw how "easy peasy" it would be to disconnect the old mouse and install the new one.

Also, there was no CD-ROM or 3.5-inch diskette with driver software to worry about. I looked for one of those in the box; there wasn't one. I just had to follow directions as simple as:

1. Shut down and turn off your computer. (Easy...it was off to begin with!)

If your pointing device has a round PS/2 Connector, plug it into your computer's round PS/2 mouse port.

It's easy to use: Once I connected the mouse to my PC and turned the computer on, I didn't know what to expect...or rather, I expected Windows XP to inform me it had detected new hardware and for a set up wizard to come on the screen. Nope. No such thing. The pointer arrow did what it always does...showed me the hourglass "I'm getting ready to work" icon, then morphed into the familiar arrow. I moved the mouse on my mouse pad (I still need the gel-filled wrist rest) and it moved the pointer where I wanted it to!

Because it's more sensitive, I have to be a bit careful about mouse clicks and using the scroll wheel, but the Microsoft Basic Optical Mouse is more responsive than my older and now discarded mechanical mouse ball one.

Features: (from the www.microsoft.com/mouse Web page)

Optical Technology
Optical technology refers to the use of an optical sensor to track mouse movement, rather than the traditional use of mechanical parts. As a result, optical mouse products work on most surfaces and offer you better durability, increased speed and accuracy, and consistent performance.

Reviewer's note. It doesn't work on every surface. Glass tabletops, for instance, won't register on the scans because they don't have visual detail for the sensor to "see." Repetitive patterns, such as those on glossy photographs, are also difficult to scan and register.

Left- or Right-Handed
Ambidextrous design makes working more comfortable, whether you mouse with your left or right hand.

Customizable Buttons
Customize the mouse to work your way by reassigning any button or the wheel to open a file or Web page, or to perform a common command.

Scroll Wheel
Navigate documents and Web pages effortlessly without using the on-screen scroll bar, saving time and effort.


Systems Requirements:

Computer/Operating System One of the following:

Windows XP Home Edition or Professional
Windows 2000 Professional or Server
Windows Millennium Edition or Windows 98

Connectivity White: An available PS/2 or Universal Serial Bus (USB) port

Black: Universal Serial Bus (USB) port

For a Macintosh-based computer:

Computer/Operating System:Mac OS X version 10.1 to 10.1.3 (excluding 10.0)
Connectivity: White: An available PS/2 or Universal Serial Bus (USB) port
Black: Universal Serial Bus (USB) port

Final thoughts: Although it is still too early to write about this product's longevity, I can say that thus far it has performed well, with a responsiveness and point-click accuracy that rivals my previous mouse even when it was brand new. It seems easier to clean and maintain -- there is no need to remove the bottom cover to clean the mechanical parts and the rubber ball -- and, although I'm keeping my mouse pad for my wrist's sake, all it needs to work is a smooth, clean, scannable surface.