Product: Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer
Company: Microsoft
Website: http://www.microsoft.com/hardware
Estimated Street Price: $74.95
Review By: Robert Stein

Setup & Usability

Here comes the catch, right? A mouse this complex must have complex software to install...driver and software compatibility issues, etc. Wrong. This mouse was a breeze to setup and install. All I did was unplug my old IntelliMouse and plug the new one in the USB port. The package comes with IntelliEye software which totals about 30 megabytes on your hard drive. It includes the standard IntelliPoint features:

• The Button Assignment feature, located on the Buttons tab, enables users to select a feature for each button. For example, you can reassign a button to enable you to undo a step, making it easy to correct mistakes as they happen.
• The ClickLock feature, located on the Activities tab, "locks down" a mouse or trackball button after a single-click. Just click and hold down any mouse or trackball button for a moment, and your click is locked. With ClickLock you can drag objects, select blocks of text, open menus, and so on. Click again to release ClickLock.
• The Double-Click Speed feature, located on the Activities tab, changes the speed at which your software programs respond to a double-click. Use this feature to adjust your double-click speed if your double-clicks aren't always recognized by your program.
• The Orientation feature, located on the Activities tab, improves your pointer movement for the way in which you hold your device. Using Orientation, you can hold your mouse or trackball in the position that is most comfortable for you and then define which way is "up."
• The Pointer Speed feature, located on the Pointer Options tab, adjusts the speed of the pointer in relation to the speed of your mouse or trackball. Use this feature to change your pointer speed if the pointer moves too slowly or too quickly when you move your mouse or trackball.
• The SnapTo feature, located on the Pointer Options tab, automatically moves the pointer to the default button when you open a dialog box.
• The Trails feature, located on the Pointer Options tab, displays a comet-like trail when you move the pointer. Use this feature to make the pointer easier to see. (This feature isn't available in Windows NT.)
• The Vanish feature, located on the Pointer Options tab, hides the pointer when you type. The pointer reappears when you move the mouse or trackball.
• The Scrolling feature, located on the Wheel tab, enables you to change the number of lines that you scroll with each notch of the wheel. You can even change the setting to scroll one screen at a time.
• The Wheel Troubleshooter feature, located on the Wheel tab, helps you to fix problems that you may encounter when you use the wheel in different programs.

Surface Tests

This product says you can take this mouse "off road", we put it up to the test and here are the results.

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