One of the latest hardware devices coming out of Redmond is all about releasing a portable mouse with as many built-in features as possible all while not sacrificing style and functionality. Not only is the Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 a fully functional wireless mouse, but also is a laser pointer, multimedia remote, and a remote for PowerPoint presentations. Never before has Microsoft included so many different uses for this small of a product. Does this mouse live up to its promises? Read on to find out.

                                          ●    New! Four-in-one device includes a full-functioning Bluetooth laser notebook mouse; an easy-to-use slide presenter to smoothly navigate through PowerPoint^® presentations; laser and digital pointers to highlight key points on the screen; and a media remote to enjoy multimedia entertainment anywhere from the office to the living room.

Sophisticated Notebook Mouse

·         New! Customizable performance slider in the software lets advanced users increase performance for intense PC tasks or lower it to extend battery life.

·         New! Instant Viewer tool displays all open windows at once so users can see each project they are working on and easily switch between applications for added productivity.

·         New! Faster than wired. Users will experience virtually no latency with Microsoft 2.4GHz mouse products.

·         New! On/Off switch helps users extend battery life to approximately three months on average.

·         New! Two-color battery life indicator warns users when it’s time to replace batteries. Red means the batteries are running low on power, and solid green glows and fades away when the mouse is turned on, indicating sufficient battery power.

·         New! Carrying case allows users to carry the transceiver and protect the mouse.

·         Sleek look and symmetrical shape provide style and comfort for right- and left-handed users.

·         Proprietary High Definition Laser Technology puts ultimate performance in the palm of users’ hands. Microsoft’s line of High Definition mice uses technology that is two generations ahead of standard optical and laser mice. These mice are equipped with the exclusive Microsoft Intelligent Tracking System for smoother tracking, a resolution of 1,000 dots per inch for more responsiveness and 6,000 frames per second for better precision.

·         Magnifier tool enlarges any section of the screen, enabling real-time magnified viewing and editing of images, documents, Web sites and more. Users can simply push the Magnifier button and move the cursor over any portion of the screen they want to enlarge.

·         Tilt Wheel delivers revolutionary four-way scrolling capabilities for smooth vertical and horizontal control and ease when navigating long Web pages or spreadsheets.

·         Five buttons, including the Tilt Wheel and Magnifier, can be easily customized to perform popular commands with a single touch. The left-side button is set by default for easy backward Internet navigation.

Powerful Slide Presenter and Laser Pointer

·         New! Laser pointer enables presenters to emphasize a certain sentence or graph within a presentation.

·         New! Digital Ink lets users draw on the screen during presentations to highlight a key point.

·         New! Presenter control buttons allow users to easily navigate through PowerPoint slides for seamless presentations.

Media Remote Control for Work or Play

·         New! Presentation buttons also allow users to control their multimedia entertainment; play, pause, change tracks and adjust volume for music; or watch a DVD on their PC.

·         Seamless compatibility is enabled with Windows Media^® Player and other popular media players.

A Better Bluetooth Experience

·         New! Microsoft’s 2.4GHz Bluetooth technology delivers the ultimate wireless experience with cutting-edge performance and enhanced security. It is also easy to set up and use.

·         New! First Connect Technology means the Bluetooth device and receiver are paired together in advance, so the mouse will work right out of the box.

·         Compatibility for versatility. Microsoft’s transceiver supports a variety of Bluetooth profiles, including personal area network (PAN), so users can connect the mouse to most Bluetooth devices.

·         Virtually no interference. Intelligent technology “hops” frequency when it encounters interference and is ideal for home or corporate environments with multiple computers.

·         True wireless freedom with up to 30 feet of range with Microsoft’s new Bluetooth products.

Setup & Installation 

Setup: The installation is simple. You have to insert the AAA batteries (included) in the mouse. Now, insert the USB transceiver into the computer and because of the new FirstConnect technology the mouse works right away. Nothing has to be setup at all if you do not want to use the IntelliPoint features. If you have a separate Bluetooth receiver, you need to make a new connection. To use the additional programmable buttons, you must install Microsoft IntelliPoint software (see below). There is an on/off switch for the entire device, which is great and should be on all new Microsoft Wireless mice moving forward. The device is Windows Vista certified; however in the box I had, IntelliPoint was only for Windows XP. This is now changed and the updated version should be included. If not, simply go to the Microsoft Hardware website and download the updated software.

Microsoft IntelliPoint 6.0 Software

If you want to customize your mouse, you will have to install the new IntelliPoint 6.1 (about 45 MB), which does not require a restart. To customize your mouse keys, select either "Mouse" for the Control Panel or "Microsoft Mouse" from the program menu. On the buttons tab you can click on the different buttons and reassign the keys to a variety of functions. You must use this software to assign the performance slider and instant viewer. In this software you can also change your pointers, other pointer options, view which hardware is connected, change scrolling options, etc. The software is easy to use and is required for advanced functionality of the mouse. The instant viewer feature is pretty cool - you click the tilt wheel and all the windows you have home are brought into one easy view (see below). The magnify tool is the right button, and is the same as previous versions. Of course, you can reprogram these as necessary. Another feature is the performance slider, where you can choose between longer battery life and greater accuracy.

Mouse Design & Use

The Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 is about 5 inches long, 2.5 inches wide, 1 to 2 (from thinnest to thickest) inches high and weighs just a few ounces. The mouse includes the standard five buttons for basic mouse functionality (two on top, the wheel and two sides) in ambidextrous form, so both left and right hand people can use the mouse with ease. The mouse has a four tone dark silver and grey design with silver buttons and is very aesthetically appealing. The scroll wheel is the standard translucent tilt wheel with scroll wheel detents. The mouse has a black bottom, with a single battery compartment in the front by pushing the Microsoft logo. On the bottom are the optical sensor, an on/off switch, Bluetooth connect button, a button to turn the laser pointer on, volume buttons, start/stop buttons, and forward/backward buttons. There is also a light on the bottom of the mouse which flashes red when it needs new batteries and green when is fully charged. The integration of the light is quite nice. The opening for the laser is very small and on the front right of the mouse. There is also a small button on the very top that toggles between presentation/mouse modes. When you tap the button, the mouse buttons cease to function and the bottom buttons now work. This is great because now you will not accidentally bump the mouse buttons during your presentation. The presentation controls are very easy to use. Simply open up your PowerPoint presentation and use them as you would any remote normally. When PowerPoint is running, you can have a second set of commands for the buttons on the mouse, such as digital ink and magnify. To use the digital ink feature, when the presentation is running you can click the designated button, and draw on the screen normally. It's pretty cool and easy to use.

The laser pointer seems like a no-brainer to include it in the device. All you have to do is hold down the button and point. It's that easy. Using the media remote functionality is the same as the presentation. Hit the toggle button, and the buttons work seamlessly with Windows Media Player the same as they do with PowerPoint. The case is great. Finally, Microsoft has included a much needed case with the notebook sized mice. The case is hard acrylic plastic fit to size, and has room for the Bluetooth transceiver.

In addition, Microsoft has provided an updated 3rd generation transceiver for the mouse, measuring 1.5 inches by .5 inches.  The Bluetooth technology is now at 2.4 GHz, which is stronger than previous versions. Microsoft is assuring there is little-to-no latency on the mouse, which should be good news for gamers! To learn more about Bluetooth technology, visit this website.

Overall, I think the mouse has a very well thought out design and feels very comfortable during use.  

Microsoft  Optical Technology

Final Comments

The Microsoft Wireless Notebook Presenter Mouse 8000 is a great all-in-one mouse for the busy professional. It's compact, stylish and is loaded with useful features. The case is very handy and is great for these small mice - I recommend Microsoft include these with all notebook mice in the future. The new IntelliPoint 6.1 has some great new features that are definitely meant to work seamlessly with the mouse. It's a bit expensive - but for the target demographic the features will definitely be worth the price, because now you have several less devices to worry about. Now, everything is built into one!  For business people and educators - who have a lot of presentations in their routine - this mouse is highly recommended.