Recently I published an article from a guest author about the Redesign of the Mouse. It featured the new Swiftpoint mouse that just arrived on the market. Before I saw the ‘redesign’, I expected drastic changes, but after I did see it, I thought it didn’t differ that much from previous versions. The idea is still the same: you drag it with your hand (or just fingers) along even surface(s) to position the mouse on the screen. It’s just smaller and the buttons are on the side.

I imagined the mouse would at some point be replaced with new forms of input, such as the already existing touch screen technology and eventually with something more advanced. Maybe we’ll be able to give verbal instructions to the computer, just like they did on Star Trek.

Then, a friend of mine, who is a 3D graphic designer, reminded me that a mouse won’t die out so quickly, because most designers and artists still rely on the mouse as the ultimate input device. Nothing can replace the mouse in its precision and control, at least for now. Designers also use tablet stylus to draw, but they still need the mouse to click on all the functions, buttons, and hundreds of little combinations and settings to create what they want.

Apple is increasingly moving towards a mouse-free future, concentrating more on touchscreen devices like the iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and the Magic Trackpad. Microsoft, on the other hand, believes that the mouse won’t disappear so quickly and therefore they just invented a new version.

Arc Touch Mouse is thin (15mm), flexible, wireless, touch-sensitive and changes shape according to need. It has a “touch strip” that facilitates slow and fast scrolling with the touch of a finger, BlueTrack Technology so you can use it on almost any surface, and the two AAA batteries will last up to 6 months.

I must say, it looks great, but it’s still a mouse. I guess my friend is right when he says it won’t go away any time soon.

The Arc Touch is priced at $69.95 and will be available in December. First reviews have been positive, and you can read some of them at Computerworld.

Source: Microsoft and News.com.au