MS Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer

[akide]

Hi, I got a Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer, I'm planning on posting a review on it in the next few days in a week or two!

Stay Tuned =)!

[3dGameMan]

Go man go. I'm getting one for a Video Review in Dec. I'm looking forward to this Mouse, as I've always loved MS mice and being cordless even gets me more excited.

[Stingerman]

I tried one of these at Future shop and hated the new scroll wheel that they now have.

I love my original explorer (too bad they didn't leave the scroll wheel the way it was)!!!!

Dave

[AcidHardware]

http://www.acidhardware.com/reviews/mswireless/index.shtml

It was a little less responsive than the original intellimouse in games.

[akide]

Ya, I found that the scroll wheel on the wireless intellimouse explorer is a bit stiff...

[])aRnOk]

Originally posted by Stingerman:
<STRONG>I tried one of these at Future shop and hated the new scroll wheel that they now have.

I love my original explorer (too bad they didn't leave the scroll wheel the way it was)!!!!

Dave</STRONG>

Just currious, how is the New Scroll Different?

[akide]

The scroll wheel is a bit different.. with the older original, intellimouse explorer, the scroll wheel, rolls quite freely, smoothly and quickly.

With the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer the scroll wheel looks the same and all, but when you roll it, the bumps are more apparaent, making it slower to scroll, maybe they did this because with the new InteliPoint 4.0 software, they have the option to enable accelerated scrolling and maybe the slowed down the scroll wheel so that the software can handle the 'accelerated scrolling'

[nagoo81]

There are definitely differences in scrolls especially from manufacturer to manufacturer. Generally Microspft mice are more "free" and more easier to scroll, requiring much less effort. Logitech's mice on the other hand, are more ridgid and take a bit more to scroll. Both are good and bad. I like an easier scroll because it fatigues your hand much less, however, if it scrolls to freely, you lose precision on scrolling (i.e. scrolling to much or not enough). Logitech makes you feel each scroll and that adds precision, however, you scroll slower than a Microsoft mouse. If they could have a way where you could physically tweak the scroll......

[akide]

Also a difference between the original IntelliMouse Explorer and the new IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0's and the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer is that the latter 2 have new/improved feet than in the original intellimouse explorer. The new feet are a lot smoother, and they do not pick up dirt as easily as the older version. This is pretty important because with the original IntelliMouse Explorer, I also wound up cleaning the 'feet' of the mouse every couple days. And I was using a Everglide Attack Pad with the original IntelliMouse Explorer as well as the new ones.

[Ymaster]

I have the IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0's USB mouse and I find that it fits my hands better than the older mice. However, I hate the new wheel! I may have to mod this wheel to roll a little better. I use this to change guns very quickly in shooter games and my fingers tire out or slip. It does glide a lot better than my optical mouse, which takes the stress away from my wrists.

How do you open up this mouse ?

[akide]

To open up the mice, peel the black sticker's which are the mice feet off.
You can stick them back on afterwards, the feet cover the four screws which you need to remove to open up the mouse.

[Ymaster]

Originally posted by akide:
<STRONG>To open up the mice, peel the black sticker's which are the mice feet off.
You can stick them back on afterwards, the feet cover the four screws which you need to remove to open up the mouse.</STRONG>


Thanks, I modded the mouse by trimming down a black plastic nub. I also added some tape to keep that nub/spring part from clicking on the red plastic wheel axel holder. The result is a very smooth, quiet and easy mouse wheel like it should have been in the first place!

[Scottman]

Maybe you should forward your mods to Microsoft. I have found the same issue with different MS mice. My original "Ball" intellimouse had a very stiff scroll - so stiff that I didn't use it because my finger kept sliding across it. I am presently using an optical Intellimouse and the feel is much better.

[Ymaster]

I think they should be aware that such a great many people do not like the hard to move mouse wheels. I also don’t think I would be very successful at launching this information, as most large companies fail to listen until it effects their money.

I’ll be honest in that I almost took this mouse back to the store to get another brand after being disgruntled by the poor wheel performance; it’s just something I can’t live with for 47$.

After the few minor adjustments that I tweaked into this mouse, it’s a solid 10/10 score. If only I had a camera to show off what I did.

[akide]

This sucks, I just got my wireless intellimouse explorer on the 13th of November and today is the 1st of December and the batteries are already low!..
My brother also has the same mouse and his batteries only lasted for 2 weeks.. btw this mouse takes "AA" batteries.
hmm

[bigb_37]

If you are going to get a wireless mouse a recharger and two sets of rechargable batteries are a must. For an intense Click-o-Maniac like me my batteries go low after two weeks and dead after three.

[akide]

Alright my short review on the Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer

I have previously been using the Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 mouse and before that I've been using the original IntelliMouse Explorer Mouse.

(I wish i had a digital camera or something so that I can have all three of these mice next to each other to show the 'progressive' changes of the mice and how MS has come a long way)

Anyways, back to the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer.. So when I got my mouse it includes the following:
- Mouse Unit itself
- Mouse Receiver that connects via a USB port
- 2 Energizer "AA" Batteries
- IntelliPoint 4.0 Software CD
- MS Getting Started Guide

(please note that this product is not like the other MS Mice products as it ONLY CONNECTS VIA USB! Those without USB will have to get another mouse)

I previously used a Everglide Attack Pad as my mousing surface for my 'wired' versions of the MS IntelliMouse Explorer. I have found that the bottom of the mouse particularly around the optical eye part of the mouse gets prety scratched up due to the 'plastic on plastic' of the everglide mouse pad and the mouse itself. So with my Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer I have decided not to use the Everglide Mousepad and to use a single sheet of blank white paper as my mouse surface. I went ahead to get a blank piece of paper and taped it on my desk. I have actually found that the white piece of paper seems more accurate than the Everglide Attack Pad and glides along much better too! I've told a few other people who I know that uses the same mouse and they are also adopting the blank piece of paper mouse pad option.
Another positive note about the paper mouse pad is that you can replace it at ANY time and we all have extra pieces of paper lying around so replacing your new 'mouse pad' is as easy as ripping it off your table and taping a new piece of paper on the table... well anyways let's talk more about the mouse itself.. (sounds like this review is about converting you guys to use a piece of paper as a mousepad hehe :D )

Installing this mouse was very easy, all it took was plugging in the USB plug into my USB port on the back of the computer, and then my Windows XP detected a generic HID-device, then I went ahead and stuck in the IntelliPoint 4.0 CD that was included and installed the software, after a restart the computer detected my mouse as the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer. I then went ahead and configured my buttons of the mouse and all. You will also notice a new "Wireless" tab in the Mouse Properties. Here you can see the status of the batteries of the mouse and also the Wireless Channel that the mouse is operating at. There are two wireless channels on the mouse 1 and 2. (I've tried using one receiver and two wireless intellimouse explorer mice's and to set them both to channel 1 to see if it'll work but I wasn't able to get them to work at the same time using only 1 receiver unit) ah well, we can't have everything in the world.

The first thing I noticed when using the mouse for the first time is that it makes a very quiet high pitched beeping sound, this was very annoying for the first half hour or so but it started getting quieter, and in a day or so the sonud was very very quiet that you couldn't hear it anymore. Also if you're switching from the wired version of the IntelliMouse Explorer to the wireless version the first thing you'll notice is that the wireless version seems to be less smooth when you move the mouse cursor around the screen. It takes a bit of getting used to but after a few hours you'll get the hang of it..

You'll also notice that the mouse may lag for a split second if you move it around after having the mouse sit by itself for awhile. This is due to the power saving features of the mouse. Obviously you wouldn't want the mouse's red optical led to be on all the time if you're not using the mouse or whatever. Another power saving feature of this mouse is that it can 'sense' your hand on the top of the mouse. The mouse won't 'wake-up' unless your palm is on top of the mouse. You can test this by leaving the mouse alone for 10 seconds and the try to move the mouse around by touching the edge of the mouse. You will find that the mouse cursor won't move on the screen. But once you put your hand on top of the mouse it'll work.. so that's prety cool =).

One issue that I found with the mouse is the short span of time that the batteries last. My 2 Energizer AA batteries that were included with the mouse lasted me only 18 days. This is with pretty heavy use, like 10-12 hours a day usage. My other friend who has the same mouse his batteries only lasted 14 days haha..
So since i'm cheap, i've switched back to my wired version of the IntelliMouse Explorer for now until I can get a batch of AA batteries which I would change every two weeks or so.

Anyways I hope you've enjoyed my little review/experience with the Microsoft Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer.

[slaymaan]

Been using the Wireless Intellimouse mouse for about 2 months. Still works as good as the day I got it, works as advertised. Batteries lasted about a month or so. While I like the wireless and "optical" features, and while the handling/holding/grip is better than other optical mice, I still think the best grip belongs to the Intellimouse Pro (still hoping for an optical version).