IntelliMouse is a series of computer mice from Microsoft . The IntelliMouse series is credited with a number of innovations; Microsoft was among the first mouse vendors to introduce a scroll wheel , an optical mouse , and dedicated auxiliary buttons on the side of the mouse. They use IntelliPoint drivers and its main competitor through the years has been Logitech .
18-608: The original IntelliMouse was introduced on July 22, 1996, with its stand-out feature being a scroll wheel. Its design was based on that of the Microsoft Mouse 2.0 from 1993. In November 1997 Microsoft released the IntelliMouse TrackBall, using a finger-operated trackball to control the cursor and featuring the signature IntelliMouse scroll wheel. In May 1998 the IntelliMouse Pro was released,
36-564: A DB-25 Serial Port. Later versions were available with an InPort ISA interface, requiring a Microsoft bus card to be installed in the computer or a DE-9 serial connector. All versions of the Microsoft Mouse could be used with IBM-compatible and other DOS systems. In 1985 Microsoft introduced the "gray-eyed" Microsoft Mouse, featuring a higher resolution than competing mice, and a rebadged copy of ZSoft PC Paintbrush called “PC Paintbrush,” which replaced Doodle in version 4 of
54-421: A musical piano program, a game, and one of the first home computer color bitmap creation programs, called “Doodle,” for an initial price of $ 195. The Microsoft Mouse featured a pair of green buttons, and was nicknamed the "green-eyed mouse". As with other mice at the time, the Microsoft Mouse used a steel ball for tracking. The Japanese company Alps Electric produced the mouse. The initial version featured
72-595: A new dark look based on the IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 design and featuring BlueTrack technology, allowing it to be used on glass surfaces. The Classic IntelliMouse was released in June 2018 in the UK. The ergonomic shape of the IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 influenced many later mice, particularly gaming-focused models. The Razer DeathAdder, SteelSeries Rival, ZOWIE EC2-A and many others. In May 2019, Microsoft announced
90-418: A redesign of the original IntelliMouse that featured an asymmetrical shape (intended for right-hand use) with a more pronounced arch profile. The IntelliMouse Explorer was introduced on April 19, 1999, at COMDEX . This version featured IntelliEye optical tracking technology, eliminating the need for a mouse ball or mousepad . It had five buttons (two on top, a scroll wheel that could be depressed, and two on
108-593: A variety of colors. Two additional finishes, Cobalt Basin and Crimson Fire, were released for the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer in July 2004. The IntelliMouse Explorer was later discontinued, then re-released as the IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 in August 2006 with a gaming emphasis, using a 9000 fps sensor. On October 17, 2017, Microsoft revived the series with the new Classic IntelliMouse, featuring
126-560: A wide variety of products, including sensors, power inductors, switches and communication modules, to industry, healthcare and energy markets. Alps touchpad hardware is developed and manufactured by the Cirque Corporation , which they acquired in 2003; however, the parent company continues to write their own drivers. Their drivers are Windows certified. They are mostly found in Sony , Toshiba and Dell notebooks , as well as
144-957: Is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange and a constituent of the Nikkei 225 stock index . The company changed company name to Alps Alpine Co., Ltd. in January 2019. Alps Automotive division focuses on provision of custom products and modules, including control panels and steering modules, for specific vehicle models, and components compatible with any vehicle. Alps Home and Mobile divisions focuses on provision of switches, potentiometers, sensors, and other components through to multi-input devices like touch panels and GlidePoint™ to home, mobile and PC markets. Alps Electric focuses on human-machine and machine-machine interfaces for home appliances, mobile devices and PCs. Alps Industry, Healthcare & Energy divisions focuses on provision of
162-504: The 1999 IntelliMouse Explorer, but used a symmetric, ambidextrous design to accommodate use by the left hand. It had five buttons – two on top, the scroll wheel, and one on each side of the mouse. The optical sensor and the plug-and-play USB connection led Microsoft to tout the IntelliMouse Optical as an ideal travel companion for laptop users. The IntelliMouse Optical received an Industrial Design Excellence Award in 2001, and
180-683: The Incase name, but as being designed by Microsoft. Alps Electric Alps Electric Co., Ltd. ( Japanese : アルプス電気株式会社 , Hepburn : Arupusu Denki Kabushiki-gaisha ) is a Japanese multinational corporation , headquartered in Tokyo , Japan , producing electronic devices , including switches , potentiometers , sensors , encoders and touchpads . The company was established in 1948 as Kataoka Electric Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Alps Electric Co., Ltd. in December 1964. Since June 22, 2012,
198-885: The President has been Toshihiro Kuriyama and Chairman is Masataka Kataoka. Alps is also well known for the Alpine brand of car audio . The Alps Electric Group has R&D, production and sales bases located in Japan and around the globe—in the Americas, Europe, Southeast Asia, Korea, and Greater China. Since its founding, Alps Electric has supplied around 40,000 types of electronic components to over 2,000 manufacturers of home appliances, mobile devices, automobiles and industrial equipment worldwide. Alps Group comprises 84 subsidiary companies, 25 through Alps Electric, 32 through Alpine Electronics and 27 through Alps Logistics. The company
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#1732781113059216-564: The Pro IntelliMouse, which put an upgraded sensor in the Classic IntelliMouse body. Microsoft Mouse The Microsoft Mouse is a computer mouse released by Microsoft in 1983. It is the first mouse released by the company, and it was bundled with the first versions of Microsoft Word , and/or Notepad (inclusion of these two programs varied in the initial product release), an on-screen teaching tutorial,
234-452: The benefits of its optical sensor for accuracy and reliability. It was released on October 4, 1999. In 2005, PC World named the IntelliMouse Explorer to its list of "The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years" as the first mainstream optical mouse. The IntelliMouse Optical was announced in January 2000 ahead of its April release. The IntelliMouse Optical had similar styling and features as
252-412: The drivers. This would later be re-tooled and included with Windows 1, and formed the basis for Microsoft Paint . In 1987 the "dove bar" Microsoft Mouse (so called for the curved palm rest's resemblance to a Dove soap bar) was introduced, in variants for both Microsoft's InPort , serial port and PS/2 port . In 1991, the trackball "Microsoft BallPoint Mouse" was made. The "kidney" Microsoft Mouse 2.0
270-402: The left side of the mouse). It was asymmetrical and designed for right-handed users. Microsoft called it the "most radical computer mouse technology and design advancement" since computer mice were introduced in the 1960s. The Explorer was finished in silver, and featured a glowing red "taillight" to emphasize its optical sensor. In May, the IntelliMouse Explorer was exhibited at E3 1999 , touting
288-551: The new IntelliMouse Explorer. The Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer for Bluetooth was released in 2002, both as a separate product and with a wireless keyboard in the Wireless Optical Desktop for Bluetooth bundle. Updated versions of the IntelliMouse Explorer and Wireless Explorer were released in September 2003, featuring a tilting scroll wheel to enable horizontal scrolling; the new mice were also available in
306-499: Was included in the "Workspheres" exhibit held at the New York MoMA in 2001. New versions of the IntelliMouse Explorer and Optical were introduced in September 2001 alongside the first wireless variant, the Wireless IntelliMouse Explorer. While the original IntelliEye sensor sampled images at 1500 frames per second (fps), the new version sampled images at 6000 fps. In addition, finger grooves and an enhanced grip were added to
324-594: Was introduced in 1993, and its design served as the basis for the IntelliMouse , which debuted in 1996. More Microsoft mice have been released in later years, including Microsoft Natural Wireless Laser Mouse, Microsoft SideWinder , Arc Mouse , Microsoft Sculpt Ergonomic Mouse and others. In January 2024, Microsoft announced that it would license the design and manufacturing of its current mice products to Incase, as part of an effort to focus more on its Surface -branded accessories. These products will be branded under
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