By Andrew Liszewski
They spend their days being pushed around and largely ignored, but Microsoft is hoping to bring a little style and recognition to the lowly computer mouse by enlisting the help of a series of renowned artists. Their Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 Studio Series already feature bright, colorful graphics, but they’re now taking things even further with six new designs that are sure to appeal to consumers, even if they’ve never looked at their mouse as a piece of art before.
On the technology side the Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 series comes with a minuscule USB adapter that sticks out barely a quarter of an inch when plugged in to a USB port, meaning you can leave it connected to your laptop without having to worry about removing it when you pack it away. And in the event you do need to unplug it, the adapter can be safely stashed in a slot on the underside of the mouse so that it doesn’t go missing.
The 3500 Studio Series also come with Microsoft’s BlueTrack technology which promises to work on most surfaces including carpets or high-polish finishes like granite or marble. (Perfect for this gigantic dictator-like marble desk I work at!) It runs on a single AA battery which should keep it powered for months on end, while a two-colored LED indicator light lets you know when you’ll need to swap in a new one.
But what most people will care about are the new Artist Edition graphics which were designed by five different artists from around the world including Kirra Jamison, Matt Moore, Linn Olofsdotter, Mike Perry and Jonny Wan. There are six designs in all to choose from, and even though they’ve been given the artist’s touch, they’re all still just $34.95 (US $29.99) each.
[ Microsoft Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 Studio Series – Artist Edition ]
