Microsoft increases mouse roster

Microsoft has unveiled a new mouse designed specifically for laptop computers, and has announced details of two forthcoming multi-button desktop mice.

The Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 3000 is easier to use than the previous incarnation, and is more portable and easier to store, according to Microsoft. The firm said that the new mouse was designed for use in cramped conditions, such as airplane tables.

Rusty Jeffress, general manager of the Hardware Group at Microsoft, said, “We design our proprietary chip technology to provide our customers with the best possible performance so they enjoy their computing experiences no matter where they are.”

Later this month the firm will also release a five-button laser mouse, called the Wireless Laser Mouse 5000. Users will be able to scroll both horizontally and vertically through web pages using the mouse’s Tilt Wheel, while a Magnifier button will let them zoom into the users screen.

A cheaper version of this mouse is also slated for a spring release. Microsoft said that the Wireless Optical Mouse 2000 had just three buttons and was designed as a cheaper alternative to wireless models.