Microsoft's all-new Surface Arc Mouse looks pretty darn good
Historically, I haven't been a huge fan of Microsoft's "Arc" mice. With that said, I have still used them often. Why? They are insanely compact, making them easy to throw into a bag when on the go. The coolest aspect is that bending it into position turns it on, and folding it flat turns it off -- there is no power button needed. While not the best pointing experience, the pros have largely outweighed the cons. My biggest complaint has been the deficient touch scrolling strip -- it is not accurate and can sometimes be maddening to use.
Luckily, it seems Microsoft has finally addressed the scrolling complaints with an all-new product -- the Surface Arc Mouse. You see, the entire clickable part of the mouse is essentially a trackpad that lets the user scroll both vertically and horizontally. Gone is the thin vertical-only strip found on the predecessor -- thank goodness. Quite frankly, it is very attractive too -- it looks pretty darn good.
Since the Surface Arc Mouse is designed with the all-new Surface Laptop in mind, it comes in three colors to match -- Burgundy, Light Gray and Cobalt Blue. For whatever reason, there is no Surface Arc Mouse to match the Graphite Gold-colored laptop. There is also a black version of the mouse -- without the "Surface" branding -- that should look good with all Windows PCs
Microsoft shares the following specifications for the Surface Arc Mouse.
- Interface: Bluetooth 4.0/4.1
- Buttons: 2 buttons, right and left click
- Design: Bendable tail
- Scrolling: Full scroll plane, horizontal and vertical scrolling
- Compatibility: Windows 10 / 8.1 / 8
- Dimensions:131 mm x 55 mm x 14 mm
- Weight 2.91 ounces (82.49 grams) including batteries
- Battery Type: 2 AAA alkaline batteries (included)
- Battery life: Up to 6 months
- Available Colors: Burgundy, Light Gray, Cobalt Blue
- Warranty: 1 year limited hardware
If you want to buy this mobile mouse, you can get it on June 15. You can pre-order today, however, from Microsoft directly here.