BlueTrack™ for all-terrain computing

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Microsoft unveils BlueTrack™ for all-terrain computing

AUCKLAND – September 10, 2008 ( Microsoft today unveiled Microsoft® BlueTrack™ Technology - the off-roader of mice.

“People aren’t sitting at a desk all day anymore - they’ve gone mobile,” said Julia Nicholls, Product Marketing Manager for Mouse and Keyboards Microsoft ANZ. “BlueTrack works on many surfaces where you use your notebook1. So you’re in good shape to set up an impromptu workstation on the living room carpet or floorboards, kitchen bench or coffee table.

“BlueTrack really is the four-wheel drive of mice.”

Microsoft’s new tracking technology combines the width and power of optical technology with the precision of laser tracking to allow consumers to mouse on many surfaces1. It works where mice using laser technology may struggle, powering over common roadblocks such as granite benchtops. Laser technology is also sensitive to dust and dirt accumulation during travel, which can lead to poor tracking performance.

The large, blue beam and specular optics architecture, in conjunction with a Microsoft-designed image sensor and proprietary pixel geometry, generates a high-contrast picture of the mousing surface that allows exceptional tracking accuracy.

The BlueTrack Technology light beam emanating from the bottom of the mouse is more than four times as large as the average laser beam used in today’s mice, enabling the capture of a larger image and offering better reflection of the surface.

BlueTrack Technology will debut in two new top-of-the-line mice, Microsoft Explorer Mouse and Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse, with the following features.

A chrome trim and blue lighting around the base of the mouse create a soft glow and set the device apart from anything else on the market. A right-handed, ergonomist-approved design offers hours of comfortable use and 2.4GHz wireless technology delivers a reliable connection up to nine metres away. The snap-in mini-transceiver offers easy storage and mobility.

The full-size Explorer Mouse features easy recharging with a battery status indicator and a small charging base, while the Explorer Mini Mouse uses two AA batteries.

Microsoft has a 26-year history in hardware development and has consistently raised the bar in mouse tracking technology, including the launch of the world’s first optical mouse in 1999. The LED light and sensor allowed consumers to use the mouse on more surfaces, eliminating the old “ball” mouse. In 2005, Microsoft introduced High Definition Laser Technology, which allowed mice to work on many surfaces that optical technology did not. Today Microsoft’s in-house engineers have taken mouse tracking to the next level, creating an exclusive, new technology to advance the way consumers use their mouse.

To see a video on the making of BlueTrack Technology and meet the inventors, visit http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/bluetrack.

For product images visit http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/gallery.mspx

Availability:
The Explorer Mouse with BlueTrack Technology and the Explorer Mini Mouse with BlueTrack Technology will be available in December 2008 for the recommended retail price of $149.002 and $99.002 respectively.

About Microsoft Hardware
For 25 years, the Hardware Group has employed innovative engineering, cutting-edge industrial design and extensive usability testing to create products of exceptional quality and durability that enhance the software experience and strengthen the connection between consumers and their PC. Microsoft Hardware leads the industry in ergonomic engineering, industrial design and hardware/software compatibility, offering consumers an easier, more convenient and more enjoyable computing experience. Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer, which launched in 1999, earned a place on PCWorld.com’s December 2005 list of “The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years” as the first mainstream optical mouse that “brought gunk-free pointing devices” to a broad consumer base. More information about the Hardware Group is available at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware.

About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
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1 BlueTrack Technology does not work on clear glass or mirrored surfaces.
2 Recommended retail prices. At participating retailers. The price a customer pays will be determined by their retailer.

ENDS

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