The Microsoft Mouse 2.0 Project

[Eriq Cook]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.on10.net/blogs/larry/A-Look-Behind-Mouse-20/' target='_blank'>http://www.on10.net/blogs/larry/A-L...ehind-Mouse-20/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Microsoft's <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/appliedsciences/mouse20.mspx" target="_blank">Mouse 2.0 project</a> is an interesting look at the next step for pointing devices in five completely different versions of multitouch mice. One of the things I liked about the Mouse 2.0 news is that we put our cards on the table at a very early stage and asked what the public thought. Speak up, we're listening." </em></p><p><object width="600" height="360" data="http://www.youtube.com/v/z6krcU6mZW0&amp;ap=&fmt=18" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="src" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/z6krcU6mZW0&amp;ap=&fmt=18" /></object></p><p><em></em></p><p>Here's your chance to give your feedback on upcoming input devices and make a difference in what we'll be using in about&nbsp; 5 years :) I personally think touch-sensitive may be a little difficult to get used to, but perhaps they could improve the concept better. What are your thoughts on the concepts shown?</p>

[Rob Alexander]

They're so busy trying to insist that it must be a mouse that they don't seem to realize that the mouse just gets in the way of the gestures. In one of them, the demonstrator even finally took his hands away from the mouse altogether and just gestured on the desk because it was less awkward than keeping his hand on the mouse. That should have been a eureka moment for them as they realized that the same gestures on a flat surface would be quicker, easier and more intuitive than trying to do those things while balancing your hand on a mouse... or worse, trying to do the gestures on the mouse itself. The new Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch, though very rudimentary right now, is probably more the precursor of what the input device of the future will evolve from than any mouse. If I were in charge of MS R&D, I would make them rename the project from Mouse 2.0 to Input 2.0 and tell them to start thinking as if they worked for Apple.