**The Evolution of Microsoft Mice: A Journey Through Time**

In 1991, Microsoft introduced the Ballpoint Mouse, which was a trackball that clipped to the side of a laptop and connected to the system using a Serial Port. Most laptops of the era didn't have any kind of pointing device built in, and were big enough to quickly eat up most of the airline trade table space. This design was largely due to the fact that products of the time were designed with portability in mind, rather than comfort or ergonomics.

The year 1993 brought significant improvements to Microsoft mice. The next version of the traditional Microsoft mouse, aptly named the Microsoft Mouse 2.0, became commonly known as the "Kidney Mouse" due to its asymmetrical curve shape. This design made it comfortable for right-handed users, but awkward for left-handed individuals who represented around 10% of the population. Despite this, Microsoft claimed that the Kidney Mouse could be used with either hand equally well.

The company doubled down on the kidney design for their popular 1996 model called the IntelliMouse in Italian Mouse. This release introduced the scroll wheel, which became a standard feature in many modern mice. Although not the world's first scroll wheel mouse, the IntelliMouse was credited with helping to popularize it as scrolling through web pages began to become a common pastime.

However, there is a misconception surrounding the original IntelliMouse. It did not actually use an optical sensor; instead, it continued to use a ball, similar to other mice on the market at the time. The first Optical Mouse to become widespread in the consumer market was the IntelliMouse Explorer released in 1999. This mouse looked like the future of technology, with its silver-colored chassis and brilliant red light that illuminated when the user moved it.

The IntelliMouse Explorer was a hit with consumers who appreciated its resistance to dirt and dust, as well as its ability to accurately track movement. The optical sensor was a significant improvement over traditional mice, which often struggled with tracking small movements or picking up debris. Microsoft took note of this success and added the optical sensor to their standard IntelliMouse lineup at a lower price point.

In 2001, a wireless version of the IntelliMouse Explorer appeared on the market. However, in 2003, Microsoft updated it with a scroll wheel that could tilt side to side for horizontal scrolling. This feature proved particularly useful in spreadsheets and other applications where precision was key.

The next significant release from Microsoft came in 2006, when they updated their wired IntelliMouse Explorer with an improved sensor capable of tracking at 9000 images per second. This dramatic increase in tracking speed made it ideal for gamers who required rapid movement detection to react quickly to on-screen action.

In 2008, Microsoft released the Arc Mouse, which emphasized portability as a key feature. The design allowed users to fold the mouse up and off their desk surface, making it easy to slip into a bag or carry around. This design became iconic, with many users remembering the Arc Mouse fondly for its unique shape.

In 2010, Microsoft updated the Arc Mouse to introduce the Arc Touch Mouse, which featured touch scrolling rather than traditional wheel movement. The Arc Touch Mouse also allowed users to fold flat, making it easy to pack away when not in use.

The following years saw a range of mouse designs from Microsoft, including the Sculpt Ergonomic Mouse and standard designs with modern materials and features. In 2017, Microsoft came full circle with the release of the Classic IntelliMouse, which was based on the original Explorer design but with a modernized look.

The company also released the Telemouse Pro in 2019, which featured an even more accurate sensor than its predecessors. Additionally, Microsoft released the RGB-enabled IntelliMouse in 2020, as part of their efforts to keep pace with gaming trends.

In 2022, Microsoft announced the release of a new mouse designed for accessibility and customization: the Adaptive Mouse. This compact square mouse can be attached to specialized tails that accommodate different grip types, providing users with a high degree of customizability. The base mouse is compact and simple, but the addition of these accessories allows users to tailor their experience to suit their needs.

The release of the Adaptive Mouse marks the end of an era for Microsoft mice as a brand. With the company shifting its focus towards more general software solutions, the IntelliMouse has become a relic of the past. However, its legacy lives on through the designs and innovations that have shaped modern computer mice.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enback in 1983 when the original Microsoft green-eyed Mouse first hit the market mice weren't terribly common peripherals but Microsoft saw an opportunity to be early to the game for the upcoming surge of graphical operating systems as well as to make some of its own software products easier to use so Microsoft bundled their first Mouse with copies of word and notepad and sold it for 195 US Dollars equivalent to about 600 today even though that was incredibly expensive you also needed a separately sold Microsoft adapter card for your PC and there definitely weren't any of the bells and whistles you see on Modern mice in fact the mouse ball was just plain steel it didn't even have that rubber coating you'd see in later mice Microsoft only sold about 5 000 of the green eyed mice and their Mouse business didn't really take off until a later version of the smells came out in 1985. nicknamed the gray eyed Mouse it did feature a quieter rubber coated ball a higher tracking resolution and more or ergonomically designed buttons that were easier to click for a wide variety of hand shapes winning the mouse significant to claim and as a result setting the stage for Microsoft to become a major Mouse manufacturer say that five times fast for the next wow it's been nearly four decades so let's look at how they've evolved that whole thing was intro Microsoft released a much more modern looking Mouse design in 1987 named the dove Mouse you know like the soap importantly it was available in PS2 Port compatible versions handy as the PS2 port on computers was also introduced that same year and went on to become the dominant type of mouse part before USB but Microsoft's next major Mouse release was even more radical we'll show you right after we thank Telo for sponsoring this video paying over 30 for your phone bill in this economy telemobile aims to be a super reliable mobile provider with prices that won't break the bank with data plans starting at just nine dollars a month you get a host of features like free international calls to 60 plus countries free high hot spot and tethering and unlimited 2G data after you've used your 4G LTE slash 5G balance oh and forget those binding contracts tele plans renew every 30 days giving you the freedom to cancel them at any time without additional charges check out cello at the link below and start saving today in 1991 we got the ballpoint Mouse and instead of being a mouse in the traditional sense it was more of a trackball that clipped to the side of a laptop and connected to the system using a Serial Port most laptops of the era didn't have any kind of pointing device built in at all and were big enough to quickly eat up most of the airline trade table which is why products of the era were designed this way but getting away from trackballs 1993 what a year brought up the next version of the traditional Microsoft mouse aptly named the Microsoft mouse 2.0 it was commonly known as the kidney Mouse as it had an asymmetrical curve shape which made it comfortable for right handers but for the roughly 10 of the population that was left-handed it was a little awkward even though Microsoft had the audacity to claim in its marketing that it could be used with either hand equally well they even doubled down on the kidney design for their popular 1996 model called the intelli mouse in Italian mouse I like what it does with my tongue the biggest new feature it brought was the scroll wheel love those things and although strictly speaking it wasn't the world's first scroll wheel Mouse the intellimous was credited with helping to popularize it as scrolling through web pages was just starting to become a common enough Pastime I'm still strolling but there's actually a misconception exception that the original intellimous was the first consumer mouse with an optical sensor actually the intellimos still used a ball as did the telemos pro which was released in 1998 with a higher Arch that was intended to be more comfortable the version that was actually the first Optical Mouse to become widespread in the consumer Market was the intellimos Explorer released in 1999 and it looked every bit the most of the future at least by late 90s standards the mouse was contained in a silver colored chassis and it even had a brilliant red light at the back that lit up whenever the user moved it although it was quite expensive with a starting retail price of 74.95 the optical sensor was a hit with consumers who enjoyed its resistance to dirt and dust and all those little bits that would just get caught if you took the ball out and you like you you're not old like me later in the year Microsoft added the optical sensor branded as the intellii to the standard intellimos at a lower price point and the next year we got the intellimos optical which was actually ambidextrous I actually don't know who uses the mouse in their left hand just get used to it a wireless version of the intellimos Explorer appeared in 2001 but in 2003 it was updated with a scroll wheel that could actually tilt side to side for horizontal scrolling super useful in spreadsheets and in 2006 the wired explorer was updated with a 9000 image per second sensor a dramatic increase from the original model's 1500 as Microsoft wanted to Target Gamers who would benefit from The increased tracking rate but the next Microsoft mice were dramatically different in 2008 we got the arc Mouse which emphasized portability as you could fold it up and its design which arced up off your desk surface made it extremely memorable in 2010 The Arc mouse was updated to bring us the arc touch mouse which not only featured touch scrolling rather than traditional wheel but it could also fold flat to make it easier to slip into a bag though we did get a regular touch mouse in 2011 for those who didn't like the arc shape next we get the very antithesis of sleek the sculpt ergonomic Mouse followed by various iterations of more standard Mouse designs during the 2010s then in 2017 Microsoft came somewhat full circle when they released the classic intellimos based on the original Explorer design with a modernized look followed by the pro and telemos in 2019 with the more accurate sensor and you guessed it baby RGB because not even Microsoft was going to pass up the opportunity to take a classic and make it gamer and we'd be remiss if we didn't also mention the Microsoft adaptive Mouse released in 2022 designed for a high degree of customizability and accessibility the base Mouse is a compact square that you can attach mouse tails to either an official Microsoft one or a 3D printed option that accommodates different grip types that suit you but this might be the last notable entry in the Microsoft mouse lineup the company is putting everything under the surface brand going forward which for now means game over for the Microsoft mouse brand so thanks for watching guys if you like this video hit like hit subscribe and hit us up in the comment section with your ideas for topics that we should cover in the futureback in 1983 when the original Microsoft green-eyed Mouse first hit the market mice weren't terribly common peripherals but Microsoft saw an opportunity to be early to the game for the upcoming surge of graphical operating systems as well as to make some of its own software products easier to use so Microsoft bundled their first Mouse with copies of word and notepad and sold it for 195 US Dollars equivalent to about 600 today even though that was incredibly expensive you also needed a separately sold Microsoft adapter card for your PC and there definitely weren't any of the bells and whistles you see on Modern mice in fact the mouse ball was just plain steel it didn't even have that rubber coating you'd see in later mice Microsoft only sold about 5 000 of the green eyed mice and their Mouse business didn't really take off until a later version of the smells came out in 1985. nicknamed the gray eyed Mouse it did feature a quieter rubber coated ball a higher tracking resolution and more or ergonomically designed buttons that were easier to click for a wide variety of hand shapes winning the mouse significant to claim and as a result setting the stage for Microsoft to become a major Mouse manufacturer say that five times fast for the next wow it's been nearly four decades so let's look at how they've evolved that whole thing was intro Microsoft released a much more modern looking Mouse design in 1987 named the dove Mouse you know like the soap importantly it was available in PS2 Port compatible versions handy as the PS2 port on computers was also introduced that same year and went on to become the dominant type of mouse part before USB but Microsoft's next major Mouse release was even more radical we'll show you right after we thank Telo for sponsoring this video paying over 30 for your phone bill in this economy telemobile aims to be a super reliable mobile provider with prices that won't break the bank with data plans starting at just nine dollars a month you get a host of features like free international calls to 60 plus countries free high hot spot and tethering and unlimited 2G data after you've used your 4G LTE slash 5G balance oh and forget those binding contracts tele plans renew every 30 days giving you the freedom to cancel them at any time without additional charges check out cello at the link below and start saving today in 1991 we got the ballpoint Mouse and instead of being a mouse in the traditional sense it was more of a trackball that clipped to the side of a laptop and connected to the system using a Serial Port most laptops of the era didn't have any kind of pointing device built in at all and were big enough to quickly eat up most of the airline trade table which is why products of the era were designed this way but getting away from trackballs 1993 what a year brought up the next version of the traditional Microsoft mouse aptly named the Microsoft mouse 2.0 it was commonly known as the kidney Mouse as it had an asymmetrical curve shape which made it comfortable for right handers but for the roughly 10 of the population that was left-handed it was a little awkward even though Microsoft had the audacity to claim in its marketing that it could be used with either hand equally well they even doubled down on the kidney design for their popular 1996 model called the intelli mouse in Italian mouse I like what it does with my tongue the biggest new feature it brought was the scroll wheel love those things and although strictly speaking it wasn't the world's first scroll wheel Mouse the intellimous was credited with helping to popularize it as scrolling through web pages was just starting to become a common enough Pastime I'm still strolling but there's actually a misconception exception that the original intellimous was the first consumer mouse with an optical sensor actually the intellimos still used a ball as did the telemos pro which was released in 1998 with a higher Arch that was intended to be more comfortable the version that was actually the first Optical Mouse to become widespread in the consumer Market was the intellimos Explorer released in 1999 and it looked every bit the most of the future at least by late 90s standards the mouse was contained in a silver colored chassis and it even had a brilliant red light at the back that lit up whenever the user moved it although it was quite expensive with a starting retail price of 74.95 the optical sensor was a hit with consumers who enjoyed its resistance to dirt and dust and all those little bits that would just get caught if you took the ball out and you like you you're not old like me later in the year Microsoft added the optical sensor branded as the intellii to the standard intellimos at a lower price point and the next year we got the intellimos optical which was actually ambidextrous I actually don't know who uses the mouse in their left hand just get used to it a wireless version of the intellimos Explorer appeared in 2001 but in 2003 it was updated with a scroll wheel that could actually tilt side to side for horizontal scrolling super useful in spreadsheets and in 2006 the wired explorer was updated with a 9000 image per second sensor a dramatic increase from the original model's 1500 as Microsoft wanted to Target Gamers who would benefit from The increased tracking rate but the next Microsoft mice were dramatically different in 2008 we got the arc Mouse which emphasized portability as you could fold it up and its design which arced up off your desk surface made it extremely memorable in 2010 The Arc mouse was updated to bring us the arc touch mouse which not only featured touch scrolling rather than traditional wheel but it could also fold flat to make it easier to slip into a bag though we did get a regular touch mouse in 2011 for those who didn't like the arc shape next we get the very antithesis of sleek the sculpt ergonomic Mouse followed by various iterations of more standard Mouse designs during the 2010s then in 2017 Microsoft came somewhat full circle when they released the classic intellimos based on the original Explorer design with a modernized look followed by the pro and telemos in 2019 with the more accurate sensor and you guessed it baby RGB because not even Microsoft was going to pass up the opportunity to take a classic and make it gamer and we'd be remiss if we didn't also mention the Microsoft adaptive Mouse released in 2022 designed for a high degree of customizability and accessibility the base Mouse is a compact square that you can attach mouse tails to either an official Microsoft one or a 3D printed option that accommodates different grip types that suit you but this might be the last notable entry in the Microsoft mouse lineup the company is putting everything under the surface brand going forward which for now means game over for the Microsoft mouse brand so thanks for watching guys if you like this video hit like hit subscribe and hit us up in the comment section with your ideas for topics that we should cover in the future\n"