Microsoft Notebook Optical Mouse 3000

We all know that the inbuilt notebook mice just don't cut the mustard. They are delicate, difficult to get used to and considerably slow down your work speed. Thankfully, Microsoft has released a replacement mouse specifically targeted at notebook users - and the end result is quite pleasing.

The Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 borrows a few features from its larger desktop siblings in order to provide a comfortable and pleasant experience for Notebook users. The design itself is similar to some larger sized mice - rubber comfort grips on either side, left and right click buttons and a tilt wheel which provides convenient four way scrolling. We particularly liked the look of the bright blue light at the back of the mouse when it's powered up and the silver and blue colour scheme was quite appealing.

Using the mouse is a comfortable and effortless experience, even if its small size may take some getting used to. Its design slopes up towards the back, meaning that the palm of your hand conveniently rests at the top of the unit. The rubber grips worked well and the thumb button was perfectly placed, ensuring that we didn't have to move our hand to access it.

The 1000 dpi, 6000 FPS optical technology means that the Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 is precise and responsive. During testing, we experienced no problems at all and the tracking and accuracy was smooth throughout use. We also liked the 4-way scroll wheel, which was comfortable and intuitive to use. The Magnifier function (linked to the thumb button) also worked well. You simply point and press the button to enlarge details on the screen and this is particularly effective for notebooks with smaller display screens.

Unfortunately, the Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 isn't wireless, however this does eliminate the need for batteries. The device is plug and play and requires no software to be installed. You simply plug it into a free USB port on your notebook and it's ready for use. This is quite convenient, especially considering many notebook users require quick and easy access to their machines and don't have time to deal with software installations.

In saying this, Microsoft could have included some software in the package for those who like to customize their mice. Many users have specific functions associated to certain buttons on their peripherals for quick launching programs etc, but you'll have to download the IntelliPoint software from the Microsoft website should you wish to do this. Thankfully, Microsoft hasn't neglected Macintosh users though - as the Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 is completely compatible with Mac OS X 10.2 and higher.