Specifications & Features
The Microsoft Explorer Mouse uses BlueTrack technology and can track on virtually any surface. The mouse uses a rechargeable AA battery for power and has a snap in mini transceiver. The design of the mouse is ergonomic and design for right hand use. Connectivity is 2.4 GHz wireless offering 30-foot range. Microsoft says the mouse will go three weeks between charges.

Testing & Use
The Microsoft Explorer Mouse is a full size mouse, but it is designed with mobile users in mind. The shape of the mouse is much like any other traditional mouse for general PC work with a right handed ergonomic design and customizable buttons.

Power for the mouse comes from a removable and rechargeable AA battery. This is a great feature because in a pinch on the road you can plug in a normal AA battery and keep working. The BlueTrack technology uses a blue incoherent light beam and the mouse features blue lighting effects for visual appeal.

The thick design of the mouse means that you end up palming the mouse, which is comfortable. However, if you prefer to use your fingers more than your wrist for mouse control the thick design makes that harder to do.

Tracking capability is the main claim to fame for the Microsoft Explorer Mouse, and it tracks very well. I tried the mouse on every surface I could think of including -- my leg, clothing, carpet, a dusty desktop, mouse pad, granite, and marble. On all surfaces, the Microsoft Explorer Mouse tracked flawlessly.

The catch was that my normal laser using Logitech G9 worked just as well on all the same surfaces as the Microsoft Explorer Mouse. I saw no improvement in tracking between the BlueTrack mouse and the G9. I'm not saying the Microsoft Explorer Mouse doesn’t track well, I am just saying that the Microsoft offering is no better than the Logitech G9 laser gaming mouse using a traditional laser sensor.

The dual side buttons on the Microsoft Explorer Mouse are located well. You can reach them easily when you need them, but they are out of the way and don’t get hit accidentally when you are surfing the web or working. Microsoft also gave the scroll wheel a left and right click function and the wheel can be pressed down for an additional click function as well. The scroll wheel is very similar in feel to the Logitech G9 scroll wheel.

The wheel on the Microsoft Explorer Mouse doesn’t click at all and is set up so that you can flick it to navigate pages faster. It's not a full blow freewheel scroll wheel like Logitech offers, but it is a definite improvement over other Microsoft mice I have used.