Choosing a mouse for your computer should be an easy job, just get something that moves the cursor on the screen, right? If only it were this simple!
Choosing a computer mouse requires a bit of understanding about the working of a mouse and the types of computer mice. There is a wide variety of brands and types of computer mice currently available to the consumer. In this buying guide we will be looking at the different types of mice and the features you should consider when buying a mouse.
Various types of computer mice are available in the market, some of the common types are as follows:
Mechanical Mouse/Scroll Mouse/Intelli-Mouse
Optical Mouse
Laser Mouse
Cordless/Wireless or Inertial Mouse
Foot Mouse
Trackball/Trackman Mouse
Let's look at each of them in detail.
Mechanical mouse/scroll mouse/intelli-mouse: This advanced version is much more compact. It scrolls on a single ball that rotates in any direction. This mouse requires to be set on a flat surface. When you move the mouse the ball under it turns. Within the mouse you will find a total of two rollers. Each roller represents an X or Y axis which corresponds to the Horizontal or the Vertical movement of the mouse cursor. The X and Y rollers grip the ball, and transfers it’s movements in the form of signals to the CPU. The optical encoding discs or the rollers include light holes. Infrared LEDs shine through those discs. Sensors gather these light pulses to convert them into X and Y speeds. The distance and the speed of the rollers inside the mouse determine how far the mouse cursor can move on the screen.
Optical mouse: An optical mouse uses a Light emitting diode and Photodiode to detect the movement of the mouse, rather then having moving parts to detect the movements (as in a mechanical mouse). Earlier the optical mouse required a special metallic mouse pad with a grid pattern. A sensor inside the mouse determines the movement by reading the grid, when the mouse passes over it. However, the optical mice today, no longer need a grid mouse pad. This is because special-purpose image processing chips are embedded in the mouse, which help the mouse to translate and detect the motion on a variety of surfaces. Changes between one frame and the next are processed by the image processing part of the chip and translated into movement on the X and Y axis using an optical flow algorithm. This type of mouse is much more accurate then a mechanical mouse. You could come across a hybrid of a mechanical and optical mouse called the Opto-mechanical mouse which consists of a ball that rolls inside and an optical sensor. It detects movements of the ball optically, giving the precision of a optical mouse without the surface compatibility problems.
Laser mouse: This type of mouse works just like the optical mouse, however it uses a laser instead of an LED. A laser mouse is more precise and accurate, and most are wireless.
Cordless/Wireless or Inertial mouse: Thanks to wireless technology, the mouse has now gone tail-less! The wireless mouse gives you the ability to work without any constrictions with regards to movement. Although they do not require any wires, they would need some device to broadcast the signal; for example a Bluetooth mouse may require a USB-Bluetooth transmitter/receiver to send and receive signals from the mouse. Just like other wireless devices, a wireless mouse requires batteries.
Foot mouse: This is a different type of mouse that enables a user to control the mouse with their feet. The idea behind this technology is to enable a user to not have to move their hands from their keyboard. This mouse has two pedals, one would be for cursor movements and the other for mouse clicks.
Trackball/trackman mouse: This mouse looks like an upside-down standard mouse. The onscreen cursor is moved by the trackball with a thumb or finger. A trackball requires less arm and wrist motion that a regular mouse, and gives outstanding comfort during long hours of use.
The interface refers to the way in which the mouse is connected to the computer. Some of the means of interfacing are mentioned below:
Bluetooth: This is a computing and telecommunications technology which enables devices to exchange information wirelessly. It works on Radio frequency technology at 2.4 GHz and has an effective range of 32 feet.
Infrared: This is a method of transferring data without the use of wires. A common example of an infrared device is a TV remote. It basically uses electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths greater than those of visible light and shorter than those of microwaves to transmit signals.
PS/2 Port: Often referred to as the mouse or keyboard port, the PS/2 port is a mini DIN plug that has six pins.
USB: The Universal Serial Bus is an external peripheral interface which is used for communication between a computer and external peripherals over a cable, using bi-serial transmission.
PC Compatibility: Different mice are compatible with different types of computers. Some are compatible with Microsoft PCs, while others are compatible with MAC computers. Make sure you verify this prior to purchase.
Connectivity: If you are a laptop user or if you prefer wireless technology, you could opt for a wireless mouse. Hence depending on your requirements you could buy a mouse which is connected by a cable/port or by wi-fi technology.
Buttons: Most mice now come with three buttons. Some even come with 5 buttons, which are widely used for gaming (for example, weapon switching). So if you are an ardent computer-game player, this type of mouse would be advisable.
Magnifier: Most Optical mice come with a magnifier which enables you to enlarge and edit details on the screen.
Battery Life: Wireless mice use batteries to run, so it would be advisable to buy a mouse which does not consume too much of battery. Most mice offer battery life in the range of 4-5 months, while some extend up to 8 months with automatic standby feature.
Price: A standard Opto-mechanical mouse comes in a price range of $15 to $50, while Optical and laser mice would come in a price range of $75 to $200.
Most of us use a computer for nearly five hours a day. This means if you were to consider the time spent for various activities during the day, the time spent while using the computer is second only to time spent for sleeping. As the mouse is a key element individuals use to interact with the computer, proper assessment should be done about the type of mouse you require for your needs. Once your have done that you can go and get hold of the mouse of your choice!
