Microsoft Launches Hardware to Complement Vista

To complement its Windows Vista operating system, software giant Microsoft Corporation recently launched its latest suite of hardware products composed of two mouse pads, a keyboard and a webcam. In a press briefing last week, Katherine Teu, regional marketing manager of Microsoft Hardware Southeast Asia, said the products were made with a combination of innovation, style, and functionality aimed at delivering high performance and comfortable use, be it for work or entertainment.

Teu said the products were designed to enhance the PC user’s experience and complement the capabilities of its Windows Vista operating system.

Showcased during the launch at the Xbox room of Microsoft Philippines office in Makati City, are: the next-generation Explorer Mice with Blue Track Technology; the Arc Mouse, and the SideWinder X6 Keyboard.

Teu claimed the new keyboard is the “most versatile” gaming keyboard in the market today, while she described the Arc Mouse as “fashionable and functional.”

“At Microsoft, we are constantly looking for ways to make computing easier and faster,” she said. “We are excited to bring the latest Microsoft Hardware products to consumers here in the Philippines to meet the ever-changing business requirements of local companies across all industries.”

Blue Track Technology

Along with the release of the hardware products, the company is also introducing Microsoft BlueTrack Technology, an advanced tracking technology which, the company claims, allows consumers to take their “mice” anywhere and work with confidence on virtually any surface — be it a rough kitchen countertop, an uneven park bench or the living room carpet. Blue Track combines the width and power of optical technology with the precision of laser tracking to allow consumers to mouse freely on more surfaces than before.

“Research shows that people aren’t sitting at a desk all day, but they’ve gone mobile. PC shipments today are being driven by laptops and consumers need a mouse that can go with them anywhere,” Teu explained. “BlueTrack Technology excels in areas where optical and laser technologies were falling short. Laser mice, for example, have a difficult time working on some common home surfaces, including granite and marble.”

BlueTrack Technology will debut in the new high-end Microsoft Explorer Mini Mouse. The latter, pairs revolutionary tracking technology with a sophisticated design which brings the mice to life. A chrome trim and blue lighting around the bottom rim of the mouse create a soft glow.

Meanwhile, the Arc Mouse with its revolutionary design, such as its foldable shape, combines the comfort of a desktop mouse with the portability of a notebook mouse. Its shape is thin crescent and is available in two color options — black and red.

However, Teu reported that the Sidewinder X6 Keyboard is the most versatile gaming keyboard in the market with the first-ever switchable key pad that can be attached to the left or right side of the keyboard for ultimate flexibility.

Tailor-fitted for gaming, Teu said the keyboard also has productivity features as it functions as a standard num pad in normal keyboard mode, but becomes a programmable macro pad in game mode. Its switchable key pad allows gamers to program up to 90 macros per game with the help of a set of dedicated macro keys as well as a fully programmable key pad. With mode switching, gamers can instantly go from Microsoft Office Excel to their favorite game — and place the macro pad on whichever side they prefer for gaming.

Yet Microsoft’s new webcam the LifeCam Show, is described to be one of the sleekest webcams today with a mirrored finish and ultra thin design. The product displays a new attachment system that includes a laptop clip, desktop stand and two attachment discs, allowing the webcam to be used with any computer.

And with a 2.0-megapixel (MP) video sensor; 8.0MP stills; glass element, wide-angle lens; and outstanding low-light performance, LifeCam Show promises to deliver vibrant, rich video and picture quality that is always focused.

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Source: pcworld