Microsoft introduces two new mouses; invents the "Windows touch tab"

By Michael Archambault
last updated

Today Microsoft added two new pieces of hardware to its accessories arsenal, the Sculpt Comfort Mouse and Sculpt Mobile Mouse. The two pieces of input hardware are designed for Windows 8 and allow users to navigate the OS with ease.

The Sculpt Comfort mouse features a touch sensitive blue strip with a white Windows logo, known as the Windows touch tab, on the right side. The tab allows users to navigate Windows 8 with the touch or swipe of their thumb. The bright blue tab can also be clicked in, delivering the user to the Start screen just as a regular Windows logo key would do.

Gestures for the Windows touch tab are as follows: swiping up – cycles through all of your open Windows 8 apps, while swiping down – reveals the multitasking list on the left side of your screen.

Windows Touch Tab

As many other Microsoft mouses, the Sculpt Comfort mouse features BlueTrack technology, so it can be used on any surface, and Bluetooth connectivity. The device will be available in June for $39.95.

The Comfort mouse’s smaller brother, the Sculpt Mobile Mouse, is Microsoft’s evolution of the Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 and features an integrated Windows button. There is no Windows touch tab or Bluetooth on this little guy, but it still packs Redmond’s BlueTrack technology. The Sculpt Mobile Mouse will premier sometime this month for $29.99.

Both pieces of hardware are served to complement Microsoft’s Sculpt Comfort Keyboard which was announced summer of last year.  The goal of the Sculpt Comfort accessories are to take advantage of Windows 8 navigation while providing “advanced ergonomics” for the user.

Microsoft is no stranger to developing hardware and its latest creations in mice, webcams, and keyboards are challenging competitors like Logitech to work their hardest.

What accessories do you use with your PC – are any of them Microsoft products?

Sources: Windows Experience Blog [1,2]

Michael Archambault
Michael Archambault
75 Comments
  • Mouses?
  • Did you expect mice? :D
  • We debated about mouse/mice...it can actually be used either way, according to Oxford.
  • The Verge used the term "mice" :) (not saying mouses is incorrect) http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/23/4348396/microsoft-sculpt-comfort-and-m...
    Edit: I meant to reply to husfus ;-)
  • If The Verge jumped off a bridge would you do it too?
  • No, but AllThingD might... LOL
  • If The Verge jumped off a bridge I would point and laugh.
  • I just pointed out that they used the term "mice" and did note that the use of "mouses" is not incorrect. Just to show husfus that use of either word is fine.
    No need to get all worked up just because I pointed to The Verge.
  • If The Verge was planning on jumping off a bridge, I'd do a Wikipedia search to recommend the highest bridge around...
  • And I will make sure they jump :-P
  • And I will be filming the enter thing with lumia 920 :-)
  • Riyal George Bridge in Colorado. Over 900 ft above the Arkansas river. Bungee jumped from it in the early 90's
  • But mouses gets more clicks... I clicked on it just to see if the first comment was calling you out on it. :)
  • Nobody says mouses. Mice is the plural. Unless you were fishing for the comments section to blow up. Then good play fine sir.
  • In the way I speak, mice is the plural of the animal, while mouses is the plural of the computer peripheral. And I'm not nobody.
  • not nobody.
  • I am never not nobody nomore. 
  • Joey Essex says "mouses". ;-)
  • Oxford also has "grrrl" in their dictionary, so I don't know how much I trust them when it comes to using the English language (http://oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/english/grrrl)
  • I don't trust the English language in general sadly it is the only language I'm fluent in. Speak American dammit!
  • Ah, irony.
     
    "I don't trust the English language in general; sadly, it is the only language in which I am fluent. Speak American, dammit!"
     
    And even that probably has some mistakes!  
  • You didn't sense it...
  • "This is the kind of tedious nonsense up with which I will not put!"
  • It's only in the US one, you have loads of junk words.
  • Meece
  • LOL, as Mr. Jinks would say!
    Also about hating them to pieces, them meece!
  • mous·es : a small mobile manual device that controls movement of the cursor and selection of functions on a computer display source: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mouses
  • MICES!
  • MOUSII
  • Want!!!
  • +1
  • Would love one of these if they shaped it more ergonomically like the evoluent mouse. But love the innovation.
  • I'll stick with my Touch Mouse.
  • +1
  • I love the design of these mouses, but I have trouble parting from my Logitech Anywhere MX device. That Windows touch tab is tempting though...
  • Best mouse I've ever used. +1
  • I use a logitech gx9 with my desktop and I know what you mean. This could be good for my Surface or SmartTV though.
  • I rather like my Razer Death Adder. But the Touch tab does look pretty nice. worth a try on one of my machines.
  • 30 and 40 isn't to bad for a Microsoft mouse that does this kind of stuff. I was expecting 40-50. I'd be worried about acidentally swiping though.
  • "The Sculpt Comfort mouse features a touch sensitive blue strip with a white Windows logo, known as the Windows touch tab, on the right side"
    shouldn't that be the "left" side?
  • I really like my Orochi, but this Bluetooth one seems nice, especially with the touch tab.  I just don't know why Microsoft used such a bright and gaudy color for it as what appears to be the only option.  Something gray or black would look much better, in my opinion.
  • Wait, no back and forward buttons, I take it back.
  • Agreed, that's a deal breaker for me as well.
  • "Wait, no back and forward buttons, I take it back." Oh, I assumed that would be the function of swiping forward and back on the "Touch Tab".  No forward/back would indeed be a deal-breaker.  (Unless there's a proper tilting scroll wheel that can be programmed as such.)
  • Can't wait! I love these meeses to pieces.
  • These prices are very reasonable, and there is really a void in the marketplace where decent bluetooth mice (yes, MICE) are concerned.  I bought the MS Wedge mouse and hated the feel of the buttons, and the absence of a mechanical scrollwheel.  So I tried an inexpensive Gigabyte bluetooth mouse and found the ergonomics were off (back and forward buttons in the wrong place relative to the overall size of the mouse).  And Logitech's (few) offerings are simply too expensive IMO. 
     
    So I'll take a shot at the Sculpt Comfort when it arrives.  I hope someone's finally gotten it right, because if this keeps up I'll have spent more on mice than on my Surface Pro before too long.
  • Mouses...
  • "As many other Microsoft mouses, the Sculpt Comfort mouse features BlueTrack technology, so it can be used on any surface, and Bluetooth connectivity"
    I'll look up what BlueTrack technology is, but Michael, is it possible to hyperlink such terms to some wiki or definition page so that its easier to navigate to the definition of the term? Thanks.
    Edit: I looked it up and it basically means the "mouse will track on everything from a granite countertop to the carpet in an airport terminal." Which you did explain in the same sentence. Thanks a lot! :-)
  • Wouldn't a gesture for charms be real useful too? Perhaps it's configurable.
  • I use the Wedge Keyboard which is the best mobile Keyboard in terms of usability, comfort and design!
  • They're very nice, I like the Windows Touch Tab. But $40 is a little expensive!!
  • This is cool. Considering my Arc Touch won't power on anymore :'(
  • haha...see how bright that button is. MS making sure all the whiners know it's a start button menu since the one on the key board is not obvious enough.
  • I use the Logitech trackball m570 mouse... Its good for DJing in small areas.
  • I have the Microsoft wireless/keyboard combo. Great piece of hardware. Will definitely pick this up.
  • I buy when they will be avalaible at my country kiosk
  • I'll stick with my gaming mouse
  • Mouses is a word, but isn't it used more as a verb, like "he mouses around" or something like that?
  • You speak American...sounded like English the last time i heard someone from USA speak????
  • The next person to post a spelling-related comment about the title is a turd. Starting.... NOW! :)
  • If enough people use something as a word, it's a word. Centuries ago you couldn't say "the house is being painted". You had to say "the house is painting". If some say mice and some say mouses, both are ok. Perhaps the "incorrect" one will eventually be the one that sticks.
  • Mice, don't be dumb.
  • "Mouses" and "Mice", both words are in the Oxford English Dictionary and the Merriam-Webster Dictionary... so they can be used, only because mice is the usual word it doesn't mean it is incorrect to use "Mouses".
     
    so I guess, you are the dumb one for not even trying to check the dictionary before talking.
  • Obviously I read the comments and also don't run around grabbing my dictionary to be a dick. That is all.
  • Sweeeeet
  • Not much use to left-handed users.
  • I use the Microsoft touch mouse, works like a charm, scroll , go to windows , swipe trough apps, open desktop windows , everything on board:)!
  • I wanted to replace my confort 6000 so I bought a sculpt touch. Now they made a new comfort. Grrr.
  • God for bid we call a computer part a goose or gooses or a moose and call it meese.
  • Got enough mice... They need to introduce a pen for the surface... Be good to write on it like a note pad!
  • They have one for pro not rt.
  • I think you can use a simple stylus as a pen on the Surface RT. The Surface Pro uses a Wacom-type pen.
  • My two favorite mice aren't mice at all: the screen on my Surface Pro and the Logitech Trackman Marble Mouse on my workstation.
  • Thanks @MrTechRat and @wpguy. Yes you can use a simple pen but not one to write with... but they may bring something out, you never know what will show!
  • The inclusion of a start button on the mouse does not make up for it being removed from the OS.