Kittyokc's Full Review: Microsoft Wheel Optical (D66-00021) Mouse
When we needed another new mouse, my husband decided he wanted to go optical and started looking around. He came home with the Microsoft MS Wheel Mouse Optical and I have been very happy with it.
I always hated having to clean our mouse every week because of dust and cat fur, now I don't have to anymore. With the Microsoft MS Wheel Mouse Optical there is no ball or little roller bars inside the mouse to clean, instead it uses an optical sensor to scan the surface the mouse is on.
Installation
In order to install the mouse, you just plug it into an open PS/2 slot, using the adapter that comes with the mouse, or just plug it into any open USB port. We opted for the USB, it was recognized and worked right away, without having to install the software. The Microsoft MS Wheel Mouse Optical is compatible with Windows or Mac, so there is no limitation there.
Software
You don't have to install the software to get the mouse to work, but if you want to customize the buttons of the mouse, you will need to install the Intellipoint software that comes with it. With the software you can customize what the buttons do, as well as customize the amount of lines the scroll wheel scrolls.
The software does come in handy if you want to customize your mouse, I didn't find it to be a necessity, so when we moved over from Windows 98 to WindowsXP, I didn't install the software.
Design
The design of the mouse makes it great for anyone, whether you are right handed or left handed. And although some people seem to find the red light on the back end of the mouse to be annoying, I kinda like it.
No Mousepad Required
Unlike a regular ball mouse, you don't need a mouse pad. You can use the Microsoft MS Wheel Mouse Optical on virtually any surface. The instructions tell you not to use it on mirrored surfaces, but that's really the only limitation and it will still work on a mouse pad if you still choose to use one.
So far I have had no problems with the Microsoft MS Wheel Mouse Optical, the pointer moves smoothly on the screen with no hesitation at all, even while playing my Sims games. My kids have had no problems using it either, even my three year old can control it with his little hand with no problems.
If you are looking for an optical mouse at a low price, you can't go wrong with the Microsoft MS Wheel Mouse Optical!
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