All terrain desktop tackles the hills of modern computing as BlueTrack expands

Microsoft New Zealand today announced the expansion of the BlueTrack range with the release of the Wireless Desktop 3000 and Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000, signalling the next step in blue becoming the standard in mouse tracking.

With the expansion of BlueTrack more Kiwis will be able to take on the tough terrain of the modern road warrior or living room worker with ease. No longer will surfaces such as granite bench tops and carpet act as stumbling blocks to productivity.

“Microsoft Hardware has always been at the forefront of innovation, from the creation of optical technology 10 years ago to the launch of the world’s first Bluetooth desktop in 2002, and now with BlueTrack Technology expanding further into our line-up,” said Julia Nicholls, product marketing manager for Mice and Keyboards Microsoft ANZ. “Thanks to the release of three new products, the Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000, the full-sized ambidextrous Wireless Mouse 5000 or the sleek mouse and keyboard combo, the Wireless Desktop 3000 people now have a variety of options to suit their different working habits.”

Unveiled last September, BlueTrack technology works on many surfaces1 where optical and laser mice won’t, including smooth and shiny surfaces such as granite and marble. In addition, the technology enables reliable mouse tracking even on difficult surfaces such as carpet, meaning remote and home workers can use their computers wherever they choose.

Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000
The Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 joins the award-winning BlueTrack Technology family and is perfect for using on the go. Featuring a sleek, ambidextrous design with chrome accents, the Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000 includes Microsoft’s first nano transceiver. Sticking out only 0.8 centimetres from the USB port, the transceiver can easily remain plugged into the computer or be stored conveniently right in the mouse. The other new mouse launched today, the Wireless Mouse 5000, is also ambidextrous, providing full-sized comfort in either hand with a snap-in transceiver that lets consumers take it on the road.

Keyboards Go Blue
The first desktop set to come with a mouse featuring Microsoft’s BlueTrack Technology — the Wireless Desktop 3000 - will be paired with the Wireless Mouse 5000, with reliable 2.4 GHz wireless technology, and plug-and-play minitransceiver making it a great notebook PC companion. The keyboard features quiet touch keys2, a thin-profile design and a soft-touch palm rest.

Availability
The Wireless Mobile Mouse 6000, Wireless Mouse 5000 and Wireless Desktop 3000 will be available in July for the recommended retail price of $79.00, $89.00 and $149.00 respectively3. All products will be backed by a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty from Microsoft.

About Microsoft Hardware
For 25 years, the Hardware Group has employed innovative engineering, cutting-edge industrial design and extensive usability testing to create products of exceptional quality and durability that enhance the software experience and strengthen the connection between consumers and their PC. Microsoft Hardware leads the industry in ergonomic engineering, industrial design and hardware/software compatibility, offering consumers an easier, more convenient and more enjoyable computing experience. Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer, which launched in 1999, earned a place on PCWorld.com’s December 2005 list of “The 50 Greatest Gadgets of the Past 50 Years” as the first mainstream optical mouse that “brought gunk-free pointing devices” to a broad consumer base. More information about the Hardware Group is available at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware.