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Microsoft Hardware teaser: 'Say Goodbye to Laser'

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Microsoft Hardware, the unit that makes the company's mice and keyboards, has scheduled a Sept. 9 event in Seattle to unveil its latest product lineup. Today it launched an animation teasing a new product, with the tag line, "Say Goodbye to Laser."
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blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com
Alternative Sources:
Microsoft hints at new mice... - engadget.com | By: BloodySinner
BloodySinner - contributor
Published: 490 days 22 hours ago | Article | PC | Tech
 
 

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thereapersson - 490 days 23 hours ago
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1 - I wonder if it's for the touch surface that they have been teasing consumers with
One can only speculate what this could be...
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kevanio09 - 490 days 22 hours ago
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1.1 -
I would have to agree. Windows 7 is putting a large emphasis on touch control, speech recognition ect.

Dont think the mouse will die so easily though. How would fps games be played?
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RealityCheck - 490 days 22 hours ago
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1.2 -
I'm going to go on a limb and speculate that it will be a mouse with no trackball and no laser, just using internal gyros so no need to even be on a surface. Maybe this mouse could even be used as a wiimote clone for the PC.
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Leathersoup - 490 days 18 hours ago
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1.3 -
I thought gyros only tracked rotation around an axis.
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DJ - 490 days 17 hours ago
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1.4 - It's true (i think)
The Sixaxis sensor for example can detect directional momentum, so it's not farfetched to see the technology in a mouse. This should be a pretty cool announcement.
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Xi - 490 days 17 hours ago
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1.5 - Leather.
motion sensing is done via 2 gyro's and accelerometer. That provides all the requirements for 1-1 motion.
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Leathersoup - 490 days 16 hours ago
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1.6 -
Ah ok. The person above me had just mentioned gyros.

You'd think you'd require more than one accelerometer. One accelerometer is capable of taking care of 2 axises but wouldn't the third axis still require a second accelerometer?

I can understand the gyro's being required for direction angle though.
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1.7 Spydiggity | 490 days 14 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
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PoSTedUP - 490 days 13 hours ago
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1.8 - i think i know exactly what it is.
its their next console and its all going to be digital distrubuted games with no discs and no lasers.

their was a console that was expose to come out around the begingin of 2000 that was called the "Dragon" or something along the line of that word. and it was a console that used no discs and all the games were installed and or downloaded but it didnt come out for some reason, i think it was too ahead of its time and they were paid off not to bring it out, dont really know the whole story though. but that would be the only logical suggestion of "no lasers" in a console.

it makes perfect sence too casue sony is starting to show digital distrubution in their nexgen games and MS said that digital distrubution is the future, i thats what i believe.
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NO_PUDding - 490 days 12 hours ago
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1.9 -
USB so I can use it on my PS3 web browser :D
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geda - 490 days 12 hours ago
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1.10 - @PoSTedUP
this is microsoft hardware. they make mice and keyboards.
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M_Prime - 490 days 10 hours ago
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1.11 -
It could be anything when u think about it
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lsujester - 490 days 7 hours ago
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1.12 -
We should go back to trackballs. I miss taking out the ball to clean the lint from the bars. LOL
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Blasphemy - 490 days 4 hours ago
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1.13 -
PostedUp your talking about the Phantom. It was basically strapped. I don't think it would have worked anyway we are not ready for DD. I just don't see a console being that successful with DD only especially with how big some games are now days and how slow our bandwith is stateside.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...
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PoSTedUP - 490 days 3 hours ago
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1.14 -
yea thats it- the phantom, my bad. but yea man the only thing i cant think of with no lasers is DD, but you right about the huge games and poor bandwidth., i dunno what it could be then....
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sak500 - 490 days 21 hours ago
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2 -
Hmmm cool stuff can't wait for the announcement
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mrnjl - 490 days 19 hours ago
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3 -
Eye recognition would be cool. A camera can work out exactly where your eyes are looking at and the pointer follows. Would be great for FPS!
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Sitdown - 490 days 18 hours ago
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3.1 - Hmmm...
and what do we do with people who have a lazy eye or cross-eyed. Also, in a first person shooter...I do not think it will be the best...do you really think that your eye movement would be processed quick enough when needed?....and what would be the process of looking behind you when an enemy is approaching?
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mrnjl - 490 days 17 hours ago
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3.2 -
lol..Well lazy eyed people couldnt use it. Also if your reading the cursor would have to dissapear. Hey Im not its even possible just throwing it out there...Blinking may be an issue and also looking at photos with your wife because when a picture of her hot sister comes up the arrow will go to her breasts =(
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3.3 Spydiggity | 490 days 14 hours ago - User only got 1 bubble - Show
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The Lazy One - 490 days 13 hours ago
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3.4 - Hmmmmm...
What do people with no arms do if they're trying to use a mouse?

it's the same kind of problem.
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M_Prime - 490 days 10 hours ago
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3.5 -
people with NO ARMS or upper body motion have a little dot placed on their forehead and the motion of the head is tracked via a special camera.. which the sensitivity can be tweaked on massively so it can detect small movements..
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Xi - 490 days 18 hours ago
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4 - I believe it's a motion controlled device.
It clips to your hand and features several interesting capabilities.

When your hand is held verticle(like shaking someone elses) it's recognized differently then when held horizontal. When horizontal it will be recognized as a mouse without requiring any surface, to lose tracking on the mouse (like you do when lifitng your mouse) you'll either need to squeeze or relax your hand, and it will also feature a tracking ball (or scroll ball) in the top near your thumb.

http://appft1.uspto.gov/net...

it's designed as a universal remote.
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Sitdown - 490 days 18 hours ago
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4.1 - But does that device..
take into account people who multi-task. If we are looking at people who spend time on the computer...if I have this device clipped to my hand...how conducive will it be to me writing, typing, and of course you know there are plenty of people who eat and drink while on the computer.
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Kyur4ThePain - 490 days 17 hours ago
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4.2 - Does this mean
I have to keep my arm raised?
If not, and I can rest my hand on the desk, I'd rather use a mouse.
It just doesn't sound all that practical to me.
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Xi - 490 days 17 hours ago
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4.3 - good arguments.
Bit more of an explanation. Sitdown, The thing wraps around the back of your hand (near the nuckles), you can type without requiring to remove it, there's a switch to turn control on and off very quickly. If anything it will be better for multitasking.

4thpain
the concept is for this thing to be a universal remote. If you're sitting at a tivo thing, you can use it on your tv on the couch with a bit more control, or if you're streaming video to a tv, to using your 360 with it (maybe). You can still do it with your hand on a table relaxed, you wouldn't lose anything from it.

http://media.teamxbox.com/d...

a prototype image.
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Sitdown - 490 days 11 hours ago
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4.4 - @Xi
Ohhh okay...thanks for the extra information. I do remember seeing that image before....perhaps scattered in the rumors with regards to motion control coming to the 360.
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rbbrdman - 490 days 17 hours ago
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5 - BOOM
"Dont think the mouse will die so easily though. How would fps games be played?"

Couldn't you just scream "HEADSHOT BOOM!" over and over again??
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Adamalicious - 490 days 16 hours ago
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6 -
But I LIKE lasers!!
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The_Firestarter - 490 days 14 hours ago
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6.1 -
I want sharks with freakin' laser beams attached to their freakin' heads!
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cruckel - 490 days 14 hours ago
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7 - No more Lasers?!?!?!
Does that mean we get Phasers and Proton Torpedoes?

I'd vote for plasma beams actually.
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Allowen - 490 days 14 hours ago
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8 -
Apple's MacBook Pro comes with a keyboard 10 times better then a G15 from Longitech with much more brighter light coming from it as well and not to forget about the amazing touchPad similar to the one used on the iPod touch.

After using such keyboard from Apple I don't feel confortable using any high end "normal" keboard+mouse and I belive that what Microsoft is going to launch is no new tech but it will be very similar of what Apple's been using on the past 2 years.
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Wii60Fan - 490 days 12 hours ago
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9 - I guess
Dr Evil will be sad... No more mice with freakin laser beams attached to their heads.
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bunbun777 - 490 days 10 hours ago
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10 - Nueral net transmitors....
If a monkey's brain can control the walking motions of a robot- and this is for paraplegic's to control their 'platform' (ie: robo-legs) then I'm pretty sure we are getting closer and closer to simply look , think, do. Think about it now- a 'controller'? Or a 'keyboard' its all neural transmissions to your appendages that extend into a physical representation of what is already happening in your perception.
It reminds me of the guy in BlackHawkDown when asked, "Why isn't your safety on, soldier?" And his reply was, showing off his finger, "This is my safety."
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M_Prime - 490 days 10 hours ago
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11 -
what about an OPTICAL mouse? I got 1 of those.. NO LASERS..

maybe it could b e a new medium for storage where you don't need lasers.. but they make MICE and KEYBOARDS so whatever it is it will be pretty lame in the end.. hell it will either type or make the cursor move.. and it won't be required so everyone can still have their precious LASERS! MWAHAHAHA... MINI-ME.. STOP HUMPING THE LASER!
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Cynjo - 490 days 9 hours ago
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12 - I can only speculate like the rest of you but i know one thing......
I have a feeling its going to cost me more then its worth.
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marichuu - 490 days 8 hours ago
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12.1 -
It's called new technology, my friend, it always costs more than the "last gen"
Look at the Super Nintendo and then look at the PS3 :D
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AAACE5 - 490 days 2 hours ago
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13 - Some people ...
Have no imagination!
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ApocalyPS3 - 490 days ago
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14 - how many years with the mouse?
so many that computer life couldn't be the same without it. but if anything's for sure, people want more ways of I/O. voice dialing, optical recognition, biometric scanners.

one day, there won't even be a monitor. it'll be a see through cube with magic "dust" (akin to a pixel) that lights up in its position in full 3d, constructing a hologram that is painted by light! the finer the dust (pixel), the more detail will be seen.
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xavvyboy - 489 days 23 hours ago
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15 - Here's a lnk...could be what they're on about...
http://blogs.zdnet.com/gadg...
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moja - 484 days 2 hours ago
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16 - Thank god...
Last time I dropped my mouse I nearly performed unlicensed eye surgery.
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