The Best of Both Phone, and Tablet
The mouse that comes with the Wireless Comfort Desktop 5000 is basic, but functional. As stated, it includes BlueTrack, Microsoft's latest achievement in sensor technology that combines the precision of laser with the broad scrolling power of traditional optical mice to achieve smooth tracking on almost any surface, including carpet and other rough surfaces where a normal mouse would likely fail. It worked well on all our test surfaces except glass. If you're adamant on working on a reflective surface, look out for Logitech's Darkfield laser technology, which promises to track on almost everything including nonmirrored glass.
The mouse is also powered by two nonrechargeable AA alkaline batteries, but we take issue with the shape. While we applaud Microsoft for making the mouse comfortable for both right -and left-handed users, the uniform result is too narrow and will leave your pinky finger dangling helplessly over the edge no matter which hand you use. There are five total buttons on the mouse itself: the two main buttons, a smooth scroll dial that doubles as a button as well, and two small buttons on either side of the device. Conveniently, the USB dongle that comes with the package can link up and control both the keyboard and mouse.
For $80, however, we wish Microsoft had incorporated some of the more advanced mousing features, like a toggle that switches the scroll dial between stepped and incremental, as with Logitech's higher-end mice, or even a set of rechargeable batteries with an accompanying charging base station. As it stands, you're really buying the package for the keyboard and not for the mouse, since aside from the BlueTrack, it has the same exactly functionality of Microsoft's Wireless Mobile Mouse 4000, only slightly larger.
