Rating: 
Summary: GREAT mouse -- EXCEPT crappy cord!
Review: This is my second Explorer after the first one succumbed to the "faulty wiring" problem like so many before. Now *this* one is starting to go as well. I decided to read through these reviews and I've noticed the trend continuing here as well. What gives? My previous "regular" Microsoft Intellimouse lasted two years before I found the Explorer Optical. I enjoy the optics, but after losing two in an 8-month period, I really doubt the product's reliability and construction. If Microsoft could give me a reasonable explanation why seemingly so many of these mice are dying from the same reason, I'd be a little happier. Instead, I'm forced to buy something else.
Rating: 
Summary: Just AWESOME!
Review: I bought this mouse in hope to finding a solution to the skipping ball effect 'old' mouses have. After I used this mouse, I couldnt believe I didnt buy it sooner. I now own 2 of these mouses for each of my computers.I talked to my friend into buying one, and he said "I dont understand why everyone doesnt switch to this new technology" and also said that he will NEVER go back using those 'old' pieces of junk we have been forced to use. TRUST me when i say that not having to clean this mouse in itself is worth the money... the added bonus is the smoothness this mouse gives you and the sleek design. Online gaming is a MUST with this mouse. All-in-All buy this mouse and be happy.
Rating:
Summary: The best mouse/trackball peripheral ever invented
Review: This is absolutely the most comfortable mouse I have ever used. I have owned two Logitech Trackballs before and this mouse is even more comfy than the trackballs. This mouse is so sensitive, I don't need to apply a lot of force to move the pointer. In fact, I don't even use it on a mousepad...just on the bare table itself. There are no moving parts...so I never have to deal with a decaying mouse again. The only drawback is that the extra buttons on the side aren't that useful to me and the positioning of them isn't in a spot where I can easily reach the last button. I am also a frequent user of Microstation and I cannot program these two extra buttons on that program so it doesn't help me that much. Still, this stylish mouse which lights up red on the bottom everytime you move it, is so slick and comfy, you will never want to get another mouse!
Rating: 
Summary: The good, the bad...
Review: Cool looks do nothing to hide the faults in this lackluster mouse from Microsoft. Sure, the optical technology provides a smooth performance, and the left and right side-buttons are useful, but... The Microsoft Intellimouse is in no way ergonomic for either right-hand or left-hand and does nothing to eliminate wrist strain. Of course, I do have larger-than-average hands. The biggest drawback that I have found with almost all Microsoft Mouse devices is that after a week or so, the left-click button gets sticky. Even in the most sanitary and pure environments, the button tends to stick down or not respond at all. This was true of the original Microsoft Mouse and is true of the Intellimouse as well. After replacing this mouse twice, I gave up and went back to my trusty Logitech Mouseman. Hopefully some day Microsoft might figure out how to fix the left-click button problem that has been occuring since they first started making mice.
Rating:
Summary: No lint, no fuzz, no fuss!
Review: Remember when you had to unscrew the bottom of your mouse so you could drop the ball out just to get at the rollers inside the thing? You were tired of the lint build up and how crazy the mouse would act if you let the dirt accumulate. No more, I tell you. This little gizmo is Heaven sent. Right out of the box, it has been trouble free for the six months I have owned it. It works on all surfaces I have tried, to which I abandoned my tattered mouse pads long ago. Just the table top for me! These last six months of NEVER having to clean the mouse on a weekly basis, is WELL WORTH THE PRICE. That is my take on it! Just get yourself one of these guys!
Rating: 
Summary: The best peripheral I've ever purchased.
Review: Before buying my new computer, I knew one thing that it wouldn't come with, and that I needed to purchase: This mouse. I'm happy with my Sony Vaio computer, but I LOVE my mouse. Gone are the days of flipping a mouse over and fishing out gunk from the mouse wheels -- there are no wheels, no balls, no moving parts. The electric eye works great with just an ordinary work table. (It's less hot with glossy mouse pads, so ditch 'em, or get one that's fabric instead.) And while I nominally use my computer for lots of serious stuff, the scroll wheel atop this mouse has revolutionized "Diablo II" for me -- I pity the player who tries to play without it. (Note: Apparently Blizzard doesn't support the wheel for Mac users. Sorry, guys.) The included software is nice for those of us who are forever fiddling with their Windows settings, with lots of new cursors and the ability to program the buttons. My only negative is that the side buttons are next to worthless for me. Positioned in a spot I never rest my hand, they're inconvenient, too easy to push, and programmed by default to a needlessly dramatic function: paging forward and back between Web pages. That's a small quibble, though. I recommend checking out the version without the side buttons, or at least go in knowing that you'll likely want to reprogram or disable those two. Otherwise, this mouse really rocks. If you always thought a mouse was just a mouse, you need to take this puppy for a test drive. Well worth the money to me, and I can't go back to more basic mice in future.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Idea, Terrible Execution
Review: First off; No mouse wheel - excellent idea. BUT, the shape of the mouse makes it ackward to hold, and the switches used for the buttons are very poor quality. The buttons are flimsy and require almost no effort to click. This leads to accidental clicks on a regular basis when just moving the mouse. Further, my mouse has started to signal double-clicks when only one click of the left mouse button has occured. This problem has progressed randomly, but is now occuring with greater frequency. Since it has been a little over a year since I purchased this device I find that it hasn't retained its value, considering that I've had to remove it and return to an older wheel mouse to do my work.
Rating:
Summary: It has it's ups and downs.
Review: I got one of these things about 3 months ago. It is definately much more accurate and smooth, I can no longer play an FPS game without it. Also, I think the larger size is more comfortable once you get used to it. However, I've had some problems with the side buttons when I try to assign keys to them (i.e. button 5 = page up), and it has done things I didnt want it to do. More importantly, a few days ago (only after 3 months of owning it) the mouse just went dead. My computer says it cannot detect a mouse connected to my computer. I've tried everything-- replugging it, reinstalling the software, I've even opened it and checked to see if anything in side was broken or blocked. Now I'm back to using my regular mouse, and I'm hesitant to buy a new IntelliMouse Explorer.
Rating:
Summary: Space Age, Funky Looking, USB, what else do you need ?
Review: Seriously though.... I do not want to gush over something as pedestrian as a mouse, but if you use one on a regular basis, this is the one to have. The optical tracking gives me the sensation of a much crisper response, and yes, you do not need a mouse pad. Furthermore, it has also worked fairly much flawlessly on multiple surfaces (magazines, my lap, different tables) The shape, although not as fancy as some, has a muted but effective ergonomic quality to it. The scroller has a nice tactile feel to it. I must say though, the side buttons, which by default invoke the forward and backward web browser functions are uncomfortably placed and I rarely use them. They can be reprogrammed to do all sorts of other tasklets and I set mine to do copy and paste, but the positioning of the buttons themselves required surrendering too much control of the mouse itslef in order to effectively click those buttons, and I was invariably and unintentionally moving the mouse as I attempted to "side-click". 'Course it could just be that I am ham handed. USB is an awesome thing. Using Win 98, 2000 (and ME but I have not partaken in this one), you plug the peripheral in and it is automatically recognized. With this mouse and Win 2000, I did not even have to register drivers, it just worked. I have never seen plug and play really work before..... At any rate, I also have USB ethernet cards, WinTV and CD ROM burner peripherals and they always work very well. In summary, this Microsoft hardware is the very antithesis of Microsoft's software. It is compact, sturdy, ergonomic and it does one thing, extremely well.
Rating:
Summary: i like this mouse. yes yes. shut up i'm talking... hello?
Review: so very nice to be able to move smooth. the wheel and thumb buttons are great for internet creeping and it looks cool glowing red in a dark room. much better than my old mouse for working in graphics programs cuz its smoother and more sensitive; plus no mouse pad is needed so that won't tie you up and you'll never run out of pad in the middle of drawing a line. yo, my only problems with it was that when i ran it via usb cable thru my keybord(so far away) it was glitchy and sucked but i just run it from the mouse port and it's gravy. perhaps you will like it too.
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