Fresh new patterns for the Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500
As a user experience designer in the Microsoft Hardware group, I helped develop the new mice we’re announcing today – the Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 Studio Series, a bold collection of mice that will refresh your mobile gear.
Our team wanted to take these mice a step beyond color, and offer you a way to really mix it up. A collaborative effort, each graphic began as a series of sketches, which eventually filled the entire hallway outside our design studio. After much debate, the selected favorites were evolved into digital drawings and infused into the surface of each mouse.
When creating these designs and patterns, we were inspired both by the incredible patterns found in nature, like rock formations and stones, as well as the bold and modern graphic style that’s all over the skate and snowboard industry today. We combined those inspirations to create minimal designs alive with vivid colors. There are three graphics to choose from – (left to right) Wave, Folk and Geode. Wave is a vibrant organic pattern, Folk was inspired by Scandinavian and tribal art, and Geode references rock facets and formations.
The Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 Studio Series has been one of the most fun projects that took place in our studio recently, and we’re psyched to share them with you! You can get your hands on one exclusively at Best Buy Stores for $29.95 and let us know what you think.
If you’re looking for a solid color, the Wireless Mobile Mouse 3500 is also now available in purple, red and blue, along with the original colors, grey and pink. Which mouse pattern or color expresses your personal style the best?
Are these meant for girls below 9 years?
2:56 am nubert
Definetely a “Generation X” aimed product but nevertheless very nice.
6:47 am Stefano Colasanti
Because heaven forbid technology be fun or have interesting visual appeal, right? They look great, and I’m generally not interested in bold patterns.
10:38 am Brooke
Thanks for the comments. Whether or not patterns are your style, we wanted to give people some options for livening up their tech space. These designs are a fun way to do that. There’s no shame in using the original solid colors either though! The choice is yours.
1:21 pm Stu
It’s really great that this mouse has a click motion wheel. The click scroll on my Logitech mice is far superior. I was a die hard Microsoft mouse fan, but the track wheels have been narrow and the smooth scroll has been horrible. Using a Microsoft smooth scroll mouse is like scratching on a chalk board. The click motion on this mouse is only OK, not great.
8:08 pm JohnT
It seems to be the way of the Z generation or whatever we are up to now. Externals are the only thing that are important. The operation of the mouse is of secondary importance only. Good work MS for keeping up with the times
4:45 pm Alex
Well it’s more of a matter of taste, I guess. I’d prefer a mouse with solid color but I know some who like patterns on their mouse
11:49 pm Michael Aulia @CravingTech.com
Yeah pretty ugly. Sorry.
8:13 pm Marcus
I’m sorry, but these patterns are ridiculous. There is no sensitivity to them at all, and clearly NO research was done on what is happening with prints in fashion or art these days.
These are gimmicky.
5:04 am elena
Unimpressed and wish the problem – “Our team wanted to take these mice a step beyond color, and offer you a way to really mix it up” – had been solved. Offering three graphic patterns from which to choose does not, in my opinion, mix anything up.
There’s a better way, in my opinion, to solve that problem.
7:13 am csven
Color pattern is good for the younger crowd. Will get one of these for my 7 year old daughter. I have one of the new Poppy Red 3500 mice and will get one of the blue and purple 3500 mice as well. The red color is awesome! I have 3 of the Logitech Darkfield MX mice, unless I have to track on a glass surface, I am picking the Microsoft 3500 mouse over the Logitech MX mouse! I like the shape and single battery weight better with the Microsoft 3500 mouse! Three other improvements would be nice on the 3500 mouse. The ridge around the optical opening creates the possibility of the mouse getting caught or picking up excessive drag if your using it on a couch or less than smooth surface. That ridge should be eliminated. It would be nice if the switch was similar to the Logitech MX mouse design. It’s easy to turn the MX mouse off with one hand. Third, it would by nice if Microsoft did a unified receiver like the Logitech AnyConnect. The AnyConnect even allows for firmware updates of the wireless adapter and mouse. Newer shipments of the 3500 mice seems to have a smoother moving click track wheel. Right now I’m up to five Microsoft 3500 mice. I would declare this mouse to be hands down the best value for the money!
6:53 pm JohnT
Well put, sir, well put. I’ll cterianly make note of that.
4:40 pm Ellie
I like the idea. I’m tired of the same old thing. If you can have pretty, why not? I’ve been looking for something a little more unique, say a black and white damask print, perhaps a toile print, tiger print, croc and so forth. They don’t have to be cheap looking prints. Besides if your mouse is distinctive you know it’s yours and it’s easier to find.
5:12 am AnneS
Chris / Hi wudja. It sodnus like you mean palm grip. Have you tried a Logitech G500? They’re a reasonable size and good for palm-grippers.
7:11 pm Indra
Hi, I have this lptaop, but I can’t figure out what the eff the graphic card is? Mine is with i3 processor. I tried CPUZ and Speccy and everything I can think off, they all state Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD, that’s not even a proper name?
4:53 am Vasilica