The technology that drives one of the basic building blocks of personal computing will receive an upgrade in Dubai today, when Microsoft releases what it is calling "the next big thing".
The mouse, about as simple and non-revolutionary as computer products can be, has changed little since its first commercial versions were made available in the early 1980s. New buttons and scroll wheels have been added, and the use of a rolling ball to measure movement was upgraded to a more accurate laser-based system.
Today, however, Microsoft will launch what it says is the next generation of the humble device. The new mouse, which it claims will work on almost any surface, has been promoted with the teaser line: "Say goodbye to laser".
If the rumours, leaks and predictions circulating in technology circles are accurate, the new mouse will be based on "Blue Track" technology, which uses a combination of blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a tracking camera on the base of the mouse to detect movement.
A number of online shopping websites, including the German-language version of Amazon, accidentally made images and details of a new mouse briefly available. The images featured the same branding as the Microsoft teaser advertisements, and showed a mouse that has a ring of blue light running around the edges of its base.
On the website of Microsoft's hardware division, where the teasers are located, pictures show a laptop and a mouse being used on surfaces such as carpets, wooden benches and airport lounge chairs.
"Meet the technology that will go anywhere you do," the site says.
The new device was scheduled to launch in the US yesterday, after The National went to print. Microsoft will host an event in Dubai this morning to showcase the product to the local press.
The release of the new device, coming on the same day as one of Apple's renowned product launches - this time an update to its line of iPod music players - may not make major headlines. But it shows that Microsoft remains committed to the mouse as an input device, or at least committed enough to invest in its research and development. An analyst at Gartner, a research and advisory firm, recently predicted the mouse would be all but extinct within five years, as more user-friendly technologies emerge.
Touchscreen computing, as championed by Apple's iPhone, and the motion-sensing remote controller that has made the Nintendo Wii the world's most popular video gaming system, have both demonstrated alternative methods of interacting with computers.
Video feedback systems, which use a camera facing the user to track their movement, are already in commercial use. Such systems allow the viewer to change television channels with a wave of their hand and will eventually let computer users navigate their desktops with a nod of the head or a wag of the finger.
Microsoft is hedging its bets by investing in the mouse, but also promoting its own vision of mouse-free computing. It recently launched Microsoft Surface, a new computing environment that turns a regular tabletop into an interactive touchscreen computer.
The system, which the company hopes to sell initially to restaurants and entertainment venues, projects images onto a reflective glass tabletop, which users can manipulate with their hands, turning the pages of a virtual menu or dealing a hand of electronic cards.
Although the system costs upwards of US$10,000 (Dh37,000), the company hopes to have a version suitable for home users by 2010.
tgara@thenational.ae
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Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner: Barack Beach, Richard Mullen (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Way Of Wisdom, Connor Beasley, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Woodditton, Connor Beasley, Ahmad bin Harmash.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Secret Trade, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Mark Of Approval, Antonio Fresu, Mahmood Hussain.
9.25pm: Handicap Dh165,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Tradesman, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Last 10 NBA champions
2017: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-1
2016: Cleveland bt Golden State 4-3
2015: Golden State bt Cleveland 4-2
2014: San Antonio bt Miami 4-1
2013: Miami bt San Antonio 4-3
2012: Miami bt Oklahoma City 4-1
2011: Dallas bt Miami 4-2
2010: Los Angeles Lakers bt Boston 4-3
2009: Los Angeles Lakers bt Orlando 4-1
2008: Boston bt Los Angeles Lakers 4-2
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
Feb - 198
Mar - 159
Apr - 161
May - 159
Jun – 162
Currently: 88
Year-end rank since turning pro
2016 - 279
2015 - 185
2014 - 143
2013 - 63
2012 - 384
2011 - 883
If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
SPECS%3A%20Polestar%203
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Specs%3A%202024%20McLaren%20Artura%20Spider
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The biog
Name: Greg Heinricks
From: Alberta, western Canada
Record fish: 56kg sailfish
Member of: International Game Fish Association
Company: Arabian Divers and Sportfishing Charters
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
Sweet%20Tooth
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UAE%20FIXTURES
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
Company%20profile
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THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
The%20specs
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