For years, laptop users unable to warm up to a touchpad or pointing stick have had to make do with barely satisfactory alternatives. With a conventional tethered mouse, you had to deal with a long, tangle-prone cord, while the wireless alternative added a receiver to the list of items to keep track of on the go. In either case, the mouse itself was too bulky for easy transport and tray-table use. Laptop-specific mice, by contrast, were generally too small and fidgety.

The solution has arrived in the form of Microsoft's new Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse, whose size strikes just the right balance between portability and ease of use. Ditto the USB receiver, which sends the signal from the mouse into the laptop. It's an L-shaped module whose plug portion is long enough to clear any protrusion. The receiver, on the other section of the L, swivels to allow it to be oriented horizontally for optimum reception, regardless of the USB port's own orientation.

The best thing about the receiver is that when you're ready to pack up, it snaps into the bottom of the mouse. Doing so not only makes for a convenient package, but turns off the mouse to conserve its single AA battery. According to Microsoft, the battery should be good for 3 months.

The symmetrical shape of the Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse makes it suitable for both left-handed and right-handed use. Normally, this might result in less-than-ideal comfort, but, thanks to a combination of good design and compact dimensions, we found it to be very user-friendly. Microsoft's optical technology was able to cope with every hard surface we tried, and the receiver grabbed the signal and responded perfectly. This is, in short, mature technology, expertly executed.

PROS	CONS
• Long battery life • Reciever fits in mouse • Compatible with either left or right hand	• None