When you're looking for an input device to take with you on the road, compact portability is the main criteria, and Microsoft's Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 4000 fits that description nicely without getting too small to sacrifice usability. Since it's a wireless input device, the 4000 uses a protruding receiver. However, in an excellent design touch, the receiver snaps into the bottom of the mouse when you're packing it up. This automatically turns the mouse off, saving battery life, and the 4000 turns back on when you remove the receiver.

Even though it's an input device designed for portability, the 4000 houses a high-end laser tracking engine that features a resolution of 1,000 dpi. This means you get very sensitive and responsive movements, which are extremely helpful if you're using the 4000 in cramped quarters. The 4000 is comfortable to hold and use, and its design makes it a great choice for lefties and righties.

Installing the 4000 was as easy as any input device. We simply plugged the USB receiver into our laptop and popped in the single AA battery, and Windows recognized our mouse. Of course, installing the software lets you use some of the mouse's more interesting features, including four-way scrolling and the Magnifier.

The included software lets you easily move from side to side as well as up and down in documents and web pages, which can be especially handy with laptops that have smaller screens that may not display an entire web page at once. The Magnifier makes it easy to zoom into text and images at the click of a button on the side of the 4000. It's a nice way to get a closer view of small text without having to resize the font.

The 4000's wireless range is listed at only 2 feet, but that was plenty for our usage. Battery life is promised at 3 months or more due to the low power consumption of the input device, so you won't have to shell out a lot of bucks in replacement batteries.

The 4000 retails for $40, but we were able to find it for a lot less than that at major retailers. If you're looking for an input device to pair with your portable computer, the Microsoft Wireless Optical Notebook Mouse 4000 is an excellent one for the road.

Pro: Sharp design, good price.
Con: Short range, will eventually need to replace battery.

Microsoft
1 Microsoft Way
Redmond, WA 98052-6399
800-642-7676
http://www.microsoft.com

Warranty
3 years limited