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Adaptability in tech is a necessity, and few product makers have made the strides in this market that Microsoft has. Introduced in 2018, the Xbox Adaptive Controller was designed to make user input in video games more accessible for the disabled. Â With its simple modular design, built for customization and comfort, the Adaptive Controller was a huge step toward knocking down the barrier of entry for so many gamers. The Microsoft Adaptive Mouse ($44.99) takes a similar approach, boiling the computer mouse down to its essentials. On its own, it may not seem like more than an ambidextrous mouse. But employed with its complementing Adaptive Hub, it creates an accessibility station that is unmatched in the consumer space. It earns our Editors’ Choice award for putting both its heart and hardware in the right place.
Adaptive Mouse, Flexible Parts
The Microsoft Adaptive Mouse is far from your typical mouse in shape and design. A square black puck measuring roughly 2.3 by 2.3 by 0.8 inches (HWD), the mouse itself is smaller than almost anything we’ve seen from a traditional mouse, gaming or otherwise. But despite its minimalist look, the tiny mouse still comes with what you’d expect: two clickers and a scroll wheel.
On the underside of the shell, you’ll find two small plastic feet, a power button, a Bluetooth button, and LED indicators for up to three separate connections. But you’ll also find a button that removes the back half of the mouse to accommodate other accessories, namely the Microsoft Adaptive Mouse Tail and Thumb Support, a $15 add-on purchased separately.
(Credit: Kyle Cobian)
As a person with full motility in his hands, I found the mouse a little awkward to use. But the benefits to folks with less range of movement are immediately apparent. The mouse requires little to no wrist movement at all, and it can be operated with your palm firmly on the surface behind it. Attaching the Tail and Thumb Support provides additional support and comfort, and I find it easier to use than the recent Dell Bluetooth Travel Mouse (MS700).Â
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(Credit: Kyle Cobian)
The matte-black mouse is well suited for normal, everyday use, and its ambidextrous design means that both left- and right-handed users can use it properly. Settings can be configured in the Microsoft Accessory Center, a download from the Microsoft Store. Here you can adjust the tracking resolution to a maximum of 6,000 dots per inch (dpi), as well as create macros for the left, right, and middle buttons. The app is simple to navigate and is where you’ll spend most of your time once you factor in the additional accessories and profiles. However, Mac users will have to find a Windows computer to customize their settings.
(Credit: Microsoft)
Using the mouse in my day-to-day proved simple. With the additional tail accessory, it worked just like any other mouse, with a comfortable arch and some solid customization potential. The mouse itself feels solid despite its light weight and, thanks to its Swift Pair feature, jumping between systems (like my work laptop and my home computer) is simple.
That’s all well and good. But the breadth of use comes from the complete accessory package, which is really where the Adaptive Mouse shines.
Adaptive Mouse Accessories: Extra Bits Make It Extra Inclusive
Microsoft’s Adaptive Mouse might not seem too exciting or revolutionary on its own, but once combined with the Microsoft Adaptive Hub, you can appreciate the device’s broader uses. The Adaptive Hub(Opens in a new window) can pair with up to three devices wirelessly or via USB-C—and connects wirelessly to up to four Microsoft Adaptive Buttons, including the Adaptive Joystick and Dual Button, Plus, it can connect to current assistive technology, such as third-party digital buttons and switches, through the five included 3.5mm ports.
(Credit: Kyle Cobian)
Linking the hub with accessories can be a bit of a struggle, but the simple designs and provided QR codes right on the boxes help you parse the setup. But what’s even more impressive is that you can 3D print accessories via Shapeways(Opens in a new window), a 3D-printing marketplace and service.
(Credit: Kyle Cobian)
While the pricing is high (a 3D-printed tail from Shapeways costs close to $40, as opposed to Microsoft’s $15), you can also download the STEP file for free and print the accessory yourself if you have a 3D printer. It’s not a necessity, of course, as the options only include button toppers, mouse tails, and grips for the Microsoft Pen, but it speaks to Microsoft’s effort to create a versatile system for people who cannot use a traditional mouse, or even those seeking to increase their productivity or ergonomics. The accessories, combined with the mouse, allow you to create your own, custom input ecosystem that works for you.
(Credit: Kyle Cobian)
Verdict: An Inclusivity Win
At $44.99, the Microsoft Adaptive Mouse is far from luxury-priced tech, but anyone interested in the mouse must know that even for basic productivity, you’ll have to shoot for an additional mouse tail to achieve basic mouse functionality. But, even with the tail accessory’s price factored in, it’s not too much to spend on a decent ambidextrous mouse.
Modular mice are not uncommon, but nothing we’ve seen comes close to the full extent of what Microsoft is doing with the Adaptive Mouse. Combined with the Adaptive Hub and accessories, the mouse should go a long way to promote disability inclusion in computing. The various buttons and directional pads allow differently abled users to find a mobility and shortcut gadget combination that works for their specific situation.
Plus, these products are proving to be an inspiration: Microsoft’s efforts have already caught on, as large initiatives like Sony’s Project Leonardo for PS5 are following suit in expanding access to its entertainment products to customers with different grip and motility needs.
The Microsoft Adaptive Mouse is far from the best general-use mouse on the market—but that’s not at all the point. This is an easier path to computing for disabled users, further expanding technology access for an underserved population in a simple, modular way. Microsoft is taking a lead in making this kind of product accessible to a true mainstream audience. Who’s next?
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For those who may need it, the Microsoft Adaptive Mouse is a highly noteworthy achievement in accessibility and productivity for computer mice, particularly when paired with Microsoft’s Adaptive Hub and its accessories.
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Source link : https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/microsoft-adaptive-mouse
