In the annals of computer history, there are only a handful of days where one can confidently say that everything changed for a certain type of product. April 19, 1999, was indeed one of those days for PC mice. Twenty-five years ago today, Microsoft made a groundbreaking leap in mouse technology by unveiling its latest and revolutionary mouse product, the IntelliMouse Explorer.
The IntelliMouse Explorer was the first mouse product with an optical sensor designed for the consumer PC market. While not the first mouse to utilize this technology, it was indeed the first to feature an optical sensor instead of the traditional embedded mouse ball, making it accessible to the mass market.
Microsoft had been designing and producing PC mouse products early on. The first Microsoft mouse was sold in May 1983. They also released the first product in the IntelliMouse series in July 1996, one of the first mice to feature a scroll wheel, quickly becoming a standard feature for future mouse models from other manufacturers.
However, adding a scroll wheel was just a precursor to the technology Microsoft aimed to incorporate in the IntelliMouse Explorer. The optical sensor technology used was initially developed by Agilent Technologies, then a subsidiary of HP, before spinning off into its own company in 1999.
Microsoft branded its version of the optical sensor technology as IntelliEye. Here's how Microsoft described the hardware used in the first IntelliMouse Explorer in their press release:
Of course, transitioning to optical sensor technology from the old-fashioned physical mouse ball found in most PC mouse products was a significant change. Users no longer had to worry about the mouse ball getting dirty or damaged. The IntelliEye optical sensor in the IntelliMouse Explorer addressed many issues for most PC mouse users. Additionally, the IntelliMouse Explorer featured a small light on the back of the mouse to distinguish it as a standout product.
In addition to the optical sensor, the IntelliMouse Explorer also features two extra buttons, apart from the two main buttons and the scroll wheel. These additional buttons on the left side are specifically designed for web browsing, with default functions for forward and backward navigation. They can also be remapped for other PC functions like printing or copying text.
In late 1999, Microsoft began selling the IntelliMouse Explorer for $74.95 (adjusted for inflation, roughly $150 in today's dollars). The original IntelliMouse design, featuring the IntelliEye sensor, was also available for $54.95. Soon after, traditional trackball mouse products from other companies quietly became obsolete and were no longer sold.
Over the next few years, Microsoft continuously released new IntelliMouse and IntelliMouse Explorer mouse products. One notable release was the IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 in 2006. It retained the original IntelliMouse Explorer design but incorporated a faster 9000 fps sensor and additional features tailored for PC gaming.
After a hiatus of over a decade, the company introduced the Microsoft Classic IntelliMouse in 2017, followed by the Microsoft Pro IntelliMouse in 2019, reviving the IntelliMouse brand.
However, these would be the final products in the IntelliMouse series. As you may know, Microsoft decided to cease production and sales of its mouse and keyboard accessories starting from 2023. Earlier this year, however, Incase announced acquiring the rights to produce and sell a range of PC accessories designed by Microsoft, including mouse products. Perhaps someday, Incase will include the IntelliMouse among its lineup of reissued products.
