Microsoft Unveils New Keyboards, Mice

Its flagship Bluetooth wireless keyboard, mouse, and USB transceiver bundle won’t ship till October, but Microsoft Corp.‘s hardware team has been keeping busy: Today the company rolls out seven new mice, keyboards, and combos with up-to-date technology and chic color schemes.

The Optical Mouse Blue ($35) and Wireless Optical Mouse Blue ($45) feature a new “Astral Blue” finish and wider, translucent scroll wheel for easier navigation of Web pages and playlists. The corded MultiMedia Keyboard ($35) and Natural MultiMedia Keyboard ($55) combine the same color with one-touch access buttons for multimedia commands such as Stop, Forward, Play, and Pause.

You say blue isn’t your color? Microsoft chose black with titanium accents for the Wireless Optical Desktop ($85) and Wireless Optical Desktop Pro ($105), which pair a wireless optical mouse, wireless keyboard, and shared receiver.

Finally, Microsoft’s first optical mouse designed for portable PC users, the compact but comfortable Notebook Optical Mouse ($35), features a red-accented titanium finish.

Eric Grevstad is managing editor of sister site, HardwareCentral.