Logitech’s newly announced mice, the Performance MX and Anywhere MX, make use of a brand new tracking technology that allows them to be used even on clear glass. Now, I had this same thought when Microsoft unveiled its Bluetrack mice: who uses their mouse on glass, or marble? I think the cases where this technology can come into play are extremely rare. I’m sure the “Darkfield” technology results in more accurate tracking on other surfaces as well, however, so it’s not like it’s a one-trick pony.
When I think about it, these are wireless mice made for taking with you places, so perhaps my initial estimate of how often one encounters glass could be a bit low. After all, when sitting outside at a cafe you may have a little glass table, and it would suck to be unable to use your mouse. The technology relies on the tiny scratches and dust particles invisible to the human eye:
http://www.viddler.com/simple_on_site/eb31cdb1
He seems pretty pumped.
Like most Logitech stuff, the performance comes at a price. At $100, the Performance MX is shaped like the much-loved MX Revolution, but it can charge during use via a cord and of course has the Darkfield tracking. The Anywhere MX ($80) is the more mobile of the two. Both have that scroll wheel that I love so much and of course Logitech is a reliably good mouse-maker. We’ll have full reviews of these in a bit but for now you can just fantasize about all the glass tables you can mouse on now.