The Arc Mouse is a family of portable

computer mice A computer mouse (plural mice; also mouses) is a hand-held pointing device that detects Plane (mathematics), two-dimensional motion relative to a surface. This motion is typically translated into the motion of the Cursor (user interface)#Po ...

produced by

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation and technology company, technology conglomerate headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Founded in 1975, the company became influential in the History of personal computers#The ear ...

first released in 2008. A mobile mouse, the device has evolved over a number of years, including special editions designed to coordinate with the company's

Surface A surface, as the term is most generally used, is the outermost or uppermost layer of a physical object or space. It is the portion or region of the object that can first be perceived by an observer using the senses of sight and touch, and is ...

family of computers. All versions of the Arc Mouse are folding and include

scrolling In computer displays, filmmaking, television production, video games and other kinetic displays, scrolling is sliding text, images or video across a monitor or display, vertically or horizontally. "Scrolling," as such, does not change the layout ...

capability.

Versions

Arc Mouse

coming in red and black, positioned as slim, fashionable and portable, Microsoft's 2008 surface arc mouse folds flat using a unique magnetic folding and locking system. Wireless communication was provided over 2.4 GHz, and the mouse used a

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...

for tracking.

Arc Touch Mouse

An updated version, the Arc Touch Mouse, changed the design and main interface points, and was released in 2010. Instead of folding for portability, the Touch Mouse flattens from its curved "in-use" shape. In place of the

scroll wheel A scroll wheel is a wheel used for scrolling. The term usually refers to such wheels found on computer mouse, computer mice (where they can also be called a mouse wheel). It is often made of hard plastic with a rubbery surface, centred around a ...

on the original, the second version features a capacitive touch strip for scrolling. The touch strip is speed sensitive, includes 3 buttons (1 each for page up and page down, and 1 programmable), and features haptic feedback.

Arc Touch Bluetooth Mouse

To match its

devices, Microsoft updated the design of the Arc Touch Mouse. The new design is grey and features a new touch strip.

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is li ...

is used for connectivity. interestingly, the device has no power switch, as when it is flexed, a piece inside the device actuates to hit an internal switch. it also uses an haptic feedback motor to simulate scrolling.

Surface Arc Mouse/Microsoft Arc Mouse

Announced along with the

Surface Laptop The Surface Laptop is a line of laptops marketed by Microsoft, as a sub-brand of their Microsoft Surface, Surface devices. Models :Several models have been produced: * Surface Laptop (1st generation), Surface Laptop (1st generation), released ...

in 2017, the Surface Arc Mouse replaces the buttons and touch strip with a large capacitive touch surface, and it's available in colors that match the new laptop. As of December 2019, the mouse is available on the Microsoft Store for $69.99.

References

{{Microsoft hardware Microsoft hardware Computer mice