Microsoft wowed us when they launched the first Arc mouse a couple of years back with its clever little folding design and compact form factor. The only problem was the price which put it out of reach for many. The company has recently launched a successor to the Arc known as the Arc Touch mouse which now features a slightly different design, better internals and some gestures as well, hence the name Arc Touch.
At first glance, the Arc touch reminds you of a fancy shoehorn. Unlike the first arc, the rubber finish is only restricted to the palm grip now and doesn't cover the entire mouse. The whole idea about the name for the Arc mouse was the design which was in the shape of an arc. The mouse flattens completely when switched off making it easier to store in bag. Even though the size is not small like the previous one, you can easily slip it into a notebook sleeve or a purse even.
The front half of the mouse has a glossy finish which easily attracts fingerprints. This is a slight problem since the grease from your fingers makes the surface quite slippery. The center gray strip is the only touch sensitive part of the mouse. You can perform multiple gestures which we'll get into later. There is a single green LED lights on the front that lights up when you activate it and also tells you when the battery low.
There is a little magnetic area which lets you clamp the dongle to it when not in use. The Arc Touch is powered by two AAA batteries that are provided in the bundle. The old internals have been replaced by BlueTrack technology which we know first-hand works better than optical.
To switch it on, you simply twist the rear and you're good to go. The final shape is not really an arc like the previous one but it provides some support for your palm. The design is ambidextrous which is good for left as well as right handed users. The overall shape isn't the most ergonomic to begin with and over a long period of time, you will experience some amount of fatigue. The second immediate problem is the mouse buttons which don't have the softest of clicks. This increased tension in the spring means you have to apply more pressure to use it which is not ideal for gaming or even editing work.
The IntelliPoint software lets you customize the settings including the mouse gestures. The Arc Touch features infinite scroll function for scrolling through long spread sheets. Double tapping the center area acts as double click, tapping either edges of the center strip acts like the Page Up and Page Down buttons. The cool thing is each time you use the scroll wheel, you feel a little vibration like the haptic feedback in cell phones. You can vary the intensity of the vibration though IntelliPoint software. Given the shape of the mouse, it's not designed for precision use, so don't expect to get head shots in Counter Strike using this.
Pricing and Verdict
All this fancy technology used in the Arc Touch doesn't come cheap. The estimated retail price is Rs.3600 which makes it quite an expensive proposition and is definitely not something for the masses. The Arc Touch is good for the frequent traveler who'll be using it once in a while but we wouldn't recommend it as a dedicated mouse for your desktop. The new version brings with it some improvements like gestures, better tracking technology and a funky design but it's not something I'd pay 3.6K for. You can find better ergonomic options for a lot less, sure it won't have the little tricks the Arc Touch has but it will get the job done. All in all, the Arc Touch is another great concept from Microsoft and if you are in the market for something compact, the first Arc mouse is still a good buy for a thousand Rupees less.
At first glance, the Arc touch reminds you of a fancy shoehorn. Unlike the first arc, the rubber finish is only restricted to the palm grip now and doesn't cover the entire mouse. The whole idea about the name for the Arc mouse was the design which was in the shape of an arc. The mouse flattens completely when switched off making it easier to store in bag. Even though the size is not small like the previous one, you can easily slip it into a notebook sleeve or a purse even.
The front half of the mouse has a glossy finish which easily attracts fingerprints. This is a slight problem since the grease from your fingers makes the surface quite slippery. The center gray strip is the only touch sensitive part of the mouse. You can perform multiple gestures which we'll get into later. There is a single green LED lights on the front that lights up when you activate it and also tells you when the battery low.
There is a little magnetic area which lets you clamp the dongle to it when not in use. The Arc Touch is powered by two AAA batteries that are provided in the bundle. The old internals have been replaced by BlueTrack technology which we know first-hand works better than optical.
To switch it on, you simply twist the rear and you're good to go. The final shape is not really an arc like the previous one but it provides some support for your palm. The design is ambidextrous which is good for left as well as right handed users. The overall shape isn't the most ergonomic to begin with and over a long period of time, you will experience some amount of fatigue. The second immediate problem is the mouse buttons which don't have the softest of clicks. This increased tension in the spring means you have to apply more pressure to use it which is not ideal for gaming or even editing work.
The IntelliPoint software lets you customize the settings including the mouse gestures. The Arc Touch features infinite scroll function for scrolling through long spread sheets. Double tapping the center area acts as double click, tapping either edges of the center strip acts like the Page Up and Page Down buttons. The cool thing is each time you use the scroll wheel, you feel a little vibration like the haptic feedback in cell phones. You can vary the intensity of the vibration though IntelliPoint software. Given the shape of the mouse, it's not designed for precision use, so don't expect to get head shots in Counter Strike using this.
Pricing and Verdict
All this fancy technology used in the Arc Touch doesn't come cheap. The estimated retail price is Rs.3600 which makes it quite an expensive proposition and is definitely not something for the masses. The Arc Touch is good for the frequent traveler who'll be using it once in a while but we wouldn't recommend it as a dedicated mouse for your desktop. The new version brings with it some improvements like gestures, better tracking technology and a funky design but it's not something I'd pay 3.6K for. You can find better ergonomic options for a lot less, sure it won't have the little tricks the Arc Touch has but it will get the job done. All in all, the Arc Touch is another great concept from Microsoft and if you are in the market for something compact, the first Arc mouse is still a good buy for a thousand Rupees less.
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