Ever since mouse was introduced by Apple Mac in nineteen nineties, the mouse technology has constantly added improvements to the design and performance of this popular interactive device. Most of the mice are wired, means, they are generally attached to the computer using a cable and is powered by the main supply of the PC. However, wireless mice have been gaining popularity in recent times for their cordless accessibility and easy to use features.

Wireless mouse use radio frequencies (RF) to interact with the computer. A typical wireless mouse is made of two components - Radio transmitter and Radio receiver.

When you press the mouse buttons or when the mouse moves, the radio transmitter sends these movements to the receiver in the form of radio signals. It also takes your commands (when you click the buttons) to the receiver for further processing.

The radio receiver (RF) gets the radio signals from the transmitter and decodes the information in binary form and sends it to the computer. Most wireless mice have their RF receivers integrated into one unit and a few models come with a RF card which can be plugged into the expansion slot. Some mice of wireless type have their RF receivers as a separate unit connected to computer through a cable.

Wireless mice use two types of radio frequencies. They are 802.11b and 802.11g. Both these wireless standards provide higher frequencies (2.4 GHz) so that a wireless mouse can send and receive the data with speeds up to 56 Mbps. Since they operate in very high frequencies, they are very stable and less prone to interferences and have coverage of more than 100 feet from the computer.

Bluetooth mouse

Bluetooth is a type of wireless technology that is commonly used to connect so many electronic devices nowadays. With Bluetooth RF technology, the peripherals like printers, PDA's, headsets, and mice can be connected to the computer without the need of any wires. Bluetooth is more 802.11g or 802.11b frequencies, as all these technologies use 2.4 GHz frequency and provide excellent, reliable connectivity. However, Bluetooth usually requires adaptive frequency hopping, a software that helps the device to use the right frequency free from any interference. These mice have a range between 30 – 40 feet and are more reliable and stable than standard RF mice.

Wireless mice are generally more stable and reliable than mechanical mice or mice that use infrared technology. They have decent range between 30 to 150 feet and are usually free from interferences.

As the RF transmitter is integrated within the mouse the device looks so compact and also uses less electricity than other mice types. These wireless mice can be powered by rechargeable batteries so they do not consume the main power of the computer. This is extremely useful, when you use wireless mouse with your laptop.

Wireless mice weigh less and are not expensive as many think. You can buy a simple wireless mouse at affordable price. You can easily transport them or take with you when you are on the move.

Since wireless mouse uses the optical technology, it does not need special surface. With the wireless feature, you get double advantages.