Microsoft Unplugs Colorful Notebook Mice

Microsoft is offering its popular Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 in five new colors: red, dark pink, green, brown, and khaki.

One of Microsoft’s not-so-secret dirty little secrets is that, as a software company, it’s been in the hardware business for over a quarter century, making mice and other input devices long before the company ventured into digital media territory with the Xbox and Zune. And some of the Redmond giant’s hardware products have garnered a fair bit of respect, including the Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000, which is currently the top-selling notebook mouse in the United States.

Now, Microsoft is looking to capitalize on that popularity, offering the new Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 Special Edition, which essentially just like the original 3000 except on the outside, where users will now be able to choose between five new colors: "dragon fruit" (dark pink), "pomegranate" (red), "milk chocolate" (brown), "aloe" (green), and "creme brulee" (khaki).

(No, we have no idea why Microsoft keeps thinking brown is a good idea either.)

"Buying a tech product these days is a declaration of personal style, and these special edition mice allow consumers to make the ultimate statement," said Microsoft Hardware’s product marketing manager Sean Butterworth, in a statement."The Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 has always been a fan favorite, and these color updates will keep it in the forefront for years to come."

(But, seriously: brown?)

The Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 300 offers 1,000 dpi optical tracking, rubber side grips, and a USB wireless receiver that snaps into the bottom of the mouse for on-the-go storage. The devices will operate for up to six months on a single battery.

The new colored mice—minus "creme brulee"—will be available in Best Buy in May, with the full line widely available in June. The mice carry a suggested retail price of $29.95.