A few weeks ago, Microsoft sent over their new Touch Mouse and lucky for me, I got to test drive, err, use it. Designed explicitly for Windows 7, the sleek design spent two years in its creation, which is way longer that I’ve bothered to devote to any other relationship.

I should say that when it comes to mice, I’m not much of a stickler for capabilities aside from asking myself the most important questions: “Does it work?” and “How much?” So I spent a little QT with my mouse in order to give it the review it deserves. Let me tell you, I was impressed.

1. It fits in my hand perfectly. And I mean perfectly. Not many people can say that about a mouse, huh? All college long I relied on my track-pad to click me from here to there. My fingers got tired and annoyed. The wonderful thing about this mouse is that it cushions my palm and is comfortable for my fingers. Another bonus: the design of the mouse is longer than most so that the entire length on my fingers (down to the tips!) is accounted for.

2. There’re really no strings attached. Which, if you’re still into N*Sync, is a huge deal. I know tons of mice have come out that are cordless but the Touch Mouse goes above and beyond the regular. Often, the cordless mice that we buy are cheap and need to be pointed at the screen in order to work… or you have to continuously navigate the mouse until it’s ready to work. Not with the Touch mouse. I held it at every angle on my desk and surprise; it still works as perfectly as if it was connected.

3. New and improved technology allows the mouse to be [successfully] used on any surface. So if I’m vegging out on the couch and I’m too lazy to reach forward for a sturdy surface, it’s fine. The advanced design that took two years to create allows you to use the mouse on basically any surface imaginable. Take that, rug… and futon and comforter!

If you’re like me, then all the little nuances that accompany your electronic gadgets don’t really matter all that much. But then you get a really well-made, well-loved gadget and it’s clear what sets it apart from the others.

Because we liked them so much, Microsoft outfitted our Windows-supported computers with the Microsoft Touch mouse, which was created exclusively for Windows 7. So if you’re a 7-user like some of us at CC HQ are, we definitely suggest that you tap into your Happy Hour fund for one of these babies!

This is a sponsored post and part of Microsoft’s Windows Champions Program. I received incentives from Microsoft to blog about its products.

The time has come.

It is finally time to announce the winner of CollegeCandy’s Back-To-School Double Notebook Giveaway. Man, that’s a mouthful. (That’s what she said.)

There were a lot of people out there with some totally craptastic computers, so we really do feel bad that we don’t have hundreds of these things to give away. But we don’t. And, seeing how cheap the HP DV2 is, it really shouldn’t take that long for all of you to save up (return those beer cans, people!) and bring one home for yourself.

But that’s besides the point. It’s time to announce the winner. And it is:

Wait for it.
Waaaaait for it.

Christa from UConn!! If the picture of her computer isn’t sad enough, here is what she had to say in a plea to the CollegeCandy judging committee:

I know this crap-top looks sweet…  12, count them 12 MB of RAM! INTEGRATED roller ball mouse and floppy drive too!  But there are some negative points…  WI-FI – none.  Wireless – none.  Integrated ethernet and modem – NONE!  In fact, to even access the internet I need an adapter card, that connects to another adapter with a LAN adaptor.  I wanted to sign up for an online class this semester – this beast just can’t meet the computer requirements of the class.  So embarrassing

We’ll be emailing Christa later this morning to get all her personal deets, but if you see her around campus or Facebook, wish that woman a big, fat congratulations.

Do you need a new computer?

We put out a call to CollegeCandy readers last week to submit their P.O.S. computer sob stories (with photos, of course!) to win a brand new laptop bundle from HP. And boy were there a lot of them. Seriously, we had no idea so many of you were still using desktops! WTF?!

We spent the weekend sifting through the entries (and drinking) looking for the worst of the worst and narrowed it down to five really crap-tastic computing experiences.

Which one is the crappiest? You tell us. Vote below for the person most deserving of the coveted HP Laptop Bundle. And tell your friends to vote too! One of these 5 people needs a new computer stat and you could be the person to help them get it.

Doing good has never been so easy.

We’ll announce the winner tomorrow morning, Tuesday September 1st!
Vote now, vote often.

P.O.S #1:
Piecemeal crapola

P.O.S. #2:
I smile just to cover the pain.

P.O.S. #3:
Crumb-tastic!

P.O.S. #4:
Older than my grandma. And she’s old.

P.O.S. #5:
First laptop ever?

]]> http://collegecandy.com/2009/08/31/who-deserves-the-hp-laptop-bundle-vote/feed/ 23 ccandystaff HP-Giveaway-lead HP 1 HP 2 HP 3 hp 4 hp 5 http://collegecandy.com/2009/03/30/ideas-for-a-perfect-april-fools/ http://collegecandy.com/2009/03/30/ideas-for-a-perfect-april-fools/#comments Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:00:41 +0000 Amanda http://collegecandy.com/?p=25346 ]]> April Fool’s Day is just days away, which means there is little time to plan some much needed pranks. We’ve all got important things like midterms, meetings, internships, and beer pong tournaments to catch up on, but that’s no excuse. Everyone needs to let loose and plan at least a few good pranks, because it’s one of the few days of the year where we can act like a complete a-hole and get away with it.

Believe me, you will regret it if you don’t at least attempt something. Can’t come up with anything clever? Try these bad boys on for size…

iPhone Application Hit your friends where it hurts: their iPhones. Anyone who has one will agree that their phone embodies all that is awesome in this world. Lucky for you, Apple has easy to access applications that will put the fear of god into iPhone lovers everywhere. If the “cracked” application or “iFart mobile” don’t suit your fancy, try making your own.

Naked Hunks Mug This is a magical mug. You see, when you put hot liquid in the “Naked Hunks Mug” his itty-bitty banana hammock disappears. Really, its a treat for everyone involved.

Sneaky Art You don’t have to have a mansion to appreciate the hilariousness of Rory McInnes’s prank. “He painted the giant genitalia on the newly-finished flat roof of his parents’ million-pound mansion… but the imposing member remained a closely-guarded secret for a whole year before it was ‘discovered’ by a helicopter pilot flying over the area.” So, maybe you don’t have a mansion or a can of spray paint laying around, but think on a smaller scale… the side of a dorm building and some chalk, the roof of a car and some shoe polish? Let your imagination run wild.

Jello Stapler You can than thank the writers of The Office for this one. If you haven’t seen the clip of Jim hiding Michael’s stapler in a giant mold of Jello, you need to watch it immediately.

Auto Correct This prank is best performed on a roommate or a really friendly co-worker. Simply hop on the computer this person uses for assignments, and open any word processor with auto-correct capabilities. Then, set their boss’s name, their name, professor’s name, or random words (the possibilities are endless) to  be auto-corrected into  “loser” or “skank”… again, the opportunities are endless. Just be sure to keep a list of what you changed.

“Win” the Lottery Fake scratch off tickets are a classic prank that will crush the dreams of everyone around you.

Facebook Hack This prank needs a little preparation. You will either need to be in posession of the victim’s username and password, or you will have to wait until they conveniantly leave their computer open to an attack. Believe me, your super slueth skills will pay off. Once logged in, enjoy coming up with a clever status change, change profile pictures, start relationships… go nuts.

If you’re using the browser now, exit the program and switch to a different one (such as Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or Opera).

The good news is that engineers at Microsoft (which owns IE) are working to resolve the error, which makes it easy for computer hackers to steal your passwords and gain access to your personal information. In the meantime, play it safe and don’t use Internet Explorer for using email, accessing bank statements, online holiday shopping, or even Facebook. Try downloading Firefox or Google Chrome for free.

Once that’s all set, be sure to update your anti-spyware software to keep yourself safe. And come on back to CC, we’ll keep an eye out for ya!

Ideas for getting back at the cheating a$%hole of a boyfriend.

Amy Winehouse: singer, drug addict, and video game star?

Will Jerry Seinfeld get you to buy Microsoft products? Bill Gates seems to think so.

What Britney Spears really sounds like. (Ears. Bleeding. Help.) But that won’t stop Justin from trying to save her career.

Tee hee.

MIT students beat the system, ride transit for free.

Michael Phelps may or may not be single.

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a bikini waxer?

Does this mean I can sue that guy who gave me a UTI?

You could name this iPOD playlist, Va-jay-jams