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.

Apple released a brand new iPod on Tuesday and while the rest of the nation was captivated by all the pretty colors and the new gizmo’s shake-to-shuffle feature, I was a little busy geeking out about the other announcement: iTunes 8.

Unlike previous incarnations, iTunes 8 is shaking up the application for the first time in years, this time with the introduction of a better visualizer, a new way to peruse your library and a handy little feature called Genius.

Apple developed Genius to effectively change the way we browse our media. It uses a smarty-pants algorithm to scan and analyze all the music in your iTunes library. The first time you fire it up, (you’ll need an Apple account to get started, by the way) Genius scours the dark corners of the internet for all of your album art.

Once its done scanning, Genius is set to go to work. When you select a song, iTunes creates a 25, 50, 75 or 100 track playlist based on that song’s genre, speed, and general mood. It’s essentially Pandora with all of your own stuff. It’s a fun tool for making a quick work-out playlist, getting ready for a party, or discovering just how much of your music sounds a lot like “Brick” by Ben Folds Five. Or, if you have thousands of songs in your library, it’s is a great way to re-introduce yourself to old favorites.

And since Apple wouldn’t be Apple without trying to sell you something, there’s Genius Sidebar, which suggests other artists or songs you should pick up from the iTunes Store.

Don’t listen to music on the computer anymore? Genius is also available on-the-go on all of the new iPods. Badass!

So try it out and let me know what you think. If you make an awesome playlist based on “Brick,” let’s talk.

[Photo courtesy of pcmag.com]