Microsoft unveils new keyboards, high-end mice

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Microsoft unveiled on Tuesday new computer keyboards and mice aimed at users looking for easier ways to type and for high-precision gaming and photo editing.

In its annual refresh of its computer input hardware, the world's largest software maker introduced two new keyboards and six new mice.

One keyboard featured a split configuration keyboard for more ergonomic typing that also includes a zoom slider bar to shrink or enlarge digital text or photographs. The second keyboard featured a new, concave design for the keys aimed at making it easier for users to type without straining their arms, fingers and wrists.

Three new mice were introduced with laser-based optical components, which allows them to track movement with more precision and more smoothly, a feature that Microsoft says will be popular for games and graphics applications. The other three mice, which use optical tracking, featured new designs and technology improvements.

US-based Microsoft said it will continue to design, build and sell hardware for users' specific needs.

"As people start to use their PCs more, they start to identify ways in which they want to use peripherals for different tasks," said Tom Gibbon, general manager at Microsoft's hardware group.

Such specialisation has helped keyboard and mice sales to outpace PC sales, Gibbons said, because users tend to replace such hardware over the course of a computer's lifecycle and also because they are buying keyboards to do specific tasks.

The new keyboards are expected to retail for between US$25 and US$65, while the mice are expected to sell for US$35 and US$105, depending on their form and function, Microsoft said.