Trackball mice are back with a vengeance! Meaner and… smaller than ever, infiltrating you laptops all around the world. It’s the Genius guys again, and this time they declare war on big, power-hungry rodents.

In order to destroy the competition, Genius designed an optical mini trackball solution, the Traveler 350, which delivers superb working performance and comes with an adjustable jig. This new feature can be used with either hand, reducing any wrist injuries. It also comes with built in hotkeys to increase your working efficiency as well as media center control.

The hotkeys are especially designed for Windows Vista users: you got the Flip 3D application switcher and instant access to Media Center. In addition to the ergonomic stuff, there’s a retractable cable for easy storage, so it’s not wireless unfortunately, and it pops into a USB2.0 connector, which means its pretty responsive even in games. It’s suitable both for right-handed people as well as for lefties.

If you ask me about it I’d say it’s pretty small. I mean it’s no larger than a key-chain holder. Genius sure knows what infiltration is all about with toys like these. If this doesn’t impress you, check out its price: $46.51. So small, yet it costs just like a normal one.

Most of us are enjoying the sleek look and feel of a traditional mouse. You got everything right where you need it, or at least were you got used to finding it. But Microsoft has other plans for their optical mice.

It’s not only an optical mouse, but it has a trackball too, supposedly combining optical precision with ease of use and ergonomic comfort. Microsoft tell us we should expect only top performance, with thumb-controlled accuracy, customizable buttons, an easy-to-use scroll wheel, plus some Internet buttons.

All good, but why optical and not something laser-powered? MS assures us that this mouse integrates the fastest, most accurate optical technology on the market, which delivers excellent tracking speed. It’s PC and Mac-compatible and we see some kind of reconciliation act on MS’ behalf.

The scroll wheel is already standard but I’m really curious about this trackball. MS claims that we are to experience accurate, finger-operated control and effortless navigation when using the ball. Well now, if you operate the cursor with your thumb, why not use some powerball to train a bit? And looks like it’s only for right-handed people.

You can use either a round PS/2 port or a rectangular Universal Serial Bus (USB) port for plug-and-play convenience. Strange enough, most people say the PS/2 is faster than the USB port and that’s why the mouse makers still stick with it.

Who’s up for some mousy experiment? $44.95 if you’d please.

You know Razer, the good guys that brought the Lachesis. They also joined forces with Microsoft to design a special gaming-grade mouse that any respectable gamer should try and even own.

Combining the best of both worlds, the Habu mouse fuses legendary Microsoft comfort with the latest in Razer Precision. Well, not quite the latest, the lLachesis was released after Habu. You may say there’s nothing revolutionary about this mouse, but I assure you it’s closer to perfection than many others.

Here’s what you get. The customization options begin with the seven programmable buttons and the mouse allows you to store up to five profiles in mouse memory. Sticking to this area, you also get two removable side button panels that give you options for different hand sizes or preferences.

The high-speed sensitivity switch adjusts mouse sensitivity on the fly up to 2000 DPI. The default resolution is 800 DPI but you can choose among 400, 800, 1600 and 2000 DPI with the toggle buttons. Additionally, the high-speed motion detection feature enables gamers to perform movements up to 45-inches per second and 20-G acceleration. The laser sensor is capable of capturing 7080 frames per second.

Standard features such as a 16 bit data path and 1000 Hz Ultrapolling deliver superior response times and the included Teflon feet provide smooth, quiet and comfortable gliding. Check out those blue LEDS, too! Don’t just stand there, get it for about $60!