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Percept Technology Labs Tests Wireless Mouse Products
For immediate release
Percept Independently Verifies Superior
Battery Life Performance of Microsoft® Wireless IntelliMouse®
Explorer and Microsoft Wireless Optical Mouse
Boulder, CO — January 15, 2004 - Computer
users are increasingly enjoying the freedom and ease of use associated
with the elimination of peripheral wires; however the leading frustration
with wireless products stems from insufficient battery life. The benefits
gained from a wireless design are quickly overruled if work comes to a
halt due to a prematurely dead battery.
Microsoft Corp.'s commitment to delivering superior battery
life in its wireless products drove the company's decision to use Percept
Technology Labs to test and independently verify the true battery life
of its two newest wireless mouse products along with comparable products
from major competitor Logitech. Results determined by Percept showed that
the Microsoft products' battery life is expected to be three times longer
than the Logitech products' battery life.
Percept's Competitive Performance Testing
According to Brian Cleveland, CEO of Percept, as competition
intensifies among technology products, leading firms such as Microsoft
are recognizing the strategic edge gained through independent testing
and verification of their products' performance. "As an independent
lab using proven methodologies and the latest testing equipment, Percept's
staff of experts is able to tailor and run the optimal test suite to obtain
and analyze true performance data that is unbiased and accurate. These
results show clients exactly where their products outperform their competitors'
(and by how much), as well as any areas which may not meet performance
standards, and therefore should be targeted for improvement. Many firms
claim superior performance, but Percept's competitive performance analysis
delivers unbiased, quantifiable data to validate those claims of superiority
and give them a competitive advantage."
Battery Testing for Microsoft
Christy Hughes, Mouse Product Manager at Microsoft, gave
more detail about the test process and results Percept delivered. "Our
goal is to provide our customers with six months of operational battery
life under average usage conditions. For this reason, we requested that
Percept conduct unbiased, 'apples to apples' comparison testing using
a realistic user profile."
Mouse User Profile
Because power conservation in the idle and sleep modes
is significant in the battery life comparison, you cannot simply run several
mouse products and observe which one lasts longer. That's why it was important
for Percept to determine and use a motion/user profile that was representative
of a typical start and stop motion profile experienced during actual usage
of a wireless mouse product. Percept reviewed several mouse usability
studies for detailed motion profiles including studies from Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, Cornell University, American Industrial Hygiene Foundation
and the mouse usage data from the Microsoft Real People Real Data user
study to determine the best representative mouse motion profile to be
used in testing.
Actual Testing and Results
Percept tested a sample of more than
30 total mice from each of four different mouse product lines (two from
Microsoft, two from Logitech) to determine performance characteristics
and the various sleep states for the different products tested and provide
statistical mouse power consumption data for the motion profile testing.
The testing demonstrated that the Microsoft mouse products use less battery
current in sleep modes, and use less integrated average current during
motion tests. Both of these factors contribute to a longer battery life.
By employing a user profile from the
Real People Real Data study showing that on average, a mouse is in its
deepest sleep state 74% of the time and in motion 26% of the time, the
bottom line results indicate that:
Microsoft's Christy Hughes concluded, "Using
an independent test lab to measure and validate our battery life performance
is essential to our commitment to deliver the battery life expectancy
that is so important to our customers. Percept's staff understood the
key issues in designing and running relevant and valid tests that give
a truly representative picture of how our products (and our competitors'
products) perform in typical usage patterns in true user environments."
About Percept Technology Labs
Percept Technology Labs is an established, independent product test and
certification services company, with a proven track record of helping
customers test and improve products since 1996. Percept specializes in
technology products - providing complete test services and expertise for
today's complex offerings.
Percept's experts customize a test plan for each client's specific needs;
fully testing and proving product capabilities and performance in an independent,
state-of-the-art lab located in Boulder, Colorado. As an alternative to
in-house testing, Percept's specialized technology testing expertise,
in-depth experience and absolute commitment to customer care empower the
Percept team to deliver proven, objective results that enable clients
to launch products with confidence. To learn more about Percept's Competitive
Performance and Battery Testing, or the full line of Product Testing,
Compliance Certification and Reliability Services, visit www.percept.com
or call (303) 444-7480.
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