Cult of Kawaii makes it to the PC (Hello Kitty Optical Mouse)

Member Name: shroud

Product:	Hello Kitty Optical Mouse
Date:	09/09/09 (93 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: it works as amouse should, very durable, and it is adorable

Disadvantages: Cute makes you queasy? In thatc ase, this is NOT for you!

~~~~What is an optical mouse?~~~~

Okay, I am not thinking that my readers here are complete morons. I am sure that if you have managed to get on the computer to locate this site and so found my review, that you are well acquainted with the fact that in computing, a mouse is that small device that you wave about in order to point the cursor and occasionally click the left and right buttons in order to do different tasks with it. You might even have a little scroll wheel. (If it has a wheel, does it become a computer hamster?)

No, I figure you know what a mouse is, but perhaps the whole optical vs. trackball thingy is a bit puzzling. Interestingly enough, the trackball was itself a navigation tool, designed by the Royal Canadian Navy back in 1952. It was used to navigate through their electronic system known as DATAR. The trackball mechanism was adapted by Prof. Douglas Engelbart. Engelbart was doing a research project on human intellect augmentation (basically working on human and computer interaction). For his current project back in 1963, he took the trackball, and placed it within a mouse prototype. Moving the mouse about in turn moved the trackball, and so the computer mouse was born.

The trackball mouse remained the standard for many decades, of course being refined over time. Slimmer lines, buttons, scroll wheels, and so on all made their appearance. The trackball was fairly rivalless until the optical mouse was developed in 1980, by two independent brainiacs (Steve Kirsch who worked for MIT and some chap named Richard Lyon who worked with Xerox of all people) . Instead of that little rubbery ball, so prone to lint and crumbs that were invisible to the naked eye, along came the mouse that worked by light. Now some use a diode and some use a sensor, but they do the same job. A light thingamabob is at the bottom of the mouse, and it very cleverly transmits the mouse movements to the computer electronically rather than mechanically as the trackball mice do.


~~~~Okay, I got what an optical mouse is, but who is Hello Kitty?~~~~

You may recognise the cute little kitty face as Hello Kitty, but do you REALLY know Hello Kitty? Hello Kitty is one of those love it or hate it type things. Sugary sweet, Hello Kitty and her friends are cartoon animals who are designed to be nothing BUT adorable. Part of the Japanese adoration for all things cute, Hello Kitty was in fact dreamed up back in 1974 by a guy named Shimizu Ikuko for a company named Sanrio. Initially sold as a design for a coin purse, Hello Kitty became a franchise that spawned to rival Walt Disney's famous mouse. The usual things such as clothes, TV series, toys, and such all made their appearance. There have even been sewing machines for adults bearing the Hello Kitty logo and a Hello Kittty car (for real) as well as laptops studded with Swarovski crystals and.... Hello Kitty! Hello Kitty even has its own themepark, Puroland, in Japan, as well as its own chain of stores. There is also a Hello kitty jumbo jet, and a hospital that is themed Hello Kitty in Japan (a regular hospital, not a children's one!). This little white kitty with a cute little dress decorated with a single flower and wearing a matching hair ribbon is big business indeed, spreading the love (or fear) of the Japanese idea of kawaii (cute) everywhere.

~~~~Right, so they took an optical mouse and made it look like Hello Kitty?~~~~

Yup, they certainly did. This particular optical mouse is of the newer energy saving sort, so the light thingy in the bottom doesn't munch heavily on my electricity funds. It is corded, which I prefer as batteries tend to get used up quickly in this house otherwise. The body of the mouse is shaped like Hello Kitty's head, with the mouse buttons located in each of the hair ribbon's bow "loops" and a scroll wheel in the centre of the bow. Despite its unusual shape, it does fit nicely within the hand without discomfort, even for a child. This last bit was important to us in particular as our most rabid Hello Kitty fan happens to be a six year old boy, who desperately wanted this for his birthday. The offset nature of the buttons has not proved to be a hindrance either, as the feel of the moulded ribbon naturally guides the fingers to where the brain decides the buttons should be.

It is actually a very good mouse, and has performed flawlessly from the moment we took it out of the box and installed it. Installation was also easy. No software is necessary at all, simply plug the mouse's USB cable into an available USB port (it supports both the old type of USB as well as USB 2), and away you go. As for durability, think on who I said it is for. Yup, a six year old boy has this, and uses it on his own PC. It has had sticky fingers upon it, been dropped, bumped, knocked, you name it over the past five months, and not only does still works flawlessly, but the the plastic body has stood up impressively well. Hello Kitty still looks as unruffled and unfazed as the day her cute little face came out of the factory.

~~~Okay, so any drawbacks?~~~

Well, yeah. There are a few. My daughter (8) and her friend have both seen this mouse of course, so naturally, they wanted one. All three children also went gaga over the speakers, and beware, there is also a matching webcam (holding out against this). Of course, we also had to get the co-ordinating mouse mat. Buying one kawaii Hello Kitty item means they multiply. Computer accessories one day, bedding the next, and so on. It is almost vicious how Hello Kitty uses her cuteness to insidiously invade your bank balance if unwary. Awww..but she is so CUTEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. We wuv you, Hello Kitty, so I forgives you!

~~~Where can I buy It?~~~~
I admit this was not found at PC World or any place like that. Look at places that sell gadgets, and you might find one. Online though is your best bet. We bought ours from eBay, and had it shipped direct from Hong Kong. The cost was a mere £5 including postage, and delivery time was 10 days in total. Not bad price wise and a reasonble amount of time, especially given the distance. Plus, did I mention, it is so CUTE!

Summary: Did I mention it is CUTE!

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