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Microsoft's Touch Mouse updated with support for Windows 8 multitouch gestures

Microsoft's Touch Mouse updated with support for Windows 8 multitouch gestures

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Windows 8 touch mouse
Windows 8 touch mouse

Microsoft's promised Windows 8 support for its existing Touch Mouse has finally arrived. After being unveiled back in February, the software maker has now released Mouse and Keyboard Center 2.0 — an update designed to improve keyboard and mouse support in Windows 8. Existing Touch Mouse users can now take advantage of a variety of multitouch gestures in Windows 8, including two finger movements to manage apps and display the Windows 8 charms.

Still no gesture support for Wedge Touch Mouse

We noted in our Microsoft Wedge Touch Mouse review that the company made the odd decision to not include Windows 8 gesture support for that particular product. Unfortunately, the Mouse and Keyboard Center 2.0 update does not change this. If you're a Wedge Touch Mouse user then you're still going to be limited to scrolling gestures only.

The Verge got a chance to test out Microsoft's Touch Mouse with the updated support for Windows 8 and can report that it makes navigating the interface a lot easier. You no longer need to navigate to the hot corners to activate Charms, or use keyboard shortcuts. We'd like to see Microsoft extend this support to other Touch mice in its range, but its initial release is enough to improve navigation with a Touch Mouse on Windows 8.