Reliable Mice and Keyboards Boost Workplace Morale

If it feels like you are more productive at work than ever, take heart; it's probably true. According to a new survey commissioned by Microsoft Hardware, that increased productivity is brought to you by a close relationship with your computer. The survey revealed that two out of three office workers spend at least six hours a day using a computer, and nearly 25 percent said they spend eight hours a day at the computer.

With employees spending more time in front of the computer screen -- more hours in fact than many of us spend sleeping -- the quality and comfort of mice and keyboards takes on critical importance. That's why Microsoft Hardware is developing sophisticated and reliable products that help keep workers productive and comfortable day after day.

"With employees spending more and more time on the keyboard, we are dedicated to providing them with high-quality products that are as reliable as they are innovative," said Tom Gibbons, general manager of the Hardware Group at Microsoft Corp. "For more than a decade, we've gone to great lengths to ensure that our products are rigorously tested to perform in the harshest conditions imaginable, including the modern office."

The survey also emphasized the need for reliable computer products, suggesting that few employees have the expertise to fix their computer devices when they break. In fact, nearly two-thirds of respondents perceived repairing their mouse and keyboard to be more difficult than repairing a flat tire.

Additional survey results outlined consumer perceptions of mice and keyboards. Eight out of 10 computer users believe that high-quality mice and keyboards have an important impact on their ability to be productive at work. Nearly 60 percent of survey respondents said high-quality mice and keyboards would even boost morale in the office. In addition, when asked to rate a selection of mice and keyboard manufacturers, Microsoft was the company respondents most associated with reliable, high-quality hardware peripherals. (Survey participants came from the general population of computer users and were unaware of any Microsoft involvement in the survey.)

Celebrating 10 Years of Testing

Now in its 10th year, the Microsoft Hardware lab team attributes the renowned reliability of its products to a unique approach to product design, with industrial design, user research and reliability testing teams all working under the same roof. Over the past decade, engineers have developed a series of stringent tests to ensure quality, including these:

A type test. Keyboards receive 10 million cycles of key pressing -- more typing than any person does in a lifetime.
A drop test. Mice and keyboards are dropped from approximately three feet onto quarter-inch-thick carpet laid over steel and concrete.
A track test. Mice are run between 85 and 215 miles, the distance from Philadelphia to New York.
More information about the importance of reliability and how Microsoft Hardware ensures that its products work is available at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/.

About the Survey

The survey was conducted by InsightExpress, and fielded to more than 200 full-time or part-time office workers in the United States who use computers regularly.

About Microsoft Hardware

For two decades, the Hardware Group has employed innovative engineering, cutting-edge industrial design and extensive usability testing to create products of exceptional quality and durability that enhance the software experience and strengthen the connection between consumers and their PC. Microsoft Hardware leads the industry in ergonomic engineering, industrial design and hardware engineering capabilities, offering consumers a comfortable computing experience.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Author:  

Email:    

Topic:    

Content: