Sections Page 1 IRIScan Mouse Review

Page 2 Software, Scan Quality, Value and Verdict Review

Pros Attractive, functional design

Easy to use

Handy software Cons More affordable alternatives

Software driver not on site (yet)

Only for Windows

Key Specifications Review Price: £70.00

Ambidextrous 2-button mouse

300dpi scanner

Windows only

Introduction

Scanners and computer mice aren’t exactly the most

compatible of bedfellows, or so we might have imagined until recently.

Now, it seems, there’s more than one rodent that’s actually a hand-held

scanner in disguise. Having already seen LG’s take with its LSM-100

Scanner Mouse, we’re now checking out the IRIScan Mouse from Belgian

document virtualisation and management company I.R.I.S. (IRIS).

First

let’s go over just exactly what the IRIScan Mouse is and does. At first

glance it appears to be a fairly regular-looking ambidextrous

three-button laser mouse, however a fourth button on its right-hand side

activates the scanner in the peripheral’s base.

Once activated,

you can simply ‘mouse over’ any relatively flat surface – whether the

top of your carpet, a photo or a page of text – and the integrated

scanner makes it appear on your screen in real-time.

IRIScan Mouse – Design and Build

As

non-gaming mice go, IRIS’ effort is reasonably attractive. It sports a

glossy black top that’s surprisingly fingerprint resistant and plain,

matt black sides, with a soft-touch strip in matt green dividing the

two.

That glossy top will require frequent maintenance to keep

it looking its best and the ‘IRIScan [tm] Mouse’ logo in

attention-catching white letters across it doesn’t help, but otherwise

we have no aesthetic complaints. IRIS even thoughtfully provides a tiny soft cleaning cloth along with a very nice drawstring carrying pouch to keep your mouse safe should you need to transport it.

The

IRIScan Mouse is quite ergonomic and its slightly sculpted main buttons

offer a nice, positive click, as does the dedicated scan button. The

rubberised scroll wheel is less successful as it doesn’t support

side-scrolling and its button action is a bit mushy, but it’s still

pleasant under the finger for basic scrolling. Overall the IRIScan is

very solidly constructed, and we have no build quality concerns.

IRIScan’s

rodent glides smoothly in use thanks to two Teflon pads on its base.

Sandwiched between these you’ll also find the laser sensor and scanner

window. Though the mouse itself is ambidextrous, the left-oriented scan

button obviously doesn’t favour south-paws. This doesn’t mean that a

little adjustment won’t let you use the mouse to its full potential, but

in an ideal world it might have been nice to have a second scan button

on the right.