Mad Catz Eclipse touchmouse magically responds to finger gestures

(Credit: Mad Catz)

LAS VEGAS--After the launch of the Apple Magic Mouse in 2009, we knew it was only a matter of time before Windows users demanded their own touch-sensitive mouse. Mad Catz delivers just that with its stylish new Eclipse touchmouse, a Bluetooth-enabled pointer that actively responds to a series of gestures on an integrated trackpad.

We hate to do it, but aesthetic comparisons must be made with the Magic Mouse. Just as the Motorola Droid departs from the iPhone silhouette, so does the Mad Catz touchmouse. Instead of a milky-white finish, Mad Catz went with a brushed aluminum exterior and positions your hand at sloping angle to promote streamlined ergonomics. It operates on a single AA battery and connects to a host computer via Bluetooth for wireless access.

However, unlike the Magic Mouse, the mouse only responds to gestures made on the small rectangular touchpad on the top of the device. Swiping your finger across the top of this pad enables four-way on-screen scrolling for intuitive navigation forward and backward across Web pages.

The $60 mouse currently works with Windows 7, Vista, and XP. More images of the Mad Catz Eclipse touchmouse after the jump.