This Computer Mouse is a Webcam

[@RetroPC]

Great video as always, Michael! Thoroughly entertaining and such a bizarre device. Thanks for the shout out as well! ☺️

[@alexjones2677]

I live in Omaha! Cool to see you found this item here!

[@El_al123]

why he aint subscribed to you

[@GammaMAXXdotcom]

I went there once in 2021 and maybe it was a terrible first impression but they were selling several dozen early 2010s stock spec Dell entry level towers for $249.95 a piece as “gaming PC”s. I’ve used some almost identically spec’d computers recently, they can’t even play KZbin videos at 1080p anymore. Maybe I was spoiled by the store it replaced in Lincoln. That one was as close as you could get to Computer Reset while still having room for safe walkways in a storefront that I’m pretty sure was originally a gas station or something. I still remember the monolith of early 2000s IBM ThinkPads that didn’t have batteries. Nobody wanted them since they didn’t have batteries and Windows XP era machines weren’t nostalgic yet, so eventually they had an industrial shelving unit probably 8 feet long, 3 feet deep and packed with a solid mass of ThinkPads that were so over stacked on the top shelf they grazed the office tile ceiling, the only breaks in the mass being the shelves and a few stray first gen iBooks that they ran out of space for when the Macintosh Plus’s arrived. They demolished that store and built a Freddy’s Steakburgers.

[@wolfsyncc]

the

[@wolfsyncc]

@@El_al123 ßn

[@KazyEXE]

I'd expect this to be some terrible thing from the XP era, but *Windows 8*?!!?

[@SDogo]

Yeah. The 2000s where quite wild in terms of the crap they sold XD

[@qpol]

weird accessories never die

[@NickGoblin]

XP was kind of still in full swing by that time honestly. People were using XP right up until Microsoft canceled support for it in 2014.

[@dreampillet]

Even when I already knew it was newer the QR code feature caught me off guard it feels so out of place because everything else about this thing screams 2005.

[@dh2032]

and putting USB on anything? even none computer related items too? 🙂

[@EeveeEuphoria]

with this and that image scanner mouse that CRD covered, i have to wonder if this was initially conceptualized as "laser mice work by scanning what's underneath them, why not have it use a camera instead to make it multipurpose?", just to find out mid-way through development that's way too hard, and just stuck both a camera and typical laser tracker in there

[@0xbenedikt]

I thought so too. Regular mouse sensors are basically 32x32px grayscale cameras with built-in microcontrollers to detect movement, so I can see where they might be coming from, but apparently it didn't work out. Perhaps it was too much R&D to re-purpose the webcam or the image was too dark and noisy.

[@RaineDraa]

I recognize you from back when I was on Twitter. I don't quite exactly remember what specifically I remember you making, but I have seen your art before. Small world

[@hedgehog3180]

A mouse with a built in scanner sounds really useful.

[@travis1240]

I imagine this was intended for laptop users who didn't have a built-in webcam, had a sucky trackpad, occasionally needed webcam, and still wanted to travel "light". Pretty narrow intended use case I know.

[@TheVista24]

This is almost as genius as Apple's idea to put the charging port on the bottom of the mouse

[@Sir_Uncle_Ned]

@@thatpizzalesbian6984 I have a bluetooth mouse and the charging port is on the front. And it's USB-C

[@TheVista24]

@ThatPizzaLesbian69🏳️‍🌈 but when the battery inevitably stops working, you're forced to buy another instead of continuing to use the product, which can easily be used while plugged in 🤷‍♂️

[@TheVista24]

@@thatpizzalesbian6984 I never said it was just Apple that did it 🙂

[@vertihippo1274]

@@thatpizzalesbian6984 Your channel is perfect-

[@scrambled_egg3]

yes.

[@sarowie]

It is best used with a laptop: if you need a mouse, you can use the build in webcam of the laptop. If you need a webcam, you can use the build in trackpad of the laptop. And if you forget the webcam mice, you still have a trackpad and a webcam to go!

[@netcat22]

You deserve a prize for this comment, seriously made my day.

[@arnox4554]

Also, security. The mouse can be unplugged at any time, and it looks like the camera can't even activate without physically moving the shutter aside. Yeah, this mouse does have uses that I think Michael might not have thought of.

[@MichaelMJD]

@@arnox4554 There are regular webcams that have physical shutters that block the lens when not in use. They could also be unplugged at any time, and you'd still have your mouse plugged in to use.

[@arnox4554]

@@MichaelMJD True, but I think a lot of people would like the duality of use available to them with a webcam on the mouse, even if it's not as good as a separate dedicated webcam.

[@MichaelMJD]

@Arnox I don't think so, especially considering that this thing doesn't even have a microphone. Regular webcams and phones are far better suited for video chatting.

[@ahmednematallah]

I like how your videos are anti clickbait. If It was one of those generic youtubers it would be like "this computer mouse is also a cia gadget" or "this computer mouse does WHAAAAT" along with a picture of them screaming. Thank you for not doing this.

[@Wolfsong957]

His truthful titles make me click way more than clickbait ones

[@anthonycbudd]

@LTT

[@koduflower2000]

@@anthonycbudd Yeah! What about Linus, from Linus Tech Tips? Does he try to clickbait us?

[@trevise684]

the thing that makes him not clickbait is that hes not annoying. you click on any clickbait video and then you hear their voice and they're british so you turn it off

[@JaredConnell]

Don't forget the finger pointing and/or red circle around a random unrelated part of the image. That's like clickbait lesson 1.

[@RaineDraa]

I am quite stunned learning that Goodwill has a dedicated computer/gaming store somewhere. Goodwills around my area are so lackluster in terms of electronics anymore

[@Vlad-1986]

I tough it was a wink to the fact that all laser mice are technically "webcams" (you can even sort of record video and take pictures from any of them from the super low res sensor). Shocked to see that it is actually a webcam-camera!

[@edwardwilliams5460]

This mouse now retails for $230 on Amazon LOL

[@emchodevetkov9438]

Genius is a legit - no complain from more 20 years ago - they are genius

[@TheFloofyWolf]

If we ever get a face reveal I want it to be with this.

[@SRQmoviemaker]

Oh man if not this face reveal with the worst webcam

[@halotroop2288]

​@@SRQmoviemaker Like DeSinc?

[@IntegerOfDoom]

0:15 NOTHING is as bizarre as that horrifying box art.

[@tristanhameleers7506]

Why does this exist? I would have expected the camera to be the sensor at the same time (then it would have been more understandable as 1 thing does more things) but now I just don't understand why it exists.

[@matrix2048]

This looks like something that should definitely be covered on LGR Oddware.

[@MyComputerStudios_]

The company who made these is called KYE Systems, Inc. I actually own a ton of tech from them, including a normal old Webcam, a few mice and a keyboard! They are all neat

[@emchodevetkov9438]

Genius is a legit - no complain from more 20 years ago - they are genius

[@juanignacioaschura9437]

Fun Fact: KYE Systems purchased Mouse Systems in 1990; Mouse Systems was a pioneer in computer mice, being the creators of the first-ever IBM PC mouse back in 1982.

[@renakunisaki]

My guess: someone heard "an optical mouse sensor is basically a camera" and thought "we could make a mouse that just uses a camera sensor" and the person they told this idea to completely misunderstood.

[@psychorabbitt]

This is the kind of product where I'd expect the package hitting the table to be followed by LGR going, "Blerbs..."

[@vwestlife]

They should've put a microphone in it so you can talk into it, just like on Star Trek.

[@wolfsyncc]

I'll

[@zerotian5661]

You'll

[@MegaMayth]

that mouse click sound goes boom!🤣

[@techactivate781]

A few years ago I had a mouse made by Genius, which instead of having a webcam was like a flip phone and inside there would be buttons for answering and declining calls, with volume buttons, but it had no screen unfortunately.

[@Aruneh]

For screenshots, of course

[@JaesonL17]

Thank you for the laughs in this video. It really is amazing that there was someone sitting in a board room and decided that this was the best idea that they can come up with. I give them an A for effort, but that’s about all lol.

[@0xEARTH]

the worst part is, as bizzare as it is, it's not *_bad_*. like you showed it running on win10, and it can actually shoot a pretty decent photo with some semi-decent video for what it's worth. i've had more expensive desktop webcams do less, honestly.

[@j.w.techchannel]

Quite a unique product, and good video as always. Also can't help thinking that the software looks like it's from the late 2000s despite the fact that the product is from 2013.

[@Tonus44512]

this is a "genius" idea

[@Toronado1986]

Michael you gotta have some of the coolest thrift stores ever. Mine only sells floppy discs and windows vista installation disks

[@ragalthor]

I'd love some Vista Installations

[@cs8712]

Me: "hmm i wonder what gems i'll find at the thrift store today" The thrift store: "here are the same 4 copies of wii fit, rockband, the sims 2 and madden 08 from last time"

[@Toronado1986]

@@cs8712 I saw a wii fit bag. A WII FIT BAG. AND 90 COPIES STACKED ON A SHELF OF WII FIT.

[@emchodevetkov9438]

floppy 's are great investment 😁

[@Toronado1986]

@@emchodevetkov9438 Yeah, In 1986.

[@FoxWolfWorld]

If this was the era of “put a camera on everything”, I think we are currently in the era of “put a battery in everything”

[@O5-XIV]

Next up, A pc case that has a built in Pizza oven

[@JeffreyPiatt]

KFC did a pc with a chicken warmer.

[@O5-XIV]

@@JeffreyPiatt I had forgot about that tbh XD

[@ChaunceyGardener]

I never saw any video about e-mail mouses. When you got an email an in-built light in the mouse blinked as notification and some models even played a sound. A PS/2 port could do that.

[@AndreiNeacsu]

I would not have thought that in 2013 an additional mouse and microphone were needed in order to be able to use the camera mouse while in webcam mode. As for document and photo scanning, a 2" sanner bar integrated in the mouse (like the old LPT handheld scanners) would have been a lot more useful; that, of course, would have needed a proper piece of software.

[@alephcake]

Now THAT'S an OPTICAL mouse

[@emchodevetkov9438]

😁👍

[@crystalsheep1434]

This product is just what i have been looking for no joke would allow me to point the camera at thing's without having to carry around both a mouse and a webcam

[@DjBasA38]

Funnily enough, the company i work for could actually make use of this. xD As we use a random Microsoft webcam to snap pictures of possible damage when we need to make a quotation based on damage caused by the customer before they sent the device to us. Like if they were to attempt a repair themselves but fail. The photo's get taken when pressing escape on the keyboard in the company's software, allowing us to send and save the picture right in the order we're working on.

[@K86Music]

Genius is a brand that is fairly used here in Iran! The brand is extremely popular here just for its cheap keyboard, mouse, and other types of accessories like mobile accessories. I'm not surprised to see this brand in KZbin, since it is extremely popular, as I mentioned.

[@ryanhunt4336]

This feels like the kind of thing that only got made because at the time there were 10 people in the world that this would be useful for and one of them was the guy that invented it

[@MegaManNeo]

Honestly, this could be something taken straight from the 90's and put here. Not that we had the technological advancements back then but you know... for its quirkiness and creativity.

[@colind6797]

The button on the top adjusts the DPI, adjust sensitivity usually between low/med/hi

[@MrJ0mmy]

wow a usb webcam that also had a mic cost 3.89nzd free shipping from china off aliexpress and it took much better looking photos

[@Aeduo]

I was expecting this to be some early-mid 2000s thing. Definitely wasn't expecting windows 8 era.

[@Brotherhood0286]

The fact that on the box you can see a dog smelling inside the baby's diaper is quite genius

[@Itz_Dark_YT]

Kinda sus tho

[@marlunyu]

The dog on the box is smelling for bullsh!t with this mouse.

[@itzcaseykc]

A novel item for convenience. I wouldn't want one, but some might.

[@rexhollingsworth9715]

This reminds me of a 'road warrior' accessory, for before laptops 100% had an integrated camera. Photo mode to scan receipts, webcam if you had to, mouse because not everybody can use the trackpad easily.

[@michaelcloutier2225]

I got mine new back then from a clearance bin at a computer shop just for shits and giggles. It still works. I also have a scanner mouse (IRIScan Mouse 2) also on clearance just for fun and it still works too.

[@alexsmith5584]

Pretty funny to see that this comes from the same company behind the AccuScroll, the first mass-produced mouse with a scroll wheel

[@01302]

Loved this,crazy product. As a more serious retro review id love to see you get an Acorn Archimedes, I don't think they're well known in the USA but have had a profound global impact with their processor tech.

[@MZFKDL]

I think this device is like April Fools' Day, but no, it is real XD

[@Simok1234]

I guess if you're using with a laptop and you normally use it's own built-in webcam, you could use this for quickly showing something on your desk or around you without having to pick up the whole laptop? I can't really think of any other super practical use but I guess if someone just wanted a mouse and see the camera as a bonus for niche cases like that I suppose it works.

[@breezie1337]

Still better than the apple mouse with charging port on the bottom

[@bluebird142]

Missed the opportunity to say “genius computer mouse” on title lol

[@andressigalat602]

This video has given me a fantastical idea for a product, a keyboard-monitor combo. You can use it in keyboard mode to write something, and then turn it around and use it in monitor mode so you can see what you have just written. What you say? You need to see what you write while you are writting? You can always have another keyboard, or another monitor, or both.

[@BilisNegra]

What's more shocking is that this was made by a well known, renowned brand, not as much as Logitech maybe, but not far off. Can you imagine Logitech selling this nonsense? And as late as 2013 on top of that! It would have been more forgivable in the mid-2000s and earlier, which was more of a time for silly novelties I guess?

[@brian_voll]

At 14:36, if you click hide on screen display, does it hide that auto launch thing in the corner?

[@Gooberesque]

Wow, this is a game-changer! A mouse that also doubles as a webcam? I'm impressed! This would be so convenient for people who work remotely and don't want to carry around a separate webcam. And the fact that it can also be used for gaming makes it even better. Thanks for the review and showing us this cool gadget!

[@BryceDixonDev]

See if the camera and mouse optical sensor were combined into one sensor I might understand. But when they're fully separate it just... why combine them into one object?

[@birdbrain4445]

2:08 Yeah I was shocked when I saw the 'Compatible with Windows 8' logo on the box, just the idea of this sounds *so much* like one of those weird things from the early to mid '00s (or even late '90s) when people were just trying... something, *anything* and hoping it worked, lol.

[@anthonynorton666]

Its real purpose is an office eavesdropping device.

[@0AThijs]

This is actually amazing! Maybe even add a built in webcam too 👀

[@thedopplereffect00]

This definitely makes more sense as a laptop accessory. One less item to carry around with you. I can see the use case, but it's very limited.

[@JustAPersonWhoComments]

I guess it's true what they say, when one door closes, another one opens and apparently that door leads to a computer mouse with a webcam inside

[@koduflower2000]

As always, this is another great video indeed! It's awesome!

[@LGBKAI]

The mouse could be useful for espionage, bringing it to work, pretending it's a mouse, until nobody is watching stealing some company proprietary stuff. It's just missing a microsd slot

[@bluephreakr]

If there's an open USB slot…

[@LGBKAI]

@@bluephreakr smaller companies (at least where I live) are usually lax about byod. All of the companies I worked for I had access to usb

[@SoyLuciano]

How to get doxxed part 1:

[@AllenZrust]

Goodbytes is such a good store. My girlfriend and I go there once a month or so. One of my best buy’s was the original iPod Mini a few months ago

[@ddognine]

As strange as this device is, honestly, it shares a lot of the frustrating features of nearly all consumer electronic accessories for PCs back in the day. It's why I swore off buying consumer grade electronics for the most part. If I can't afford the prosumer version then I don't waste my money. It upgraded my life considerably.

[@AdonMrGveret]

i can imagine this being used by like a buisnessman or a lawyer, or someone else who whould potentially travel alot and do confrence calls alot obviously alot of new laptops have webcams intergrated into them, but some older laptops didnt, and id imagine a lawyer to not be able to upgrade his laptop due to proprietary software or whatever

[@hedgehog3180]

This made me think that if someone put a scanner in a mouse that could actually be genuinely kinda useful and convenient to like scan in notes or signatures.

[@johnbillings5260]

It actually is very similar to handheld scanners from way back - just with a different focus and no front lighting.

[@fallwitch]

This might be a good device for subterfuge as to get covertly (sort of) images, vids, audio of stuff you shouldn't be. Reminds of something you might by in one of those mall "spy shops".

[@user-wk8qt8ph1i]

Reminded me of those spy camera from old spy movies, also made me remember a mouse i saw decade ago, no camera but did 4mb ram storage built in

[@Jeffmylife]

This is incredible. It’s one of those hostile product designs like the silverware with chain link handles

[@WalterKnox]

I used to have a Genius mouse. It wasn't a webcam though. It was sort of crappy, and then it broke. Nothing would boot properly with it plugged in, normally hung at the POST screen.

[@norbydroid3430]

The first thing I thought of was a scanner mouse. Maybe an early version of one? I don’t know how the scanner mice work, but I think it would be similiar. Great and fun video. Thanks MJD. Catch ya in the next one.

[@JesBuscus94]

I was thinking of 8-bit guy's video about using a mouse to take pictures.

[@coondogtheman]

Oh Windows XP I miss you so much. I hope someone out there starts a project where they update XP with modern security updates but keep the functionality of XP.

[@Priw8]

This is the kind of thing I imagine when people say they have "a million dollar app idea"

[@-throat-]

10:39 cursed image

[@jfftck]

Back on my family’s 286 computer, we had an application called Dr. Genius that was a more advanced MS Paint for DOS and that came with a mouse. I looked it up and this company isn’t the same one, but funny that the name was reused.

[@Sk8erBoiALX]

This feels like something that would've been marketed asa a spy cam in the early 2000s.

[@emchodevetkov9438]

Genius is a legit - no complain from more 20 years ago - they are genius

[@asiano3385]

Oh. I thought that the mouse sensor will be the camera. Because technically every mouse is a camera... but with resolution between 64x64 and 16x16 I think and close focal length.

[@davidabner8885]

This actually might have been useful for my kids when they were doing online school and needed to take pictures of assignments

[@RooMan93]

Most likely for people worried about privacy, or up-skirting at work

[@adamwhite2364]

There only combo mouse device I ever saw that made any sense was a Microsoft Bluetooth mouse with presentation buttons on the bottom and a laser pointer built in

[@Breeze926]

This is simultaneously better than I expected and worse than I expected

[@MarcBaggett1]

Great video! Never knew this camera mouse existed lol.

[@kylespevak6781]

I guess for its time a lot of people didn't really use webcams that much so having a 2-in-one kind of makes sense. Whereas now it seems redundant

[@Xathian]

I actually said an audible "WHAT" when you said Windows 8. This thing is so completely out of its time, this should have seen the last of its days during XP

[@ethanpschwartz]

Great excuse for online meetings: "Sorry, I can't use the webcam and mouse at the same time."

[@KasperZdk]

I wonder if the camera actually turns off when it is covered, or if it's just always on

[@CalKlein]

There would’ve been a time when this was really needed in my office as capturing receipts for expenses was really difficult.

[@PlumbCarton5607]

I won't lie if a modern version of this exists i would probably buy it unironically

[@ethangilbertmedia]

I was hoping that the mouse sensor would be replaced with the webcam so it was track awfully and been useless as a mouse

[@MarcoGPUtuber]

Sounds like a Micromanager's fantasy. A surveillance mouse.

[@taylorwoolston8856]

Except it'll be surveillancing the desk 99% of the time.

[@IDHLEB]

"A surveillance mouse?!" - Solid Snake

[@cameroncole06]

Lol

[@DarthCrust66]

I feel like I would buy this and just use it as a mouse forgetting that the camera is even there

[@stevef6392]

Remember that episode in, I think it was the IT Crowd (?) where the boss character was speaking into the back of a mouse? Yeah, methinks he just had one of these.

[@SeanBZA]

I have the purple Sony Memory stick mouse, which is actually useful as a MS reader, seeing as I do not have any other MS readers around.

[@Doug_in_NC]

I was trying to think of who would buy this and the only use case I can come up with is a company that REALLY wants their employees to focus on their Zoom meeting and not multitask.

[@indigomizumi]

This is a Windows 8 era product? From the packaging I'd have assumed this was a relic of the 98 era.

[@anon34a]

Genius had really cool products. Take a look at Genius Traveler 355 it was released in the windows vista age, may be like 800, I've using mine for 10 years and still working, the scroll is optical so will NEVER break and the sensor uses infrared light, so you will not damage with sight if you flip in. it's so good that i had to buy its brother the 515 Traveler, same but slightli bigger, with DPI adjustment and a couple buttons more There's no better mouse, even apple's. Apple sux my ass

[@philtkaswahl2124]

Man, talk about paranoia fuel. Even the mouse is watching you. Well, watching the surface of your desk.

[@Kitsudote]

During a call: "Hold on, you will quickly see my desk and then darkness, because I need to click on something" 😂🤣😂

[@Aoba-chan]

Never knew MJD plays osu!