The "Ulti-Mat" Mouse Mat

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Is there any area of computing we neglect more than the mouse mat? Think about it, we’ll spend upwards of £40 on something as sexy as a Logitech MX1000 and then pay no attention to what it moves on. The rather cleverly named 30 x 25cm “Ulti-Mat” may just have the answer.

Made by a start up company of the same name, the Ulti-Mat bins convention and takes a whole new approach by using a 1.25mm thick Teflon plate. Yes, this is the same non-stick, scratch resistant metal found in expensive cooking pots and pans and claims to eliminate virtually all drag. On the reverse side is a spongy back lining that grips the table to keep the mat firmly in place.

Now when you break with the established order of things you might as well go the whole hog, which is why the Ulti-Mat itself is just the first of two steps. The second, rather ingeniously, is something called Skate Tape. This is designed to be cut and stuck to the bottom of your mouse and greatly decreases the friction on any surface. When used with the Ulti-Mat itself it is said to guarantee almost noiseless operation.

Three strips of Skate tape come bundled with the Ulti-Mat (which should be enough for three mice), though interestingly it can also be purchased separately if needs be. Graphic designers and hardcore gamers please stop drooling!

Looking at the craft behind this product I am tempted to draw comparisons with edgeBLUR’s surfACE. Not in terms of purpose of course (the surfACE is a laptop rest), but in terms of seeing small companies doing innovative things. In an industry increasingly dominated by multinationals it is nice to see that little guys can still make big impressions.

Naturally, the Ulti-Mat doesn’t come cheap given the materials used and it will currently set you back just under 35 euros (about £23). Saying that, this is when imported from German site IndiWeb as Ulti-Mat is currently looking for a dedicated UK disty. Anyone want to the guys out?

Link:
Ulti-Mat
Indiweb

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