How do you turn the humble mouse in to an innovative, dare we say it - sexy - product? We've had the optical/laser revolution, wireless desk rodents and of course the mousewheel, so where next?

Wireless presenters are great when you're addressing a crowd. The freedom to move around and still control your computer means you engage with the audience rather than wrestle with the technology

The Shortboard certainly lives up to its name. By removing the numeric keypad from the side, the keyboard has been made at least four inches shorter than standard models - but this doesn't mean a loss in functionality.

Genius has done the impossible with the Traveller 355: brought some innovation back into mouse design. The traditional central scroll wheel is replaced with an optical sensor that responds to movements of your finger.

While Sony's excellent SMU-M10 is a travel mouse that tucks away into the slimmest of spaces, this travel mouse is a bit more cumbersome. It's the same size as a desktop mouse, so you'll need a thick laptop bag

We've seen many of these super-slim mice over the years but this one really stands out. It's strong and cunningly designed and doesn't try any Bluetooth or wireless antics, which can so often be a bit fiddly on these small things

The problem I've found with laser mice is that being a person of limited reaction times, the mouse pointer, or targeting reticule in games, moves around faster than my feeble mind can cope with.

We weren't expecting much from this notebook squeaker. After all, most notebook mice have terrible sensitivity, poor detection on anything but a textured surface, and entirely fail to fit the human hand.

You might be considering one of these scroll knobs if you've been dabbling with animation and 3D design on a Mac. Sadly, if you're into any other type of design then it's not for you

The most exciting thing about the Zboard is not the bizarre lumpy growth to the left of the board, but the ZEngine software which allows you to remap said lumps to all sorts of exciting functions

There are times when innovation is necessary, and times when it isn't. For example, it would be innovative to design a plane with no wings, but a three month crawl to Tokyo doesn't boast the glamour of actually flying

Yes, it's a daft name, and clearly aimed at the 1337 gamrz, but the Cyber Sniper SWAT is actually a superb mouse, provided you're of the right-handed persuasion. Crisp and smooth cursor response is always a winner, and the SWAT has it in spades

This is the very Cylon Interceptor of keyboards. With the main body constructed of gert lush brushed alu (the keys are plastic) this board could decapitate a man at 20 paces, and he wouldn't even notice

This glossy black luxury deck is the sharp-suited Italian gent of the test. From the mirror-finish black chassis to the softly pulsing blue Razer logo, it's a reet sexy keyboard and, like the Enermax Aurora, and acts as a two-port USB hub

This is as boggo a board as we could find, and boy does it feel cheap. There are no frills to be found here, save for three rubbery buttons for launching apps, and the keys themselves feel horribly plasticky

If you've been part of the WSAD brigade for a long time, then switching to one of Microsoft's comfort range may come as a bit of a surprise. The first few games of Quake we played involved us fumbling with the oddly shaped keys

The G15 had stacks of promise. 18 programmable macro keys, bindable in three modes to give a whopping total of... (takes socks off for hard maths) 54 functions! Probably

The G11 is basically the same as the company's G15, but without the LCD panel. It's also roughly £30 cheaper if you shop around. It features the same suite of 56 bindable macro keys, Soho-grade electric blue Lighting, and a 'gaming mode'

We wanted to give the Hipercomm top marks, as it's tiny, yet packed with features. However it won't be for everyone, as the cursor keys are kind of squidged up tight, and so take some getting used to

The Si750m is a compact mouse that slips into a small pocket or pouch but performs like a pointer twice its size. It's tiny, but still practical. The back of the mouse has a compartment that opens up to reveal a battery slot

The Optimus Mini Three Keyboard (£130 inc. VAT) uses customisable hotkeys to make software access easier than ever. Quick to set up, it's ideal for controlling your favourite programs using its full-colour animated buttons

Specialist input devices like graphics tablets, 3D mice and scrollwheels all have their fans, but each tends to suit one type of application over any other. In contrast to this is the NuLOOQ navigator...

You'll remember the tale of the three blind mice. The farmer's wife cut off their tails with a carving knife. Well, it seems that the cold-hearted vixen is at it again, as here before us is yet another tail-less mouse.

Logitech mice are becoming the epitome of the 'if it ain't broke'philosophy towards hardware design. This must be the 422nd mouse we'veseen with the same smooth, curved chassis.

Take this keyboard out of its box and you'll instantly dismiss it as a bit of a lightweight. It's true that this Canadian-designed keyboard won't win any prizes in a beauty contest or even an award for good value