Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows Vista is on the right track to get some new toys. This is the promise that Matt Barlow, Director of Worldwide Marketing and Business Development for Microsoft Hardware, made on the 25th anniversary of the Redmond company's division. But Windows Vista is not the only software product that is going to get optimized hardware. Barlow added that Microsoft Hardware would also focus on the company's cloud operating system as well as provide offerings that would tailor fit the gaming community using Windows as the primary platform. "While we cannot disclose future roadmap plans, you can expect to see continued integration between Hardware and our Microsoft partners such as Windows Vista, Windows Live and Games for Windows. Our goal is to create innovative mice, keyboards and Internet communications products that enhance the software experience and make computing easier, more fun and more productive," Barlow stated.

In order to celebrate the fact that Microsoft Hardware turned 25, three new mice as well as two web cameras have been announced. LifeCam VX-7000 and LifeCam NX-3000, as well as the Memory Mouse 8000, Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse 7000 and Bluetooth Notebook Mouse 5000 will all be made available in the upcoming months, just in time for the holiday shopping season. Announced a while ago, Microsoft's SideWinder mouse is designed to complete the gaming experience on Windows Vista.

"With PC gaming on the rise and the ultimate gaming experience now possible with Windows Vista, Hardware is stepping up to give gamers ultimate control. We're bringing back the SideWinder line that brought us into the gaming peripheral space in 1995 and reinventing it. The SideWinder Mouse was created to meet gamers' individual needs, providing ultimate customization by allowing users to tweak the weight, change the DPI in-game on-the-fly, customize 5 buttons and choose the glide of the mouse feet. This mouse transcends the category of gaming mice to become a customizable gaming system with the first LCD screen ever on a gaming mouse and a Macro Record button that allows users to easily record macros in-game", Barlow added.