Microsoft “Arc Touch Mouse” in the works?

Multi-touch as a technology is really catching on with mobile devices such as phones, MP3 players, and tablets, but it’s yet to catch on with the PC. Perhaps this is due to the fact that implementations of multi-touch technology haven’t been that practical as of yet to appeal to the masses, nor is it necessarily cheap to get a good multi-touch monitor.

One solution is to implement this functionality not with the monitor, but with the mouse. This would in effect keep the technology relatively within reach, both literally and financially; you won’t hurt your arms reaching out for the screen, and you don’t have to buy an expensive monitor.

Apple have already released a multi-touch mouse onto the market — the Magic Mouse –which sells for $69; much less than multi-touch monitors which will run you in the hundreds. This mouse comes with no buttons, and allows you to interact with your computer using multi-touch gestures. Sounds tasty, right?

Well, word on the street is that Microsoft are currently baking their own entry into the multi-touch mouse scene. Microsoft enthusiast Long Zheng has uncovered evidence pointing in that direction.

Not only have some European retailers begun publishing listings for a “Microsoft Arc Touch Mouse”, but Microsoft actually snagged arctouchmouse.com back in March, which is currently pointed to Bing.

Pictured above, image courtesy of istartedsomething, is a Microsoft Research prototype device as part of their “Mouse 2.0″ project. It bears a vivid mirror image of the normal Arc Mouse out on the market today; a sign of things to come?

If Microsoft were to unveil its own multi-touch mouse, this could certainly place multi-touch technology for the PC within arms reach for most. We’ll be keeping a close watch on Redmond for more to surface regarding this, and if Microsoft Hardware does release this mouse, you can expect a GeekSmack review.