What are mice in a computer?

In a computer, a mouse is a handheld pointing device that lets you interact with the graphical user interface. It was invented in the 1960s by Douglas Engelbart and has become one of the most essential computer accessories along with the keyboard. The mouse controls the cursor on the screen, and by moving the mouse on a desk or mousepad, the cursor moves correspondingly. It typically has two main buttons, left and right, and a scroll wheel in the middle for scrolling up and down through pages. The left button is used for selecting, clicking, double-clicking to open files, and dragging objects, while the right button opens context menus with extra options. Modern computer mice use optical or laser sensors to track movement and connect to the computer via USB cable, wireless dongle, or Bluetooth. There are many types including standard office mice, ergonomic vertical mice, gaming mice with high DPI and extra buttons, trackball mice, and travel mini mice. Without a mouse, you would need to navigate using only keyboard shortcuts or a touchpad on a laptop, which is slower for many tasks.