Like some nautical cat, Logitech has announced that it has shipped its billionth mouse; and it's also the 40th anniversary of the first public demo of everyone's favourite peripheral - unless you prefer the keyboard. Or screen.

To mark the occasion, Logitech has announced a competition that is sure to excite mouse fans everywhere. But not cats.

One billion mice... imagine that. We wonder if, like rats, these rodents would survive a nuclear war. After all, they seem to survive nearly every drawer and desk clearout in the history of offices. With more than a billion people using computers, and another billion expected to crawl out from whatever rock they were under by 2014 to start using them too, Logitech is seeing quite a bright future for itself.

However, if the firm wants to keep waving goodbye to its products, perhaps starting to name them is a bad idea. This new one billionth mouse is unfortunately named Billie (get it?) and it has already gone on the run from its parents.

Don't worry though, Logitech has launched a global hunt for the little fella and if you are interested, you can join in here.

Personally, we are fine. Someone kicked over a bin in the office and about 15 of the little buggers came scurrying out, so we have enough mice in our lives already.

04 Dec 2008