Magic Mouse Instead of Mighty Mouse, And More...

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/apples-newest-peripheral-is-the-magic-mouse/' target='_blank'>http://www.tuaw.com/2009/10/20/appl...he-magic-mouse/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"As rumored, Apple has just introduced a new mouse called the Magic Mouse. This mouse will bring Multi-Touch capabilities to desktop Macs for the first time, something that the iPhone has had since its release in June 2007 and the MacBook Air since it was released in February 2008."</em></p><p><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1256063298.usr105634.jpg" /></p><p><em>Image Credit: Apple</em></p><p>Ugh, I hate this name too, but I love the <a href="http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB829?mco=MTA4MTQxMjg" target="_blank">mouse</a> itself. This requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 and will go on sale in late October for $69.00 USD. But wait! There is more...</p><p><MORE /><em>"Control your Mac, iPod, or iPhone from afar with the sleek aluminum Apple Remote. Play, pause, adjust volume, move forward and back, and access menus while playing music and video."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1256064506.usr105634.jpg" /></em></p><p><em>Image Credit: Apple</em></p><p>Not to be outdone, the <a href="http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC377?mco=MTMzNzQ4ODg" target="_blank">remote</a> also got an update, which gives it that same aluminum look. Three buttons for your remote-ing enjoyment, available about the same time as the "Magic Mouse" and retails for $19.00 USD.</p>

[doogald]

It seems dumb to not have the play/pause button in the middle of the wheel, as it is now, on the new remote. And that mouse HAS to be better at scrolling than the Mighty Mouse - that dumb scroll ball gets mucked up all of the time.

[ptyork]

That mouse looks pretty ergonomic for bear paws. For humans, not so much. I'll have to reserve judgment until I run by the Apple Store and check it out, but it just looks too squat and flat to be comfortable for extended use. One step up from the old hockey puck, but still seems more form than function. And I still don't understand why Apple has to buck the whole "two buttons and wheel trend" that seems to be sweeping the market these days. :)

[doogald]

And I still don't understand why Apple has to buck the whole "two buttons and wheel trend" that seems to be sweeping the market these days. :)

Of course you can install any of those mice on a Mac and it works fine. But the reason is that Apple will not compete in many markets where they cannot be a premium device at a premium price. They simply do not want to have commodity devices of any sort. If they make it, it must have something different. If it's just going to be a two button scroll wheel, Apple just won't bother.

[ptyork]

Of course you can install any of those mice on a Mac and it works fine. But the reason is that Apple will not compete in many markets where they cannot be a premium device at a premium price. They simply do not want to have commodity devices of any sort. If they make it, it must have something different. If it's just going to be a two button scroll wheel, Apple just won't bother.

Just funny that it is always the first thing that every Mac owner complains about and replaces. I'll hold out hope that this is better, but the last few have been far from "mighty" (or "magic"). Generally, "premium" and "doesn't suck" are supposed to go hand in hand. ;)

[Jeff Campbell]

Glad I'm not the only one with the mucked up scroll ball, that thing is very annoying. As far as form factor, I've seen a couple videos posted using it and it seems to work pretty well, but I agree, hands on to see if it is something that is going to work for you is always best option.

Macworld posted a review (http://www.macworld.com/article/143410/2009/10/magic_mouse.html?lsrc=rss_news) of the Magic Mouse, if it does make have that scraping feeling I may not get it, I hate that sound and feeling when it happens to my other mice, ugh

[doogald]

I was in the Apple Store yesterday picking up my MacBook from the Genius Bar (fixed free of charge, thank you very much - replaced camera/microphone and the top case, which had the cracks, so I got a new trackpad and keyboard to boot - and that unibody MacBook is LONG OVERDUE). I digress. I played around with the new mouse a bit, and it is much, much, much nicer than the erstwhile Mighty Mouse (I understand that the old mouse had a name change - it's now the Apple Mouse.) The one finger scrolling is genius, it does have a single button (contrary to reports that say it has none, the entire top of the mouse is a button), and it easily recognized a right-click compared with a left-click. It's a bit low profile, but I wish they had this a few years ago when I bought my two BT "Mighty" mice.