Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Choctaw

macrumors 6502
Apr 8, 2008
324
12
I use rechargeable batteries too, but they never lasted more than a week.

Turning off my mouse at night when everything else is off made me think it would last longer.........NOT the thing still goes flat in a two week period. Bah-Hum-DeadBattery !
 
Last edited:

unplugme71

macrumors 68030
May 20, 2011
2,827
754
Earth
My magic mouse I used for a few months, but the rechargeable batteries only last three weeks... Alkalines last about five. Lithium about eight weeks. Still, too much to keep replacing them all the time... Went back to using my Expert Mouse (trackball).

Keyboard I used until the batteries went dead, about 2-1/2 weeks. Bought a wired keyboard to avoid it.

Seems to me apple must have a investment in the battery business. Wireless is not needed for a desktop computer, except under very specialized occurrences.

Am I the only one who's batteries lasted over 5 months?
 

CrAzYLiFe

macrumors member
Oct 24, 2013
40
0
Australia
Keyboard yes, Mouse half n half,

Got use to the keyboard for gaming and use a gaming mouse (razer death adder) for gaming and magic mouse for everything else.

Magic mouse just makes osx run much more smoothly, Have the 27" late 2013 iMac since launch and no battery issues with either device yet, Infact the keyboard still says 100% (actually surprised) I think it has the apple rechargeable batteries in it.
 

Choctaw

macrumors 6502
Apr 8, 2008
324
12
Keyboard battery life is very limited on an iMac in my view !

Am I the only one who's batteries lasted over 5 months?

I got a new iMac with the wireless keyboard on Aug 3 of this years, they list it as a late 2012 ............... don't know how long it was in the box before I purchased it. When looking at the battery reading in preferences it still has 17% left. My wireless mouse does not do that good. But I enjoy NOT having all those wires running all over my desk. I know some use recharging process, but that means just another wall wart to watch and pay for. Guess it comes to keeping a few so called new batteries on hand..............they might be not so new either.
Choctaw
 

talmy

macrumors 601
Oct 26, 2009
4,726
332
Oregon
I know some use recharging process, but that means just another wall wart to watch and pay for. Guess it comes to keeping a few so called new batteries on hand..............they might be not so new either.

I use Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable batteries and bought a large number of them for all my AA battery using devices, plus a bunch of spares. They have a long shelf life (hold 80% of charge after 3 years) and will last well over a year in light applications. When one goes "dead" I just replace it from the spares. When I've got 4 "Dead" batteries I put them in the charger. Works great for me.
 

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
the next gen apple wireless keyboard will be backlit

That's not going to help battery life at all ...

There was a Apple patent disclosure posted here awhile back which had inductive charging of the keyboard and mouse from coils in the bottom edge of the display. That would be pretty cool if your keyboard/mouse were in close proximity to the display to permit charging while in use.
 

Serban

Suspended
Jan 8, 2013
5,159
928
That's not going to help battery life at all ...

There was a Apple patent disclosure posted here awhile back which had inductive charging of the keyboard and mouse from coils in the bottom edge of the display. That would be pretty cool if your keyboard/mouse were in close proximity to the display to permit charging while in use.

battery life will be the same or better if they go with 3xAAA batteries instead of 2xAA
 

talmy

macrumors 601
Oct 26, 2009
4,726
332
Oregon
battery life will be the same or better if they go with 3xAAA batteries instead of 2xAA

Looking at Eneloops, an AA cell is 2000mAh at about 1.2 volts, or 2.4 Wh. A AAA cell is 800mAh, or 0.96Wh. So 2xAA has 67% more energy storage than 3xAAA. It's very unlikely that 3xAAA will give better battery life!
 

hfg

macrumors 68040
Dec 1, 2006
3,621
312
Cedar Rapids, IA. USA
battery life will be the same or better if they go with 3xAAA batteries instead of 2xAA

Early release of the aluminum wireless keyboard did use 3ea. AA batteries, then they dropped it down to 2ea AA.

I hope they don't switch to lower capacity AAA batteries for no reason (the current "AA" sized tube will accommodate 3 or more AA batteries.).
 

Shivetya

macrumors 68000
Jan 16, 2008
1,669
306
I used a USB mouse and keyboard, the latency on wireless isn't something I want to deal with, plus that and chiclet keyboards are things we derided about the PcJr :p
 

Choctaw

macrumors 6502
Apr 8, 2008
324
12
Battery life

When I received my new iMac I was taken by all the new stuff I needed to learn about the OS system. Being an old PC's fellow who found Win 8 to be sickening with all the related touch screen movements, I went for a replacement.

As the weeks and now months have passed I have started to discover that some of the things I took at face value are starting to give cause for making changes. I now find my magic mouse looks and functions fine, that is except for the battery in it. New batteries are very unpredictable as to their longevity. Only having the juice powering my magic mouse for two weeks then it needs a new battery sucks.

So last night I rolled out my old set of rechargeable batteries and the charger. All of which came with an old digital device I no longer use. Crammed in 4 cells and this morning inserted a couple of cells in the dead mouse and boom things are charged up. That will be my answer to the magic mouse and it's short life charge.

The Mobee Magic Charger is not something I could go for. My puter is turned off each night and that device needs the live USB power. So for now I am gong to watch the charge in my mouse, when it starts fading, just pop in a few cells in the charger and the mouse is good.

One more thing....... I have a logitech wireless mouse it's battery has lasted for over a year now on my PC's. Yes I know I could buy one for my iMac, but I am captured by the beauty of that little white bitch that eats up batteries like a hungry animal.
 

Prise

macrumors regular
Dec 14, 2008
241
0
I don't mind changing the batteries, since I buy alkaline ones in bulk and always have them handy. For instance, Staples often has the special where you buy package of 20 Duracel AAs or AAAs for 100% rebate.

Unless I'm gaming, I disdain wires of any kind, and find bluetooth infinitely preferable. I don't even like the little usb dongle thing for a wireless mouse.
 

Choctaw

macrumors 6502
Apr 8, 2008
324
12
I don't mind changing the batteries, since I buy alkaline ones in bulk and always have them handy. For instance, Staples often has the special where you buy package of 20 Duracel AAs or AAAs for 100% rebate.

Unless I'm gaming, I disdain wires of any kind, and find bluetooth infinitely preferable. I don't even like the little usb dongle thing for a wireless mouse.

What bothers you about the dongle and a wireless mouse?
 

Prise

macrumors regular
Dec 14, 2008
241
0
What bothers you about the dongle and a wireless mouse?

For example, on my Macbook Pro, the two usb ports are on the *left* side of the computer. Having to allocate one of them for a dongle just to have a wireless mouse limits the number devices I can use, and may limit others depending on the size of the dongle.

On principle, I prefer a wireless mouse/keyboard without have to attach an extra device; just as I would rather have an internal wifi card than to attach a usb adapter.
 
Last edited:

Choctaw

macrumors 6502
Apr 8, 2008
324
12
For example, on my Macbook Pro, the two usb ports are on the *left* side of the computer. Having to allocate one of them for a dongle just to have a wireless mouse limits the number devices I can use, and may limit others depending on the size of the dongle.

On principle, I prefer a wireless mouse/keyboard without have to attach an extra device; just as I would rather have an internal wifi card than to attach a usb adapter.

Understood....my Sony has 4 USP inputs, and suppose I could add a 4/16 port expansion unit if necessary, it's about what you want to use and look at. I do like that smooth looking magic mouse even if the battery goes flat too soon.
 

minimalism

macrumors member
Nov 28, 2013
73
5
I love the wireless keyboard and mouse. The only problem is that the Magic Mouse consumes so much power that normal Alkaline batteries won't last long. I've bought some Eneloop batteries, still testing how long it lasts.

Anyway, anyone knows how to spot a fake eneloop?
 
Last edited:

PapaC

macrumors newbie
Apr 16, 2014
25
1
Logitech K750 solves the isse with numpad and batteries, it's a full keyboard and solar powered, been using it about 6 months now after smashing my apple wireless KB I got so fed up with.

No more wake from sleep or any such issues :D

Anybody else have experience with the K750? Liking the solar powered side of it so i can not have to worry about changing batteries.
 

Choctaw

macrumors 6502
Apr 8, 2008
324
12
pro vs con about the K750

Anybody else have experience with the K750? Liking the solar powered side of it so i can not have to worry about changing batteries.

Here are some opinions about the K750. About 50/50 both positive/negative responses. Seems the thing sometimes won't charge, the keys break off, however some think it's the best thing since sliced bread, what ever that means.

http://reviews.logitech.com/7061/7454/logitech-wireless-solar-keyboard-k750-reviews/reviews.htm
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.