Apple debuting two-button mouse?

[Lepton]

Think outside the box

First, I also use a 5 button trackball, and can't go back at this point. It's even from Microsoft (trackball explorer). BUT... Apple isn't going to make an ordinary two button scroll wheel mouse, come on! They think outside of the box.

Why doesn't Apple like the idea of multi-button mice? Because people don't intuitively know which button to click. But what is you do something radical, that makes it obvious?

Over the years folks have talked about all kinds of unique mouse ideas, some of it here, I think. And Apple has certainly thought about the problem, and for a long, long time.

Take for example this patent that describes a tilting disc invention. These guys have lots of ideas, and even patents for stuff.

I expect something cool will be coming down the pike.

 

[kenneth]

Since I never played around with a Mac, I have no idea how a single botton mouse works. What I do know is that 99% of the time when I use both bottons on my PC mouse it is to highlight some text (left click held down) then to cut or delete it, right click command. I am not a very good at using the keyboard. Whenever possible I MUCH prefer to point and click rather then use keyboard commands and "short cuts". IF to do a simple cut and paste job with a one button Mac mouse requires going to the keyboard for any reason, then a two botton Mac mouse is something to cheer about for someone like me who is seriously thinking of switching to a Mac. I really like my simple, basic two button
Logtech trackball, over moving a mouse around.

 

[Lacero]

What I do know is that 99% of the time when I use both bottons on my PC mouse it is to highlight some text (left click held down) then to cut or delete it, right click command. I am not a very good at using the keyboard

Problem with Windows is if you need to cut or paste, you hit Ctrl+X or Ctrl+V. The Ctrl key is in a very awkward position as its right near the end of the keyboard. With Macs, you use Apple+X or Apple+V, the Apple key is right next to the spacebar, so your fingers are closer together and you don't have to stretch as much. It's much easier doing keyboard commands on the Mac than it is to do the same on Windows. That has been my experience at least.

 

[aafuss1]

Logitech offers a laser sensor based mouse (uses a Agilent laser sensor)-the MX1000 (more precise than Apple's), so the Wireless mouse from Apple should be revised with a more accurate/precise laser sensor.

 

[jared_kipe]

Two buttons? Here's what the Windoze peeps are using...

Where is the button labled "Control+Alt+Delete"??

 

[deral]

i want a mind-reading mouse. touch it, and it'll know what to do. that would be so innovative.

 

[aswitcher]

Where is the button labled "Control+Alt+Delete"??

Thats the button with the MS name on it

Oh, and press two or more buttons simultaneously to get BSoD

 

[nagromme]

I take "jaws will drop" to refer to the mere EXISTENCE of a 2-button Apple mouse. NOT that fans of existing 2-button mice will lower their jaws when comparing to Apple's.

 

[nagromme]

Problem with Windows is if you need to cut or paste, you hit Ctrl+X or Ctrl+V. The Ctrl key is in a very awkward position as its right near the end of the keyboard. With Macs, you use Apple+X or Apple+V, the Apple key is right next to the spacebar, so your fingers are closer together and you don't have to stretch as much. It's much easier doing keyboard commands on the Mac than it is to do the same on Windows. That has been my experience at least.

I second that.

In addition, Windows hides some vital things in context menus. Mac doesn't do that: contextual menus (outside of some pro apps) are strictly shorcuts--very nice, but not the primary way to do something.

 

[dontmatter]

Sounds like a relatively probably and positive rumor. it can't cost more to make, and really, besides stubbornness, what's the advantage of only one button? nobody ever said you had to use the other ones.

Here's the part that catches my eye, though. Apple working feverishly to put together a two button mouse? Can it seriously be that hard? I mean, it's not like they didn't have any time to design one, trying to catch up to the newest inventions, or, say, there is ANY complicated circutry in the thing...

 

[eXan]

I personally love the one-button mouse; I think it is one of the things that makes a Mac a Mac.

I thought the same way as you do BEFORE I bought a Logitech 2button+wheel mouse for games. I quickly got used to it and found that I am so much productive with the scroll wheel...

 

[vwcruisn]

THANK you apple.. ive been wanting a simple 2 button + scroll wheel (i hope) mouse.. the one button mouse just isnt cutting it anymore with a lot of the software i use... and this 7 button logitech mouse is wayyy too much.. 2+ a scrollwheel.. wireless... coolness of apple.. = perfection

 

[Some_Big_Spoon]

this has probably been said, but when i'm actually on a windoze crap box, I'm using the ctrl key for my right click, even when the stoopid thing has a 50 button 8 scroll wheel montrosity. I've been using the one button for so long that it's just normal.. and it is!

but, that boing said, the mac mini could benefit from having a multi-button mouse.. the unwashed wintel masses are used to the things and i hear the "where's the right click" all the time. So give it to them, and we'll keep out wonderful one buttons and rejoyce in the pristine usability.

 

[Marx55]

Why not a five-button mouse one-for-each-finger? Maybe a 20 or 30 button mouse (several buttons for each finger)? You could do marvels with such device...

Apple should keep simplicity and ease of use top priority. And the easiest mouse to use and thus the best is a single-button one. That is the Mac way. I have seen 18-month kids using a Mac mouse; not a PC-Windows multiple-button-complicated thing!

You can always use Shift, Control, Option and Command keys in combination with the mouse to do other things equivalent to a multiple button mouse...

A scroll wheel on the mouse for fast scrolling could be a good thing though...

 

[Lynxpro]

According to AppleInsider[/url], Apple is readying a two-button, wireless optical mouse for release.

Thank Zoroaster, its about time. Coming from the ST and then the PC world, I don't understand why Apple kept the single button mouse for so long. Who doesn't need a scroll wheel on a mouse? Who doesn't use the right mouse button for tabbed web browsing on any machine with FireFox (or Safari) loaded?

Finally Apple is coming to their senses. This is going to be a trend; other computer makers ditching keyboards and mice in the standard computer package, and places like Best Buy and CompUSA will more than welcome this approach because it offers them an easier route to "upsell" the customer on higher priced items. Apple was foolish to allow other switchers in the past to spend extra cash on two button mice from Microsoft or Logitech when the customer probably would've spent that same amount of money on other Apple branded accessories had Apple offered a two-button mouse as standard fair. If other computer manufacturers now follow suit, its not an unreasonable target for Apple to grab 30% of keyboard/mice sales. Especially with Apple's expertise with Bluetooth. Now if they'd only offer a Bluetooth equipped ergonomic keyboard, I'd really be happy.

 

[Lynxpro]

Further fueling expectations are the recent price drops for the current one-button mice. ($29 for the wired mouse and $59 for the wireless mouse).

What next? A decently priced Apple branded 17" LCD monitor to sell along with the Mac Mini? They should, because it isn't even funny how many people are buying the black Dell 17" LCD monitors to hook up to their Mac Minis. Blasphemy!

 

[harleytat]

"ipod" mouse

I'm sure this has been said before...but how about a mouse with an ipod-style scroll wheel, with either two (or four) integrated buttons, like holding a current-generation ipod upside down in your hand, flat on a table? off course the thing wouldn't be a flat rectangle, the tactile control would have to be tweaked, and the thing wouldn't play music, but eh? any takers?

 

[JFreak]

For example, using Windows I'm used to right-clicking everything to look for more options. If I wonder what properties an object/file has or what actions I can perform on it, I right-click it. Right-clicking is the assumed way to find out more about something in Windows. Once you understand that concept, I believe it is rather intuitive.

well said. this sums up the biggest PROBLEM with windows systems - the whole system has been made in such a way that the user must always ask computer "what do you want me do do with this and that?", which in my opinion is just wrong.

control-clicking however makes the user think "what do i want to do" first and click something after one knows that special features are needed this time. straightforward thinking leads to straightforward way to work, so control-clicking not only makes things faster but makes things better too, because the USER must think more and therefore get more results the user actually wants instead of something that is enabled by the system.

windows is all about options that someone else suggests to the user. macintosh is all about what the user wants to do. what a huge difference.

nowadays i tend to control-click with windows systems, too, only finding myself wondering why the context menu doesn't show up. it takes me more time to use more buttons and there is just nothing i can do with multiple buttons in windows that i cannot do with one button in macintosh.

(except autocad - that is the only reason why i accept the fact that some people actually must use windows. autodesk, are you listening?)

 

[Lacero]

You do the same thing in Apple programs like FCP. You have to right-click to fish for options. Sorry, but that argument doesn't fly.

 

[JFreak]

Apple's Shake software requires a 3-button mouse

yes, it's apple's software now, but it was not made by apple in the first place. if it were, i'm sure the interface would be different - but there is no good reason to alienate old user base just to get rid of 3-button requirement, so shake users just have to buy 3rd party mice. big deal

 

[jiggie2g]

Tilt Wheel Please

C'mon why are people bitching about extra buttons , sure there is a minor adjustment period , but in the long run it will benifit you 10 fold.

I recently purchased a Microsoft Optical Wireless KB &Mouse set for $49 and i can't see myself going back , after having programable buttons on my keyboard and a tilt wheel mouse. The whole tilt whell thing is just cool.

Scrool wheel is so 5yrs ago, Apple(and all u zealots)just needs to give up the ghost and accept the fact the people what an ordinary 2 button freakin' mouse.
not the retard one button mouse. while your at it apple how mout a tilt wheel to go with that.

 

[JFreak]

Look at all the galleries of Mac desktops and you'll find 98% of mac users have bought another mouse to replace their 1 button mice.

look at the users at such galleries and you can find out that 98% of those mac users are the ones that use their mac for longer periods than they sleep

 

[kenneth]

Problem with Windows is if you need to cut or paste, you hit Ctrl+X or Ctrl+V.

I would not do something like that on a keyboard when I have the option of using the mouse instead.

 

[F/reW/re]

I think I'll stick with my 8 button Logitech mouse! Expose using mousebuttons is like heaven!

 

[JFreak]

Anybody on this thread who says that they love their one-button mouse has NEVER, and I mean NEVER used a 2-button scrollwheel mouse. Because anybody using a 2-button scrolling mouse would NEVER go back.

you are just wrong with your statement. let me tell you why...

i love my one-button mouse and i have to use a 2-button scrollwheel mouse at work. that is, about 200 days a year, which in my opinion is slightly more than "never". i hate my scrollwheel mouse at work but at home i actually don't even recognize i'm using a (one-button) mouse at all - it's so natural addition to hand that i just move it and click it, and it doesn't matter how i hold it as the mouse itself is just one big button. that doesn't hurt my hand at all, but the 2-button scrollwheel beast at work forces me to handle it in a certain way, often making my wrist aching like hell, and i have to occasionally take sick leave because i just cannot use the mouse any longer. talk about productivity?