Apple Introduces Mighty Mouse

[Fabio_gsilva]

Laser x Optical

There is a difference. I don't know the technicalities... but they are different. I'll shush and let someone else elaborate.

Well, if you still interested...

Hope it helps you.

From http://www.dvhardware.net/review70_logitech-mx1000.html

How Optical mice work
Logitech’s revolutionary laser-powered mice unite the precision of laser illumination with the proven technology of sensor-based motion tracking in a way never done before. To detect movement, all sensor-based mice, regardless of light source, use sensors to “read” the light beam as it is reflected back into the mouse from the tracking surface

(Picture 1)

Each second, Agilent’s optical sensor inside Logitech’s mouse takes more than 6000 snapshot ’fingerprints,’ converts the information to digital format and uses the changes in ‘fingerprints’ to calculate the mouse’s precise location, speed and direction of movement. Armed with that knowledge, Logitech’s driver software then communicates with the computer’s operating system, which moves the cursor image on the screen.

Surface Smoothness (or roughness):
The measure of a surface is defined as the peak-valley surface roughness of that surface. To eliminate measurement ‘noise’ or outliers, an average of 20 of the highest peak-valley points on the surface in question was used as the final measure of surface roughness. Monotonic surfaces were used for consistency in results.

(Picture 2)

With enhanced image contrast enabling a 20x improvement, the laser mouse can track on surfaces where the LED mouse cannot.

A laser-based mouse can see more detail
Laser illumination reveals structure that an LED simply cannot express. The coherent nature of laser light creates patterns of high contrast when its light is reflected from a surface. The pattern appearing on the sensor reveals details on any surface, even glossy surfaces that would look totally uniform when exposed to the LED incoherent illumination. The precision image sensors then have no difficulties in tracking on these patterns and calculating position and movement. This is how laser enables tracking on virtually any surface.



Fábio.

 

[jettredmont]

Cons
[...]
You can't program the side buttons to do a "forward page" or "back page."

You mean people actually use the side buttons on other mice for forward/back buttons in the browser, the same thing that's already assigned to keyboard combos and often a discrete keyboard button on Windows keyboards, not to mention is right there at the top of the window in big, 50x50 size toolbar icons?

I always thought that advertising buttons 4 and 5 as "Browser buttons" was a way for mouse manufacturers to hook into that kool new internets thing the kids keep talking about. It never occurred to me that I should skip the step of assigning them to something useful first thing out of the box instead of keeping them as yet another way to do something I do a couple times per day ...

It's a pretty flat mouse and doesn't support the hand like the logitech; my hand is already tired
[...]
The side buttons are a little hard to access without "shifting" your hand; sometimes you "miss-click" and hit one of the top buttons instead.

Hmm. Sounds like yet another reason to try it before you buy it.

 

[devilot]

So did you get yours in the store? was it the SF one, cause i remember the sale told me that i bought the last two.

The point of my parenthetical statement was that I haven't tried out the Mighty Mouse and I am speaking my opinion about the size of the standard Apple wired mouse. Sorry that I was unclear.

Fabio, thanks for that info, but I was actually answering someone's post, s/he thought that there was no difference between the two, and I knew there was, but knew no details. So thanks for that info, anyhow! Always nice to learn something new.

 

[Demon Hunter]

I hope they fire the guy who named it. Not even "Apple cute" -- just ridiculous. I guess it goes with their cat motif.

No Bluetooth... questionable look... but I'll probably still pick one up.

Looks like they're phasing out the clear plastic for good.

 

[sphereboy]

i must agree with a previous post.

if you give the scroll ball some future usage thought,
it is very prone to get full of grime and not be as
effective in the near future.

what do you guys think?

and yes i wash my hands, but grime is inevitable.
No matter how many times you wash your hands.

Mighty Mouse on FedEx Truck

 

[Fabio_gsilva]

A pretty good review is out

http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/mightymouse.ars/1

Thank you.

THis review is excellent. I recomend reading this before posting... It'll answer a lot of all of us...

 

[mpw]

Okay, Andre the Giant, sure.

The mouse on the right is a mini version for transporting with a notebook. It's also what I bought for my 3year old daughter as it fits her hand near perfectly, and it should be noted that at 3years she had no problem figuring out that the scroll wheel wobbled the screen and that if you click it the sun comes up (Dashboard weather widget) she also knows that it has two buttons but she only needs to use the left on e until she's a big girl.

I've got big hands (and yes girls it's true ) and while I had initial enthusiasm for this I'm now thinking it'll be as uncomfortable to use as any other Apple mouse (and other makes also).

I use MS BT mouse which is about the biggest I've seen and is the most comfortable in use I've found.

 

[CaptainScarlet]

The mouse on the right is a mini version for transporting with a notebook. It's also what I bought for my 3year old daughter as it fits her hand near perfectly, and it should be noted that at 3years she had no problem figuring out that the scroll wheel wobbled the screen and that if you click it the sun comes up (Dashboard weather widget) she also knows that it has two buttons but she only needs to use the left on e until she's a big girl.

I've got big hands (and yes girls it's true ) and while I had initial enthusiasm for this I'm now thinking it'll be as uncomfortable to use as any other Apple mouse (and other makes also).

I use MS BT mouse which is about the biggest I've seen and is the most comfortable in use I've found.

Yes you can't judge the size of the mighty mouse to a pocket mouse...

Here is a better pic to do that.

That is a Kensington Pilotmouse optical pro next to it, that mouse is bigger!!!

The other picture is misleading...



Cheers!!!

 

[mac-er]

Yes you can't judge the size of the mighty mouse to a pocket mouse...

That is a Kensington Pilotmouse optical pro next to it, that mouse is bigger!!!

The other picture is misleading...



Cheers!!!

That Kensington mouse is way too big...unless you have a catcher's mitt for a hand.

 

[FrankieTDouglas]

You mean people actually use the side buttons on other mice for forward/back buttons in the browser, the same thing that's already assigned to keyboard combos and often a discrete keyboard button on Windows keyboards, not to mention is right there at the top of the window in big, 50x50 size toolbar icons?

I always thought that advertising buttons 4 and 5 as "Browser buttons" was a way for mouse manufacturers to hook into that kool new internets thing the kids keep talking about. It never occurred to me that I should skip the step of assigning them to something useful first thing out of the box instead of keeping them as yet another way to do something I do a couple times per day ...

No need for the condescending tone.

If someone wants to go forward and back with their mouse, no harm in it. Since when was it determined that using your mouse for more things than strictly left clicking was a bad thing?

 

[Jesus]

Maybe they got sick of seeing their apple computers under a desk, with a Microsoft mouse on top of the desk.

This is just more proof their going towards being a gadget company. Making the coolest mouse around that PC users will want. Now they'll have an apple logo on the desk of pc users.

I'll stick with my Kensington Optical Elite. Scrolls left/right, has 5 buttons, has a rubbery texture, and looks more like an apple mouse than the apple mouse. $19.95 Fits like the Microsoft mouse. A whole hand kind of feel.

Oh, yeah. And it clicks! If the new mouse doesn't click, yuk. They even switched the ipod back to a click after the G3 ipods were touch sensitive. Having to lift up your finger was more work. At least with a click I only push down, and the mouse lifts my finger back up.

Listen, and listen good, the 'Mighty Mouse' is tactile, it clicks like a normal mouse, push down on the left, left click, on the right, right click, kapeesh, all it is is that the left and right click buttons are mounted on the underside of the mouse. Let me repeat, there is no touch pad on it like a laptop trackpad, or an iPod scroll wheel, it is a normal mouse + applely features like the scroll ball.

Just FYI


Jesus

 

[sphereboy]

Let me repeat, there is no touch pad on it like a laptop trackpad, or an iPod scroll wheel, it is a normal mouse + applely features like the scroll ball.

i'm gonna hold you up to that one Jesus.
we're gonna have to wait until someone opens it up,
but i can put my money on sensors under the hood.

they wouldn't just make that up.

 

[forumBuddy]

For the people who like back/forward buttons on their mices, I would suggest looking at the Microsoft Intellimouse Optical (not wireless) - it has white/silver scheme to it, which matches perfectly with white keyboard/G5 combo. It's been out for 5 years, optical, ergonomic and light. It has 5 buttons, including two buttons on each side, just like Mighty Mouse does, except that Microsoft got their location right.

I was all excited about Mighty Mouse, until I learned that it doesn't have real side buttons - just one - and at akward location at that. I will reserve my final judgment before playing with it at Apple store, until then, I'll buy another Intellimouse.

 

[oskar]

Hmmm this is turning into a one-thousand-post marathon. Might as well keep up the post with our opinions. I've pretty much said what I think about it already:
It's a cool design, that came from the excuse of being different which is what makes Apple, Apple.
People who don't like the original Apple Pro Mouse based on the design and not the one-button deal probably won't like this one either.
This innovation makes you wonder what they'll do with other products in the future, where they're slightly different in technology, but enough to make the product innovative. Think video iPod.
I'd get the new mouse, except that I don't really need one too much right now.
Let's see who gets the 1000th post.

 

[CaptainScarlet]

That Kensington mouse is way too big...unless you have a catcher's mitt for a hand.

LMAO!!

Ok how about this one...Mighty Mouse VS. a dell mouse...

That dell mouse is even bigger...

 

[macidiot]

So...

to anyone that's got their hands on one of these... Can you remove the scroll ball? Like to clean it? If its anything like any other trackball I've seen/used, its going to get gunked up eventually.

And if you can remove it, I envision a 3rd party market for little 8-ball or smiley face replacement balls. Just like the old days of the trackball powerbooks...

 

[~Shard~]

And therefore we formulate the MacRumors Theorem: The number of posts on the forum are inversely related to the magnitude of the computer product released.

I can disprove your theorem right here.

 

[nagromme]

Hmmm. Have you even used the mouse?

What I meant was that you can't squeeze from different sides to get different functions, which is clear from the specs. Which makes sense because to squeeze something you MUST put force on both sides. Triggering just one of the pads would require careful hand placement, and changing your placement for one pad vs. the other. That would make no sense.

So it LOOKS like two buttons in a way, but it isn't. If people need five buttons, this isn't the mouse for them.

There's no need to try the mouse in person to understand where you hold the side pads: they're in the same place as on my Pro Mouse. Try it yourself--squeeze the mouse in two different ways: press just one pad, and then just the other, imagining that they triggered two different functions. You'll immediately see how awkward and confusing that would be--not a shortcut at all, and not something you could do in the middle of normal clicking and dragging.

But a general squeeze, not targeted towards one specific pad, IS something you can do pretty much any time, even mid-drag. Perfect for the default action--and the single most important thing I'd want a 3rd or 4th button for: Exposé Show All.

But I use the side forward and back buttons constantly. Very useful, to not have to move the pointer to hit the back or forward buttons when browsing, for example.

I can see that some people would use that, I'd just be surprised if it was common. I don't hit Back and Forward on my browser much at all--so why give those things a mouse button? Must be different surfing habits. I program those side buttons to other things--Option click and Exposé, typically.

(I don't think having more buttons is gimmicky--some people need/want 3 to 20 buttons, and I'm one of them! But promoting them for browser use seems like a gimmick to get people to buy a 7-button mouse who don't really need it. It seems like someone decided "people understand Forward and Back in a browswer--let's assign the buttons to be that by default--it will sound useful to everyone." When in fact opt-click, app switcher, close window, copy, paste, undo, etc. all sound more useful to me.)

the problem is that it's too low in the back...

People definitely want different things--it's interesting to read about the shapes different people prefer.

I would NOT want the back higher--I want my hand NOT to touch the mouse in back: it adds weight and friction and makes it harder to move. People complaining about the weight of BT batteries surely must hate having the entire weight of their hand on the mouse. Give me fingertip control any day.

 

[Jesus]

i'm gonna hold you up to that one Jesus.
we're gonna have to wait until someone opens it up,
but i can put my money on sensors under the hood.

they wouldn't just make that up.

ok, according to arstechnica, there is a degree of touch senitivity on it,so if your fingers are lying on the left hand side, and you right click, it will orevride and do a left click, but there is still a mechanical tacicle click, so you do not have to lift up your finger first to click, that is what I was disputing.


JESUS

 

[Jesus]

strait from arstechnica:

As it turns out, Apple blew the description of its "aural feedback" and "touch sensitivity" out of proportion and led most of us to believe that 1) there was some sort of speaker built into the mouse with synthetic mouse sounds coming out of it, and 2) the shell might be solid-state touch-sensitive like our beloved iPod wheels. That is overly exaggerated—I even stuck my ear up to the mouse while using it for several minutes to be sure (and received a few strange glances in the process)....When you press both buttons at the same time or simply depress the top half of the mouse, it left clicks. I consider this to be a very important point, as much of the recent debate about this mouse has revolved around whether it would be a good mouse solution to package with new Mac products in the future, therefore having to still "just work" for those who desire the one-button simplicity and not confusing those people when they start seeing unexpected contextual menus popping up. I think it would be very difficult to accidentally right-click this mouse, as most one-button users simply click on the left side with their index fingers or click in the center, which would still yield a left click....Some readers have brought up the question of whether you are able to right-click while still physically touching the left side of the mouse. The answer to that question is "sort of." As it turns out, the top part of the shell is touch sensitive to a point, which was not immediately obvious to me upon first blush. I tested right-clicking with varying degrees of skin contact on the left side of the mouse and you can't be touching it "too much" on the left side before the right click gives up and you're now left clicking. Of course, the mouse works most predictably when you hover your index finger (if you are right-handed) above the mouse as you right-click with your middle or ring fingers, which is apparently what I do naturally but some other users do not. The line at which the threshold is drawn is rather blurry and it's hard to really know exactly how much touching is too much. The only clear solution I have for this is to recommend going down to an Apple Store in person to try it out and determine whether your subtle mousing habits will make this work for you or not.


I hope this clears up some confustion,
text was taken from the website below

http://arstechnica.com/reviews/hardware/mightymouse.ars/1


Jesus

 

[nagromme]

For the people who like back/forward buttons on their mices, I would suggest looking at the Microsoft Intellimouse Optical ... It has 5 buttons, including two buttons on each side, just like Mighty Mouse does, except that Microsoft got their location right.

I like the MSIO's button placement, but it's simply a different kind of function.

You can't easily use the MSIO's buttons in the middle of another drag--you have to shift your fingers to them. While Apple's squeeze function is there to use at any moment--good for Exposé-dragging.

Some will prefer one method, some the other. I find I don't use my thumb buttons, but I think I WOULD use a squeeze where my hand already rests.

i'm gonna hold you up to that one Jesus.
we're gonna have to wait until someone opens it up,
but i can put my money on sensors under the hood.

they wouldn't just make that up.

He's right--the click is physical, using the same kind of hinge as other Apple mice (and the scrolling is by a physically moving ball). There's no motion-sensing pad like PowerBooks and iPods have.

You're right too--there are sensors. But they're not like PowerBooks and iPods, they do one simple function which is to tell WHICH button you meant when you clicked the physical hinge mechanism. They simply detect if a finger is there are not--they can't detect motion or gestures.

 

[jnicolso1]

I would buy one of these mice except, it has a cable. who was the clever fellow who thought that one up. they should have offered it as a bluetooth option.

 

[sphereboy]

I would buy one of these mice except, it has a cable. who was the clever fellow who thought that one up. they should have offered it as a bluetooth option.

You know. I'm glad you mentioned it.
a Bluetooth mouse? hmmm

What do you all think?
Should they have made a Bluetooth series?

 

[neut]

Can we just lock this thread now?


peace | neut

 

[nagromme]

What do you all think?
Should they have made a Bluetooth series?

That is a really cool idea. Think about it--you could use your mouse without a connecting cable! And lots of Macs have Bluetooth standard these days. It's a perfect fit, when you stop to think about it. Bluetooth Mac + Bluetooth mouse. And look at store.apple.com: they sell the one-button mouse in a Bluetooth version already! So maybe they could sell a Bluetooth Mighty Mouse as well.

Much food for thought.