Apple Patent Application For Button-less Mouse Design

[3D-Troll]

I think this could be a cool thing. I'm looking for a three button mouse, but these days you always have the wheel as the middle button. I had to turn off the wheel functionality in Maya so that I wouldn't zoom all the time when I need the middle click. So if the mouse could easily distinguish between a middle mouse click and a scroll I would be sold.

Oh, right now I use the Mac keyboard and mouse set from Logitech that comes in the Apple colors - white with silver accents.

Steffen

 

[Digital Skunk]

No. To read a secondary mouse click, you must not have a finger near the primary button. If there is anything near the primary button when you click, the mouse assumes that you clicked the primary button. MM uses a capacitive sensing system, which senses proximity, not contact or pressure. In short, to use the secondary button, the user must raise their primary button finger in order to register as a secondary button press. That is a behavior requirement that is not forced by any other model of mouse I've ever used or seen.

Button micro switches are incredibly durable. They last a few million clicks, and if it dies, you can replace the mouse, by the time it breaks, it's probably served a long enough life as it is. I'm still using a Logitech DEC rebranded mouse from a computer I bought in 1998 and it's still working fine, despite daily use for many hours a day. I have never lost a button or had a button jam, I'm not sure why you think loss of buttons is a concern.

They break when you dropped them..

The reason that you gave still means build a better sensor system in the mouse. Having actual buttons is over rated.

Not to mention that scroll wheels on all mice SUCK. They are always getting jammed and gunked up. The MM is the worst by far, but every single one I use just sucks.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Or in other words, who needs innovation and progress?



Who says they are trying to re-invent the wheel? Sure, perhaps they refer to this as a mouse, but depending how Apple does it, this could be a completely different type of input method utilizing multi-touch technology and providing 3D capabilities. It's not a matter of re-inventing the wheel, it's a matter of inventing a new, possibly superior method of input.

And regardless, that's progress - plain and simple. I suppose a few years ago you were lobbying that cell phone makers shouldn't change anything either? "It's just a phone, just let me make calls, that's all it needs to be - don't reinvent the wheel". If they had listened we wouldn't have streaming video, built-in cameras, MP3 capability or SMS - are these all bad innovations? Furthermore, we wouldn't have an iPhone either.



Is that what people said when the first mouse was released? I remember when that was, and there were all sorts of built-in tutorial programs on how to move the mouse, how to click, how to double-click, etc. So sure, if this is simply another mouse, fine, but if this is a completely new method of input as it has the potential to be, then a learning curve is simply to be expected - and welcomed.

Come on people, think outside the box.

I am gladd you understand... Why not use the first mouse Apple invented. Then we would have a big clunky box with a serial cable sticking out of the side.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Ah... the mantra of Dell.

My grandma's B&W TV from the 60's still works - it ain't broke. But boy am I sure glad that RCA et al didn't listen to comments like yours.

Be careful man... people will think you are some type of person that likes innovation and breakthrough ideas and technology.

 

[MacFly123]

Apple mice suck!

I am sorry, as huge of an Apple fan as I am, I have to admit IMHO Apple has never mad a GOOD mouse. I think the MightyMouse looks really nice, but ergonomicaly it is horrible. All their mice are too small and hurt your hands to use. And the scroll ball is cool in concept, but once again its too small, it doesnt feel good.

 

[Digital Skunk]

No. For one, the MM does have big "buttons", the left and right corners are basically huge sensing areas. To read a secondary mouse click, you must not have a finger near the primary button. If there is anything near the primary button when you click, the mouse assumes that you clicked the primary button. MM uses a capacitive sensing system, which senses proximity, not contact or pressure. In short, to use the secondary button, the user must raise their primary button finger in order to register as a secondary button press. That is a behavior requirement that is not forced by any other model of mouse I've ever used or seen.



Button micro switches are incredibly durable. They last a few million clicks, and if it dies, you can replace the mouse, by the time it breaks, it's probably served a long enough life as it is. I'm still using a Logitech DEC rebranded mouse from a computer I bought in 1998 and it's still working fine, despite daily use for many hours a day. I have never lost a button or had a button jam, I'm not sure why you think loss of buttons is a concern.

And not just buttons on a mouse, buttons on everything... The ACD don't have any buttons on them at all. Neither does the iPod Nano or fullsize or the iPhone. Not that buttons don't work or are inferior, just that it may be time to try something new. Nothing was wrong with film but we all have DSLRs and nothing was wrong with the abacus and look where we are now.

 

[JaegerMac]

The Imouse!!!! of coarse...

i like sweet !

 

[Digital Skunk]

I am sorry, as huge of an Apple fan as I am, I have to admit IMHO Apple has never mad a GOOD mouse. I think the MightyMouse looks really nice, but ergonomicaly it is horrible. All their mice are too small and hurt your hands to use. And the scroll ball is cool in concept, but once again its too small, it doesnt feel good.

They do suck, the MM scroll wheel is the worst. But all other mice suck too. And I hate touching cheap plastic so every PC mouse out there is horrible to use.

Which is why there needs to be a change in them.

 

[johnee]

Nope... That means: (1) I have to have the mouse pad plugged in all the time, might as well get a Wacom tablet. And (2) I won't be able to carry the mouse with me and use it with my MacBook or any laptop or on any other machine unless I have the mouse pad with me.

Great idea... it's been done with the Wacom and other tablets in a much simpler way.

does the mouse batts get charged in the Wacom system?

 

[~Shard~]

It's a good idea that they're releasing another build, but nothing said on the "secret features" yet, and a tonload of bugs!
Starts me to think that the "secret features" are just overhyped standard features which have gotten a facelift.
But I do think that a new GUI or Finder are possible, though.

I think you're in the wrong thread buddy.

I am glad you understand... Why not use the first mouse Apple invented. Then we would have a big clunky box with a serial cable sticking out of the side.

Precisely. It never ceases to amaze me how change adverse some people can be. They seem to be comfortable and complacent with no desire to, once again, think outside the box - rather, to quickly dismiss anything which might alter what they are used to. Thank god there are some innovative people out there willing to take risks and push the envelope.

And yes, I realize we're talking about "just a mouse" here, but I am not speaking in the context of this being a simple "mouse upgrade" a la the Mighty Mouse - I see it having the potential to be much more than that, as I have alluded to in my previous posts. What bothers me is when people automatically dismiss something without giving it the attention it deserves and neglect to consider the big picture.

 

[gkarris]

Windows Mouse

Funny how Windows users complained that Mac only has one mouse button.

Apple's answer is to have a mouse with no buttons at all!!!

 

[wordmunger]

No. For one, the MM does have big "buttons", the left and right corners are basically huge sensing areas. To read a secondary mouse click, you must not have a finger near the primary button. If there is anything near the primary button when you click, the mouse assumes that you clicked the primary button. MM uses a capacitive sensing system, which senses proximity, not contact or pressure. In short, to use the secondary button, the user must raise their primary button finger in order to register as a secondary button press. That is a behavior requirement that is not forced by any other model of mouse I've ever used or seen.

Wow! Thank you for that! That's the first strategy I've ever seen for reliably right-clicking with a mighty mouse. It's stupid design, but now I know what I need to do to successfully right-click, my life will be much easier.

 

[Digital Skunk]

I think you're in the wrong thread buddy.



Precisely. It never ceases to amaze me how change adverse some people can be. They seem to be comfortable and complacent with no desire to, once again, think outside the box - rather, to quickly dismiss anything which might alter what they are used to. Thank god there are some innovative people out there willing to take risks and push the envelope.

And yes, I realize we're talking about "just a mouse" here, but I am not speaking in the context of this being a simple "mouse upgrade" a la the Mighty Mouse - I see it having the potential to be much more than that, as I have alluded to in my previous posts. What bothers me is when people automatically dismiss something without giving it the attention it deserves and neglect to consider the big picture.

Hmmm. I hear the voices of those that wanted to stick to their CD players becasue there were cheaper and worked without a computer. The iPod is never going to succeed, it is useless, give me my big round CD player and clicky buttons, who cares about a digital music player with an annoying scroll wheel. Make me a better CD player.

 

[Counter]

Typo:

The one or more buttons are typically provided by on or more button caps that move relative to the mouse housing.

Apple is falling apart now I'm on holiday. I'll be having words when I get back.

 

[Digital Skunk]

Wow! Thank you for that! That's the first strategy I've ever seen for reliably right-clicking with a mighty mouse. It's stupid design, but now I know what I need to do to successfully right-click, my life will be much easier.

The design is good, its the tech that sucks.

 

[~Shard~]

Hmmm. I hear the voices of those that wanted to stick to their CD players becasue there were cheaper and worked without a computer. The iPod is never going to succeed, it is useless, give me my big round CD player and clicky buttons, who cares about a digital music player with an annoying scroll wheel. Make me a better CD player.

Well said. Glad to see I'm not alone in my line of thinking.

 

[QuarterSwede]

does the mouse batts get charged in the Wacom system?

Wacom mice don't use batteries. The tablet is plugged in via USB and tracks the mouse. The limitation is that the mouse has to be on the tablet to work.


Personally, I don't like the MM. If Apple made pressure sensitive sensors that worked instead of proximity ones and got rid of the scroll ball and opted for a two-fingered trackpad scroll approach, I'd be sold. In fact, I don't see why Apple doesn't just give the entire mouse a trackpad surface so you can just two finger scroll where ever. I used to hate trackpads until two-fingered scrolling trackpad came out. Now I think all mice suck because they scroll like crap.

 

[iBookG4user]

This could be interesting, although if it keeps the shape of the current mighty mouse I'll probably just keep my Logitech VX Revolution because it is so much nicer to use than the mighty mouse.

 

[zero2dash]

Ah... the mantra of Dell.

My grandma's B&W TV from the 60's still works - it ain't broke. But boy am I sure glad that RCA et al didn't listen to comments like yours.

Yes, I sure was talking about physically working versus being counter productive. How about a better comparison like if RCA made a tv that would only be viewed upside down. Or a cd player that only played discs backwards.

Or in other words, who needs innovation and progress?

Yeah, because a pointing and clicking device is just crying for change. Why not reinvent toilet paper too!

 

[Digital Skunk]

This could be interesting, although if it keeps the shape of the current mighty mouse I'll probably just keep my Logitech VX Revolution because it is so much nicer to use than the mighty mouse.

For that price I would keep it even if Apple released a mouse that senses your thoughts and charged itself

 

[wordmunger]

The design is good, its the tech that sucks.

No, it's the design. The technology works fine: if your finger isn't touching the left side of the mouse, then when you click it behaves like a right-click. Works exactly the same every time.

The design is what doesn't work -- it doesn't take actual human behavior into account. It'd be like designing a car with an oval steering wheel.

You might be confusing design with aesthetic appeal. The Mighty Mouse looks better than a lot of other mice. It's just not well-designed.

 

[johnee]

Nope... That means: (1) I have to have the mouse pad plugged in all the time, might as well get a Wacom tablet. And (2) I won't be able to carry the mouse with me and use it with my MacBook or any laptop or on any other machine unless I have the mouse pad with me.

Great idea... it's been done with the Wacom and other tablets in a much simpler way.

ah, I see what you're saying, but if the mouse had batteries, the mousepad would simply charge them. If you left your desktop system, you could still take the mouse with you as the batts would power it.

 

[BenRoethig]

my opinion: they want to make their designs more intuitive, and they think removing buttons is the way to go. I don't agree with that, but let's see if they come up with an intuitive buttonless mouse.

Also, it gives them headlines... "Apple does something again!"

But part of innovation is coming up with products that work as well as the products they replace. I wonder sometimes if Apple actually understands that part. As revolutionary as the original mighty mouse is, it just doesn't work as well as a true multi-button scroll mouse. I can't say the mighty mouse is working to work everytime like my Kensington. With the scroll pad version version, I'm afraid that the Apple engineers are going to again forget the fact that are not working on a r&d project and that people actually have the thing every day.

 

[notjustjay]

Forget the mouse. How about something you wear on your fingertip that's so unobtrusive you forget it's there.

Nintendo PowerGlove, anyone?

 

[BenRoethig]

I think you're in the wrong thread buddy.



Precisely. It never ceases to amaze me how change adverse some people can be. They seem to be comfortable and complacent with no desire to, once again, think outside the box - rather, to quickly dismiss anything which might alter what they are used to. Thank god there are some innovative people out there willing to take risks and push the envelope.

And yes, I realize we're talking about "just a mouse" here, but I am not speaking in the context of this being a simple "mouse upgrade" a la the Mighty Mouse - I see it having the potential to be much more than that, as I have alluded to in my previous posts. What bothers me is when people automatically dismiss something without giving it the attention it deserves and neglect to consider the big picture.

I'm not advertise to change, the mighty mouse is a great idea in theory. What I am adverse to is if that theory doesn't work all that great in real life like the mighty mouse. The question is whether this is going to be a practical, reliable replacement to the scroll wheel or if this is just one of those things that looks cool enough that 80% reliability is good enough for Apple.