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Apple Patents: Optical Touch Pad Mouse?

gotohamish said:
I had one and the scrolling is BAD. Jumpy and sticky. Nowhere near a logitech mouse unfortunately. Apple will deliver though, as ever.
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Sorry to hear that - my scrolling is fine. Do you have the latest MouseWorks installed?
 
portent said:
I hope they make a second button version, but as a optional, configure-to-order feature. It's still easier for a newbie to learn the single button...especially a child with limited motor skills, or a user with a hand deformity/injury. And keeping the single-button standard encourages developers not to hide functionality exclusively in a right-click menu. Input devices are very personal tools; don't try to make one size fit all.
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I agree that many users do fine with a single-button mouse, but I think that most non-disabled, non-child, non-novice users tend to prefer two-button mice with scrolling capabilities (there are those who prefer one button, and those who prefer n+1, where n is the maximum number available).

However, as far as two button mice are concerned, one thing I'd like to see - and maybe Apple could do this - is the ability to disable the second button and scroll wheel/pad, or (better) treat them all as the first button. That way, it degenerates to a single button mouse, so one mouse "size" could fit most user's needs.
 
what about a mouse with a button on the left side and a scroll on the right. but the thing with the scroll on the right can be selected within the prefs to be used as a button, ala my ibook's track pad. (copyright wonder boy 2004)
 

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Look at the picture...

If the scroll is like the one on the mini iPod, you got your 2 button and even 4 if they use it all
 

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Here's a novel idea...

greenstork said:
Man, it seems like everyone is so interested in the technology and is not seeing the big picture here. Apple, more stubborn about their one button mouse than any other computer maker on the planet, is finally, after years and years of complaints, developing a new mouse!!!

This is the best rumor day in months. New PM's, iPods, Displays, and now mice.

😱
😀
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You're right nobody is seeing the big pictrure here, but it isn't a great wheel imitator on the mouse. The picture seems to have no similarity to the "rotary scroll wheel pad" idea, in fact.

But if Apple where to make the entire top portion (button) of the mouse a touch pad think what you could do....

* Configure it to be one big button
* Have it behave as TWO buttons (left and right sides invoke separate).
* Have two buttons with a scroll pad area in between (up/down in doc).
* Have the pad act as a mini track pad. Quick movements accross the increasingly large screens people have with the touch pad, then finer control with the mouse itself, tap pad to click.

All this can be done with the same mouse and user configurable with in the Mouse Prefs. One button simple mode for newbies like Steve seems to like, more advanced users can change to more complicated configurations suited to the uses of their Macs. 😀
 
Frisco said:
Yeah a 2 button mouse is revolutionary for Apple!
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while everyone is looking for a TWO button mouse...i need a MINIMUM of three. my logitech has four, all programmed)...but it's ugly as hell. cmon apple this single button thing is pathetic (and so is the speed of their IR sensors).
 
marke said:
Right clicks are for PC losers who need to keep one hand free while using their computers. Multi button mice are ergonomic nightmares that don't come close to touching what you can do with the keyboard. Start using your Mac like a Mac and you will realize this too.
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Posts like this are for losers. Right clicking is far more efficient for many tasks than reaching for the keyboard, mousing up to a menu or over to scroll bar. Best of all, you have a choice of how you'd like to do it.

95% of the population uses Windows and 2 button mice. For Apple to still hold that a one button mouse is best is ridiculous. Just another in the long list of things that causes people not to consider Macs.
 
a multi button "pro mouse" would shut off a lot of people complaining about "macs have only one mouse button"

i'm using a microsoft intellimouse explorer (version.1: the old with big buttons) best mouse i ever used. microsoft makes a not so good OS but their mice are excelent
for my next computer (which will be a mac isntead of a PC) i will plug in this mouse and the first thing i will do is assign the wheelclick and the second thumb button to expose (nr.1 thumb button is browser back i can't live without that)
 
It's not going to happen

This patent was filed in Sept 2002. They also filed another patent about a wheel that worked like a jog dial on a mouse. Nothing came of that, so I don't see why anything would come of this! Sept 2002 is ages ago.
 
The hands in the patent pictures ...

look like they are from a sloth? Is this mouse going to relate to animal research and the mammals.org domain??
 
Mac Mice The Mouse

takao said:
a multi button "pro mouse" would shut off a lot of people complaining about "macs have only one mouse button"

i'm using a microsoft intellimouse explorer (version.1: the old with big buttons) best mouse i ever used. microsoft makes a not so good OS but their mice are excelent
for my next computer (which will be a mac isntead of a PC) i will plug in this mouse and the first thing i will do is assign the wheelclick and the second thumb button to expose (nr.1 thumb button is browser back i can't live without that)
Click to expand...

Have you seen this:

http://www.macmice.com
 
And the winner of the worse signature on this thread award is:

Sabenth for

"We are all looking for the Key Maker !!! not just neo and crew"
 
rdowns said:
Posts like this are for losers. Right clicking is far more efficient for many tasks than reaching for the keyboard, mousing up to a menu or over to scroll bar. Best of all, you have a choice of how you'd like to do it.

95% of the population uses Windows and 2 button mice. For Apple to still hold that a one button mouse is best is ridiculous. Just another in the long list of things that causes people not to consider Macs.
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I agree with this... However, I really don't think apple will ever come out with a two button mouse... ever.. every time one of these threads come out you hear the same arguments over and over...I got my hopes up with the last wireless mouse rumors about it maybe being multi-button... and was very dissappointed...

To me I use multi-button mice from 3rd party providers and love them... Some use Apple mice and love them... Just how it is... The only thing I wish Apple would do is not force ME (a multi-button user) to buy their mice which I never use... I wish they would offer a BTO option when you buy their systems to get a 3rd party multi-button mouse INSTEAD of theirs..
 
Tulse said:
I suppose it depends on how you work on your computer...
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Absolutely. I use both hands. All of the functions you have on your mouse are built right into the keyboard, which is always right under every single fingertip of my left hand.
 
rdowns said:
...Right clicking is far more efficient for many tasks than reaching for the keyboard, mousing up to a menu or over to scroll bar. Best of all, you have a choice of how you'd like to do it...
Click to expand...

Use both hands and there is no reaching. Suddenly your keyboard and it's trillions of shortcuts are available as if they were a 100+ button mouse. And they are set up exactly the same no matter whose Mac you happen to be using.
 
whawho said:
...The only thing I wish Apple would do is not force ME (a multi-button user) to buy their mice which I never use...
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This is the correct answer! I also do not wish to be forced to buy a multi-button mouse, or even a mouse with any buttons at all.

It's not the number of buttons that is the issue, it's the way it is clicked. I do not click with my index finger, I click with all of them. I cramp up when I have to use a traditional mouse. Programming all the buttons to do the same thing doesn't work, because the buttons still click the same way. Large clickable area = 0 cramps. Cramps = bad.
 
marke said:
Use both hands and there is no reaching. Suddenly your keyboard and it's trillions of shortcuts are available as if they were a 100+ button mouse. And they are set up exactly the same no matter whose Mac you happen to be using.
Click to expand...

give the mouse another button and you can make twice as many shortcuts 😉 SNCR
i use shortcuts too.. but i see no use in wasting my other fingers + thumb on my other hand just for clicking only one button
 
marke said:
Right clicks are for PC losers who need to keep one hand free while using their computers. Multi button mice are ergonomic nightmares that don't come close to touching what you can do with the keyboard. Start using your Mac like a Mac and you will realize this too.
Click to expand...

Just curious,

Do you tie your shoes with the bunny ears or do you go round the loop?

I would hate to be doing it the wrong way.

🙁
 
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