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Apple Unable to bundle Bluetooth Accessories

Bluetooth in classrooms

At the Paris Keynote it was said Bluetooth would be great for use in classrooms. Wouldn't it be tempting to swap the keyboards of nearby computers ? That would be really confusing to unsuspecting users 🙂 And the sysop had to mark every keyboard, mouse and computer to get it all sorted out again...

Doesn't sound that great to me. More like a nightmare.
 
Re: here's an idea!!!

Originally posted by davidc2182
and its a great one!!! Make the darn things rechargeable with a usb cable, and then like magic you wont have to worry about this problem
...
Click to expand...

I'm glad someone brought this up... How hard would it have been to make the keyboard and mouse allow wired connections? It would have made the devices much more functional and cheaper-- add $10 for the USB, and save the cost of the second kb and mouse...

And save the cost of primary cell batteries... Lithium primaries for the mouse? Oy!
 
Re: Bluetooth in classrooms

Originally posted by Hugin777
At the Paris Keynote it was said Bluetooth would be great for use in classrooms. Wouldn't it be tempting to swap the keyboards of nearby computers ? That would be really confusing to unsuspecting users 🙂 And the sysop had to mark every keyboard, mouse and computer to get it all sorted out again...

Doesn't sound that great to me. More like a nightmare.
Click to expand...

Oh, but think of the revolution in passing notes in class! Just pair your keyboard to your girlfriends computer!

And computerized SATs?! Woohoo!

😱
 
Been thinking about this some more, and I think the USB/BT KB/Mouse would solve so many problems...

One keyboard, one mouse for starts.
Recharge the batteries when needed.
Have a wired keyboard always available if the system goes screwy.
Have the USB hub back in the keyboard.

And the pairing issue can be automated-- the Mac has a wire link to the device and the BT. You could have 30 active devices next to you and the Mac could be sure to pair with the one it's wired to. Idiot proof. If something happens to whack the pairing, you can just plug it back in.

I'd then vote for having a way of keeping the USB cable stored in the keyboard. I know I'd never be able to find it otherwise... You could get away with one cable for both devices in a pinch, or have a second short lead to go to the mouse.

No firewire to the input devices, please... I don't want to have to chain my keyboard through my hard drive just so it can send an 8 bit code at 800Mbps when I touch a key...

[edit: still gotta admit though it would be fun for my mouse to be bus master!]

I can't believe no one at Apple thought about this-- there must be a catch.
 
Re: Re: here's an idea!!!

Originally posted by Poff
that would actually be a very clever thing to do..
Click to expand...

Isnt it impossible, because the current on the USB port is too low to charge batteries?
 
Well this made me smile. What an oversight, seems like these were rushed out with little thought.

I'm also pretty convinced that these wireless things are rubbish. Can't be used properly at start-up, can't be used if your OS goes tits-up, will cause havoc in classrooms and/or get nicked from them and need a constant supply of batteries and/or plugging in to charge.

My friend's PC has a wireless KB/mouse that I quite like, so I can see the aesthetic appeal, but surely there's got to be a better way?

biscuit
 
Originally posted by biscuit
I'm also pretty convinced that these wireless things are rubbish.
Click to expand...

If you can live with a one button mouse without scroll wheel the Bluetooth mouse is rather cool, IMHO. As they said: just toss it into your bag, no cables, no setup to use it again.
 
Originally posted by Hugin777
If you can live with a one button mouse without scroll wheel the Bluetooth mouse is rather cool, IMHO. As they said: just toss it into your bag, no cables, no setup to use it again.
Click to expand...
Well...I suppose that would be quite good for a laptop owner (like myself), but if I'm gonna shell out for an external mouse at all, then I want a two-button scroller. I suppose it just comes down to personal taste.

Besides, my iBook doesn't have built-in BT so it's not very economical to pay for an adaptor and a mouse separately.

biscuit
 
I wonder if MS's BlueTooth mouse and keyboard are compatible with Panther?

Wireless Intellimouse Explorer

I mean we are just talking a mouse right? Wouldn't it just pick up the device as a mouse or can you force the system to detect the device as a mouse? 😕 My knowledge of BlueTooth can fit in a thimble :-\
 
Re: Re: Why not have FireWire plug on keyboard?

Originally posted by Bear
Actually this should be a USB connector. it doesn't need the speed of firewire. Also, I bet there isn't a firewire keyboard driver. And why waste firewire ports for a slow device anyway?
Click to expand...

I agree that USB is best for keyboards, however, I was looking at solving a problem of charging the batteries. Firewire provides enough power, I don't think USB does? Good point about drivers.
 
Originally posted by SiliconAddict
I wonder if MS's BlueTooth mouse and keyboard are compatible with Panther?

Wireless Intellimouse Explorer

I mean we are just talking a mouse right? Wouldn't it just pick up the device as a mouse or can you force the system to detect the device as a mouse? 😕 My knowledge of BlueTooth can fit in a thimble :-\
Click to expand...

The Microsoft Wireless Bluetooth Keyboard/Mouse combo is barely compatible with Windows in its current state. Its response time being very poor, its range being somewhat less than a Belkin adapter, and its bluetooth antenna not being able to talk to arbitrary bluetooth devices.

I've plugged one into a Mac just for grins and to see it do nothing useful 🙂 That said, yes they should be compatible with Panther as the Bluetooth services interface in Panther is much more robust - but perhaps I've said too much 😉
 
"The second button isn't needed on a Mac, but IS needed on a PC. Enjoy your Logitech."

How so? The second button and scroll wheel serve the EXACT same function on both platforms. There is nothing about the Mac that makes it any more or less necessary. It's a convienience, sure; but a MAJOR one that drastically increases the computer's ease of use. Of course you CAN use the scroll bar and you CAN use the context menu key (or the ctrl key on the Mac)... but it's much harder to use. For the Mac's ease of use (don't get me wrong, I LOVE the Mac, it's superior to Windows any day) the mouse Apple includes with their systems is such a critical flaw in that ease of use.
 
USB provides enough power to run my flatbed scanner (Canon N1220U) without a wall plug; I don't see why it wouldn't be enough to charge something equivalent to a few AA batteries.
 
USB supplies 5volts at 500mA. Enough to charge batteries for sure, but POWER A SCANNER?!?!?! That scanner (which I've heard of before) surely uses some incredible power saving technology...
 
Originally posted by plinkoman
i'm willing to bet they will fix this in pather by having them automatically recognized and set up
Click to expand...

Yeah. How hard is it to write a boot script that on the first boot it searches for the keyboard and mouse to recognize it? Or have a pop-up window that says: The system has not detected a keyboard. If you have the BT keyboard, please [take the following steps to prepare it for pairing]" And then have the script run automatically unless the user hits the "any" key.

Or do it at the factory.
 
Plug in USB?

Why don't they just have a USB lead that plugs into the KB & Mouse to setup them. then they could be unpluged and used wirelessly.

The Leads could also be used to charge the batteries.

Come on Apple build a multi button mouse, if I had not just got the MX700 I would be getting the MX900 (Bluetooth) when it works on OS X.
 
Re: Apple Unable to bundle Bluetooth Accessories

Originally posted by Macrumors
MacSlash posts a report which explains why Apple Wireless Mouse and Keyboard are not presently a build-to-order option at the Apple Online Store.

Based on comments from an Apple representative, Bluetooth Devices need to be configured before their use. If they were to ship new Macs with only Wireless accessories, new users would have no functional keyboard and mouse in order to setup their systems.

Reportedly they are working on work-arounds.
Click to expand...

To which I reply. Baloney! They are listed in the Input Devices on the store. You may not be able to build to order them per se, but you needn't finish your web order before you go back to the Input Devices section of the store and add them. Seems like Macslash has it wrong.
 
Can't they just have an optional USB port and cable?
i.e. have the plug in the keyboard, once it's all set up...

Am I missing something?

By the way: Apple should try to patent (perhaps its too late) a way to charge up the keyboard/mouse by simple physics - everytime a person hits a key, that's energy being expelled. The keyboard, as probably not requiring as much juice as the mouse, could perhaps charge itself while in use without ever dying... most likely requiring a unique battery for the system, however... and standard batteries are the best way to go in the consumer world, so I can't argue with that
 
what apple should do is bundle it. then, they can either configure at the factory or whatever, and/or make it so you can configure right when you turn your new panther computer on🙂
 
Re: Re: Apple Unable to bundle Bluetooth Accessories

Originally posted by gopher
To which I reply. Baloney! They are listed in the Input Devices on the store. You may not be able to build to order them per se, but you needn't finish your web order before you go back to the Input Devices section of the store and add them. Seems like Macslash has it wrong.
Click to expand...

yeah but the point is you can't 'upgrade' to them as a part of your mac order and as a result you end up with two keyboards and two mice.

i_b_joshua
 
That may not be a bad idea to have two keyboards and two mice. That way if one fails you always have a backup.
 
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