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Apple Wireless Keyboard and Mouse - Confirmed

This topic has probably been talked into the ground but I have to ask what about this possibility?

Apple has 2 lines of products right? The Pro line and the (what would the imacs and iBooks be?) home consumer line of products.

The pro line of products always have the uber hardware do they not? Top of the line stuff. Why not ship the Power Macs and the PowerBooks with 2 button mice and leave the i line with one WITH the option of upgrading, except in the case of the iBook of course.


[rant]IMHO of course: At this point the one button mouse makes as much sense as needing to hold down the Apple cloverleaf thingy to use the enter key. I subscribe to the idea that mouse functionality, check that, all mouse functionality stays on, no points for guessing, the mouse. The first time I walked into an Apple store and started playing around with a PowerBook it took me a good 2-3 minutes to guess what key mods the mouse. I’m willing to bet there are A LOT of Mac users that don’t even know about contextual menus. A one button mouse isn’t easier then a 2 button one. Its different that’s all. Migrating users from 1 to 2 button mice would be as simple as a 30 second tutorial on startup of that brand new Mac. I personally think Apple dropped the ball when they moved to OSX. They had a brand new OS with a brand new GUI. That was the time to introduce a 2 button mouse. *shrugs* Just my .02 on the subject.[/rant]

As for BT mouse and keyboard. Anyone want to spec on what the batt life on something like this would be? A week? 2 weeks? A month? :confused:
 
Originally posted by NavyIntel007
Knowing Apple, this is going to be expensive. I'll stick with my keyboard and mouse thanks.
Click to expand...

and it will probably be worse than the cheaper things anyways.

I don't care what anyone says, Microsoft makes a damn good mouse, at an affordable price. Apple makes a mediocre mouse at a expensive price.

If apple can get the cost down I'd get one in a second.

scem0
 
Originally posted by capacity
Found this image in this MacNN Forums thread. The guy found it while snooping around in Panther's files. It's one of those silhouette images that show up like when you change the volume or eject from the keyboard. Hate to burst your bubbles, but think it means the wireless mouse will look similar to the current one?
Click to expand...

I don't know why anyone here would expect anything really different from the current mouse. i don't see the excitement of a bluetooth version of the current mouse. I'll be sticking with my MX 300.
 
Originally posted by Kid Red
I don't see the excitement of a bluetooth version of the current mouse. I'll be sticking with my MX 300.
Click to expand...

You're missing the point! The release of this product is another reason for me to make a trip to the Apple Store and part with more of my hard earned money! Does it get better than that? :)
 
Originally posted by soggywulf
I have to strongly disagree here. This may have been a good principle to rigidly adhere to in 1984, but things have moved quite far since MacPaint. Tell me how to do "Open link in new window" and "Copy link to clipboard" without a mouse-activated contextual menu.
Click to expand...

If you have tabs enabled: Command-Option-Shift-Click or Command-Option-Click on a link, depending on whether you've set "Select new tabs as they are created" in Safari preferences.

If you have tabs disabled: Command-Click on a link.

As for copying a link to the clipboard, there are many ways to do this. You can drag a link to the location bar, and then select all and copy. You can click on a link, click in the address bar, and then select all and copy. You can also simply view the source of the HTML page and then copy the URL directly from the source of the link.

The point is not that contextual menus are not convenient. On the contrary, they *ARE* convenient. But you should never rely SOLELY on contextual menus to do certain actions. In Windows, oftentimes, you cannot get around using contextual menus at all -- you are forced to use them. That's all I'm saying: you should always provide an alternative, even if it's a bit more inconvenient.


I can see the point that you (and others) are making relative to new users. So I agree that 2 buttons should be a BTO option, if at all. But as has been mentioned before, there are plenty of third-party solutions, and the OS support for them is quite good. So a BTO option for desktops is not really necessary. In fact, it may even be worse than the status quo--because 3rd-party mice might be driven out of the market by freely-included BTO 2-button mice, and 3rd-party mouse options are currently better than Apple's offerings IMO (aside from the number of buttons, even).

My main concern is with LAPTOPS! You can't get a third-party trackpad! This is the place where Apple really needs to get on the ball and provide a 2-button BTO option.
Click to expand...

A potential solution would be for Apple to provide a two button trackpad on their laptops, but by default make them both do a single click (with the option of changing one to control-click, obviously). But I'm still inclined to say that many users would probably be confused by this, and this should definitely not go in the iBook.
 
Originally posted by simX
If you have tabs enabled: Command-Option-Shift-Click or Command-Option-Click on a link, depending on whether you've set "Select new tabs as they are created" in Safari preferences.

If you have tabs disabled: Command-Click on a link.

As for copying a link to the clipboard, there are many ways to do this. You can drag a link to the location bar, and then select all and copy. You can click on a link, click in the address bar, and then select all and copy. You can also simply view the source of the HTML page and then copy the URL directly from the source of the link.

The point is not that contextual menus are not convenient. On the contrary, they *ARE* convenient. But you should never rely SOLELY on contextual menus to do certain actions. In Windows, oftentimes, you cannot get around using contextual menus at all -- you are forced to use them. That's all I'm saying: you should always provide an alternative, even if it's a bit more inconvenient.




A potential solution would be for Apple to provide a two button trackpad on their laptops, but by default make them both do a single click (with the option of changing one to control-click, obviously). But I'm still inclined to say that many users would probably be confused by this, and this should definitely not go in the iBook.
Click to expand...


How about this for the ultimate solution to this problem? I propose that the new laptops (both pro and consumer) should have a single button like they do today, but with a slight line etched down the middle (just enough to feel it). By default, it behaves just like a one button trackpad, but - only if you enable it in software, the mechanism is set up to tell which side of the pad you've clicked.

Even slicker would be if the user could define where the cutoff between the left button and right button is in software.
 
Guess my M$ wireless keyboard is going out the window. The Intellimouse too if Apple's mouse proves to one up it.
 
Originally posted by mstecker
How about this for the ultimate solution to this problem? I propose that the new laptops (both pro and consumer) should have a single button like they do today, but with a slight line etched down the middle (just enough to feel it). By default, it behaves just like a one button trackpad, but - only if you enable it in software, the mechanism is set up to tell which side of the pad you've clicked.

Even slicker would be if the user could define where the cutoff between the left button and right button is in software.
Click to expand...

I was thinking of a solution along those lines, too.. although I wonder how troublesome it would be to implement something like that. I suppose if anyone could do it, it would be Apple.
 
Think different

Originally posted by MoparShaha
If its not a two button mouse with scroll, I'll go insane. C'mon apple, get with the 21st century.
Click to expand...

Why all the negative reactions about Apple's one button mouse? Never heard of the Ctrl button?
If you don't like it the Mac way, get a freakin' PC (and we'll see about your complaints then)...

TriangleJuice.
 
Originally posted by SiliconAddict
Migrating users from 1 to 2 button mice would be as simple as a 30 second tutorial on startup of that brand new Mac.
Click to expand...
I guess that you have parents that are not older than 30 or 40 years...

...mine are 60++ and my dad always tell me that since he switched from a PC to an eMac the mousing is soo much easier! They always confused the left and right buttons.
 
no button at all; same mouse, 2toggle positions

If apple goes with the 2 button mouse, and currently that would make sense, it has to be backward compatible ergonomically. This means users of one button mouses must be able to use thisone without being confused. So their normal 'clikking' bahaviour must still trigger the left mouse button effect. Also apple is most likely to come up with a (ergonomically) 'clever' solution. And the pro mouse as it is now , without any visible button is a perfect functional design, being very simple and not confusing even most inviting to first time users. So the only logic solution for me is to have a forward/backward tilting mechanism; Just try to rotate your pro mouse 180 degrees and you know what I mean; Klick with fingers = leftmousebuttonfunction, klick with wrist is = rightmousebuttonfunction. The 'ears' for holding a click (which I dont like cause of all the dirt that gets into the mouse through there) only apply to the leftmouseklickfunction. So the design visualy can stay unaltered. Why change a winner? As for scroll functionality; when you need this, you are most likely to be a pro (video,...) and you should get a 3th party mouse with lots of other functionalities.(contourdesign.com,...)
For the laptops this kind of toggle can also be applied easily, and there are software solutions for it already(touchpad). It even might be a good timing for updating all the laptops across the line together with Panther and dual function micebuttons....Then again you might prefer to use your wireless applepromouse with your laptop if you needed 'rightclicks'
 
Re: Think different

Originally posted by trianglejuice
Why all the negative reactions about Apple's one button mouse? Never heard of the Ctrl button?
Click to expand...

The Apple way is supposed to be intuitive and easy. Which do you think is more intuitive, control-clicking or right-clicking? Which do you think is easier?
 
I was just thinking. Would the guy actual designing the Bluetooth mouse and keyboard images for panther (image below) actual know what the new keyboard would look like? or was he just taking the reference from the currant mouse/keyboard.
 
Originally posted by AppleMatt
Well if the mouse and keyboard are the same as the silver ones used in the Apple G5 promo video, then it looks pretty similar to the Pro mouse.
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? There just the same as the emacs, exactly the same that shipped with the G5's.

There not silver in any way.
 
Originally posted by Niknar
What are you talking about? There just the same as the emacs, exactly the same that shipped with the G5's.

There not silver in any way.
Click to expand...

Look at the picture I linked to in my post.
Then bash me.

AppleMatt
 
Oooooooooooook. Well I'm happy to let others make up their minds on that one.

Anyhoo, try to be less confrontational in your posts ("What are you talking about?"), we're all one big community here.

AppleMatt
 
I have a little idea, (its my first post dont yell at me) What if on laptops, is there a way to make it when you tap the touch pad it acts as a right click, and then use the regular button as a left click, or the other way around, is that possible?, also personally id get a bt mouse like this http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP...202/wo/5a5VruMxUTd72QWaL7nDJhmE1LM/6.3.0.5.10 its nice, its optical, it has a touch pad type scroller, and TWO BUTTONS!, and what do you know, you can dock it, and best of all, its WIRLESS its the Kensington StudioMouse Wireless btw.. it wont link directly to it
 
Re: Re: Think different

Originally posted by soggywulf
The Apple way is supposed to be intuitive and easy. Which do you think is more intuitive, control-clicking or right-clicking? Which do you think is easier?
Click to expand...

My left hand is available; I don't know about yours... ;)
I always did it this way, so why changing it...

TJ
 
Re: Re: Re: Think different

Originally posted by trianglejuice
My left hand is available; I don't know about yours... ;)
Click to expand...

Availability's not the question. Ease of use and intuitiveness is. Again I ask...

Originally posted by trianglejuice
I always did it this way, so why changing it...
Click to expand...

Because it's lame...
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Think different

Originally posted by soggywulf
Availability's not the question. Ease of use and intuitiveness is. Again I ask...



Because it's lame...
Click to expand...


Why d' you think they invented Exposé? Because we 're all too lame to switch our windows manually.

I just say:
If you want a two button mouse, buy a third-party-one.
If you want a one button mouse, buy one from Apple (I just don't believe that they will create a two button "M$" mouse).

TJ.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Think different

Originally posted by trianglejuice
I just say:
If you want a two button mouse, buy a third-party-one.
If you want a one button mouse, buy one from Apple
Click to expand...

One more time: laptop trackpad.
 
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