BT Mighty Mouse Owners - Do you Notice this Odd Defect?

[queshy]

Hello,

I think the BW Mighty mouse is a great mouse, except, out of the 5 I've had, only one of them did not possess an odd defect (I had to return my iMac several times before getting a functional one, so with that experience, I've also used 5 BT mighty mice).

Does anyone with the mouse notice the following -

Put your hand on the mouse normally. Without "clicking", lower your index and middle finger (which should be on the left/right click sides of the mouse). Another way of doing this would be to "tap" the top shell of the MM (with two fingers, on opposite sides of the scroll ball), just like you would tap the touchpad of a laptop. The top outer shell of the mighty mouse depresses slightly, and it's very annoying. It even makes a sound when this happens. If you push any harder on the shell, it registers a click. I noticed that other Mice (logitech, etc) do not do this. Also, if you press on the lower part of the top shell (just below the apple logo), the shell sort of caves in, and makes a sound. These two problems are very hard to explain, but they have been present on 4/5 of the mighty mice I've experienced. Or maybe I'm just crazy.

Does anyone notice this strange defect?

 

[gr8tfly]

Never really noticed it, but I guess mine has a slight amount of backlash (play) before it hits the switch. I think the reason I don't notice it is I always rest my hand on it and 99% of the time, I've automatically taken out the play.

I'll have to check my wife's and see if here's does it. It's very slight, in any event. If most of them have this, it's minor and doesn't outweigh the advantages. This is probably the most comfortable mouse I've used (among many, incl. MS, Logitech, Kensington, MacAlly, etc.). Probably 2nd in the list would be my mini BT Kensington, but it was heavy and, of course, doesn't have the ball for 360 scrolling.

 

[queshy]

I think it's a great mouse, but mine randomly (it did this twice) stopped scrolling downwards (only upward scrolling worked). I had to power on/off for it to come back.

 

[M@lew]

I THINK mine does what you're talking about...but it's normal I think. Can't tell. I had to get my might mouse replaced since the other one stuffed up on me, and this one DOES feel a little looser. I can live though.

 

[caligula357]

did you install the updated firmwares for bt keyboard/mighty mouse off apple's download section?
this may fix it...

 

[spyderracer393]

did you install the updated firmwares for bt keyboard/mighty mouse off apple's download section?
this may fix it...

Is this a joke? I believe it is a hardware issue, not a firmware issue.

 

[Spacy]

This happens to me also, and it makes the mouse almost unusable. It is constantly clicking and click-dragging when I am not holding down any buttons at all.

Has there been a recall or anything? It's a rather expensive mouse, and I feel like I've wasted my money.

 

[M@lew]

This happens to me also, and it makes the mouse almost unusable. It is constantly clicking and click-dragging when I am not holding down any buttons at all.

Has there been a recall or anything? It's a rather expensive mouse, and I feel like I've wasted my money.

Warrenty

 

[r6girl]

if i put my hand on the mouse in the way i normally do when i'm using it, i don't notice what you've described at all. i do notice it when there's absolutely no pressure on the mouse (if i only use 2 fingers as you've described, without placing the rest of my hand on the mouse). that amount of "play" disappears with my hand on the mouse during normal usage, so i've never even noticed this as an issue.

i'd suggest you take it back to an apple store and demonstrate this. i think it's normal behavior for the mouse. if they say it is as well, you could always just package it up and sell it here or on ebay (once it's deemed to be working "normally") and buy one that works for you...

 

[xtremeways]

Hello,

"tap" the top shell of the MM (with two fingers, on opposite sides of the scroll ball), just like you would tap the touchpad of a laptop. The top outer shell of the mighty mouse depresses slightly, and it's very annoying. It even makes a sound when this happens. If you push any harder on the shell, it registers a click. I noticed that other Mice (logitech, etc) do not do this. Also, if you press on the lower part of the top shell (just below the apple logo), the shell sort of caves in, and makes a sound. These two problems are very hard to explain, but they have been present on 4/5 of the mighty mice I've experienced. Or maybe I'm just crazy.
Does anyone notice this strange defect?

I have just bought mine BT Mighty Mouse. I have this exact problem - the top outer shell depresses and makes "click" before the actual switch inside the mouse clicks. This is very annoying and makes the mouse unusable, at least for me (feels as annoying as chalk screeching on the board...).

The wired mighty mouse does not have this problem at all. Unlike the bluetooth one, it feels sturdy and stable.

It's annoying to know this problem is around since 2006 and still not fixed.

 

[phalewhale]

Hello,

I think the BW Mighty mouse is a great mouse, except, out of the 5 I've had, only one of them did not possess an odd defect (I had to return my iMac several times before getting a functional one, so with that experience, I've also used 5 BT mighty mice).

Does anyone with the mouse notice the following -

Put your hand on the mouse normally. Without "clicking", lower your index and middle finger (which should be on the left/right click sides of the mouse). Another way of doing this would be to "tap" the top shell of the MM (with two fingers, on opposite sides of the scroll ball), just like you would tap the touchpad of a laptop. The top outer shell of the mighty mouse depresses slightly, and it's very annoying. It even makes a sound when this happens. If you push any harder on the shell, it registers a click. I noticed that other Mice (logitech, etc) do not do this. Also, if you press on the lower part of the top shell (just below the apple logo), the shell sort of caves in, and makes a sound. These two problems are very hard to explain, but they have been present on 4/5 of the mighty mice I've experienced. Or maybe I'm just crazy.

Does anyone notice this strange defect?

Did you have to return the iMac in order for Apple to replace the mouse? Or did you have other problems with the iMac's?

Sorry, just being nosy.

EDIT: I've just tested my wireless mighty mouse and can say that there is also a little give in the shell on mine too. There is no give in my wired mighty mouse though. However, I wouldn't say that my wireless mouse is unusable because of it. I wouldn't even say it was annoying. But that's just me.

But, I am VERY anal when it comes to dead/stuck pixels and dust/debris and other artefacts under the screen of my iMac so I feel your pain.

 

[pbbaker123]

Yes, all of my wireless ones have had loose shells. I don't understand why the shell is loose on the wireless, but not on the wired..... yes it is annoying. The one that I have now is the "tightest" of any that I have had, so I am hanging on to it.


But, yeah, it is annoying. Apple wants this to be the mouse of choice, but I say make the damn thing feel better in your hand and to use.


I have not found a BT mouse that I like better though...

 

[alphaod]

I think it gives in a bit because you're suppose to be able to squeeze the sides of the mouse for the Exposé functionality.

 

[phalewhale]

I think it gives in a bit because you're suppose to be able to squeeze the sides of the mouse for the Exposé functionality.

That same functionality is there on the wired mouse too though so that doesn't explain it.

 

[xtremeways]

That same functionality is there on the wired mouse too though so that doesn't explain it.

I broke my BT Mighty Mouse trying to make upper shell more stable, but I think I found the difference between wired and wireless mice. Wired and wireless mice have completely different construction of the spring that keeps mouse "button" in the upper position. Look at the pictures:

- Wired mouse has a tension strip placed symmetrically, in the center:
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/hardware/dissect.ars

- Wireless mouse, on the other hand, lacks this tension strip and uses much smaller asymmetrically placed spring under the right "button" http://www.lifeofram.com/roots/index-0-0-mightymouse-1.html

IMHO the asymmetrical construction of wireless mouse is problematic. The upwards force is asymmetrical, and the smallest imperfection of hinges results in the upper shell feeling unstable, or left/right sides giving different feeling.

I also noticed that all wired mice I saw were produced in China while wireless mice were made in Malaysia.
==> wired and wireless mice are made in totally different places.
Can it be that production quality in China is better than in Malaysia ?

 

[AceWilfong]

Aside from the occasionally "reluctant" scroll ball, my BT feels like it was made by an advanced civilization.

 

[phalewhale]

I broke my BT Mighty Mouse trying to make upper shell more stable, but I think I found the difference between wired and wireless mice. Wired and wireless mice have completely different construction of the spring that keeps mouse "button" in the upper position. Look at the pictures:

- Wired mouse has a tension strip placed symmetrically, in the center:
http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/hardware/dissect.ars

- Wireless mouse, on the other hand, lacks this tension strip and uses much smaller asymmetrically placed spring under the right "button" http://www.lifeofram.com/roots/index-0-0-mightymouse-1.html

IMHO the asymmetrical construction of wireless mouse is problematic. The upwards force is asymmetrical, and the smallest imperfection of hinges results in the upper shell feeling unstable, or left/right sides giving different feeling.

I also noticed that all wired mice I saw were produced in China while wireless mice were made in Malaysia.
==> wired and wireless mice are made in totally different places.
Can it be that production quality in China is better than in Malaysia ?

So, it's the tension strip. Good find dude! It had to be something physical. I guess the question now is, for those who are bothered, are we gonna see some mods to the wireless mm?

 

[pbbaker123]

I guess this doesn't bother most people. You wouldn't believe how many people I see out in public using a logitech mouse.. yuck...
Anyway, I sure wish somebody at Apple would recognize this as a smal imperfection and have it fixed.

 

[xtremeways]

I guess this doesn't bother most people. You wouldn't believe how many people I see out in public using a logitech mouse.. yuck...
Anyway, I sure wish somebody at Apple would recognize this as a smal imperfection and have it fixed.

It bugs me because Apple has a good tradition of making perfect devices
The Mighty Mouse is not bad, it's just far from being perfect.
Looks at amazon.com reviews, for example. Every 3rd person complains about scroll ball stopping to work. (I know it can be cleaned, but people expect mice to work with zero maintenance during their lifetime).

Regarding the upper shell problem:just go to your local Apple shop and try several Mighty Mice, comparing the click feeling. From my experience, click varies significantly among mice (force required to click and "click" sound vary). This isn't good; this means that Mighty Mouse construction does not provide consistent and repeatable results.

 

[pbbaker123]

yeah, the one that I have now has the least amount of slack in it. Weren't these originally designed to be adjustable i the amount of force used to depress the button.

 

[Xavier]

I think it's a great mouse, but mine randomly (it did this twice) stopped scrolling downwards (only upward scrolling worked). I had to power on/off for it to come back.

This has happened to me a few times. At first I thought that the MM had broken. I just did a lot of 360 scrolling for a bit, and it returned everything to normal. But for the record, I have been having this problem off and on and it is annoying.

 

[krye]

Never noticed. I have a wired and a BT version and I thing they're both fine.

 

[phalewhale]

This has happened to me a few times. At first I thought that the MM had broken. I just did a lot of 360 scrolling for a bit, and it returned everything to normal. But for the record, I have been having this problem off and on and it is annoying.

The apple website describes how to fix this problem. It has been discussed a fair few times on these forums too.

Apple instructions with quicktime video

 

[phalewhale]

Never noticed. I have a wired and a BT version and I thing they're both fine.

Please don't think I'm calling you a liar or anything but it took me a few attempts to realise what the thread starter was referring to. Once I noticed it, it was quite apparent.

 

[queshy]

Did you have to return the iMac in order for Apple to replace the mouse? Or did you have other problems with the iMac's?

Sorry, just being nosy.

EDIT: I've just tested my wireless mighty mouse and can say that there is also a little give in the shell on mine too. There is no give in my wired mighty mouse though. However, I wouldn't say that my wireless mouse is unusable because of it. I wouldn't even say it was annoying. But that's just me.

But, I am VERY anal when it comes to dead/stuck pixels and dust/debris and other artefacts under the screen of my iMac so I feel your pain.

Not being nosy at all. Of course I didn't have to give them back the computer JUST to replace the mouse lmao. Think of how wasteful that would be haha.

Actually, if I recall, since this thread was from a while ago, I took just the mouse back with my bill to the Apple store and the genius guy said he didn't know what I'm talking about. Yeah right. Anyways didn't want to argue with them so I just took the mouse back.

Anyways, a few weeks later - I get the scrolling problem - like everyone else does. Take it back to the genius bar, he rubs the ball w/ alcohol and it works - temporarily - then in a few days it stops working again so I call Apple (this was a while ago so I'm not sure about the time frame here) and i tell them the story and she agrees to send me a brand new wireless MM on the condition that I send back the old one. Anyways, she says it will take a week but the next day I received it. Great! Send back the old one, no problems.The new one also has some play/give too but not as bad.
But the scroll ball is broken again.

I'm super clean and never eat stuff around my computer. I drink diet coke (no sugar, so not sticky) around the MM but I never spill it. There's really nothing in my environment that SHOULD impair the functionality of the mouse yet my mouse still stops scrolling. Lousy design.

Funny - originally when I bought my iMac I bought an MX rev but the drivers were just SOOO bad and I couldn't get any of the buttons to work properly. I love the feel of the MM and the tracking and I love the side buttons especially for expose, but I need a scroller and this one is so unreliable. Thinking about switching mice...

I'm going to call Apple and ask for a replacement again...

Yes, all of my wireless ones have had loose shells. I don't understand why the shell is loose on the wireless, but not on the wired..... yes it is annoying. The one that I have now is the "tightest" of any that I have had, so I am hanging on to it.


But, yeah, it is annoying. Apple wants this to be the mouse of choice, but I say make the damn thing feel better in your hand and to use.


I have not found a BT mouse that I like better though...

Please don't think I'm calling you a liar or anything but it took me a few attempts to realise what the thread starter was referring to. Once I noticed it, it was quite apparent.

Actually, I've used quite a few wireless mighty mice and not ALL of them have this problem. For example, we have 2 Alu iMacs in the house also with wireless mice and they don't suffer from this give problem. One of them suffers from an even weirder problem where the mouse sort of squeaks (it's ALIVE!!!) when you click it and it's annoying but the main user of the computer doesn't notice it anyways soooooo...

Yeah, I'm very picky, but if Steve Jobs can be an ass when he's making his products (read the books, people!) and if the company is so focused on quality and perfection, then how can they expect anything less from its customers?

Not trying to sound snotty, but Mac customers are definitely more picky than PC customers. I worked at a big box store and I've seen it first hand. And it's OK. If you're paying more for a computer when there are cheaper alternatives it's because you want quality.

But over the few months I've been too busy to nag apple about this issue and I'm not as persistent about it as I've been in the past. The mouse is still usable and it's not that annoying. But I notice it. So now that I have more time, they'll get a call and I'll try another mouse. Truthfully, the scroll ball problem won't be fixed with a new mouse. In fact, that fix is probably just as temporary as a cleaning.