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Does Mighty Mouse mean multiple mouse buttons on future Mac portables?

thequicksilver

thequicksilver

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 19, 2004
789
17
Birmingham
I'm delighted that Apple have finally seen the light and released a mouse with more than one button. But now they've seemingly accepted that multiple buttons is a good concept, the trackpad on the iBook and Powerbook stick out like a sore thumb.

For me, it grates that I use my own two-button mouse on my iBook, yet whenever I wish to go portable sans mouse, I'm back to one button.

I'm guessing that the next generation of iBook/Powerbooks (quite possibly the first Intel 'Books?) will have a left and right mouse button below the trackpads.

If it happened, for me it'd be yet another reason to jump at an Intel based 'Book the second it was released.

Any thoughts?
 
I hope not. I've got very used to my one button Powerbook (despite being convinced I needed a 2 button mouse plugged in for the first month or so I owned it). It's useful if I'm doing something left-handed occasionally.

I wouldn't mind something along this mighty mouse idea where it's touch sensitive so the user can choose whether or not they want 2 buttons.
 
well, for me, the one button is fabulous. It allows my hand to lay in any position I want it to and still be able to click the mouse button.
For me, personally, I find that the ctrl button is so close to the track pad, it's easy to press if I want to bring up the contextual menu.

Even though I DO get some tendinitis inflammation from too much computing, my right hand is surprisingly nice. I think two buttons would kill me. I'd have to be in such a weird posture...

They can pry my one-button trackpad from my cold, dead PowerBook!


...but by then they'll have bluetooth Mighty Mice.. and hopefully a better name. :)
 
If the Mighty Mouse is seriously touch sensitive and no moving clicker, it will be nice and quite (providing you can turn the sound off) for use at night (hehehe) or in a class.
 
I'm used to the one button now. When ever I use a two button laptop I always eng up pressing the right button instead of the left.

If they do end up making a 2 button click button it would look like it was a one button.
 
God I hope so. I hate having to press Control with my left hand while pressing with my right hand, or doing the finger dance with my right fingers.

Perhaps make the right-button 1/3rd the length of the full trackpad button.
 
I love one button on my laptop, 2 buttons off. Reason? There is no lag with the clicker and the ctrl key, so that is far easier thea having to situate my thumb in all sorts of places. It becomes far more difficult with a mouse, however...
 
I doubt it, I see two finger clicking as a better solution for portables.

I'm not sure if the current ibooks/powerbooks give you this ability but iScroll2 certainly does.
 
Good question. I hope so.

I would think new Powerbooks may have a similar touch sensitive one button that detects what side you push. I imagine it could be turned on and off.

iBooks may not come until later, I figure this would be included in pro lines first.

Just my 2 cents.
 
I've used 1 button mice/laptops for a long time, so 1 button or 4+buttons make no odds to me, except for games of course, but my mac isn't used for that

I will say though, if apple go the same way the PC manufacturers are going (gone?) and have a dozen or so buttons to control things like MP3 player etc. i'll be extremely put off buying one, i like the fact i don't have to worry about accidentally hitting the button that may load safari while I'm in the middle of something etc.

I can scroll, and left click with my right hand, and my left hand naturally falls near the modifiers on the left of the keyboard, so i really don't see a need for it :rolleyes:


However, i know theres alot of people have 2/3 button on the brain, so perhaps have the current setup with 1 button, but a sensitive strip on the top so the mac will know where abouts you are clicking, in theory this should allow you to set how many buttons you have
 
I love more buttons on a mouse, but not on my powerbook. When lying in bed or travelling by train or something like that the one button is just far easier to use in my oppinion. It's an additional thing why I like my pb so much. I'd not be happy seeing more buttons on a power/ibook, but on the other hand, well, it's apple, they probably come up with something that changes my mind.
 
Well... seeing as there are so many conflicting opinions, perhaps they could make extra buttons a BTO?

I personally can't stand having more than one button due, in part, to my freakishly large hands :p
 
I hope Apple stays with the one button mouse on their portables or at least the guise of only one button. For me there is something understatably elegant about catching a glimpse of that one smooth button on someone's laptop. It screams Apple louder than any other design feature.
 
katie ta achoo said:
well, for me, the one button is fabulous. It allows my hand to lay in any position I want it to and still be able to click the mouse button.
For me, personally, I find that the ctrl button is so close to the track pad, it's easy to press if I want to bring up the contextual menu.
Click to expand...

I don't mind uisng CTRL as the right click.
Unfortunately for us lefties, there is only one CTRL button on the pbook, and its one the wrong side!

This is actually my biggest gripe in the whole 1 button vs 2 button debate.
 
they should do a mighty mouse style button, where by default it's one button but you can configure the left side to be right click.
 
??????

Don't you people realise the current powerbooks and ibooks already have 2 button functionality?

The scrolling touchpad allows you do simulate a right click if you put two fingers on the touchpad and click.
 
grabberslasher said:
??????

Don't you people realise the current powerbooks and ibooks already have 2 button functionality?

The scrolling touchpad allows you do simulate a right click if you put two fingers on the touchpad and click.
Click to expand...


:eek: What the....!?

Are you sure? Just tried it, and it doesn't seem to work.
Is there a setting you gotta turn on?
 
I know of the two finger scrolling, but can't recall the two finger click method. I'll have to give it a go, but I can see it working actually.
 
In fact, just did a quick google search for it and it appears to work. Would make more sense than having two mouse buttons on the books, (awkward using one, never mind two).
 
steve_hill4 said:
I know of the two finger scrolling, but can't recall the two finger click method. I'll have to give it a go, but I can see it working actually.
Click to expand...

The two-finger click is functionality that iScroll brings. I can't be arsed to find a link but you can google it for yourself.
 
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