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

[steve_hill4]

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

Cool, from the links I found it said that it is a feature that most mac users don't know about. I only looked over it for a few seconds anyway. Sounds good though, certainly more comfortable than two buttons.

 

[m-dogg]

Which PC laptops have 3 buttons? The only 3-button laptops
I know are SPARC.

My IBM T41 has 5 buttons plus 2 ways to mouse around:

the little red clown nose button in the middle of the keyboard.

3 buttons above the trackpad.

the trackpad itself.

2 buttons below the trackpad.

Most of the time I have it docked at work with a standard keyboard & mouse connected, so I rarely use the built-in controls. When I do, I tend to hit the wrong buttons, or accidentally touch the trackpad when I'm trying to click...

 

[thequicksilver]

??????

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.

Indeed it does - I use iScroll2 as well - but that's a three fingered solution, and frankly it's a pain in the arse.

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.

I agree with you 100% - I can see the issues some may have with having two buttons, and this would be a perfect compromise between the two camps.

 

[iDM]

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.

Exactly what will happen i think

 

[comic book guy]

For everithing except gaming im fine with one mouse/trackpad button plus the keyboard-shortcuts. And gaming on the trackpad doesnt work for me anyway.

If the guys at Cupertino come up with a real good concept they could make a NO BUTTON trackpad.

 

[michaelrjohnson]

If the guys at Cupertino come up with a real good concept they could make a NO BUTTON trackpad.

You could already use it without the button. You just have to enable 'Tap and Drag' capabilities and you can avoid the mouse button altogether.

 

[comic book guy]

You could already use it without the button. You just have to enable 'Tap and Drag' capabilities and you can avoid the mouse button altogether.

I know, but you really have to practice that for not picking stuff up and dropping it somewhere you'll never find it again, when youre in a hurry.

 

[Mord]

For everithing except gaming im fine with one mouse/trackpad button plus the keyboard-shortcuts. And gaming on the trackpad doesnt work for me anyway.

If the guys at Cupertino come up with a real good concept they could make a NO BUTTON trackpad.

supriseingly i quite like my track pad for first person shooters, i even owned a friend silly who is a fairly experieced with a keyboard and mouse.

 

[michaelrjohnson]

I know, but you really have to practice that for not picking stuff up and dropping it somewhere you'll never find it again, when youre in a hurry.

Exactly.

That's why I have 'Tap and Drag' disabled on my PB, and why a "no Button" PowerBook will most likely never exist. (Unless it's in the Mighty Mouse iteration, but then it's still one button)

 

[cube]

My IBM T41 has 5 buttons plus 2 ways to mouse around:

Can it run Linux or Solaris properly?

 

[cube]

My IBM T41 has 5 buttons plus 2 ways to mouse around:

Well, Lenovo cancelled supprt for the ThinkPad Linux project, so anything from them seems to be a bad choice.

 

[MoparShaha]

I actually hesitated for years to get a Mac laptop because of the limited input options of only having one button. I finally bit the bullet two years ago and got my 12" PB.

Then I discovered SideTrack. Best program ever. I've got my hardware button setup to do right-click, plus all four edges are scroll areas for vertical and horizontal scrolling. I even have the corners mapped to forward/back for Safari, and to do some other stuff. I can't use my PB without it.

So, in the end, I don't care what Apple does, as long as there are programs like SideTrack that do what I want.

 

[Aldaris]

As long as the Desktop Range ship with the standard Mac Mouse (Single Button)... I don't think we will...

And I hope we don't if you really want the option to have multiple buttons, you can always go buy a mouse... lets keep things simple...

 

[jacg]

Owning a Mighty Mouse, it seems possible that they could put the sensor that detects which side of the mouse you are clicking under a powerbook button.

I agree there are usability issues (I find PC laptop multiple buttons awkward) but if anyone can make it work (eventually...) it's Apple.

Perhaps the button could have three distinct sensors under it allowing for left and right handed people to set a 1/3 2/3 split. Or even a 3 'button' option?

My problem with the powerbook (15" Al) is not having easy ways of invoking exposé. I have all windows mapped to fn but sometimes that causes a clash. I have exposé desktop on f11 and dashboard on f12. Wouldn't it be cool if all three of these functions could be mapped to touch sensitive pads above the trackpad, without upsetting the clean look, and with the audible feedback that makes the mighty mouse so usable. I'm going to sell this idea to Apple!

 

[cube]

And I hope we don't if you really want the option to have multiple buttons, you can always go buy a mouse... lets keep things simple...

You can't use a mouse on a plane or a train, for example.

 

[cube]

Perhaps the button could have three distinct sensors under it allowing for left and right handed people to set a 1/3 2/3 split. Or even a 3 'button' option?

Just allow the user to disable the stupid left-click override of the Mighty Mouse to permit multiple simultaneous clicks and avoid quirkiness.

 

[TBi]

I love the two finger right click that iScroll gives you and it's one of the reasons i don't want to upgrade to a PB from my iBook. It takes a while to get used to but i really miss it when i move to an apple lappie which doesn't support it. Once you get used to two finger scrolling the two finger clicking is very easy. CTRL clicking was fine but this way i don't have to find that pesky CTRL key.

 

[Over Achiever]

For the person that says iScroll requires three fingers ... I'm using it right now and it works fine with two, just make sure they're horizontal and it will register correctly. You can tweak it in the system prefs. And yes, two finger clicking can be programmed to be a right click.

As for iScroll vs. Sidetrack, I was skeptical about two fingered scrolling until I realized how much easier it is to move two fingers than to scroll up and down the right side of the trackpad. It all depends on the user preferences.

 

[wheezy]

Double ,
I just tried it and scoped system prefs. Are you pulling our legs?

I'd be pulling too, I was reading down this and was ready to add that two-bits in, it is a feature that iScroll gives you, it's great and fast!

I hope they keep one button, as everytime I get on a two button I'm always hitting the wrong one. Two buttons on a laptop don't fit right with where your thumb naturally lands....I always hit the right button.