Magic Mouse-- 24 hours later

[Fuchal]

Bought one tonight at the Apple store - I love it so far. The tracking is nicer than my MX Revolution and I love me some momentum scrolling. Great so far! Hopefully the battery life lives up to it's promises.

 

[gr8tfly]

i just broght mine home like 45 min ago, THIS BELONGS IN A MUSEUM!

Good to see someone else appreciate Apple's designs. I get pleasure just looking at some of them and this one has to be one of, if not the best, they've done yet.

I've only had it a few hours, and it works great. One of the first things I noticed is the right/secondary click is much more "sure footed". The Mighty Mouse could be picky if you had your finger too far forward or back. This one works anywhere, as long as it's the right side.

Scrolling works very well. It's as accurate, if not more so, than the mechanical scroll ball. The momentum scrolling is a great feature - now, if they can get the MBP trackpad scrolling to do the same .

For me, it's much more comfortable to have my hand on/around. As comfortable as the Mighty Mouse was [for me], I always had pressure points in the rear against my palm. The Magic Mouse almost totally eliminates them. I can hardly sense my hand against it. I have a large hand, so my wrist can rest on the desk (or in my case, couch armrest), with the mouse guided using my thumb and my ring finger and pinky. The upshot is my wrist is totally straight. I'll have to try it on a hard surface - the couch's armrest has a bit of padding. Hard to say if that'll change the wrist position much.

Oh, and tracking is better than the Mighty Mouse, on the same surface (which is a cotton towel covering the armrest material). I would agree with others that there needs to be another "notch" of tracking speed, but it seems to be about the same as the Mighty Mouse. There's enough acceleration to overcome this, though.

I wish it ran on a single cell, like the Mighty Mouse, but even with 2 alkaline cells it seems to be about the same weight as the Mighty [using a single hybrid]. When I switch from the included alkalines to a pair of hybrid rechargeables, I suspect it'll be lighter than the Mighty. The best option for weight is lithium, but they're not rechargeable. I found with the MM I had to replace them a bit more often than I'd like, so I went with the hybrids. Maybe I'll get the gram scale out later and actually measure them. That'll be an interesting experiement, as the Magic's balance and feel might be fooling me into thinking it weights less than it does. On that subject: I really like the feel of the cool metal.

My bottom-line: It's a functional work of art. It fixes any usability issues the Mighty Mouse might have had. Although I will miss the middle button (I used it for Dashboard), it's an easy one to give up in favor of the multi-touch scrolling, improved right/secondary click, and no ball to clean (I hardly ever used the side buttons, as they felt awkward to me). Good job, Apple!

 

[Surely]

And while I'm whining, I'd like an iSight for my Mini.

Um.....

How would Apple implement that, exactly?

 

[brendon2020]

all these positive reviews make me rethink my decision.

 

[AztecKing]

Got my new mouse today

I got the new mouse today and I love it. I have large hands and it doesn't bother me at all. I love the two finger sweep to go back and forth while surfing. I like the low profile look and feel. It linked up with my iMac with no problems and the update loaded without a hitch. I also don't miss that scroll ball from the old mouse either. Love the new mouse!!

 

[Decrepit]

Um.....

How would Apple implement that, exactly?

The way they used to. As an external camera that you plug in and sit on top of your monitor.

 

[synth3tik]

Good to see someone else appreciate Apple's designs.

I haven't looked into it more then reading threads and what not, so I can't comment on the performance or anything. Personally I was not a fan of the Mighty Mouse, sadly the Magic Mouse (for me) seems to add more annoyances. Although I do totally agree with the look of the mouse.
Apple did do a great job with the design as they usually do. Can't say anything about performance, or ergonomics however it is one damn good looking mouse.

 

[Aadhil]

The only thing about the Magic mouse is that once I get used to using the scrolling feature; it's gonna suck using any other mouse because compared to the magic mouse their scrolling is terrible.

 

[Decrepit]

The only thing about the Magic mouse is that once I get used to using the scrolling feature; it's gonna suck using any other mouse because compared to the magic mouse their scrolling is terrible.

Work is going to suck on Monday. It always does. But this will be the first Monday I have to use a normal mouse since I got the Magic Mouse.

I can just see me trying to do a swipe gesture and flinging my mouse across the desk.

 

[Theclamshell]

Good to see someone else appreciate Apple's designs. I get pleasure just looking at some of them and this one has to be one of, if not the best, they've done yet.

I've only had it a few hours, and it works great. One of the first things I noticed is the right/secondary click is much more "sure footed". The Mighty Mouse could be picky if you had your finger too far forward or back. This one works anywhere, as long as it's the right side.

Scrolling works very well. It's as accurate, if not more so, than the mechanical scroll ball. The momentum scrolling is a great feature - now, if they can get the MBP trackpad scrolling to do the same .

For me, it's much more comfortable to have my hand on/around. As comfortable as the Mighty Mouse was [for me], I always had pressure points in the rear against my palm. The Magic Mouse almost totally eliminates them. I can hardly sense my hand against it. I have a large hand, so my wrist can rest on the desk (or in my case, couch armrest), with the mouse guided using my thumb and my ring finger and pinky. The upshot is my wrist is totally straight. I'll have to try it on a hard surface - the couch's armrest has a bit of padding. Hard to say if that'll change the wrist position much.

Oh, and tracking is better than the Mighty Mouse, on the same surface (which is a cotton towel covering the armrest material). I would agree with others that there needs to be another "notch" of tracking speed, but it seems to be about the same as the Mighty Mouse. There's enough acceleration to overcome this, though.

I wish it ran on a single cell, like the Mighty Mouse, but even with 2 alkaline cells it seems to be about the same weight as the Mighty [using a single hybrid]. When I switch from the included alkalines to a pair of hybrid rechargeables, I suspect it'll be lighter than the Mighty. The best option for weight is lithium, but they're not rechargeable. I found with the MM I had to replace them a bit more often than I'd like, so I went with the hybrids. Maybe I'll get the gram scale out later and actually measure them. That'll be an interesting experiement, as the Magic's balance and feel might be fooling me into thinking it weights less than it does. On that subject: I really like the feel of the cool metal.

My bottom-line: It's a functional work of art. It fixes any usability issues the Mighty Mouse might have had. Although I will miss the middle button (I used it for Dashboard), it's an easy one to give up in favor of the multi-touch scrolling, improved right/secondary click, and no ball to clean (I hardly ever used the side buttons, as they felt awkward to me). Good job, Apple!

I never bought a mighty mouse and from what i have heard, im glad i dident. The scrolling on this mouse is very accurate and the mouse just has a nice feel to it. If you look at the bottom it kinda looks like a camera lol

 

[maclook]

The way they used to. As an external camera that you plug in and sit on top of your monitor.

wow i forgot how much i wanted a higher quality webcam from Apple

 

[glossywhite]

I never bought a mighty mouse and from what i have heard, im glad i dident. The scrolling on this mouse is very accurate and the mouse just has a nice feel to it. If you look at the bottom it kinda looks like a camera lol

That is no coincidence - it IS a camera. The right-hand lens next to the power switch is the laser output, and the left hand lens opposite it, is a TINY camera!.

 

[Revelation78]

I have to agree with most on here, so far I love the Magic Mouse. I picked mine up yesterday at the Park Meadows Apple store in Highlands Ranch, CO. The Magic Mouse "feels" more comfortable in my hand when using it, compared to other mice I have used.

Unfortunately I'm at work now using a regular Microsoft mouse and I've noticed more "pressure" on my wrist whilst using the Microsoft mouse. I can't wait for Windows support to roll out for the Magic Mouse, can't wait.

 

[cocky jeremy]

I picked up one yesterday and love it. Much more comfortable than i expected, even though it's so small. I wish the edges were a little smoother, but i certainly wouldn't call them "sharp" at all. Gestures work perfectly. I thought right-click was broken or something but then i realized it was off by default. lol. Oops! I definitely like this mouse. It replaced my MX Revolution, which i completely loved, btw.

 

[glossywhite]

I picked up one yesterday and love it. Much more comfortable than i expected, even though it's so small. I wish the edges were a little smoother, but i certainly wouldn't call them "sharp" at all. Gestures work perfectly. I thought right-click was broken or something but then i realized it was off by default. lol. Oops! I definitely like this mouse. It replaced my MX Revolution, which i completely loved, btw.

Whoever calls them "sharp" is either GROSSLY exaggerating, or has extremely sensitive skin. If they were *literally* sharp, they could pose a hazard, and for something that spends almost all day in your hand, I don't think that is likely to be true - I own one, and they are not AT ALL sharp. This is guff.

Apple: Win
"Sharp edges" reviews: FAIL

 

[mac2x]

I had been waiting for this mouse for months. When they were first announced, I ran to the nearest Apple Store to try it out with the new iMacs and I was sort of disappointed at first because of the "sharp" edges everyone was talking about and was initially doubtful about the gestures.

Knowing this, I still picked one up anyway yesterday when they hit stores individually and after 24 hours of solid usage, I have to say it's also the best mouse I've owned. This is not an ergonomic mouse. It wasn't meant to be. If you are prone to neurological or orthopedic problems in your hand, best to go with another mouse. It's not a power user's mouse either. If you need 14 different hot buttons because you're a multitasker or gamer, this was not meant for you. There are other mice out there for that. For the normal user though, which is what a lot of Mac users are, it's almost perfect.

The edges are not sharp at all once you sit down at a desk and use it. At a store while standing up at a counter, the mouse feels entirely different and I wish people wouldn't disregard it simply at first trial. The gestures become second nature after about a few hours. You'll feel like you've been using it for years and Apple scores a lot of points in my book for that. It really becomes intuitive. When we sit down at a computer at work, the keyboard is just a keyboard and the mouse is just a mouse. Not so much for this. I don't remember the last time I used a computer peripheral and had to stop what I was doing and actively marvel at how well it works. We need products like these. Without conceptual designs like this that actually make it into the real world, we'd never progress technologically, aesthetically, nor as humans. The mouse feels very cutting edge and it works really well in my opinion. I feel like people who have dismissed it early haven't really had the chance with it for more than half an hour standing at an Apple Store table.

Personally, I don't see the tap-to-click function coming to this mouse. It'd be too easy to misclick if you ever lifted your hand off the mouse, which will happen. As for three finger swiping, I'm doubtful of that too. The surface might be too restrictive for three fingers. I have relatively small hands and the mouse feels just the right size. Two fingers are already cutting it close. I could see them giving us the option of remapping the two-finger gestures though because I'm pretty sure it's all software.

The two plastic tracks that the mouse rests on might sound a little loud at first moving on a bare wooden desk, but after just a few hours, it starts to break in and becomes completely smooth. I'm not sure why some people were complaining about the tracking speed too. I have a 23" widescreen and the tracking speed is set to about 60%.

Build quality and design are pure Apple. I've never seen a more beautiful mouse to be honest-- even the people who dislike the mouse will have to concede that, I think. You really pay for the attention to details. Just remove the battery latch at the bottom and see what I mean. So this is mainly for the people who are still on the fence about it, if it helps you decide. But as with all Apple products, the reputation really just precedes itself. It'll sell no matter how many hate on it. There were only three left when I got to the store yesterday, so no need for more testimonial. If you really need Dashboard or Expose, use keyboard shortcuts or hot corners for the time being. Making small concessions like these are part of the design process. Design doesn't just stop with the designers-- it extends to the user also. I'm sure Apple or some other programmer will allow it in the future with an update.

I don't know how I'm going to face the Dell mouse at work anymore after this. It's like how I can't stand to use other laptop trackpads after using the new glass trackpads on the unibodies.

Great review. I tried the Magic Mouse with the new iMacs the other day, and I have to say it is a beautiful mouse. I love that there's no scroll ball to get full of crap. However, I miss the side buttons that I use for Exposé. Otherwise, I think Apple has hit a home run for normal users.

 

[rkdiddy]

^ Agreed.

I received mine last night and so far I'm really liking it. I noticed when using on my couch with my MBP - it does tend to make my wrist hurt a little. I think this is due to the lower profile.

However, at my desk with my Mini it works great. I really like the touch scrolling.

I'm sure Apple will release additional functions in the near future.

 

[Harlowgold1]

What I like and hate...

I love the new Magic Mouse with one exception. You cannot leave two fingers on the mouse to left or right click. One finger must be lifted away from the mouse. I hate that.

 

[glossywhite]

I love the new Magic Mouse with one exception. You cannot leave two fingers on the mouse to left or right click. One finger must be lifted away from the mouse. I hate that.

Who on earth keeps BOTH fingers down when either left or right-clicking?. Having both fingers down means that one is affected by the pressure of the other, and you're likely to be more prone to click errors, and also that feels VERY uncomfortable; unfortunately you may "hate" it, but there are a lot worse ergonomic dilemmas it could have caused you, so I would suggest that you learn to deal with it, as hating it is just going to cause you to dwell on this (non) issue.

 

[maclook]

Who on earth keeps BOTH fingers down when either left or right-clicking?. Having both fingers down means that one is affected by the pressure of the other, and you're likely to be more prone to click errors, and also that feels VERY uncomfortable; unfortunately you may "hate" it, but there are a lot worse ergonomic dilemmas it could have caused you, so I would suggest that you learn to deal with it, as hating it is just going to cause you to dwell on this (non) issue.

have you never used a mouse with two buttons? every pc user i know keeps both fingers on the mouse at once. there's room for two so it is ergonomic to straighten out and rest two fingers on both sides of the mouse. maybe your computer work is different, but it is very efficient for me to left click and right click at any point without moving my fingers on and off the mouse

 

[BenEndeem]

My last mouse was a Logitech MX620, one of those mice with several programmable buttons; I set the side buttons to be copy and paste while middle click to activated Exposé. However, the idea of a multi-touch mouse has always appealed to be since I first read a post suggesting it here on MR, though giving up those additional features was certainly my biggest consideration before purchasing.

After having used the Magic Mouse since yesterday, I must say that I have no regrets. Using the keyboard for Exposé, copying and pasting is barely a trial and I actually find the Magic Mouse more comfortable than the MX620 on my mouse mat. Due to the gel wrist rest, I'm able to grip the mouse with my wrist straight and hand in line with my arm, whereas with the apparently ergonomically designed MX620, I had to bend my hand upwards. Certainly, however, the Magic Mouse becomes a lot less comfortable without a wrist rest.

 

[glossywhite]

have you never used a mouse with two buttons? every pc user i know keeps both fingers on the mouse at once. there's room for two so it is ergonomic to straighten out and rest two fingers on both sides of the mouse. maybe your computer work is different, but it is very efficient for me to left click and right click at any point without moving my fingers on and off the mouse

It's not complicated. Either get one and adapt habits, or don't, and don't.

 

[QCassidy352]

Got to try this for the first time today. Liked it a lot more than I thought I would but not nearly enough to give up my MX518. Once you have that many programable buttons there's no going back. But the magic mouse is nice - fit well in my hand, tracked precisely, would be easy to get used to. I think a lot more people will stick with this than with the mighty mouse.

 

[Aadhil]

Um.....

How would Apple implement that, exactly?

A flexible, retractable rod protruding out of the case with the camera at the end.

 

[kolax]

I'm so tempted to buy this mouse.

One of the reasons I preferred using my MacBook Pro as a laptop rather than with an external display, keyboard and mouse is because of the multi-touch gestures that I've just become so used to I can't live without. I own a Logitech MX Revolution - absolutely fantastic mouse, but scrolling horizontally with that mouse is just so unnatural and to be honest, crap! Vertical scrolling with the wheel felt tiresome too.

If I can scroll fully in two dimensions (i.e. two fingers and slide in any direction) then I'll fall in love instantly - I've just taken that for advantage on my MBP's trackpad. Two finger scrolling is just such an innovative thing that it really has make my workflow enhanced so much. The fact that this mouse offers similar capabilities interests me hugely.

Of course, I spent £45 on the Logitech MX Revolution that I don't use at all now. So I'd hate to spend another £40 odd quid on another mouse and end up not using it.

I'll check out the new mouse next week I think. Hopefully I'll hate it, I can't really afford to spend £45 right now!