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More Apple Patents

Apple started to experiment with the "touch sensitive buttons" with the iPod then implemented it in the new Cinema Displays now the mouse that is very interesting indeed.

It would seem the iPog 3G was more advanced than the other Gen iPods. 🙂


Apple might even incorporate this "touch sensitive button" technology in the PowerBook then the iBooks for the buttons have a static button and a touch pad. Interesting 🙂
 
How will the iPod sense the difference between someone dropping it and someone running with it in their pocket?

All those of us who use the iPod running/at the gym: I bring you the iPLod...


😀
 
digitalbiker said:
Amiga computer had the exact same expose feature built into Amiga dos back in 1988. Commodore recognised that a true multitasking environment would create many windows which would confuse the user. Therefore they added special keys that would display all active windows on the screen so that a user could switch to another window easily.
Click to expand...

The Amiga was the best computer of it's day - certainly superior to the Mac in 1988, but no version of AmigaOS from 1.3 to 3.1 did what you describe.

There may have been third party software, but it certainly wasn't built in.
 
But Wait there is more

It is a blue tooth camera/vidoes phone AND opticle mouse combo!

Surf the web while talking to you significant other using the handy iSight spearkerphone option.

So Cool!

shabbasuraj said:
this is great news.... apple phone here we come....
Click to expand...
 
I like that update - a new mouse! Let's hope... As much as I don't honestly mind the 1-button Apple mouse, I think Apple needs a 2-button mouse with scroll wheel (they're just so handy, not to mention some Mac apps require a 2-button mouse!) I also think Apple could do a really good job in designing a new mouse, and probably even out-do their competitors like Logitech, etc. Let's hope we see a new mouse in 2005! 😎
 
I just got my Mx 1000 yesterday as sort of an early Christmas present. It is sooo much better than any of the apple mice. It uses a laser instead of a LED so the movement is very smooth. I charged it up last evening and over 12 hours later it still has an almost full charge.
 
I've held off on buying a new bluetooth mouse hoping apple would do it soon! I'm still using a 3 year old USB intellimouse... which kinda leads to my next question...

My intellimouse is 3 years old. It has a scroll wheel... Logitech make mice with scroll wheels... How can Apple patent it?! Not as in "oh my god how can they do this?!?!" but more like how can they be let to - being that it already exists...?

Hob
 
Hmmm, maybe Apple has finally realized that 40-50% depending on the formal and informal polls over the last four years showed that people have, in some cases like me HAD to buy two or more button mice with scrollwheel and they're missing out on a huge market segment and/or just about EVERY professional and prosumer Mac user who's old worthless single button sits in a drawer somewhere.
 
Photorun said:
Hmmm, maybe Apple has finally realized that 40-50% depending on the formal and informal polls over the last four years showed that people have, in some cases like me HAD to buy two or more button mice with scrollwheel and they're missing out on a huge market segment and/or just about EVERY professional and prosumer Mac user who's old worthless single button sits in a drawer somewhere.
Click to expand...

The OS was practically built for two button mice with scroll wheels. Sure you can use the control-click to simulate a right click, and you can scroll manually, but you don't get the fully user expirience without having a two-button mice. It's silly that Apple doesn't have one.
 
BenRoethig said:
The OS was practically built for two button mice....
Click to expand...

That's a complete reversal of the truth.

The Mac OS was always designed to be used with a one button mouse. Apple doesn't sell mice with more than one button.

Apple are aware that some users prefer to use two button mice and scroll wheels, so they allow that within the OS.

They permit an alternative, but that's entirely different from claiming that it was practically built to be used with one.

The OS also directly supports the use of certain scanners, printers and cameras. It also supports SMPTE timecode and mLAN audio, but nobody would claim that the OS was practically built for them. They're just features that some users will take advantage of.
 
AlanAudio said:
That's a complete reversal of the truth.

The Mac OS was always designed to be used with a one button mouse. Apple doesn't sell mice with more than one button.

Apple are aware that some users prefer to use two button mice and scroll wheels, so they allow that within the OS.

They permit an alternative, but that's entirely different from claiming that it was practically built to be used with one.

The OS also directly supports the use of certain scanners, printers and cameras. It also supports SMPTE timecode and mLAN audio, but nobody would claim that the OS was practically built for them. They're just features that some users will take advantage of.
Click to expand...

That's true, but using 2-button mouse features is still a little more commonplace than people using mLAN audio, etc. I understand your point though.

Regardless, if Apple designed a 2-button mouse, I'd probably buy it in a heartbeat! (Assuming it would be superior to other mouses, which I wouldn't expect anything less from Apple. 😉)
 
Apple should forget about working on new Powerbooks, Powermacs, eMacs etc and concentrate on a 2 button mouse with scroll wheel 😀 😉
 
hob said:
My intellimouse is 3 years old. It has a scroll wheel... Logitech make mice with scroll wheels... How can Apple patent it?! Not as in "oh my god how can they do this?!?!" but more like how can they be let to - being that it already exists...?

Hob
Click to expand...

Yeah, no kidding, and I've even seen a touch sensitive scroll wheel before, so what is apple trying to do? It must have to do with how the scroll wheel opperates. I don't think I would expect touch sensitive buttons, remember the outrage at how you can't physically feel a 3G ipod button press? Apple would never pull that on a mouse. So if anything it would probably resemble the click wheel, in that it has some touch sensitive element, but a real click feel for button(s) presses.
 
jared_kipe said:
Can we say click-wheel mouse??? 😉
Click to expand...

The idea is somewhat innovative (I know you were joking though), but I couldn't imagine it being the size of the previous hockey puck mice. Ugh.

These buttons and scroll sensors, could it not be the already known ClickWheel? Or possibly a new controller for APE?
-Chase
 
rendezvouscp said:
The idea is somewhat innovative (I know you were joking though), but I couldn't imagine it being the size of the previous hockey puck mice. Ugh.

These buttons and scroll sensors, could it not be the already known ClickWheel? Or possibly a new controller for APE?
-Chase
Click to expand...

No matter what it is, I'm sure Apple will not release a 2-button mouse unless it's something fresh and innovative somehow - I just can't see them coming out with a run-of-the-mill standard 2-button mouse like everyone else. If they're going to do it, they'll do it right and in a big way. (Well, as "big" as a new mouse can be... 😉)
 
thecow said:
I just got my Mx 1000 yesterday as sort of an early Christmas present. It is sooo much better than any of the apple mice. It uses a laser instead of a LED so the movement is very smooth. I charged it up last evening and over 12 hours later it still has an almost full charge.
Click to expand...

I have that same mouse, it's great. And if you are astonished by still having a full charge after 12 hours, think about this: I've had mine for 7 weeks, and I have only recharged it three times. I'm no a light user either, that thing is used for at least 5+ hours a day.

Beautiful I tell you.
 
Apple applying for new patents is a good thing. I think that it's much more productive than suing.

I to would prefer that if Apple offers a new mouse that it be new and innovative. If I have to learn to use a new mouse would prefer that it be the latest in technology.
 
Finally, something needed to be done about that mouse.

Just make the reverse/forward buttons work with the Finder and I'll get one.
 
Freg3000 said:
I have that same mouse, it's great. And if you are astonished by still having a full charge after 12 hours, think about this: I've had mine for 7 weeks, and I have only recharged it three times. I'm no a light user either, that thing is used for at least 5+ hours a day.

Beautiful I tell you.
Click to expand...

I "only" have the MX510, (corded, no BT, no laser, etc. don't need all that stuff) and I find it to be an amazing mouse as well. It's no MX1000, but it's still high quality and I have no complaints with it. Again, if Apple decided to make a new mouse to compete with the existing industry leaders, they'll have to put a lot of work into it and come up with something unique that separates them from the crowd. And since they're Apple, and no doubt would, as I said before I'd probably pick one of them up pretty quick. 😎
 
jared_kipe said:
I don't think I would expect touch sensitive buttons, remember the outrage at how you can't physically feel a 3G ipod button press? Apple would never pull that on a mouse.
Click to expand...

No I don't remember that at all, its common opinion that the 3G iPod is the best of the bunch so to say, I find the touch sensitive-ness to be much more superior to that of the click wheel (biased opinion because the click wheel is horrible 😛 ).
 
Think of the new Mouse as the white ones we have at present, maybe with laser instead of LED, BlueTooth and a iPod click wheel attacked to the front on the mouse that way the user uses ONE FINGER to scroll through pages and also 2-3 buttons on on each side and one on the top.

That is rather innovative if you ask me one finger, scroll and multi-buttons, why do all this with many fingers when one is more than ample for the job. 🙂
 
Superhob said:
Check out this mouse that just came out from Logitech

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/US/EN,CRID=2135,CONTENTID=9508

The V500 has a solid state scrolling mechanism that works vertically and horizontally. I just ordered one for my powerbook.

I wonder if this infringes on Apple's patent or vice versa?
Click to expand...

Interesting! Nice looking mouse, see, this is the type of thing I would expect Apple to come up with - that scrolling mechanism looks sweet.... 😎
 
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