Apple Introduces Mighty Mouse
Apple(R) today introduced Mighty Mouse, its next generation mouse with several innovative new
features that make using a Mac(R) even more powerful and easy. Mighty Mouse
offers power users up to four independently programmable buttons, without
compromising simplicity for users who prefer just a single-button mouse.
Mighty Mouse also introduces an ingenious Scroll Ball that lets users scroll
in any direction-vertically, horizontally and even diagonally. With the
Scroll Ball, users can scroll with natural, fluid movements, making Mighty
Mouse perfect for applications from viewing web pages and photographs, to
video editing and music creation. Mighty Mouse is priced at just $49.
“With Mighty Mouse, we’ve simply built a better mouse,” said David Moody,
Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Mac Product Marketing. “With its
innovative Scroll Ball and unique integration of multiple buttons, Mighty
Mouse adds functionality while retaining the elegant, easy-to-use Apple
design.”
Mighty Mouse is the first multi-button mouse that retains the simplicity
of a single-button mouse, and can be used as a single- or multi-button mouse
depending on the user’s preference. Mighty Mouse features a single seamless
enclosure with programmable touch sensors that act as primary or secondary
buttons. With a simple click on the upper right or left side of the mouse,
users can instantly access features such as contextual menus found in Mac
OS(R) X and other applications. Mighty Mouse’s two other buttons are
activated by pressing its Scroll Ball and squeezing its sides, and can be
easily programmed to give users one-click access to Mac OS X version 10.4.2
“Tiger” features such as Spotlight(TM), Dashboard and Expose(TM), or to launch
any application such as Safari(TM) or iChat.
Mighty Mouse features an easy-to-use design that comfortably fits the left
or right hand and an optical tracking engine for responsive and accurate
cursor movement on almost any type of surface. With up to four programmable
buttons, Mighty Mouse makes it easy to access key features of Tiger with the
side buttons and Scroll Ball providing quick, one-click access to Spotlight,
Dashboard and Expose.
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Comments
Great! A noiseless mouse!
It’s about time! Must have one. I’m so tired of the ugly MS trackball I’ve been using. The only thing it has going for it is 5 buttons, but they’re not easily programmable. Bring on the MightyMouse.
Where’s the Bluetooth version?
Welcome to 1985, Apple. Way to innovate.
Beeblebrox has fulfill his role as the resident troll, nice.
That aside, I’m all for multi-button mice. Just not multi-button by default. I still agree with the old policy of shipping single button mice, but having plug-n-play multi-button for those who want them.
What is Apple doing? Whoever is in charge of their UI/Interaction team is an idiot. Aqua/iApps/Pro software has been turned into the wild west of UI design, while giving Mom and Pop an incredibly opaque multi-button mouse (but hey, its single button for those not savvy enough to get that its more)
That’s pure baloney - eltism at Apple’s worst.
meant to be “elitism”
and hey Hadley - can we have edit capability on comments? Maybe AppleMatters could switch a BB discussion board?
I agree with Jason…where is the bluetooth version???? I have way to many cables on my desk (music equipment, etc). I’ve always wanted a multi-button mouse from apple but I also wanted it wireless. I also thought that if apple ever did come out with a multi-button mouse that they would have a wireless version. Why they don’t is beyond me. Guess I’ll just have to wait for “ultimate mouse” or “mega-mighty mouse”.
Beeblebrox has fulfill his role as the resident troll, nice.
Yes, totally unfair of me and completely UNLIKE anything Apple zealots might say about a Microsoft product finally catching up modern computing.
But I guess THIS would have been okay for me to say:
That’s pure baloney - eltism [sic] at Apple’s worst.
I backed my comment up with reasons, u Breeble did not.
I have a Bluetooth Apple Mouse, it tracks horribly w/ horrendous accuracy… its worse to use than the iMac hockey puck.
If Apple couldn’t resolve the latency problems using Bluetooth, then thank goodness they didn’t release it with Bluetooth.
I backed my comment up with reasons, u Breeble did not.
My comment doesn’t need backing up. “Way to innovate” is meant ironically. What do you need explained to you about that?
What is apple doing??? I got a couple a bones to pick with them. iPod cover replacements they don’t do it. So if the cover breaks your screwed. I’ve gotta wait to see if theres a place thats got a spare back metal cover coz it’s severly dinted. Second the so called NEW mouse wheres the difference between Mac and PC is a joke we’ve lived with the single mouse button for years, wheres your sence of loyalty, none of the utter crap. And lastly using intel chips tut-tut, ashamed, really ashamed.
I’m all for progress, but I think apples trying to hard to be like a PC, I want my apple gear to be different wasn’t that the saying not so long ago “Think different” not the same as everyone else.
There’s an Ars Technica review of the new mouse here.
Note: When the driver is installed, the mouse is configured as a one button mouse by default, but can be changed to two buttons using the preferences pane.
I seldom agree with Beeblebrox (though I find him very entertaining and very necessary around here)... but his point is valid. Calling this thing innovative is just plain BS. I’ve been using mine all day today and frankly I think it makes the argument for the one-button mouse all the more valid. If multi-buttons are this hard to use, and even if we assume that my mouse technique just isn’t up to snuff, then who needs em? The Ars Technica review is very good and the cons are all right on the money… they just overshadow the pros a lot more than the review would lead you to believe in my opinion.
Apple has engineered irritation here, little more. If they want to take credit for that then by all means, but this is NOT the next generation of input devices whatsoever.
If multi-buttons are this hard to use, and even if we assume that my mouse technique just isn’t up to snuff, then who needs em?
If they’ve made multi-buttons “hard to use,” then they’ve done something seriously wrong.
I still haven’t gotten down to an Apple store to try it out, but it would pretty much have to cook my breakfast to be good enough to a) replace what ain’t broken and b) justify the $50 price tag.
I was hoping mine was defective until I read the aforementioned review which basically says the same thing but downplays it significantly. The reality of it is this: This is a ONE button mouse, period. It’s just changing what that button does depending on where you put your finger.