Apple today introduced the wireless Mighty Mouse, a new version of its popular multi-button mouse, now with the added freedom that only wireless connectivity can provide. The new wireless Mighty Mouse offers a reliable, secure connection to Macs and features a new laser tracking engine that is 20 times more sensitive than standard optical mice for better tracking on even more surfaces. Priced at US$69, Apple’s wireless Mighty Mouse includes up to four independently programmable buttons and an ingenious Scroll Ball that lets users scroll in any direction.
“We cut the cord on our popular Mighty Mouse to give consumers even more flexibility when using a Mac,” said David Moody, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Mac Product Marketing, in the press release. “A Bluetooth-enabled Mac desktop with an Apple Wireless Keyboard and Mighty Mouse is the ideal cable-free setup at home or in the office, and the wireless Mighty Mouse is the perfect travel companion for the MacBook user on the go.”
The wireless Mighty Mouse is a Bluetooth 2.0 based 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. The wireless 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 X and other applications. The wireless 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 “Tiger” features such as Spotlight™, Dashboard and Exposé™, or to launch any application such as Safari™ or iChat.
The wireless Mighty Mouse features an easy-to-use design that comfortably fits the left or right hand. It also includes an advanced power management system that automatically switches to low power modes during inactivity, and an off switch to maintain battery life while not in use. Ready to use out of the box, the wireless Mighty Mouse works with either one or two AA batteries.
The wireless Mighty Mouse is available immediately through the Apple Store, at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $69 (US). The wireless Mighty Mouse easily connects to the latest Macs with built-in Bluetooth wireless technology, and requires Mac OS X “Tiger” version 10.4.6 or later to customize buttons for one-click access to Spotlight, Dashboard and Exposé or to launch applications.
More info at the Apple Store here.
Related articles:
Report: Apple to debut wireless Bluetooth Mighty Mouse soon – July 24, 2006
Apple’s Mighty Mouse Scroll Ball clogs too easily – July 18, 2006
ZDNet UK review gives Apple Mighty Mouse 6.6 out of 10 – August 31, 2005
Dr. Mac: ‘Mighty Mouse is the finest mouse Apple has ever produced’ – August 09, 2005
The Boston Globe: first shipments of Apple’s Mighty Mouse ‘sold out almost immediately’ – August 08, 2005
Mercury News: Apple’s Mighty Mouse looks ‘like the world’s most carefully crafted bar of soap’ – August 08, 2005
AnandTech: Apple’s Mighty Mouse ‘isn’t exactly perfect’ – August 05, 2005
NY Times’ Pogue: ‘I certainly prefer the Mighty Mouse’ to Apple’s standard one-button mouse – August 04, 2005
Apple’s Mighty Mouse dissected (with image) – August 04, 2005
The Motley Fool: ‘Mighty Mouse may be the next step in Apple’s quiet crusade to lure Windows users’ – August 04, 2005
Mossberg pans Apple Mighty Mouse, says Microsoft’s latest mouse is better – August 04, 2005
Review: Apple’s Mighty Mouse – Third-party USB mouse makers should be very afraid – August 03, 2005
Apple introduces multi-button ‘Mighty Mouse’ with ‘Scroll Ball’ for Mac and Windows – August 02, 2005
Apple’s new ‘Mighty Mouse’ provides audio feedback for clicking and scrolling – August 02, 2005
Apple’s mythical two-button mouse – March 19, 2005
RUMOR: Apple may soon debut two-button mouse – March 15, 2005
Apple’s Pro Mouse is truly a joy to use… for about five minutes – May 29, 2004
The time has come for Apple to ship a two-button scroll mouse standard – June 09, 2003
Should Apple reconsider the one-button mouse? – October 23, 2002
Not interested….. not until it comes with a dock and rechargeable batteries! Why would I go back in time?
MM sucks. Scroll ball constantly gets bunged up. No way to clean it. Bad design. I have had 3, same problem with each. Works for a month then nothing.
A dock and rechargeable batteries would cost as much as two year’s supply of AA batteries.
Oh really, Ron… then why did my Logitech MX 700 only cost $65? I don’t think you know what you are talking about, to be completely honest.
Scroll balls get bunged up by gungy fingers. Is your white keyboard white?
(The clean police)
Clean police, this has been a well documented problem with the Mighty Mouse. Hopefully Apple has taken the opportunity to make a few adjustments this time. At very least, there should be an easier way to clean it!
Meet the new mouse, same as the old mouse
Won’t Get Fooled Again – The Who
I wonder if/when the wired one will get laser tracking?
The difference is that the Logitec mouse is based on RF technology while this is based on Bluetooth. You can find out which one requires more power. The Logitec mouse requires you to have a gongle to receive the signal. So, they just simply made use of that dongle to charge your system too. It’s not that they wanted to design it that way. They found a way to put the dongle to good use.
The idea with bluetooth is that you can encrypt your keyboard strokes, which is not possible with the current RF, unless they have explicitly made encryption possible.
You can always buy rechargeable batteries and use them with a recharger.
to clean the mouse , just use one of those clearasil wipes your spotty teenage brother / sister has
the alcohol really cleans the damn thing properly !!
Not on the UK Store yet…
I like my PowerBook trackpad.
This is the worst mouse in history why would they make a bluetooth model. Apple needs to look at Kensington and Logitech.
Talk about animal cruelty, they cut the tail off the mouse! At least they spared its ball.
This is the worst mouse in history why would they make a bluetooth model. Apple needs to look at Kensington and Logitech.
It’s more like they look at Microsoft’s mouse and say “What can we create that isn’t a threat”
Why no new spreadsheet from Apple?
Think about it.
I think Apple has done their homework, and I trust they know what they’re doing with this mouse. I’ve heard a lot of complaining, but the complainers are usually the loudest anyway. I’ve also heard about people using the Mighty Mouse for months without a problem.
Aside from the scrollball [apparently] gumming up after a short period of use, does anybody else take issue with the mouse’s design? I’ve heard plenty of good reviews and experiences.
Speak for yourselves. I bought my Mighty Mouse the day it came out. I have NEVER had to clean mine. Ever. It works as well today as the day I bought mine. I love it.
I also wash my hands.
Also, before you judge something you have not yet seen, consider that Apple has added power management to the new cordless Mighty Mouse. That should increase battery life. That said, any cordless device will go through batteries.
In short: this won’t be for everyone. But for those of you who hate being tethered, and love the convenience this design offers (personally, I love the trackpea), it will be great. And to the rest of you railbirds, move along, please. There’s nothing to see.
There. I feel better now.
My biggest complaint was with the placement of the side buttons, and their design. Having to squeeze both means you have one less button. The placement isn’t in the natural position I hold the mouse. I also found there was no tactile feedback to tell me I had pressed the side buttons. Either way, I’ve just ordered one of these because:
a) I don’t really need more than 2 buttons.
b) I’ve been waiting for a BlueTooth laser mouse and this is the first one on the market that can be purchased on it’s own.
c) The scroll ball is really nice.
d) All the BlueTooth mice I’ve owned suck, and Apple seems to be the only one that can implement it without frustrating delays when waking from sleep.
e) It’s the only BlueTooth multi-button mouse that you can check the batter life through OS X’s mouse pref pane.
“…does anybody else take issue with the mouse’s design?”
The pressure buttons on the sides are awkward. Anyone who has sensitive fingers or the like will probably find the tiny trackball to be extremely uncomfortable. And, people who have big hands will likely find the MM to have too many features crammed into too small a space.
Had MM since November. No problems with trackball. Love it!
Problems with side buttons. Hate location!
They are right where I grip the mouse. I’m always accidentally clicking them. Had to disable…they are useless to me.
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Love to have had the extra buttons… but not where they are.
$69 for a mouse? I don’t care if its wireless or not. It can’t do anything better than my $25 Logitech Optical scroll mouse.
I love my clean might mouse. John do you pick your nose and eat it too?
been using a migt mouse since they first came out, no problems with scrollball getting dirty – maybe people should wash their hands every day or two whether they think they need to or not.
I love my mighty mouse and have never had a problem with the ball getting dirty. I eat food at my desk. I’m really a messy, messy person, but my mouse is not dirty. Maybe it’s due to the fact that I wash my hands when I go to the bathroom. Maybe if everyone did that, they might not have dirty mice.
MDN word – week
As in some people do not wash their hands more than once a week.
I have been using a MM since it came out, and I think it is the best mice I have ever used. It replaced my Logitech wireless laser mouse which is really a worthless piece of crap. It has too many buttons (which I accidently hit all the time) and worst of all… the guy next to me also had one, and there is no way to keep them from interfering! It was unbelievable.
Yea, the track ball gets gummed up every once in a while, but a towel and a little water seem to clear it up just fine.
All in all a great mouse that just got better
About freaking time!!!!!
Works for a month then nothing.
If yours only lasted a month, you’ve got a dirty place. I’ve had mine since it came out and I occasionally have problems with it, which is easy enough to fix. The one I’ve had at work has worked since I got it without any problems and work is much dirtier than my home.
I’m tempted to buy this new wireless model.
so it says 20times more sensitive? How does it fare with games? I’ve owned a few different mice before from logitech to dell. Some are great for gaming and some are just bad. I wanna know what it is for this?
Can we get a new pro tower?
About time. Going to call my LAS (Local Apple Store) to see if they have them in stock when they open.
$69 for a mouse? I don’t care if its wireless or not. It can’t do anything better than my $25 Logitech Optical scroll mouse.
The $20 “The Mouse” from Mac Mice looks almost identical to the Mighty Mouse, except it has a scroll wheel. I suspect the MM was inspired by it. I hate the right-click thing though, wish I could disable it.
neomonkey: you can disable right click on the MM, that is why Apple made the right and left clicks “virtual” so that you don’t need to right-click. Since OS X was so well designed, you don’t need right-click as much as you do with Winders.
Happy to hear this, that’s for sure. Maybe I am in the minority, but I have been very happy with the wired MM. I haven’t experienced the dirty scroll button that others have, so maybe I’m just lucky. Though I confess to cleaning my keyboard and mouse at least once a week, and I do wash my hands. So, I’ll have to stick with the wired MM at work where I have everything plugged into a KVM, but at home, I can see getting the wireless with the iMac.
Horrible, horrible, horrible mouse — both the wired & the wireless version. NOBODY likes this mouse. It’s the worst mouse ever created. Apple, give it up and license a real mouse from Logitech. These mice from Apple are just a disgrace to the whole line of Apple products.
Can some of the more knowledgeable MDN readers enlighten me on the “1 or 2 batteries” ? Thanx
Have had a MM for about a year. Occassionally, the vertical scrolling has went MIA for a bit. Other than that, it’s a GREAT mouse. Love it.
P.S. Bring on the new towers! My credit card is ready!
Not everyone has the same hands. Some people’s hands are dry as a bone, while others have to undergo surgery to stop sweaty palms. My guess is that those who are complaining about the scroll ball getting gummed up are closer to the latter group than they are the former. I probably wash my hands 5 times a day, but still have to clean the gunk off my keyboard once a month or so.
MacBill –
It’s humorous that you’re pretentious enough to speak for everybody, but some people actually appreciate what apple was going for when they created the Mighty Mouse. The flexibility of two buttons, the minimalism of one button. Nobody says you have to like it. Words of rational human wisdom: Nothing out there will please everyone. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it.
No go on my local retail stores. One sales rep didn’t even know about the BT MM. Guess I’ll have to order it online or wait a week or so.
Am I the only one that thinks it is crazy that Apple announcing a new mouse would be the top Tech story on Google News…
The thing with this is that some jerkoff could just swipe it from your desk, keep it in a drawer when you are away from desk! (of course this geos for any brand …)
“Am I the only one that thinks it is crazy that Apple announcing a new mouse would be the top Tech story on Google News…”
Maybe Google News should step back to beta! (and stay there)
i really think the MM has a design flaw with the ball. i’ve had 2 or three go bad on me after 3-5 months of use. had a logitech for the last year, and no problems whatsoever. and i’ve had the same hands with both mice.
maybe they need to package the MM with latex gloves…
Wash your hands. Cheetos clog up the scroll ball, you nasty nerds. Oh yeah, wash your clothes and take a bath while you’re at it.
YESSSS! I have been using a wired MM on an iMac for a few months now with no problems. I love it. Now want one for my bluetooth set up at home! I am hoping that the battery life on this one will be better than the standard BT Mouse.
BTW I have used quite a few scroll mice over the last few years and find I like the MM the best. (though microsoft makes a pretty nice one as well).
eep…. 70 bucks!
“and an ingenious Scroll Ball that lets users scroll in any direction.” For the first two weeks, then it only scrolls in one direction and that’s probably not even the direction the user had in mind.
And come on, a dock that enables you to recharge it is bare minimum 2006. Apple shows they are still stuck in the 1970s when it comes to mice!
Weird…I’m in the same group that has never had a problem with the mighty mouse. I love the virtual right and left click as it’s very intuitive, but I don’t think it’s quite as form fitting as my Kensington optical.
I think wireless mice are overrated except for very specific situations. I haven’t had one that’s lasted for longer than 3 months which is why I went back to wired optical mice. Give me something that I don’t have to recharge or put batteries in and I’m happy.
I have a Mighty Mouse, and I hate it. I have to lift my index finger off to do a right-click with my middle finger. The “squeeze” side buttons are pressed whenever I lift the mouse up while trying to “carry the click”, so I had to disable the “squeeze” side button functionality. The scroll wheel is really tiny and requires frequent cleaning.
Now Apple offers one that requires batteries, and it costs $70. How thrilling.
The iMac no longer offers the wireless k’board & mouse as a bundled option. Suggests the WMM will now be the standard, especially as I couldn’t firnd the plain MM on the UK Apple Store.
A small amount of extra revenue perhaps?
… PS from the unbundling.
We bought approximately 110 20″ iMacs with MM around Christmas. We have had ONE scroll wheel get dirty and goof up.