“Apple’s new ‘Magic Mouse’ [comes] without any physical buttons,” Stephen Williams reports for The New York Times. “The input device—now available for $69—is itself the button, Apple says. Using technology employed on the iPhone and iPod Touch, the top of Magic Mouse is a sensor that reads touch gestures to scroll, pan, swipe and click on documents and in applications.”
“The new device is Bluetooth-enabled for wireless use, and Apple says its equally friendly to either left or right hands,” Williams reports. “But it will work only with Macs running Leopard version 10.5.8 or later; Windows users need not apply.”
Williams reports, “Magic Mouse also ships with a new range of desktop iMacs, announced Tuesday, as was an updated, bottom-of-the-line MacBook for $999.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Lynn W.” for the heads up.]
Looks like a cool addition to the Apple hardware line. I’m buying a new 27″ iMac for sure.
Yep, I guess everyone will just have to, er, Get a Mac. As the phrase goes and the queues stretch.
It is interesting to see the white space under the iMac screen slowly getting narrower with every new version. In a couple of years, that 2″ white band will be gone completely and iMacs will look exactly like the Displays Apple sells. You could then literally have your computer hanging from the wall acting both as computer and TV.
Decisions, decisions!!
There’s one problem with that – bootcamp. Don’t want to have to have a separate mouse for bootcamp. This will work great for with my macbook pro, though.
@ Maconymous
> It is interesting to see the white space under the iMac screen slowly getting narrower
One reason it looks even narrower (although it may be narrower), is because the new screens are 16:9 aspect ratio instead of the previous 16:10. The wide screens are getting even wider. I personally like what was previously the “standard” aspect ratio of 4:3 (or 16:12). I find vertical space to be more useful than horizontal space; I think eyes are better at looking up and down, versus side to side.
Microsoft already has their copy machines running full tilt to copy this Magic Mouse. You watch a few months from now. MS New IntelliTouch Mouse. Brand new, we’ve been working on it for five years now. It’s just pure coincidence that it came to release just as after Apple releases their copy Magic Mouse.
I’ve hated every Apple mouse I’ve ever tried. Hopefully they got it right this time.
just ordered mine
Yeah right!!!!
Apple is going to ignore the entire widows market just for snob appeal,I don’t think so!
The same thing happened with the Original IPOD.
But guess what, They conceded and now firewire is a thing of the past.Long Live USB.
I suspect that the magic mouse will be available for Microsoft products within the next 6 months once people get a chance to see and play with it.
I want one but I am not going to buy a Mac just for the mouse.
Maconymous….White space below the screen? Are you looking at the 5 year old used imacs or what?
Just ordered my new mouse. Hope it is as great as the macbook pro touchpad…
All they need is a driver. How hard would it be to write a driver? They already HAVE Windows developers (iTunes/iPod/Safari team).
@NCIceman
That’s a good point about bootcamp. I’m sure they will have a simple driver for the mouse for Windows. You just can’t do the gestures on Windows or something.
I’m trying to imagine using this new touch-mouse. If I rest my finger on the button area I’m going to register a click, right? I always rest my finger on the button, so what will I do now, hold it up in the air all day?
Hope someone tells me I’ve got the wrong idea about how this thing is supposed to work.
What? No pinch gestures? WTF?
That doesnt make any sense. It will have to have drivers for those new iMac users to be able to use Windows on there!
So, will it work for Windows running under Fusion. Hardly use Windows except for testing (and Freecell) but want one mouse to rule them all.
I agree with the bootcamp problem. I was wondering how the mouse would work with games, which is all I ever use windows for.
Now I have a real problem, I’ve been waiting on the the mouse since my old mouse is acting up. It looks like I’ll have to find something else. I would prefer a bluetooth mouse, since both my usb ports are usually filled. Now I’ll have to do something more creative.
They ought to make it xp compatible, but not Seven! (or Vista). Then, once you’re hooked, you can’t upgrade to Seven!
@Wingsy
I’m guessing you have to physically click for right and left clicks just like on the mighty mouse, but it will also read swipes on the surface as well. Just a guess
Ordered one to test it out.
Wingsy, it’ll probably behave just like the Macbook touchpads. I can rest a finger on there forever and it won’t register a click until I lift my finger up and tap it again.
That said… I’m interested to see how drag-and-drop works now. At least the Macbook touchpads still physically clicked, there’s no mention of that with the Magic Mouse.
“That doesnt make any sense. It will have to have drivers for those new iMac users to be able to use Windows on there!”
Doubt it, the Magic Mouse can work like a regular mouse as well.
“All they need is a driver. How hard would it be to write a driver? They already HAVE Windows developers (iTunes/iPod/Safari team).”
Why would they? They have created something new and unique. I am sure they aren’t making a ton per mouse, so the extra sales probably aren’t great incentive. However, if this attracts more people to a mac, then they can make some money.
If anyone bothered to watch the video, they would have found out that the entire mouse is a physical button (just like the Mighty Mouse). You can rest your entire hand on this mouse, move the mouse around with it, and it wouldn’t click until you pressed down on it. If you need finger gestures, though, you’d need to lift the fingers and move/swipe/slide across the surface.
Anyone used to the old Mouse Pro (the clear-surface, single-button predecessor of the Mighty Mouse) can continue and use it the same way. Those used to Mighty Mouse, with pressure-sensitive area around the right-click button can also continue and use the new one the same way.
You should watch the iMac video, hosted by Johnny Ive. He explains the logic behind the Magic Mouse.
@NCIceman
As thethirdshoe mentions, there will likely be a solution under Bootcamp. I’ve got Windows running on my Macbook Pro at times, and there are drivers to allow the multitouch trackpad to function under Windows.
There may be some limitations, in the extent of gestures. But the basic, typical mouse-like functionality would likely be there, including left and right clicks. Still, it would be nice to see this issue addressed specifically. Maybe keep an eye on the forums.
One thing I can’t do with old Might Mouse is clicking left and right mouse button at the same time, this might not be a very common use case, but some games(like ‘running’ in World Of Warcraft) still use that. I do wish Apple could get this right this time…
@Joe
“Apple is going to ignore the entire widows market just for snob appeal”
I haven’t seen Apple ever single out widows, and I certainly doubt they would win any fans snub them for ‘snob appeal’. Was there a particular widow you know of that was ignored?
They should give out the Magic Mouse for free for making us suffer from the Mighty Mouse with it’s horrible scroll ball and inability to right click consistently. I had to buy a Microsoft mouse thanks to the Mighty horribly designed mouse.
Apple’s building a working mouse? Can’t believe it!
m$ has had a bunch of different multitouch mice in the works and testing phases for awhile now.. apple just actually sold theirs first..
Using Mighty Mouse happily… right click is a stupid M$ thing, who needs it, use your left thumb that already there over the Control key…
Why not tap to click like on my Macbook Pro glasspad? It’s so quiet and non-invasive. It’s hard to go back to a clunky hard click.
Remember, Microsloth has products naming conventions that a redundant foreigner who recently learned english would love:
” width=”19″ height=”19″ alt=”wink” style=”border:0;” />
Microsloth Premium Deluxe Intellimouse III Gold Supreme
Standard
as if to imply an even better one is in the labs now
it probably would be”
Microsloth Premium Deluxe Intellimouse III Gold Supreme
Ultimate
Every mouse that i’ve ever gotten with a computer — any computer — immediately is given away or recycled. I’m not alone, either. I’m not the only one who prefers trackballs.
The Logitech Trackman Marble FX was ergonomically the best input device for me, ever, period. Bar none. But I don’t believe Logitech ever offered a USB version though. They never offered a left-hand version, which would have been nice for those guys. They abandoned a GREAT product and started to produce symmetric products that don’t fit either hand well.
Mice – no matter how mighty and shiny and new – are just carpal tunnel inflammation in a box.
But this does leave a great 3rd-party peripheral opening. multitouch input devices with flair: instead of a flat mouse, make a multitouch trackball with some cool etched ball design: 8-balls, crystal balls, basketballs, golf balls, you name it. Microsoft’s focus groups might even come up with innovative products like the Ballmer-head trackball, complete with audio feedback.
Only one I liked: My first from Apple — Apple Desktop Bus Mouse (G5431/A9M0331)
Kensington only after that.
Macguy
having to use your left hand for a right click, is a pain, especially if your doing porn (left hand may be busy)
Hotinplaya,
What happens when I use the mouse in Boot Camp?
I am interested in seeing the Magic Mouse, but my Logitech MX Laser mouse is going to be quite hard to beat. Still, an open mind is good to have.
There were some articles out a few weeks ago in which MS was “showing off” some of the so-called next-gen mice they were working on, including some with multitouch abilities. It’s pretty funny how Apple has once again delivered while MS is still making promises.
… and millions of users of pre 10.5.8 do not need to apply either. And my five year old g5 tower is now obsolete to the bones. Despite ‘studies’ that tell you that mac are cheaper over the years only apply to those that live in the past, and are happy to be there. Me, I just travel two roads: I just ordered a fresh mini.
I have to add that if there’s one thing I’m disappointed in with the Magic Mouse, it’s the continued use of conventional changeable batteries. One thing I really hate about wireless mice is how they go dead at the most inopportune times. And some are really a bit of a nuisance to change the batteries out on, with covers that are prone to breaking. I would really like to see a wireless Magic Mouse with a sealed battery and a charger. Ideally, the same charger as for the iPhone/iPod… it’d be trivial to share it for all these devices.
Unless someone is running Mac hardware more than 7 years or more old, there’s no real excuse to not be running 10.5.8. Unless they are too cheap to upgrade their OS, in which case I would expect them to be too cheap to upgrade a mouse.
Hotinplaya has to do porn, no one would have him.
Just most people with class wouldn’t admit being limited to porn only.
if they wont make this work on windows 7, it’s WAR
@frank vennis
Odd how you have a 5 year old G5 that is “obsolete to the bones” while I have a 7 year old G4 tower that is still used every day. The OS? 10.5, thank you. Yes, my ancient G4 tower with naught but 1GB of RAM, will be running with the mouse you are unable to use on your newer and faster Mac because…
Well, because you must not be overly bright, I guess. I just helped a friend upgrade his G5 tower to 10.5 and bump the RAM way up, so there is no reason you couldn’t. Unless, of course, you just like to moan and whine.
@frank vennis
Yes, odd, I have a customer with two PowerBook G4’s running OS 10.5.8.
I hear that the soon-to-be released Microsoft competitor will be the RapidRat.
It’s called RapidRat because like MS Word auto-formatting, the RapidRat will work well ahead of you, and every now and then it will chew something up.
this is the figurative fist up the a#$ to the shoulder to Microshaft
all you should have on windows from Apple is teaser apps.
even if MS made a mouse like this they would either have to pay patent fees, or be sued by Apple, and we all know that cash wins wars, so M$ will certainly lose that one.
AND even if they integrated into windows it would be a shoddy afterthought, Snow Leopard contains smoothing background algorithms (hardware accelerated) that works in conjunction with the multitouch inputs, this is a CORE part of the OS design, it exists system wide, and it is 100% ready for a full screen multitouch interface, drop it on and it works, further evidence that that the tablet will indeed run standard Snow Leopard. after we tweaked the dock menus, and expose effects, and safari, for snow leopard we realized that there was no reason to reinvent the wheel for OSX on the tablet. Not only does everything work, but it seems to work more intuitively than a standard mouse, trust me, after you put down your tablet you will be upset if you don’t have a magic mouse on your mac.
I got off track, my point is M$ would have to start from the ground up and then some if they want to have a multitouch interface to work at all on windows, it would be limited.. and I want to say jittery, btu you know what I mean, windows jsut has a feel to it, and ITS NOT SMOOTH.
when you smooth out jittery you get blurry
you cant sharpen a sword by putting playdoh over the rust
MS knows what they have to do, but they cant turn this ship, it doesn’t help that they are not trying to turn the ship… but they know no matter what they do (they have 2 options) (you know hat they are) the ship wont turn, and it would crumble.. why? because they have no internal structure, everyday there they all just kind of look at eacher and shrug and say “what are we supposed to do” “everything is okay right?” “the programmers know what they are doing right?” they are doing too much at once, and now matter how good balmer thinks he is, he is the one to blame at the moment, you cant blame anything on anything else, its up to you to come up with a solution.. and out of fear comes fear mongering, and out of that we have what we have, its nice to see that things are bad for M$, they needed a punch in the gut, but if they don’t look at the “bigger” issues, they will be lucky to be here in 15 years…. and I doubt the government will bail them out, for several reasons.. maybe apple will buy them… castrate everything except office, and then within one year slowly change the names of each program… poof like magic, the world is a better place, and apple now gets hit with all the monopoly law suits…
While the tap click is good for some people you can’t work with Adobe illustrator or Photoshop where you have to hold and drag things by clicking the mouse or Maya – you really need physical clicks for this – I love the trackpad on my MacBook Pro cause you can treat it like a real trackpad with a button or to tap click just set it up. I still wish Apple would detach tat trackpad and make it a stand alone input device I would use it with my MacPro for sure – Ahhhhh no moving parts I Love it.
I mean how hard is it really for them to do this?
Ok, I hate mice. No matter what, you need to move them. Why can I not get from apple a nice simple multi-touch trackpad that can be plugged in. I use Kensington trackballs, but would really really like the multi-touch features, which a trackball cannot offer. The main reason I like them though is that they stay in once place and don’t require a footprint to use them any bigger than they occupy. Same with a track pad, but a mouse needs space to move and causes so many repetative strain injuries in my hand from having to squeeze it when I grab it. Seriously Apple… just take the track pad on the power books and put a USB cord on it, or, try something really revolutionary and make a bluetooth out of it so it’s cordless. Why are there such limited options of bluetooth pointer devices that are not mice (like trackballs and touch pads.) I don’t get it… I’ve been waiting for something like this for years… am I the only one?
Okay, I’ve used the new Magic Mouse. It’s a disaster. Worst execution of the mouse concept ever. It’s an ergonomic nightmare. The market for third-party mice just got a big boost.
Multi touch is fine as a concept, and I’ve looked forward to seeing it added to the mouse for a long time, but this execution is awful. Don’t order one until you’ve had a chance to try it. Odds are, you’ll like your current (or any) device better.