“Apple’s standard ‘ships with every desktop Mac’ mouse (but also available alone for Mac or Windows at US$69) is now a Magic Mouse,” Andy Ihnatko reports for The Chicago Sun-Times.
“That’s a fabulous and welcome improvement. Every mouse Apple has shipped since Steve Jobs returned to the company has been Mostly Miserable,” Ihnatko reports.
“I’ve been using the new Magic Mouse for a couple of days now and I can happily say that Apple’s curse is over. Apple has finally designed a practical and useful mouse,” Ihnatko reports. “I do wish that the Magic Mouse were a little thicker and filled my hand a bit better, but this is a fine, stylish wireless mouse. It’s not so thin to make it tough to use … but it’s thin enough to do double-duty as a travel item. Despite its eye-catching looks, it does indeed disappear into my workflow.”
Ihnatko reports, “The advantages of the Magic Mouse over the other mouses in its weight class are it’s dead-simple while still bringing some unique features to the table.”
Read the full review – recommended, as usual – here.
The only mouse that sucked was that stupid puck mouse.
And for crying out loud, THE PLURAL OF MOUSE IS MICE!
Especially from someone that is ostensible a professional writer.
“I’ve been using the new Magic Mouse for a couple of days now and I can happily say that Apple’s curse is over.”
When will the curse of shoddy journalists be over?
I disagree that the Mighty Mouse was miserable. It is a low sleek comfortable mouse. Apparently, its even popular among Windows users:
http://www.derekunderwood.com/general-computer/fixing-a-mighty-mouse-in-windows-xp/
So, I love the new Magic Mouse but I also love the Mighty Mouse. Calling it “miserable” is a joke. Compared to the clunky hunky Microsoft and Logitech Mice, it was awesome and still is.
Gah. I mean ostensibly, not ostensible. I would’ve edited it, but no editing.
@ Of mouses and writers…
Calm down.
@ Of mouses and writers…
And as to your 2nd comment, I’m not sure but I think that’s what’s known as irony…
If you don’t have something really critical to say about Apple, you’re not a true computer-user (Mac, of course). It’s what we do here in the USA: we scream bloody murder about our computers, our cell phone providers, our politicians, and ourselves. We are a nation of self-loathing and self-destructive whiners.
Life’s just TOO easy here to appreciate what we have.
I hated the mighty mouse.
After two months of use, the scroll ball stopped working.
The scroll ball slowly collects dust and grime, much like a old style mouse ball, except there was no way to open the mouse and cleaned scroll ball.
Miserable mouse indeed!
The Mighty Mouse is good if you work environment is clean, otherwise it sucks when it gets grimy, and cleaning it can be hard. I use two of them, one at home which thanks to my wife is a very pristine environment, one at work, which is not so clean and having to deal with it not scrolling at times can be very frustrating. I have to grab the thing and run it up and down a sheet of paper to get it to somewhat work. Apple should have made it a bit easer to clean, even if the thing would not be so stylish. Contact cleaner can help.
Put some alcohol on a paper towel, take out the batteries, turn over the Mighty Mouse and run the ball in circles around the towel for a minute or so. You’ll feel the graininess fade, and it will work fine after that – at least until it grimes up again. Be sure and let the alcohol evaporate before putting the batteries back in.
Cleaning the Mighty Mouse:
The most effective way to clean this particular mouse is to get a sheet of clean paper and clean the ball every time you think it’s beginning to play up. Rub the sheet of paper vigorously on the scroll pea and you’ll keep it working order. I’d do it every three weeks or so. This trick is slightly different than Mac-nugget’s advice. I got the advice from Apple’s help line.
I’ve been using a laptop for so long that I don’t remember the last time I used an actual mouse.
Rubbing the outside of the ball with cloth is rubbish, because the grime is not just on the ball itself, but the contacts the ball touches on the inside of the device.
I tried the advice of Apple’s help line. It made the scroll ball mostly usable for about a week or so, but it was never totally clean on the inside.
Then I bought a logitech mouse, and that solved the problem. But I’m still disappointed that Apple, a pioneer of mouse technology, could have made the Mighty Mouse with such a gaping design flaw.
I agree with iworker, except it’s more effective to hold the mighty mouse in your hand, turn it upside down and rub the roller ball vigorously across a clean sheet of paper lying on a firm surface. You’ll start seeing grimy tracks on the paper from the roller ball (you may need to do this for 2 to 3 _full_ minutes for full effect). I have a mighty mouse in my kitchen nook that my 4-year-old uses and keep it clean this way, no problem. People should quit whining so much and use the Apple Discussion Forums to solve their minor problems.
God that first sentance was tortuous.
When I got my shiny new 27″ iMac, I looked forward to trying the new mouse, but wasn’t ready to give up my Logitech wireless mouse. I was certain that I would be going back to it. I can say that the new Apple mouse is great. I do miss the multiple buttons, but there are a number of third-party software solutions for that.
@Planar
I’m pretty sure that the people who are using the Mighty Mouse in Windows are largely Mac users running Windows in Boot Camp. I’ve never even heard of a Windows user using or even wanting to use an Apple mouse over a Logitech (or any el cheapo for that matter) mouse. I certainly never would have considered it before switching, and even after I still hate the things.
For those who like Apple’s mice… more power to you. For the rest of us, yes. They really do suck. I didn’t even care for the Magic Mouse, though in that case it was largely a problem with my hands simply being much too large to use it comfortably. Honestly, that was true for the other Apple mice, but man that Mighty Mouse was really unreliable with right clicking and generally just downright strange. It sure looked purty, but it’s a classic case of form over function.
@of Mouse and writers
our kids go to a bilenguel shool in Mexico, we got a kick last year when they had homework, wanting the plurals of fifty words, two of the words were mice and teeth
My understanding is that the computer mouse plural is indeed mouses and the rodent plural is mice. Along the same lines would be that you “hung up the towel” but that the “man was hanged”
Phooey on mice! Gimme a trackball anytime. I’d rather just move a ball with a finger or two than my entire arm on a mouse. Yes, for smaller movements it’s all wrist action but when you use dual monitors, trackballs are way faster.
I was on my third Mighty Mouse before I learned how to look after it. The best method has been covered by posters above – regularly turn it over and rub the track ball on a clean towel dipped in alcohol. Although a bit unconventional, pushing the track ball down with the tip of a teaspoon handle and blowing vigorously in the gap also helps. My present mouse is about three years old. It’s stopped working on numerous occasions, but I’ve always managed to resurrect it.
I have a Mighty Mouse at work, and a Magic Mouse at home. I agree with Andy Ihnatko. The latter is a sign that the curse is over.
Ihnatko is right.
We all agree the hockey puck mouse sucked, even after they added the tactile orientation depression on the button.
I never liked the Pro mouse shape or feel. Further, in the day of the Pro, I was a Mac IT guy. I was constantly having to replace them when they stopped working.
The Mighty Mouse was the same as the Pro, but with the added mini trackball. Never used a Mighty much, but it seemed that it had all the problems of the Pro, plus additional problems with the trackball.
My favorite Apple mice have been the original 1984 model, and the ADB Mouse II. (the curvy ADB mouse, not the angular one.)
My main mouse for the past few years has been a $15 Logitech. Like the shape and size, scroll wheel has tactile feedback and can be used as a third button (I love using it for Expose
@iworker – Blessings on you and your house for the cleaning advice! I’d read somewhere to clean by the ball by sliding a sliver of business card into the mouse hole and twist it around. I had moderate success, but your advice worked great! I found it easier to turn the mouse upside down, and then saw Snow Leopard advise the same. I will, however, be asking for a Magic Mouse for Christmas!
If you keep your hands clean when using the computer and use the mouse on a clean surface, the Mighty Mouse can go for years without being cleaned or causing problems.
All 3 of my originals are still working fine. Your mileage may vary depending on how dirty your hands and computing environment is. I can tell you that soda and the Mighty Mouse do not mix well!
“Apple’s standard ‘ships with every desktop Mac’ mouse (but also available alone for Mac or Windows at US$69) is now a Magic Mouse,”
Come on, now! I know that I haven’t started drinking yet today.
Just another Mac guy chiming in here with intense loathing of Apple mice / mouses (I have yet to try out the Magic Mouse). I do remember the ADB mouse was OK but still it only had one button when the rest of the world was used to two.
For those who enjoy the Mighty Mouse, I’m glad you’re around so I can sell mine on eBay to you.
HazMatt