Posted on 08/02/2005 8:43:02 AM PDT by Dont Mention the War
Apple Introduces Mighty Mouse
New Multi-Button Mouse Features Innovative Scroll Ball
CUPERTINO, California—August 2, 2005—Apple® today introduced Mighty Mouse, its next generation mouse with several innovative new features that make using a Mac® 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® 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™ , Dashboard and Exposé™, or to launch any application such as Safari™ 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 Exposé.
Pricing & Availability Mighty Mouse is available immediately through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $49 (US). Mighty Mouse requires Mac OS X, Windows 2000 or Windows XP and easily connects to Mac and Windows systems; Mac OS X version 10.4.2 “Tiger” is required to customize buttons for one-click access to Spotlight, Dashboard and Exposé or to launch applications. Mighty Mouse is compatible with either USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 ports.
Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning desktop and notebook computers, OS X operating system, and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital music revolution with its iPod portable music players and iTunes online music store.
Press Contacts: Teresa Weaver Apple (408) 974-6851 tweaver@apple.com
Pam Bennett Apple (408) 974-7608 pamb@apple.com
NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple’s PR website, or call Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.
I tried a Kensington cordless, but went back to a corded. Husband complained too much about the cost of the triple A batteries. The way I have my work space arranged, the cord isn't much of a problem.
Went to Apple's website to check it out. I am impressed, and will be ordering one today. Apple absolutely has the best industrial designers!
I get the same effect by clicking on the scroll wheel on my Logitech (Cordless) TrackMan Wheel, then using the trackball to scroll around (dunno if Microsoft mice/trackballs offer the same deal; it's been forever since I used one). Also, for those times when precision scrolling (up/down only) is required, the wheel provides a tactile response. Somehow, I don't think Apple can offer the same combination with Mighty Mouse, but if they are, all the more power to them.
According to Apple's research in Gestalt psychology theory, it's easier for new users to learn how to work a computer with a single-button mouse. Apple advises software developers to design programs so that a multi-button mouse is not required for operation.
A single-button mouse can simulate a right-click by holding down the Option key on the keyboard while clicking the mouse button.
These days the cordless are good, back when they first came out they were junk. Of course since both my Trackman's are relatively new even if I decide today my next pointers will be cordless that won't happen for 3 or 4 years.
Never like those huge central balls of the MS trackballs, I like keeping my button fingers stationary and I've never figured out how to do that with their design. The thumb ball is the way to go. I never liked mice period, seems I always have to do a lot of "rowing" (picking up and repositioning to go further in one direction) and that's just so much easier with a trackball than a mouse. Plus trackballs seem to confuse people so my computers get a little additional security.
It'll be interesting to see how this scrollball works out. There've been a lot of attempts in the last few years to handle horizontal scrolling and most of them have sucked. The industry seems to have by and large abandoned the effort lately. We shall see.
Oops, that should say the "Control" key.
Y'all must be thrilled...
DVForge is coming out with "The World's First Bluetooth Wireless Trackball" called "The Ball" and it looks pretty interesting. They are targetting people who don't use trackballs.
http://www.dvforge.com/theball.shtml
'Cause it was the first mouse, and just so damned cool! :)
Notice the DB9 connector - this puppy plugs onto a card slotted in my Apple][+. Also: it only had 9 pins and there's no electronics on the board - the quadrature signals go down the line to the computer (where the circuitry is). With power, ground, button, and 4 detector lines, it only leaves 2 wires. They _could_ have added another 2 buttons; but depended upon using the modifier keys instead - nobody ever _thought_ more than one button was necessary.
Yes, this is a feature of the operating system, not the trackball, so it's not just your Logitech that does this. But you don't get "the same effect", you get a better effect. By default, clicking the middle button (which is basically what the scroll click is) causes a reference point to appear at the cursor's current location, then scrolls in the direction the cursor is moved to. So let's say you want to scroll slowly through a document. Middle-click, then move the cursor down slightly, then stop. The document will scroll by and will keep on scrolling by. If you want to scroll faster, move the cursor down a little bit, and if you want to scroll slower, move it up a little bit. Good luck replicating the effect with a scroll ball like Apple's.
It's kind of like a 12-inch phallus: fine for looks, but anything after the first seven inches is pure overkill.
I'll reserve judgment. This may be okay at work (graphic design) where they're too cheap to buy tablets, but at home, I'll stick with my Wacom Graphire tablet with cordless mouse and stylus/pen. I love it! Paid $60 for it 5 years ago from someone on eBay who had no clue what he had.
Reread it. It's not a scroll wheel.
No, it's like a 2 button mouse on top, with two extra buttons on the side. I though you were talking about the side button on your thumb side. Even if you set the two side buttons to do nothing, you still have the equivilent of a two button mouse. It's pretty clever. But the price is a little too high, IMO.
Lock your peepers on this link, and compare the features...
Looks very interesting, and different from existing programmable mice to me, but I am no expert on programmable mice. Doesn't it work with both Macs and PCs?
http://www.apple.com/mightymouse/software.html
One word - laser! no more ball!
I like the older (ADB) better than the 'middle' ones (USB w/6 function buttons), but the one pictured is sweet. I have it on my computer at work. It's an optical trackball (no rollers to clog) with a scroll wheel that works swimmingly.
The feel is very close to what I remember from my old ADB Turbo Mice.
I have the MS Optical Trackball that you roll with your thumb. You roll the mousewheel with your middle finger. It also has the Forward and Backwards buttons on the sides. . Really like it, can't see using anything else.
BTW, I added mousewheel support for zooming in my $80 apps. Users love it. It and another feature were copied by a much larger company in their $40,000 app, right after they sicced their lawyers on me. Gotta love business ... NOT! Anyway, I'm looking into adding support for the Forward and Backward buttons once I figure out which resulting function makes the most sense.
This is the first mouse, ever. It has one button.
But not long after, Engelbart had the NLS up and running with a three-button mouse (the thing on the left is a chord keyboard for commands).
Xerox took it to two buttons with the Star, and Apple eliminated one more.
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