For years many Mac users derided the fact that Apple seemed to have something against computer mice with visible buttons. Apple for many years believed that a one button mouse was more efficient and easier to use, but still users continue to complain about it. The new Apple Magic Mouse is still a sleek, buttonless curve of white, but inside are hidden dozens of tiny multi-touch sensors that open up new functionality never before seen on a computer mouse.
What Makes the Apple Magic Mouse So Innovative?
The Apple Magic Mouse is innovative in the way it does away with any visible or tactile buttons on the mouse but still allows the user to use controls that multiple button mice are normal used for. Recently a reviewer took apart an Apple Magic Mouse to see what makes it tick.
He found that it uses the same capacitive touch capabilities that made the iPhone and iPod touch so popular, allowing a user to use gestures to control mouse features and move a cursor around the screen. Left and right click functions are exactly where a person would expect them to be while top/bottom and left/right scrolling is controlled by dragging the finger across the surface of mouse in the desired direction.
The mouse is multi-touch capable so the mouse can be touched in more than one spot at a time to control other features of multi-touch enabled software. For example, in Safari using two fingers while swiping left or right across the mouse moves the page backward or forward through the browser's history.
Apple Magic Mouse Specifications and Requirements
Any Bluetooth capable Macintosh computer running OS 10.5.8 (Leopard) or newer can use the Magic Mouse right out of the box. Windows and Linux users can also use the Apple Magic Mouse but will not be able to utilize all of the multi-touch features of the device. Like many of the other wireless products that Apple uses the Magic Mouse uses Bluetooth RF wireless to communicate between the mouse and the computer.
Since it is wireless the Magic Mouse requires two AA batteries, but the user can use rechargeable batteries to save money over the long term. To help save energy the Magic Mouse has an off switch on the bottom for when it is not in use but it also utilizes some sophisticated software to power down the mouse when it senses that the mouse is not in use for a period of time.
The Apple Magic Mouse now ships with every new iMac desktop but is also available as a separate $70 purchase through the Apple Store and other online retailers.
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