To tell you the truth, I’m not even sure its worth writing about … not that it isn’t the coolest mouse around — because, from what I can see, it is. Its just that so many people write reviews of Apple … either positive or negative that it just seems pointless. I have to say I didn’t even know about it until one of my students IM’d me to ask if I’d ordered one yet … hmm, losing my edge perhaps?
At any rate, leave it to Apple to do something that actually changes the way we think about stuff. I know its only a mouse, but it really does the same stuff a lot of other mice in a more elegant fashion. But, at the end of the day, it moves a pointer around the screen. So thanks, Apple, now I have to buy more of your stuff … at least I’ll be in Philly this weekend so I can pick one up at the King of Prussia Apple Store — if they have them. Until then, its back to my old fashioned scroll mouse. I hate feeling so yesterday. Sigh.
apple is my company, embraced everything they’ve ever done. except their mice. hundreds of those idiotic hockey pucks tossed away along with the cooler looking (but equally dumb) translucent/white things.
i’ll give ’em props for
1) *finally* working out that multiple buttons and scroll wheels are iCool
2) not calling it the iMouse
mine shipped tonight. we’ll see if i stop becoming a loyal Logitech customer in a few days.
You’ll have to let me know … I am holding back at the moment … not sure why. Just blows my mind that they’ve been saying, “one button” for decades and then just drop the multi-button beast on us. Hmmm … sort of reminds me of another Steve Jobs quote, “we won’t do video …” Not saying they will, but this could be some of that foreshadowing stuff I remember being taught in high school. I love a mystery. Also, WTF is up with that name?
Assigning mouse buttons to certain functions is a great thing. Apple’s mouse driver gives control over things like Expose/Dashboard for free. You can also choose an app if you want to make a button open it.
But it *won’t* let you assign a keystroke to a button. That means I can’t use assign a button to hit ‘command-[‘, go “Back” in a Web browser. That means I can’t use Mighty Mouse.
Rumor has it USB Overdrive will work the mouse without installing the new driver. As soon as I figure out how to get the driver off my machine, I’ll try it, maybe get my back button again.
Till then (or Apple works out that keystroke mapping rocks), I’m mighty disappointed. Back to the $19 Logitech…
Perfect … I just got back from the Apple Store in Philly and not a damn mouse in the house … other than one (!) on a display machine. I used it and it is nice … the little ball is, well, little. I do like it though. Since yours doesn’t work, you wanna unload it on a first floor dweller? For now, I am actually going to stick to my, gasp, Microsoft Stark mouse … it feels a lot like an Apple mouse, but with buttons and a scroll wheel.
BTW, while at the King of Prussia Apple Store two young boys — maybe around 6 & 9 — bumped into the window display and a ladder (I mean a big ass ladder) fell on the one boy. He hit the ground hard, his Mom was sort of pissed at the kids … I thought holy shit, these people are all getting new G5s … it was a little more drama than I am used to. End of the story, everyone was “OK” … but it was serious there for a minute.
I got the Apple driver off, USB Overdrive (http://www.usboverdrive.com/) works Mighty Mouse fine. The little ball takes some getting used to, but it works, kinda neat in a strange way. And I got my “back” button, so I’m happy again.
Haven’t replaced my 39 button wireless Logitech mice yet, but it’s worth going “mighty” if you don’t want to break the Apple aesthetic. Just avoid Apple’s driver if you want to do anything useful. Sorry, Steve…