X-bit labs

Is Apple’s Mighty Mouse the Future of Apple’s Mice?

by Anton Shilov

[ 08/04/2005 | 11:43 PM ]

For decades Apple Mac computers featured mice with only one button, which was a thing to gloat over for Macintosh critics, but was something that Mac traditionalists adored. Recently Apple Computer unveiled its Mighty Mouse, now not only with four buttons, but also a 360-degree scroll. BusinessWeek web-site already mulls over the future of the Mighty Mouse: will it be a standard mouse for Macs, or will it still be a standalone product with wireless connectivity?

“Adding a second button and a trackball to the mouse is neither innovative nor unique. These are things that others were doing in the mid-1990s,” believes Rob Enderle, principal analyst with the Enderle Group in San Jose, California.

When introducing the Mighty Mouse, Apple had to satisfy different types of users: those, who earlier used typical personal computers with pointing devices that features at least two buttons and a wheel as well as long-time Macintosh adopters, who got accustomed to single-button mice. Furthermore, multi-button mouse is likely to attract more Windows users to Apple’s computers.

“Gamers need not apply for this mouse, as the Mighty Mouse's touch sensors end up being more of a liability than a convenience in games. You're probably better off control-clicking with a one button mouse than using the Mighty Mouse for gaming on the Mac. Some desktop users may feel the same way about simply using the mouse for regular applications, although personally getting used to doing the left/right finger dance wasn't as big of a deal for me in normal application usage. The drawbacks of the single button/multiple sensor construction of the Mighty Mouse are unfortunate, as I do believe that Apple could put together a very well designed mouse for the multi-button user,” claims Anand Lal Shimpi of AnandTech web-site, who has tested the mouse.

Apple’s last two major changes in mouse design involved turning the entire upper enclosure into a clickable button and adding optical tracking in 2000. That optical mouse quickly became the standard one that ships with all Apple desktop computers. In 2002, it adapted that design into a battery-powered wireless model that uses Bluetooth radio-frequency technology. The wireless version still sells as a $59 stand-alone add-on product. It stands to reason that Apple’s next trick would be to make the Mighty Mouse wireless as well, claims BusinessWeek web-site. Perhaps, the next move is to supply Mighty Mouse with all Macintosh computers?

• AnandTech: Apple’s Mighty Mouse: The Move to Multi-Button.
• BusinessWeek: Apple’s New Mouse: Mighty or Meek.