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Mighty Mouse: TIME's 'mediocre' Gadget of the Week

updated 12:25 pm EDT, Thu August 18, 2005

Mighty Mouse mediocre


. Reviewer Wilson Rothman touches on the capabilities of the Mighty Mouse to launch Exposé, Dashboard, the Application Switcher, Spotlight, and other applications while complementing the overdue incorporation of two buttons and a scroll-wheel feature. Rothman's two major complaints stem from the fact that the side buttons cannot be assigned to something as basic as a "back" feature and that the new mouse isn't wireless. Noting that Apple didn't try to give him "a half-baked excuse", Rothman gives credit to the scroll wheel which is more of a track ball, capable of wiggling a page both up and down and side to side in "a fairly fluid motion". Rothman concludes by saying that he won't be disconnecting his Logitech MX1000 10-button wireless laser mouse with a lithium-ion battery anytime soon.


by MacNN Staff

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  1. poulh

    Mac Enthusiast

    Joined: Jun 2000

    0
    08/18, 12:49pm | report spam | Reply |

    his complaints are dumb

    apple script could do run the back button feature and you need a wired and wireless solution for those w/out bluetooth. the wireless one will be out shortly i'm sure.

  1. zac4mac

    Mac Elite

    Joined: Oct 1999

    0
    08/18, 01:15pm | report spam | Reply |

    I agree

    Although this device is a HUGE addition to the Mac universe, in the grand scheme, mediocre is a compliment. I haven't played with one yet, but I doubt that I'll be trading in my Intellimouse Explorer II on a Mighty Mouse. I will give Apple credit - it's a start, it's about time.

    Z

  1. leperkuhn

    Senior User

    Joined: Feb 2000

    0
    08/18, 01:33pm | report spam | Reply |

    agreed

    I never liked the ergonomics of the apple mice - i hate the pill shape.

    i too will not be disconnecting my mx1000. This is an amazing mouse, and it feels great. $60 from monarch computer.

    http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=M&Product_Code=220535

  1. nat

    Junior Member

    Joined: Mar 2002

    0
    08/18, 01:37pm | report spam | Reply |

    agree

    It is about time. As I noted before, in MacExpo 2004 ol' Steve was showing something and one could clearly see the scroll wheel on the mouse... if it was good enough for him why did the rest of us have to wait?

    Uh oh, about time for Testud to jump in here...

  1. GORDYmac

    Mac Elite

    Joined: Dec 1999

    0
    08/18, 01:40pm | report spam | Reply |

    To the geniuses...

    ...that keep saying AppleScript will resolve the 'Back' button issue I say, "How?"

    MM software v1 doesn't support scripts, only applications. Would you all suggest that, everytime I want to go back, I click a button, wait for an app to load, then go back. Kinda defeats the purpose. All that time, I can click the back button.

    I'd even look in to that option if the 'BACK' ACTION WAS SCRIPTABLE(!!!) in Safari, which it isn't.

    I think the mouse is perfect, but coming from years of Kensington MouseWorks use, the software is lacking to me. I never realized how much I'd miss such a minor feature.

  1. paulc

    Junior Member

    Joined: Aug 2000

    0
    08/18, 02:16pm | report spam | Reply |

    Not To Worry!

    The BIG hardware annoiuncement at Paris will be two, count 'em 2 things. For $89.99 they will ship by year's end a... wireless Mighty Mouse. AND for only $75.00, you'll be abkle to get a wired Signature Mighty Mouse... adorned with the great Steven P. Jobs signature! Then all those whiners will finally have to shut up.

    And rest assured, you will get additional software features and support... once you purchase Leopard, the next OS rev.

  1. mike3k

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: May 1999

    0
    08/18, 02:45pm | report spam | Reply |

    USB OverDrive

    You can have the back button with USB OverDrive. It also lets you assign different settings for each application, unlike Apple's software. Although 10.4 was just released yesterday for MM comptaibility, I found that 10.3.9 worked perfectly.

    My only *HUGE* annoyance with the MM is I keep getting false back button presses.

  1. OtisWild

    Junior Member

    Joined: Feb 2005

    0
    08/18, 03:21pm | report spam | Reply |

    No simultaneous button...

    You can't hold left + right mouse button simultaneously, they register as left button.

    Therefore, this mouse is worthless in World of Warcraft.

    Therefore, this mouse is worthless, since the sine qua non of all computing is its ability to run World of Warcraft.

    All hail World of Warcraft.

  1. porieux

    Baninated

    Joined: Mar 2001

    0
    08/18, 04:23pm | report spam | Reply |

    wireless mice suck

    I'm much more likely to buy because it ISN'T wireless, IMO that is not a valid criticism. No batteries to worry about, no turning on and off the stupid mouse, no tracking problems. Mighty Mouse here I come.

  1. testudo

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    0
    08/18, 04:32pm | report spam | Reply |

    10 buttons

    Well, I would think if you're using a 10-button mouse, you probably are using the buttons, and as such, I seriously doubt the author would switch to the MM even if the guy gave it a rave review.

    His complaints on wireless are the same everyone had (and saying "one will come out soon, I'm sure" isn't really helpful to those who want one now, nor is it really a definitive response, as I've heard this same type of thing about various Apple products for years.

    And applescript is probably a great solution for those who actually want to learn how to script in applescript. If its so easy, how come apple couldn't just include the feature to begin with?

    Oh, and I wasn't going to post (what do I care about some mouse review), but 'nat' seemed to be really looking forward to a post, so here it is dude. Enjoy!

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