Magic Mouse

Joined
Oct 26, 2009
Messages
212
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Istanbul/HongKong/Berlin/SHG
Your Mac's Specs
MAC OS X - 10.5.8, 2,13GHZ, Intel Core 2 Duo, FF
Any user experiences of the Apple Magic Mouse i.e usefulness/functionality/features?

Were you able to use two laptops with two differing cordless mouse's?
 
Joined
May 19, 2009
Messages
8,428
Reaction score
295
Points
83
Location
Waiting for a mate . . .
Your Mac's Specs
21" iMac 2.9Ghz 16GB RAM - 10.11.3, iPhone6s & iPad Air 2 - iOS 9.2.1, ATV 4Th Gen tvOS, ATV3
Dont like the new mouse ATM... With my big hands find it hard to grasp and do a right or left two finger swipe without the whole mouse moving on me, and then if it gets a little warm, like where i live, i find my fingers grab it as i swipe being my fingers with that bit of sweat moister on them that you get in warm climates ....
Not for me :)

Cheers
 

cwa107


Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
27,042
Reaction score
812
Points
113
Location
Lake Mary, Florida
Your Mac's Specs
14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
It's OK. I would be happier if they would expand the driver functionality, but it looks like there are some third party utilities starting to trickle out.

I wrote this review for the Mac-Forums blog, but since we're having issues with it, I might as well post it here:

For quite some time now, I've longed for a mouse that duplicated some of the features of the trackpad on my MacBook Pro. The trackpads on Apple laptops are truly awesome compared to generic PCs. I love being able to tap with two fingers for a right click, or tap with a single finger for left. And zooming and scrolling work wonderfully well too. So, when Apple quietly announced their new Magic Mouse, I was excited. I read a few early reviews and thought this new mouse would be the answer to my prayers. Credit card in hand, I swooped onto the Apple website and was probably one of their first customers to order one.

The mouse took quite awhile to arrive - in fact, it didn't ship until a full 7 business days after the order, although it was still in-line with the 'ships in 5-7 business days' estimate on the site. When it did, I had a fight on my hands with FedEx Ground to actually deliver the thing. Needless to say, even such a thing as a mouse requires an "indirect signature", meaning that you or one of your family members must be home to sign for it. And picking it up at a depot is not an option with FedEx Ground/Home Delivery - or so I was told. The moral of this little anecdote is that if you're normally not home on a weekday, you might want to have it shipped to another location.

With that said, when the mouse did finally arrive, it came well packed in foam blocks. Apple uses a polycarbonate clear plastic shell that contains the mouse, a page of documentation and warranty information, and a pair of AA Energizer batteries pre-installed inside the mouse. Interestingly enough, the packaging is very similar to what is used for the iPod Touch, and might even serve a dual-purpose as a rugged carrying case.

The mouse itself is larger than I envisioned - it has roughly the same lateral footprint as a desktop mouse, but it is very low profile. Unlike a lot of the mice at this price point, it does not conform to your hand. Instead, you grasp the sides of the mouse with your thumb and pinky finger, while using your pointer and middle fingers to do gestures and clicks. I found it to be more comfortable than a notebook mouse, but not nearly as nice as my trusty old Logitech MX1000.

The base of the mouse is aluminum, and sports a single switch and LED status light. There is also a latch to release the battery door, which turns out to be a razor-thin sheet of aluminum as well. The top of the mouse is the same clear polycarbonate we're accustomed to seeing on Apple mice, with a white color panel beneath it and a very subtle Apple logo. Aesthetically, it is a cool looking device, which seems to prompt plenty of questions when used in public. Although the plastic part is pleasant enough to rest your fingers on, I didn't find it to be that great of a surface to do gestures on. If your hands are sweaty, the surface can be somewhat tacky and certainly not ideal for sliding your fingers across. If I had designed this mouse, I would have used the same kind of material that was used for my early 2008 MacBook Pro's trackpad. Otherwise, this mouse has a nice heft to it and is comfortable to rest your hand on for the most part. I noticed another reviewer commented on how easy it is to click the mouse just by resting your hand upon it - I did not have that problem. It works at least as well as the Mighty Mouse that preceded it.

Installation goes just like any other Bluetooth device. You simply add the device with the Bluetooth Assistant. After that, the mouse was immediately recognized and tracked well. Left and right mouse clicks worked just fine, but scrolling was disabled. Tracking was a bit jerky at first, but I hadn't yet adjusted the settings in Steermouse (a third party mouse driver I use for my Logitech m555b). So, I fired up Software Update and lo and behold, the special Apple Magic Mouse 1.0 update was on tap for download. That update installed quickly, but once it was done, I noticed the tracking speed was cut by about 1/4. I now had to do huge arcs across my desk to get the mouse to go across my 1440x900 display. So, I opened up the Mouse preference pane and jacked the slider all the way to the right for tracking. There was a definite improvement, but it felt like I was using the old Commodore Mouse I had on my C=64 back in the 80's when I was using GEOS - completely unacceptable for a modern, high resolution display. So, off to Google I went, knowing that others were probably experiencing the same thing.

Sure enough, in addition to a thread I had been looking at on Mac-Forums, I also found a number of threads on Apple's own support forum. As it turns out, there's a number of hacks you can make to try to fix this. The best I found was a tiny little freeware System Preferences pane called "Zoom Mouse". With Zoom Mouse installed, I used its own tracking slider to adjust to "OS X Crazy Fast!!" (their wording, not mine) and this yielded an acceptable, but still a little slow, tracking speed.

Now that I had the tracking issue mostly sorted out (and please Apple, fix this with 10.6.2, will ya?), it was time to test scrolling. On the Magic mouse, you can use any combination of fingers to scroll in any direction. Simply put, it works well - and if you flick your finger, it interprets the momentum to scroll on its own. This is the best scrolling solution I have seen to date and will certainly be familiar and welcome for iPhone/iPod Touch fans. Another feature is the ability to go forward/back by swiping left and right with two fingers. This works OK, but is not particularly natural and is not something I see myself using. Finally, if you're an old Mighty Mouse user, say 'sayonara' to Expose controls on the mouse, because they don't exist on this one. My hope is that the third party developers (like Steermouse) step up to the plate and deliver more functionality. With Multitouch sensors throughout this device, it should be way more capable than this 1.0 version seems to be.

Clicking should be very familiar to Mighty Mouse users. Push down on the mouse to left click - and yes, you do have to lift your left finger and push down on the right side for an alternate-click (this is interchangeable in settings if you happen to be a 'lefty'). I assume this limitation is because the touch surface isn't capacitive, but if it is, I see no reason why Apple couldn't fix this in firmware.

Another impressive attribute for this mouse is its Bluetooth connectivity. Unlike many other Bluetooth mice, this one does not suffer with any wake-up lag, nor does it have a problem connecting upon power-up. It works exactly the way you'd expect any old RF mouse to work, which is impressive because many other mice do not.

A lot of people have asked about an ETA for a Windows driver for this mouse, and as usual, there has been no word from Apple. So, if you use Windows via Boot Camp, the mouse will be limited to very basic functionality (i.e. left and right clicks, no scrolling). A dedicated driver will be needed to make it work completely in Windows. Now, if you use Windows in virtualization (i.e. VMWare Fusion, Parallels Desktop or VirtualBox), this won't be a problem since the host supplies the mouse functionality.

I have to say that overall, my impression with this mouse is positive. I want to love this mouse, because I love the idea of some of the touchpad functionality being integrated into a mouse. I also love the overall design and aesthetic qualities. But when I write a review, I always ask myself whether I would be willing to recommend it to a friend or non-technically savvy colleague - and I have to say that in this case I doubt I would. I think with some driver enhancements this mouse could be stellar, but it's just not ready for prime time right now. In my opinion, I believe this device was rushed out the door to garner some Apple-related buzz around the time of the Windows 7 release. If that was the goal, then mission accomplished - but if Apple really wanted to design a useful mouse that is both comfortable to use for hours on end, while setting itself apart from the competition with features that just aren't available on any other, then it fails. Other mice do what this one does, albeit with buttons and wheels. It's just a shame that Apple isn't more open to end-user testing and feedback before they release such a premium priced product.

--

Why you would buy it...

* You love pretty devices on your desk.
* You're a gadget freak.
* It's made by Apple, and you must own everything that Apple makes.

Why you wouldn't buy it...

* There's some bugs related to tracking that need to be worked out.
* You use Windows often and need a fully functional mouse.
* Comfort is paramount in choosing a mouse.
__________________
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2006
Messages
893
Reaction score
20
Points
18
Location
Las Vegas, NV USA
Your Mac's Specs
iMac, and Macbook Pro
I really like my Magic Mouse! In fact, I bought two more of them. The momentum scroll function alone is enough delight me. I am also using MouseWizard which adds all the additional functionality I could ever want. I think my Mouse has 11 functions now, if I counted right. I think it's fabulous.
 
Joined
Sep 29, 2009
Messages
75
Reaction score
4
Points
8
Location
Modesto, CA
Your Mac's Specs
iMac C2D (Penryn) 2.8 GHz 4GB RAM
I would take one item from the "Why you wouldn't buy it" list and move it to the "Why you would"

My hand is still slightly stiff from a bout with Guillain-Barré Syndrome a few years ago and the only mice I can comfortable use are fairly flat. For that reason I have always preferred Apple mice and the Might Mouse is my favorite yet.

I also like the scrolling without a ball and the general feel.

I have started using a 3rd party program called BetterTouchTool that allows many additional features such as going to Dashboard and Exposé. In fact it allows too darn many features so I only use three or four additional ones.
 
OP
F
Joined
Oct 26, 2009
Messages
212
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
Istanbul/HongKong/Berlin/SHG
Your Mac's Specs
MAC OS X - 10.5.8, 2,13GHZ, Intel Core 2 Duo, FF
Hi,


thank you all for posting your user experiences; special thanks go to cwa107 for his detailed review.

The details, I collected so far about the Magic Mouse turned up the way I thought they will turn up! The idea behind is great, but I feel also the product was rushed to the market in the last minute.

Most often my problem with cordless mouse has been; the surface, not sitting well in one's fist, issues with cordless usage...
 
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
iMac i7 Quad, 27", 8GB mem, 1TB disk, USB numeric keypad
Thanks to cwa107 with the pointer to MouseZoom 2.2

It makes the Apple Magic Mouse somewhat better, but does not quite do it for me, per my other post - http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-desktops/187172-magic-mouse-high-friction.html

Note that I am not very fussy about what kind of mouse I have used in the past, and I'm not a PC or Mac gamer -- I understand that those who are into gaming have much higher requirements and expectations. My expectations are for a smooth, easy to move mouse that doesn't make noise nor cause my hand to hurt after half an hour.

I'm finding the high friction of the two sliders, combined with the weight due to the two batteries, makes the mouse unacceptable. Once I put my "wow this touch/gesture thing is really cool" thoughts aside and actually used the mouse for a while, and in the last day or so have compared it with an old Logitech USB optical mouse, I find the feel of it to be inferior.

I've ordered a Logitech V470, wireless mouse and if it works out, will put my Magic Mouse in my desk drawer.

I suppose another option is to take a file to the two slider tracks and grind down a large gap on each side so that only 4 smaller points will make contact with my desk/mousepad/plastic sheet/etc. (I've tried all kinds of surfaces) to see if there is an improvement. A friend suggested put two strips of silicone tape over the two sliders -- maybe I'll try that too.

I just can't live with the excessive friction, especially side to side, created by the slider design, and when I use the mouse on a solid surface, it sounds like dragging something on sandpaper.

Have others gotten over the "wow" factor of this touch activated mouse and really compared its "feel" with another mouse or two?

Update: You might find this funny, but I just tried two kinds of 'scotch' tape, the flat invisible kind, and the old shiny kind, over top of the two sliders. The flat/transparent tape made no difference, but the shiny scotch tape did an amazing job of reducing friction and eliminating the sandpaper noise. Kind of strange that this modern, innovative mouse could benefit from a very "tacky" (pardon the pun) improvement.
 

cwa107


Retired Staff
Joined
Dec 20, 2006
Messages
27,042
Reaction score
812
Points
113
Location
Lake Mary, Florida
Your Mac's Specs
14" MacBook Pro M1 Pro, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD
Unfortunately, as with most Apple products, the Magic Mouse is more about style than substance. In fact, although I've gotten used to it and do enjoy it now, the only major redeeming factor for me is how nicely it slips into my laptop bag. Even dedicated laptop mice are often too bulky to carry around constantly in my bag.

If the friction and ergonomics bother you, there's little you can do to overcome that. The V470 is a good choice. I also have an m555b, and in my opinion, that's an even better option.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_pointers/mice/devices/5747&cl=us,en

My review:

http://www.mac-forums.com/blog/review-logitech-m555b-bluetooth-mouse/
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2006
Messages
893
Reaction score
20
Points
18
Location
Las Vegas, NV USA
Your Mac's Specs
iMac, and Macbook Pro
Mouse Wizard version 6.0 is working well. It has an expanded selection of features covering just about everything you might want. The only caution is that there is a moderate learning curve one has to get past for comfortable, consistent operation of some features. It's a hand, finger coordination thing that just takes a little practice.
 
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
iMac i7 Quad, 27", 8GB mem, 1TB disk, USB numeric keypad
Thanks to cwa107 with the pointer to MouseZoom 2.2

It makes the Apple Magic Mouse somewhat better, but does not quite do it for me, per my other post - http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-desktops/187172-magic-mouse-high-friction.html

Note that I am not very fussy about what kind of mouse I have used in the past, and I'm not a PC or Mac gamer -- I understand that those who are into gaming have much higher requirements and expectations. My expectations are for a smooth, easy to move mouse that doesn't make noise nor cause my hand to hurt after half an hour.

I'm finding the high friction of the two sliders, combined with the weight due to the two batteries, makes the mouse unacceptable. Once I put my "wow this touch/gesture thing is really cool" thoughts aside and actually used the mouse for a while, and in the last day or so have compared it with an old Logitech USB optical mouse, I find the feel of it to be inferior.

I've ordered a Logitech V470, wireless mouse and if it works out, will put my Magic Mouse in my desk drawer.

I suppose another option is to take a file to the two slider tracks and grind down a large gap on each side so that only 4 smaller points will make contact with my desk/mousepad/plastic sheet/etc. (I've tried all kinds of surfaces) to see if there is an improvement. A friend suggested put two strips of silicone tape over the two sliders -- maybe I'll try that too.

I just can't live with the excessive friction, especially side to side, created by the slider design, and when I use the mouse on a solid surface, it sounds like dragging something on sandpaper.

Have others gotten over the "wow" factor of this touch activated mouse and really compared its "feel" with another mouse or two?

Update: You might find this funny, but I just tried two kinds of 'scotch' tape, the flat invisible kind, and the old shiny kind, over top of the two sliders. The flat/transparent tape made no difference, but the shiny scotch tape did an amazing job of reducing friction and eliminating the sandpaper noise. Kind of strange that this modern, innovative mouse could benefit from a very "tacky" (pardon the pun) improvement.

With further experimentation, I now have my Magic Mouse performing better .

First, I created a smooth, reasonably hard surface. I purchased a plastic sheet used to protect counter tops from knife marks, found an old mousepad I wasn't using, smeared the mouse pad with a glue stick, trimmed the plastic sheet to fit, and stuck it on the mousepad.

Next, after testing shiny scotch tape, I upgraded to white electrical tape and taped over the two black slider rails under the mouse.

It ain't pretty, but it certainly improved the use of the Magic Mouse, almost eliminating excessive drag and the scraping noise that went with it.

Pictures are attached.

IMG_3637.JPG

IMG_3635.JPG
 
Joined
Apr 7, 2009
Messages
3,308
Reaction score
58
Points
48
Location
Whangarei NZ
Your Mac's Specs
27 iMac+Thunderbolt, iMac 21,
Since i have got mine i have been using it on a Sheet of A4 200 gsm paper - what friction?
When grease spots start to appear - new sheet of paper
Also used it with Mighty Mouse in pic;


Click for full size
 
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Messages
14
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Your Mac's Specs
iMac i7 Quad, 27", 8GB mem, 1TB disk, USB numeric keypad
Thanks for the idea. I just tried the flat, non-glossy side of a sheet of photo paper, about the same weight as you suggest, and the reduction in friction is similar to my plastic sheet setup. I like the wrist support on my old mouse pad, so I find it better. I think the plastic electrical tape on the MM "tracks" provided me the biggest improvement. Also, I'm assuming you tape the paper to your desk because when I tested it the paper moved around a bit.

So we both have found acceptable solutions to the Magic Mouse "drag" problem.

I suspect that my solution makes the "two finger swipe" even more difficult, but I don't use that function anyway. A very light one-finger swipe on the MM in either direction will to a right or left scroll. I'm wondering if Apple intentionally increased friction on the MM so that a person could do two finger swipes without moving the mouse. If so, it seems like a significant sacrifice to enable a gesture that has limited value compared to every other mouse movement that is needed.
 
Joined
Dec 12, 2009
Messages
44
Reaction score
0
Points
6
Location
Minnesota
The only trouble I'm having with my magic mouse now is that the clicking is touchy. I'm having a hard time getting it to click on URLs for example & getting them to open. Or if I want to open a discussion here the clicking doesn't always open the page.

The scrolling & two finger swipe are working great.

I like the size of it but will admit my very old Logitech Trackman Marble FX ball mouse is my most comfortable one. BUT since my hands are small this mouse fits comfortably for me.

I'm not sure what you mean by friction problems. I use a regular mouse pad & do not notice a problem. I will try that photo paper idea & see if I can notice any differences.

Ginny
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top