Apple Magic Mouse

by Apple

Apple Magic Mouse

The Magic Mouse is simply gorgeous to behold and once again, Apple has masterfully merged form with function. This is by far the sexiest looking mouse Apple or anyone has ever created and will surely find its way into art museums around the world just as past Apple products have. The futuristic outer shell resembles a prop out of Minority Report or the hull of an alien spacecraft. 

The mouse is comfortable to hold, has good heft and feels solid to the touch, but not heavy. Like Goldilocks, I found it just right. The underside is made of grey metal and is very durable, in contrast to the plastic bellies of other mice which can scratch easily, including Apple's previous designs. On the top, there are no visible buttons. The entire outer shell is one smooth control surface. It is springy and making a satisfying click. With no moving parts and a sealed outer surface, cleaning the Magic Mouse is very easy. No grime can collect to gum up any sensors. The laser tracking system is very responsive and accurate, meaning shiny surfaces are not a problem at all. You don't need to hunt down mouse pads anymore. 

Apple removed the little nub that the Apple Mighty Mouse had. Instead, scrolling is accomplished by moving your finger over the shiny surface. It's fast and responsive, and can be customized to your liking from the System Preferences panel to control tracking speed and acceleration. While there, you can also change the gestures and clicking functionality. A helpful video plays on the right side of the panel, showing you how to use the new mouse's button-less controls. 

I found swiping to be very awkward and not as responsive. It is used for cycling through photos in iPhoto and going forward or back in web browsers. You have to grip the sides of the mouse to keep it stationary on the desk, then swipe two fingers over the surface. You can try this with your current mouse to get an idea of what that's like. It's just not a natural gesture to me, though it may either improve over time, or fall into disuse. 

Lastly, the mouse is BlueTooth which means you don't have to point it at your computer for it to work. You don't even have to be in the same room! BlueTooth is very reliable and I've never had any interference or signal loss issues with Bluetooth devices (Mighty Mouse, PlayStation 3). A work of art and engineering, the Magic Mouse is a class act all the way and sure to draw compliments from your guests. At $69, it is more expensive than comparable wireless mice from other makers. As usual, you'll pay a premium for Apple's superior industrial design and fashion-forward thinking, but the difference in quality is apparent. Highly recommended if you are in the market to welcome a new mouse into your house.

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