Future Apple Keyboard & Mouse

weeeeeedashweeeeeedash
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Don't know if anyone has already thought of this but...



Would it be cost effective enough to make the next generation Keyboard and Mouse to integrate on each, a battery and wireless signal. Have USB cords on both as they do know, but allow the cords to be detached on both ends allowing you to just take your mouse and keyboard within a fair range of the Mac. USB has power in it and so it can recharge the battery's just as you plug your mouse and keyboard back into your computer...?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 26
    g::mastag::masta Posts: 121member
    i totally agree. the new pro mouse should also def have a wheel. i have a USB wheel mouse plugged into my Mac and i love it. would obviously prefer an Apple mouse, but i love my wheel ... (so does my Quake frag count) i think cordless (IR) mouse and keyboard are necessities.



    now if only they could get electricity to flow thru IR...
  • Reply 2 of 26
    ferroferro Posts: 453member
    [quote] now if only they could get electricity to flow thru IR... <hr></blockquote>



    I got it...



    My electric toothbrush recharges "Wirelessly"... no really... you just place near the base... and whalla!



    It is use something called "Ambient Electromagnetic Field Technoligy"...



    It utilizes two electromagnets that transfer energy via the alternating fields they emit and recieve...



    You could just place the keyboard and mouse near the base of the iMac2/iLamp and your tools would recharge...



    it really cheap and it has a "cool factor"...



    E PLURIBUS UNIX

    -----------------------------





    [ 01-09-2002: Message edited by: FERRO ]</p>
  • Reply 3 of 26
    spiffyguycspiffyguyc Posts: 285member
    I like the above idea. I also think some Flat TV's have a way to get their power wirelessly, but I haven't really looked into it that much because the things are so damn expensive!



    But yes, I think the reason that Apple hasn't gone wireless with their input devices yet is that it is decidedly UN-Apple to make the customer replace batteries in their keyboard/mouse.



    I do agree that a scroll wheel, at the least, would be useful. I love my Pro Mouse and bought one for my TiBook, but lately it's just been sitting in a drawer because I've gotten used to a Logitech with 2 buttons and a wheel.



    I don't know why Apple is standing so firm on this issue - it can't be an ease-of-use argument, as anyone who's ever seen a computer has been able to figure out what the extra stuff is for!



    -S
  • Reply 4 of 26
    aphelionaphelion Posts: 736member
    [quote]Originally posted by WeEeEeEdAsH:

    <strong>Don't know if anyone has already thought of this but...



    Would it be cost effective enough to make the next generation Keyboard and Mouse to integrate on each, a battery and wireless signal. Have USB cords on both as they do know, but allow the cords to be detached on both ends allowing you to just take your mouse and keyboard within a fair range of the Mac. USB has power in it and so it can recharge the battery's just as you plug your mouse and keyboard back into your computer...?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? Why hasn't Apple? Add Bluetooth, and a toothbrush like charging cradle for the mouse. The perfect Apple mouse would be the current form factor with a clickable wheel and a "back click" as a second "button". Users would have the functionality of a two button mouse if the rocking motion worked both ways.



    I'm on a roll now, make the mouse cradle the bluetooth receiver so any Mac could upgrade, that way Apple could ship conventional keyboards and mice with systems and make money by offering the wireless keyboard and mouse as add-ons.



    Bluetooth Wheel Mouse -\t$99.99

    Bluetooth Keyboard -\t\t$99.99

    Combo Bundle -\t\t $149.99





    I couldn't get this combo fast enough, come on Apple, innovate, and make some money too!
  • Reply 5 of 26
    rob viescarob viesca Posts: 5member
    I don't think a wireless mouse is the solution. You could not find a cheap method to recharge it wirelessly, it would only add the the price. Who wants to pay $100+ for a mouse when they have one free with their computer or can cough up $40 for a nice two-button mouse with scroll wheel?



    No one wants to recharge the battery to a mouse. What if the battery dies because you forgot to recharge it? You're out of luck unless you still kept the older mouse and didn't toss it into the barrel.



    <a href="http://www.latimes.com/technology/consumer/la-000043401jun30.story?coll=la-technology-consumer"; target="_blank">http://www.latimes.com/technology/consumer/la-000043401jun30.story?coll=la-technology-consumer</A>;



    -Rob
  • Reply 6 of 26
    spiffyguycspiffyguyc Posts: 285member
    Yeah...I really think the iMac is fine as-is. I mean, one wire to the back of the computer isn't making anyone's desk look like a weed garden. I really wish they had a single USB port on the front though, for the keyboard.



    -S
  • Reply 7 of 26
    weeeeeedashweeeeeedash Posts: 59member
    so you guys don't think it charging through the USB is the right solution? I think of that like "docking" your keyboard and mouse. I'm sure it could last at least 5 hours with those rechargable battery's...
  • Reply 8 of 26
    spiffyguycspiffyguyc Posts: 285member
    [quote]Originally posted by WeEeEeEdAsH:

    <strong>so you guys don't think it charging through the USB is the right solution? I think of that like "docking" your keyboard and mouse. I'm sure it could last at least 5 hours with those rechargable battery's...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    If you need to have a USB cable running into your computer, then what's the point in the first place?
  • Reply 9 of 26
    g::mastag::masta Posts: 121member
    i hate wires, they breed.
  • Reply 10 of 26
    weeeeeedashweeeeeedash Posts: 59member
    [quote]Originally posted by SpiffyGuyC:

    <strong>



    If you need to have a USB cable running into your computer, then what's the point in the first place?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    To allow you to take the keyboard and mouse further from your computer...
  • Reply 11 of 26
    spiffyguycspiffyguyc Posts: 285member
    [quote]Originally posted by WeEeEeEdAsH:

    <strong>



    To allow you to take the keyboard and mouse further from your computer...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    lol, I guess I just don't get it. When I get more than 6 or 7 feet from the screen I can't read it anyway. But then, I have a PowerBook so maybe I don't know the woes.



    Someday we'll find ways to match power with portability until there's a single solution



    -S
  • Reply 12 of 26
    wafffffflewaffffffle Posts: 31member
    I think the most important thing that Apple needs to add to the pro mouse is a second "button." It shouldn't actually be a seperate button, nor look like one, but instead the mouse should react differently to clicks on different parts of its surface. This should be turned off by default, but Apple should really have this since I find myself control-clicking EVERYWHERE in OS X. They should also do this to the trackpads in the 'Books. The trackpad buttons have always been very wide and could easily accomodate this as a feature (that again is off by default and turned on via software).



    As for a scroll wheel. I think it would be cool if Apple put one on the 'Books as well. I find myself using the arrow keys all the time and a scroll wheel somewhere on the machine would be quite useful.
  • Reply 13 of 26
    weeeeeedashweeeeeedash Posts: 59member
    I agree that a scroll wheel would be nice. It's like once you've used one you can't go back.



    Having the mouse click by tilting it in one of 8 directions all having different functions of course would be kept hidden, but prosumers would find this option and enable it.
  • Reply 14 of 26
    silverlodesilverlode Posts: 53member
    Why would you have it be wireless AND have a usb cable? That doesn't make any sense. Just make it wireless.



    Anyway, I don't think Apple will do it. Batteries are such a pain!
  • Reply 15 of 26
    spiffyguycspiffyguyc Posts: 285member
    [quote]Originally posted by WeEeEeEdAsH:

    <strong>I agree that a scroll wheel would be nice. It's like once you've used one you can't go back.



    Having the mouse click by tilting it in one of 8 directions all having different functions of course would be kept hidden, but prosumers would find this option and enable it.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I'd worry about putting accidental pressure on one part of the mouse and causing a click. I think it would be great to have a U-shape...left and right buttons with a wheel in-between, and a button below the wheel (left, below, right would create a U). Make the little tabs on either side of the Pro Mouse (where your thumb rests) into back/forward as well and I think we're all set.



    -S
  • Reply 16 of 26
    weeeeeedashweeeeeedash Posts: 59member
    [quote]Originally posted by Silverlode:

    <strong>Why would you have it be wireless AND have a usb cable? That doesn't make any sense. Just make it wireless.



    Anyway, I don't think Apple will do it. Batteries are such a pain!</strong><hr></blockquote>



    USB charges the built in battery's. You just keep the mouse and keyboard plugged in for regular use. If there is no USB then the way to charge or replace the battery's can't be effortless...
  • Reply 17 of 26
    weeeeeedashweeeeeedash Posts: 59member
    get this... for the iMac specifically(don't know spelling) since the iMac is fairly portable as in terms of taking around the house, you could use the USB when at your desk and when around the house you could use the wireless...
  • Reply 18 of 26
    rob viescarob viesca Posts: 5member
    [quote]Originally posted by WeEeEeEdAsH:

    <strong>



    USB charges the built in battery's. You just keep the mouse and keyboard plugged in for regular use. If there is no USB then the way to charge or replace the battery's can't be effortless...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I don't think the has enough power to recharge a battery. It's standard power output at the source is +5 volts. There is technology out there that can boost the power to +24 volts but that only adds a _significant_ amount ot the price.



    Most chargers are working off of 110 volts AC. Of course they step it down with a DC transformer but I think thr required voltage will be more towards the end of 20 volts to create a significant volatage difference in comparison with the batter in order to move its ions around.



    -Rob
  • Reply 19 of 26
    grombatgrombat Posts: 6member
    I've wondered for a while why somebody (preferably Apple, in the OS) doesn't make it easy to customize the double-click, since they seem so set against multi-button mice. A current Pro mouse with the addition of just a scroll wheel would be a big step up. What I have in mind is a preference panel where one could set double-click interpretation by app. The obvious biggie would be letting it be "Back" in browsers, since you don't really double-click in browsers anyway. But there would be other good things one could do.
  • Reply 20 of 26
    spiffyguycspiffyguyc Posts: 285member
    [quote]Originally posted by WeEeEeEdAsH:

    <strong>get this... for the iMac specifically(don't know spelling) since the iMac is fairly portable as in terms of taking around the house, you could use the USB when at your desk and when around the house you could use the wireless...</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Around the house? It's still 22lbs in the base and requires being near an outlet, not to mention having to bring a keyboard/mouse with you. You're not going to be moving this thing to the kitchen every time you want to look up a recipe. you're not going to have it on your lap while you watch TV. I don't understand why being placed in a different room requires a different type of keyboard setup.



    -S
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