Hopefully, USBOverdrive can make a 2 finger tap simulate a middle click. I remember when 3 button mice first came out, the older 2 button mice would simulate the middle button by pressing both buttons at the same time.
I also hope they can remap each of the flicks to a button or keystroke—left, right, up, down, one, and two fingers, which would greatly enhance it's usefulness.
I have applications assigned to their own (or particular) spaces. Set it up as a hot corner and life is good.
Spaces is even better in Snow Leopard.
Thanks for that. I do find it hard sometimes to keep up with Microsoft Messenger and all the different conversations that are open. I think having the option to clear up the clutter, and effectively 'go to another desktop' to view my open conversations is a lot easier.
One thing, if it's okay to ask you? Is there anyway to change it so you don't have to press ctrl + F1.
I've changed to F4 which on my Macbook Pro is the dashboard, which I have to be honest, I do not use. Is there anyway to change the whole function of that button, so it just shows the spaces and doesnt even open up the Dashboard?
What I mentioned above an hour ago about Hotspots, I have set it so I can launch Spaces when I place the cursor to the top right hand corner. Although it would still be interesting to know whether or not changing a buttons function is capable?
"But how often will you want to zoom into the screen?"
Check out a graph of the demographic shift occurring in the US as the baby boomers age. Shortly, but bulk of computer users will be people with fading vision, arthritic hands, and other issues. They'll pay for an interface that accommodates them and resent any that don't.
I already have clients who've switched to Mac OS simply because zooming is flawless and intuitive. Their answer to your question is "Every few minutes." Similarly, I have clients in their 50's who've rejected phones that feature ant-sized icons.
Accessibility: not just for the "handicapped" anymore. We're all handicapped to some degree, and we all get more so as we age.
Thanks for that. I do find it hard sometimes to keep up with Microsoft Messenger and all the different conversations that are open. I think having the option to clear up the clutter, and effectively 'go to another desktop' to view my open conversations is a lot easier.
One thing, if it's okay to ask you? Is there anyway to change it so you don't have to press ctrl + F1.
I've changed to F4 which on my Macbook Pro is the dashboard, which I have to be honest, I do not use. Is there anyway to change the whole function of that button, so it just shows the spaces and doesnt even open up the Dashboard?
System Preferences --> Exposé and Spaces --> Exposé, and then look under "Active Screen Corners." Pick a corner and assign an action.
While you're there, look down a bit in the same windowpane, and you'll see Exposé and Dashboard subheadings. You can perform further customizations here.
If you select Spaces up top in the same Windowpane, you can perform further customizations of Spaces.
If you feel up to it, go back to the System Preferences main view and select "Spotlight." Spotlight customizations can be performed here, including keystroke assignments.
If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, here's a neat trick:
What I mentioned above an hour ago about Hotspots, I have set it so I can launch Spaces when I place the cursor to the top right hand corner. Although it would still be interesting to know whether or not changing a buttons function is capable?
See above. If that doesn't asnwer your question, let me know.
He usually gets the girl also, and a much younger one to boot.
Are you talking about the new Kolchak from a couple of years ago? Because the old Kolchak never got a girl, aside from the girlfriend he had in the first TV movie.
Quote:
If there is no physical click, isn't this time-tested handy trick going to be defunct? How can one "hold down" a virtual button?
You can always keep a regular el cheapo mouse around just for when you need that trick. Even the widely reviled hockey puck will work.
Are you talking about the new Kolchak from a couple of years ago? Because the old Kolchak never got a girl, aside from the girlfriend he had in the first TV movie.
I was talking about the Kolchak from the mid-seventies. The REAL Kolchak.
A lot of actions can be assigned to a) keys, b) hot corners, c) mouse buttons.
Example:
I have Exposé set to the top right corner.
I have show desktop (or Desktop) set to the bottom right corner.
I have Spaces set to the top left corner.
I have Sleep Display set to the bottom left corner.
It helps if your mouse has fast tracking to get the most ot of these, but your mileage may vary. I like USB Overdrive for full mouse customization and greater control over tracking. A quick and easy flick of the mouse is al it takes for me to hit any of the corners.
On my Mighty Mouse (bluetooth, using a single Lithium battery), I have:
Good point. I am trying the lower left and right corners as hot points for expose and spaces right now. I'll see if I like that or not. If I don't get used to it, I'll switch back to my old mouse.
You might want to try lower-left and upper-right (assuming you're right-handed). These are VERY natural movements and make invoking Spaces and Expose a breeze.
I use the lower-right and upper-left to invoke the desktop and screen sleep respectively.
I went to a store specifically to try out and buy this one. I was prepared to pay $69.
However, I found it to be woefully short of the hype. Other than the basic mouse functions of moving the cursor around and clicking the buttons, it is not useful for anything else.
I tried various gestures I read here on appleinsider's earlier review and found that the mouse too "light" to stay put while you are doing anything without holding the base of the mouse with your rest of the fingers or in many cases with the other hand. It cannot really do the "magic" things at all.
I am an avid fan of the big trackpad on macbook pros and I use every possible gesture on a daily basis. One of the (many) big reasons I moved to macs is the great touch pad. PC world sucks on that aspect.
I think they should have done a much more radical design of a flat mouse pad like sheet that stays put on the surface with some rubbery friction and lets you go crazy with the gestures.
I cannot pay $69 for just another mouse. There are many $30 bluetooth mice out there that do a wonderful job.
I love my Mighty Mouse. When it works, it's a dream. And knock on wood, it's been working great since June. I clean the ball now and then (it's easy), but for the most part it hasn't really gotten too gunked up.
This Magic Mouse had better be just that . . . magic.
Same here. Thought I d the only one who just absolutely loves the mighty mouse. Shame really for no expose button/gesture. They better incorporate it in the next update. I am underwhelmed by the magic mouse thus far. Of course in many ways it's much better than any of the competition or the atrocious prototype puke uglies from ms, but that isn't saying much...
You might want to try lower-left and upper-right (assuming you're right-handed). These are VERY natural movements and make invoking Spaces and Expose a breeze.
I use the lower-right and upper-left to invoke the desktop and screen sleep respectively.
yes indeed, corners are a real treat, I have them in all my macs, but I have a slightly different set up, to my (a righty) the upper right seems impossible to use, to much work, plus search is far too close. I have show desktop upper left, expose within app lower left, and expose lower right. I too would suggest that the member who hasn't yet should try them, before I did I was very suspicious of them, I thought they might be a gimmick, but they are just great.
As a new user to Mac i've just found out about Hot Corners. When you move the mouse to any corner and it shows expose.
Been using it everyday since the day it was introduced. Every single person complaining about No Expose button on the magic mouse needs to get a clue.
If you use a desktop computer with any regularity, you shouldn't be forcing awkward clicks on poorly placed buttons. There are two places that it's relatively safe and comfortable to be clicking. Right, and Left.
Side, No. Middle, No. Use Hot Corners, and save yourself from injury.
Been using it everyday since the day it was introduced. Every single person complaining about No Expose button on the magic mouse needs to get a clue.
If you use a desktop computer with any regularity, you shouldn't be forcing awkward clicks on poorly placed buttons. There are two places that it's relatively safe and comfortable to be clicking. Right, and Left.
Side, No. Middle, No. Use Hot Corners, and save yourself from injury.
Hot corners are great and I totally disagree with those people here who are dissing the mouse for lacking <insert feature/hotkey of the day here> but it has to be said that hot corners only work really well on a small screen. On a 30" screen this is not really a single swipe action anymore.
Complaining about expose access is a terribly lame though when you consider the following:
- ones hands are on the keyboard most of the time
- even when grabbing the mouse, your left hand is still on the keyboard
- all of the hotkeys (expose, dashboard, etc. are on the left)
- Apple's keyboards are so small that you don't even have to lift your hand to reach said keys.
In other words there is a dedicated hot key for expose and for dashboardright under your damn finger pretty much 24/7.
Hot corners are really good when mouse tracking is fast as well. I find OS X's native tracking speed to be atrocious. Even top speed is slow. Might be good for smaller screens, but when your MBP is driving a 24-inch display it becomes a pain.
Hot corners should ideally take no more than a quick flick to activate. Which is why I tend to recommend either a Terminal hack, or a 3rd party utility that does the Terminal hack for you, or a 3rd party utility with a range of mouse contril options, including control over tracking.
Not bad, but I prefer USB Overdrive. Steermouse's developer seems to take a bit more time getting on the ball with major updates.
Both utilities offer a huge range of customizing options.
If you have any of these utilities you can (in most cases) forego 3rd party manufacturers' own drivers (most of which I can't stand), such as Logitech Control Centre.
Comments
Sorry, what is Spaces? I have heard of it but I do not understand. Still VERY new to all things Mac...! Having only made the move a few weeks ago.
Spaces is virtual workspaces done right. Behold:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh7p4...layer_embedded
I have applications assigned to their own (or particular) spaces. Set it up as a hot corner and life is good.
Spaces is even better in Snow Leopard.
I also hope they can remap each of the flicks to a button or keystroke—left, right, up, down, one, and two fingers, which would greatly enhance it's usefulness.
Spaces is virtual workspaces done right. Behold:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mh7p4...layer_embedded
I have applications assigned to their own (or particular) spaces. Set it up as a hot corner and life is good.
Spaces is even better in Snow Leopard.
Thanks for that. I do find it hard sometimes to keep up with Microsoft Messenger and all the different conversations that are open. I think having the option to clear up the clutter, and effectively 'go to another desktop' to view my open conversations is a lot easier.
One thing, if it's okay to ask you? Is there anyway to change it so you don't have to press ctrl + F1.
I've changed to F4 which on my Macbook Pro is the dashboard, which I have to be honest, I do not use. Is there anyway to change the whole function of that button, so it just shows the spaces and doesnt even open up the Dashboard?
What I mentioned above an hour ago about Hotspots, I have set it so I can launch Spaces when I place the cursor to the top right hand corner. Although it would still be interesting to know whether or not changing a buttons function is capable?
Check out a graph of the demographic shift occurring in the US as the baby boomers age. Shortly, but bulk of computer users will be people with fading vision, arthritic hands, and other issues. They'll pay for an interface that accommodates them and resent any that don't.
I already have clients who've switched to Mac OS simply because zooming is flawless and intuitive. Their answer to your question is "Every few minutes." Similarly, I have clients in their 50's who've rejected phones that feature ant-sized icons.
Accessibility: not just for the "handicapped" anymore. We're all handicapped to some degree, and we all get more so as we age.
Kolchak . . . as in, the Night Stalker?
You guys are old.
Thanks for that. I do find it hard sometimes to keep up with Microsoft Messenger and all the different conversations that are open. I think having the option to clear up the clutter, and effectively 'go to another desktop' to view my open conversations is a lot easier.
One thing, if it's okay to ask you? Is there anyway to change it so you don't have to press ctrl + F1.
I've changed to F4 which on my Macbook Pro is the dashboard, which I have to be honest, I do not use. Is there anyway to change the whole function of that button, so it just shows the spaces and doesnt even open up the Dashboard?
System Preferences --> Exposé and Spaces --> Exposé, and then look under "Active Screen Corners." Pick a corner and assign an action.
While you're there, look down a bit in the same windowpane, and you'll see Exposé and Dashboard subheadings. You can perform further customizations here.
If you select Spaces up top in the same Windowpane, you can perform further customizations of Spaces.
If you feel up to it, go back to the System Preferences main view and select "Spotlight." Spotlight customizations can be performed here, including keystroke assignments.
If you're feeling a bit more adventurous, here's a neat trick:
http://www.macosxhints.com/article.p...71101055329470
Hope that helps.
Quadra,
What I mentioned above an hour ago about Hotspots, I have set it so I can launch Spaces when I place the cursor to the top right hand corner. Although it would still be interesting to know whether or not changing a buttons function is capable?
See above. If that doesn't asnwer your question, let me know.
You guys are old.
Just "old souls."
He usually gets the girl also, and a much younger one to boot.
Are you talking about the new Kolchak from a couple of years ago? Because the old Kolchak never got a girl, aside from the girlfriend he had in the first TV movie.
If there is no physical click, isn't this time-tested handy trick going to be defunct? How can one "hold down" a virtual button?
You can always keep a regular el cheapo mouse around just for when you need that trick. Even the widely reviled hockey puck will work.
Are you talking about the new Kolchak from a couple of years ago? Because the old Kolchak never got a girl, aside from the girlfriend he had in the first TV movie.
I was talking about the Kolchak from the mid-seventies. The REAL Kolchak.
Thanks Quadra
No problem.
Learn as much as you can about:
Exposé
Dock Exposé
Spaces
Stacks
Quicklook
Spotlight
Finder
These are the cornerstones of OS X productivity.
You can start here to get warmed up and then move on to more detailed explanations:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/what-is-macosx/
Tip:
A lot of actions can be assigned to a) keys, b) hot corners, c) mouse buttons.
Example:
I have Exposé set to the top right corner.
I have show desktop (or Desktop) set to the bottom right corner.
I have Spaces set to the top left corner.
I have Sleep Display set to the bottom left corner.
It helps if your mouse has fast tracking to get the most ot of these, but your mileage may vary. I like USB Overdrive for full mouse customization and greater control over tracking. A quick and easy flick of the mouse is al it takes for me to hit any of the corners.
On my Mighty Mouse (bluetooth, using a single Lithium battery), I have:
Dashboard set to the squeeze buttons.
Open Finder set to the middle click.
Spotlight is set to Command + Spacebar
Good point. I am trying the lower left and right corners as hot points for expose and spaces right now. I'll see if I like that or not. If I don't get used to it, I'll switch back to my old mouse.
You might want to try lower-left and upper-right (assuming you're right-handed). These are VERY natural movements and make invoking Spaces and Expose a breeze.
I use the lower-right and upper-left to invoke the desktop and screen sleep respectively.
However, I found it to be woefully short of the hype. Other than the basic mouse functions of moving the cursor around and clicking the buttons, it is not useful for anything else.
I tried various gestures I read here on appleinsider's earlier review and found that the mouse too "light" to stay put while you are doing anything without holding the base of the mouse with your rest of the fingers or in many cases with the other hand. It cannot really do the "magic" things at all.
I am an avid fan of the big trackpad on macbook pros and I use every possible gesture on a daily basis. One of the (many) big reasons I moved to macs is the great touch pad. PC world sucks on that aspect.
I think they should have done a much more radical design of a flat mouse pad like sheet that stays put on the surface with some rubbery friction and lets you go crazy with the gestures.
I cannot pay $69 for just another mouse. There are many $30 bluetooth mice out there that do a wonderful job.
I love my Mighty Mouse. When it works, it's a dream. And knock on wood, it's been working great since June. I clean the ball now and then (it's easy), but for the most part it hasn't really gotten too gunked up.
This Magic Mouse had better be just that . . . magic.
Same here. Thought I d the only one who just absolutely loves the mighty mouse. Shame really for no expose button/gesture. They better incorporate it in the next update. I am underwhelmed by the magic mouse thus far. Of course in many ways it's much better than any of the competition or the atrocious prototype puke uglies from ms, but that isn't saying much...
You might want to try lower-left and upper-right (assuming you're right-handed). These are VERY natural movements and make invoking Spaces and Expose a breeze.
I use the lower-right and upper-left to invoke the desktop and screen sleep respectively.
yes indeed, corners are a real treat, I have them in all my macs, but I have a slightly different set up, to my (a righty) the upper right seems impossible to use, to much work, plus search is far too close. I have show desktop upper left, expose within app lower left, and expose lower right. I too would suggest that the member who hasn't yet should try them, before I did I was very suspicious of them, I thought they might be a gimmick, but they are just great.
As a new user to Mac i've just found out about Hot Corners. When you move the mouse to any corner and it shows expose.
Been using it everyday since the day it was introduced. Every single person complaining about No Expose button on the magic mouse needs to get a clue.
If you use a desktop computer with any regularity, you shouldn't be forcing awkward clicks on poorly placed buttons. There are two places that it's relatively safe and comfortable to be clicking. Right, and Left.
Side, No. Middle, No. Use Hot Corners, and save yourself from injury.
Been using it everyday since the day it was introduced. Every single person complaining about No Expose button on the magic mouse needs to get a clue.
If you use a desktop computer with any regularity, you shouldn't be forcing awkward clicks on poorly placed buttons. There are two places that it's relatively safe and comfortable to be clicking. Right, and Left.
Side, No. Middle, No. Use Hot Corners, and save yourself from injury.
Hot corners are great and I totally disagree with those people here who are dissing the mouse for lacking <insert feature/hotkey of the day here> but it has to be said that hot corners only work really well on a small screen. On a 30" screen this is not really a single swipe action anymore.
Complaining about expose access is a terribly lame though when you consider the following:
- ones hands are on the keyboard most of the time
- even when grabbing the mouse, your left hand is still on the keyboard
- all of the hotkeys (expose, dashboard, etc. are on the left)
- Apple's keyboards are so small that you don't even have to lift your hand to reach said keys.
In other words there is a dedicated hot key for expose and for dashboard right under your damn finger pretty much 24/7.
Hot corners should ideally take no more than a quick flick to activate. Which is why I tend to recommend either a Terminal hack, or a 3rd party utility that does the Terminal hack for you, or a 3rd party utility with a range of mouse contril options, including control over tracking.
For a faster mousing experience:
http://www.usboverdrive.com/USBOverdrive/News.html
Developer is already working on Magic Mouse support. This guy is fast. I recommend this.
Or . . .
http://plentycom.jp/en/steermouse/
Not bad, but I prefer USB Overdrive. Steermouse's developer seems to take a bit more time getting on the ball with major updates.
Both utilities offer a huge range of customizing options.
If you have any of these utilities you can (in most cases) forego 3rd party manufacturers' own drivers (most of which I can't stand), such as Logitech Control Centre.