Next-generation mouse

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macsrockmacsrock
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
what do u think the next mouse device will be. i was thinking that maybe we could use those motion sensing joysticks as a mouse, just configure the buttons and go. it would kinda make sense.

i just e mailed apples feedback thing about adding support for it in OSX



[ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: macsrock ]</p>

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 20
    stepsonstepson Posts: 95member
    You know, i was kicking around this idea in my head the other night before bed.. I thought if you take the current pro-mouse, and add 2 'hot-spots' using the touch-sensitive stuff from the cube, and the current cinema displays ... and use that as a kind of 'scroll' feature. I guess the hard part would be telling when someone is scrolling, and when they are just clicking ... since the hot-spots would have to be near the top of the mouse to be useful ... but still, it might be kinda cool, and definatly Thinking Different...



    Oh wait, We don't Think Different anymore ...we Think Easier
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  • Reply 2 of 20
    ferroferro Posts: 453member
    Hmm.. let me look into the future...



    [quote]I guess the hard part would be telling when someone is scrolling, and when they are just clicking ...<hr></blockquote>



    You could have several different touch sensitive spots on the mouse... one small silver sphere under the index finger and a longer round strip for the middle finger that could detected linear movement, but only when say... your pinky finger was touching the parimeter of the mouse base...??? or maybe a thumb port that would activate the scrolling linear scroll sensor or movement, something like this...







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



    © FERRO 2001-2002
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  • Reply 3 of 20
    neovirusnineneovirusnine Posts: 65member
    this is f'n amazing... i too have actually thought of the same thing back in the day when all the new mouse threads were goin around... i have found one glaring problem that might be easily worked around with a good driver however the "touch technology" may not allow it. People rest their hands on the mouse all the time when surfing the web and such and why would you want to have to lift your finger up off of the mouse and then back down again to perform a single click operation? I would propose a mechanical click button under a gel-like plastic (to make the mouse seem seamless like the current pro mouse) and use the "touch technology" for the scroll button... but i still think that would require a well written driver if the tech will allow it at all. I wouldn't be surprised if apple had already played around quite a bit with the applications of that "touch technology" already though.
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  • Reply 4 of 20
    ricrocketricrocket Posts: 142member
    I enjoy the optimism, but I can't imagine a harder mouse to use!



    neovirusonline has an excellent point - it seems like there's nowhere on this mouse that I can actually hold the thing without triggering some kind of action! Remember KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid... (I'm not calling any of you stupid, just the way the acronym goes ).



    rr.
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  • Reply 5 of 20
    the milkmanthe milkman Posts: 94member
    Forget the mouse, I want <a href="http://www.ibva.com/IBVA docs/default.htm&quot; target="_blank">mind controls!!</a> <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
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  • Reply 6 of 20
    ferroferro Posts: 453member
    [quote]Originally posted by ricRocket:

    <strong>I enjoy the optimism, but I can't imagine a harder mouse to use!



    neovirusonline has an excellent point - it seems like there's nowhere on this mouse that I can actually hold the thing without triggering some kind of action! Remember KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid... (I'm not calling any of you stupid, just the way the acronym goes ).



    rr.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    No, no, no...



    the mock-up mouse I drew up is designed so that certain features such as scrolling can only be enabled when certain other hot spots are activated (i.e. - thumb or pinky finger port/relay or base stripe)are depressed in specific parrallels...



    So to clarify... If you wanted to use the "scrolling-hot spot" you would need to depress the thumb port/relay (not touch sensitive) and you could alternativly have another 2nd (touch sensitive) "button" that could only be enabled if say... a pinky port/relay* or base stripe (thermal detection or depress type) was activated by your varying finger relays.



    *-pinky port/relay not shown.







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



    © FERRO 2001-2002



    [ 02-21-2002: Message edited by: FERRO ]</p>
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  • Reply 7 of 20
    ieee1394ieee1394 Posts: 10member
    Everyone seems to be pointing out the flaws in Apple's pro mouse, and not the positives.



    The best aspect of the mouse is it's unbiased design, i.e, it can be used by (almost) anyone regardless of their hand style (left handed, right handed, big, small). With FERRO's idea, your hand must compliment the shape of the mouse, a left handed person would be unable to activate the thumb switch on the side, unless they have a long and flexible pinky finger.



    My personal opinion is that the Apple mouse is just right for the mouse to be shipped with all systems as it matches everybody. Professionals can upgrade to their own style as need be.
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  • Reply 8 of 20
    ferroferro Posts: 453member
    IEEE1394, Happy now...







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



    © FERRO 2001-2002
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  • Reply 9 of 20
    michael greymichael grey Posts: 384member
    I've always like Apple's optical mouse and I think it's a good mouse for 75% of consumers, but when I got my dual 1Ghz (I just love saying that) I picked up a Kensington Optical Elite. And so far I really like it. Four buttons (I need two), a scroll-wheel and cool-blue glow (which I could have done without, but it seems very 'aqua.') It worked great in OSX out of the box and Kensington actually makes OSX software for it.



    Personally, I think the mouse is done. It's like pizza or the bra; just about everything you can do to it has been done. It's fine. I'd like to see Apple offer a two-button/wheeled mouse and move on to something new.



    In the something new column I would put voice-recognition right near the top. Sounds a little too sci-fi but I really think this is the future, and while I don't see giving up the mouse in this decade, anyway, I hope by 2007 I'll be using my mouse and my mouth.
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  • Reply 10 of 20
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    I have an idea. Let's just add a scroll wheel... you know... something round and actually there to scroll with. Hmm.. what about that?
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  • Reply 11 of 20
    stepsonstepson Posts: 95member
    sjpsu-

    Way too 'not cool' for apple!
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  • Reply 12 of 20
    ieee1394ieee1394 Posts: 10member
    [quote]Originally posted by FERRO:

    <strong>IEEE1394, Happy now...

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Yeah! Your crazy idea might actually work.
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  • Reply 13 of 20
    altivec_2.0altivec_2.0 Posts: 995member
    You know if apple could comeout with a firewire mouse with at least 4 differnet buttons and a scroll. Heck I'd be happy.
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  • Reply 14 of 20
    mediamanmediaman Posts: 169member
    [quote]Originally posted by Master:

    <strong>You know if apple could comeout with a firewire mouse with at least 4 differnet buttons and a scroll. Heck I'd be happy.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    WTF! A FIREWIRE mouse? You would need to be moving and clicking the mouse at a phenomenal rate to saturate the USB bus (infact the computer would probably not be able to keep up with you and about 90% of the movement/actions would be pointless). USB is a great bus for a mouse. No overkill.
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  • Reply 15 of 20
    vvedgevvedge Posts: 41member
    Wireless mouse... and you thought people hiding your TV remote was annoying...
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  • Reply 16 of 20
    spartspart Posts: 2,060member
    LMFAO!



    God I can imagine a$$hole people around here taking the mouse and hiding it...OS X is almost totally usable without a mouse if you have the right apps...but geez I can't live without a mouse
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  • Reply 17 of 20
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    [quote]Originally posted by stepson:

    <strong>sjpsu-

    Way too 'not cool' for apple!</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Yeah, and Microsoft's IntelliMouse Explorer is on the ugly side of ugly. Let's keep it real here guys. People want scroll wheels and two buttons- at least scroll wheels for rapid-click or click-and-drag-window-scroll-bar-syndrome.



    Anyone who believes that Apple can't make a scroll wheeled/ two button mouse look cool hasn't seen what it could do with an 8" cube- of course, the public actually wants the former.
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  • Reply 18 of 20
    dartblazerdartblazer Posts: 149member
    how about just a heavier mouse?
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  • Reply 19 of 20
    junkyard dawgjunkyard dawg Posts: 2,801member
    How about Apple give us a Mouse that is at least, say, 1995?



    I'd like to see two buttons and a scroll wheel. I don't care if it's still a ball mouse, the advances to be made with the extra controls is worth it.



    OS X is a dream with a scroll wheel and two buttons. The dock is twice as functional.



    There are so many things that differentiate Macs from Wintels now, compared to 1997, that a one-button mouse is no longer needed for a symbol of uniqueness.
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  • Reply 20 of 20
    eupfhoriaeupfhoria Posts: 257member
    LOL, education + cordless mice= no more mice.



    I mean, the greatest thing about the optical mice, is that people can't steal the mice balls, can you image some smart-ass student who just walked into the lab and grabbed every mouse?



    anyway... we all know that's not going to happen. I personnally don't like the apple mouse. sure it looks good, but you can't click fast enough. This makes it piss poor for some games. (yeah-yeah, gamers upgrade, I did, but I'm just pointing out the flaws that aren;t mention too often.)

    The other big beef I have is that if you accidentally set the mouse on it cord, you can't click. And yes, I do find myself with it on top of it's cord enough for this to be annoying.
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