My Logitech wireless mouse has the charging port on the bottom ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Weird, what model is it? I haven't run across any other brand/model yet that had the charging port on the bottom. (not just as a user, but as someone who does IT support for companies and individuals)
The Apple Apologist in full effect. If that was ANY other company that did that, you'd be talking about how bad of a design it was and who in the world would put the charging port on the bottom of a mouse so that you can't use it while it's charging.
Doesn't matter how often or not it needs charging, still an awful way to do that!!
agreed it's a horrible design decision can't begin to tell you how many times i have heard users complain about that thing is, its a trivial point design wise how often have you seen the front of your mouse? i have a logitech MX master mouse, and when it dies, i use it as wired, with the cable plugged in the front and go about my business
for my VIP staff, we actually have a spare mouse plugged in thats used when the primary one dies
The Apple Apologist in full effect. If that was ANY other company that did that, you'd be talking about how bad of a design it was and who in the world would put the charging port on the bottom of a mouse so that you can't use it while it's charging.
Doesn't matter how often or not it needs charging, still an awful way to do that!!
I agree. Apple should have moved the port🤢
they will never move it, because if they do, its admitting they messed up
The Apple Apologist in full effect. If that was ANY other company that did that, you'd be talking about how bad of a design it was and who in the world would put the charging port on the bottom of a mouse so that you can't use it while it's charging.
Doesn't matter how often or not it needs charging, still an awful way to do that!!
Exactly, it’s a stupid design. form over function. Yet in this article we have assertions that the workarounds are trivial, when the point is that there should not HAVE to be any workarounds. Suggestions that there’s something wrong with the people who complain, when the complaints are absolutely legitimate is simply victim blaming.
It’s a stupid design, period, full stop. Want proof? Every other mouse out there that needs to be recharged allows you to use the mouse while it’s charging. Only Apple, and Jony I’ve’s design team would have the mouse inoperable while doing a basic function. It also shows that there was no reason for this, this was a design CHOICE at the expense of usability.
I've maintained for a long time that all the negative angst about this is dumb because the "issue" people have with it is functionally irrelevant. The two minutes that it takes to get a day's charge when you've let it run out is never going to break anyone who hasn't already made a stream of time management errors. No, Apple designers put the port on the bottom as an aesthetic design choice. They don't want you turning their wireless mouse into a wired mouse.
Then it dawned on me. Apple's design decision here isn't just aesthetic. It's functional. If Apple put a charging port on the front edge of the mouse so it could be used while charging, some people would leave it plugged in all the time. The result would be frayed charging cables and damaged charging ports due to constant repetitive motion flexing and bending charging cables and applying leverage and torque to the port. Then, because it's Apple, what would we have? A class-action lawsuit.
You know it's true.
Damage to the port would be slow and cumulative, and no doubt most failures would happen outside of the device's warranty. So the class action lawsuit would claim that Apple knew this would be the result, and that they intentionally designed it to fail in order to sell more replacement mice.
So yeah. This is a functional choice. Apple is not going to spend money on over-engineering the charger port, and they're not going to spend money on lawsuits or settlements with people who insist on using it as a wired mouse, because it's a wireless mouse. It says so right on the box.
Difficult to sue for only using a device in a way different to that intended. To claim Apple would be successfully sued for people wrecking cables by keeping a mouse on constant charge is a tad..let’s call it adventurous. Even for America
no this is a straight out example of Ive trained designers wanting to hide the charging port winning over engineers preferring functionality.
one of the things that makes Apple great is the constant focus on the balance between functionality and beauty. The consequence though is sometimes that balance isn’t achieved. The charging port on this mouse, and the location of the power button on the new Mac mini are examples of these fails.
Why not add wireless charging to the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard?
Why not incorporate a wireless charger into the Display and iMac stands? (Fine, even add an extra charge for a stand that includes your wireless charging puck!)
Eliminate the charging ports and cut the cables forever—just place your input device or iPhone on the stand under your screen to charge. It would be so easy and practical...
The Apple Apologist in full effect. If that was ANY other company that did that, you'd be talking about how bad of a design it was and who in the world would put the charging port on the bottom of a mouse so that you can't use it while it's charging.
Doesn't matter how often or not it needs charging, still an awful way to do that!!
I agree. Apple should have moved the port🤢
they will never move it, because if they do, its admitting they messed up
The haters blame the apologists, the apologists hate the haters.
The amount of energy expended by haters on this is just pathetic. Go ahead and label me an "apologist". I honestly don't care. If anything, it just shows how petty you are.
It gives you enough of a warning that batteries are getting low. Plug the damn thing in for 5 minutes while you take a coffee break and it's good for the entire day, if not longer. Plug it in overnight before going to sleep, or leaving the office and it's back up running for weeks on end. It's not that hard, but maybe it is for you.
It's a bad design as it limits functionality. As is pointed out, it's not a big problem for those who use the mouse wirelessly, but it is a problem for those who use it as a wired mouse.
Wired mice are quite useful in scenarios with a KVM switch, or a shared station where someone comes over with their laptop, and plugs into a monitor with keyboard/mouse attached. A wired keyboard/mouse will work with whatever computer is plugged in.
Perfectly describes how I use mine. One 32" monitor, wired mouse, and wired keyboard, shared with two computers via a KVM switch.
My Logitech wireless mouse has the charging port on the bottom ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Weird, what model is it? I haven't run across any other brand/model yet that had the charging port on the bottom. (not just as a user, but as someone who does IT support for companies and individuals)
It’s bad design with the port and ergonomics. I have big hands and the Magic Mouse kills them. Have a $10 Logitech wireless mouse for over 5 years now and it’s far better in function besides needing the dongle.
I’m amazed that someone finally came right out and said it. Yes, Apple retrofit a charging port on the bottom of an existing battery-based mouse and ran with it. It works fine.
Over the years, it’s been my touchstone to establish relevance: if you’re still whining about a ten-year-old mouse design, you’ve established that you have nothing meaningful to say.
The hockey-puck mouse design was indeed a disaster. But they practically gave them away. The Apple Magic Mouse is $80 -- and at that price you don't have to accept compromises Apple is offering.
Nope @WilliamGallagher is correct. I’ve being using a Magic Mouse for as long as I can remember. Certainly since at least 2016 so over 8 years and it has never run out of power. I just plug it in every few weeks.
The Apple Apologist in full effect. If that was ANY other company that did that, you'd be talking about how bad of a design it was and who in the world would put the charging port on the bottom of a mouse so that you can't use it while it's charging.
Doesn't matter how often or not it needs charging, still an awful way to do that!!
This x1000
Is there ANY functional reason to have the port on the bottom? No. Is there ANY advantage? No.
Bottom line: there is no reason and no advantage but very clear disadvantages. Hallmarks of bad design. The best argument I've seen people come up with is 'well, it's not that bad and it doesn't disrupt your workflow that much.' Seriously, such (attempted) arguments call into question the intelligence and ability to reason of the people making them.
The haters blame the apologists, the apologists hate the haters.
The amount of energy expended by haters on this is just pathetic. Go ahead and label me an "apologist". I honestly don't care. If anything, it just shows how petty you are.
It gives you enough of a warning that batteries are getting low. Plug the damn thing in for 5 minutes while you take a coffee break and it's good for the entire day, if not longer. Plug it in overnight before going to sleep, or leaving the office and it's back up running for weeks on end. It's not that hard, but maybe it is for you.
Quit your whining.
I guarantee you wouldn't be saying any of this if any other company did this.
Thank you, @WilliamGallagher ;, for a refreshing take on the infamous Magic Mouse. For those who choose to work with a mouse with a temporary wire on it, I can't think of a better one than the Logitech MX 3(s). I have one and it's superb when coupled with the Options+ software. Next to it, the Magic Mouse seems like the old Apple Serial Bus Mouse II (which I have within reach for nostalgia's sake). I.e. limited. I also don't like that finger gestures on the Mouse don't mirror those you use on a Magic Trackpad (which I also have, and prefer).
But I appreciate the design aesthetic, along with the ergonomics. It's for smaller hands, or portability with a MacBook. I haven't timed how long to how much charge in a pinch, I'll take your measurement on faith. To the grumpy Gus' who insist this is a critical flaw, I simply say, "this Mouse isn't for you then, get over it." I prefer the clean unfettered appearance and making the entire front ⅔ of the surface a usable gesture pad. I can't imagine where Apple would put a horizontally aligned port for charging while maintaining the superior overall look and shape. Those who want to insult you as an "Apple Apologist" are just throwing toys out of the pram, literally: I'll bet they've less years on this earth than you and I have been typing on computers.
The haters blame the apologists, the apologists hate the haters.
The amount of energy expended by haters on this is just pathetic. Go ahead and label me an "apologist". I honestly don't care. If anything, it just shows how petty you are.
It gives you enough of a warning that batteries are getting low. Plug the damn thing in for 5 minutes while you take a coffee break and it's good for the entire day, if not longer. Plug it in overnight before going to sleep, or leaving the office and it's back up running for weeks on end. It's not that hard, but maybe it is for you.
Quit your whining.
I guarantee you wouldn't be saying any of this if any other company did this.
Oh good god what a child’s take, grow the fuck up.
I’m amazed that someone finally came right out and said it. Yes, Apple retrofit a charging port on the bottom of an existing battery-based mouse and ran with it. It works fine.
Over the years, it’s been my touchstone to establish relevance: if you’re still whining about a ten-year-old mouse design, you’ve established that you have nothing meaningful to say.
Absolutely. The Immaturity on display in these forums is obvious when people become hyperbolically outraged over the smallest things, especially when they have no intention of buying or using said product. It’s like they aren’t happy if they aren’t outraged over something, because negativity is what the cool kids do or something equally moronic.
My Logitech wireless mouse has the charging port on the bottom ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Weird, what model is it? I haven't run across any other brand/model yet that had the charging port on the bottom. (not just as a user, but as someone who does IT support for companies and individuals)
not a current model, but it was a direct competitor to the Apple version. Multitouch, gesture, Bluetooth. I still use it.
Wow, an 11-year old mouse that still works well?? I'm impressed.
It does still work well. Don’t really use it. I just like to point out hypocrisy when I see it. It does matches the aesthetic of my 2011 MacBook Pro, iPhone 3 and 5s, three 40 to 55 year old cars and this creaky 62 year old mind. All still in original condition and still working.
Comments
not a current model, but it was a direct competitor to the Apple version. Multitouch, gesture, Bluetooth. I still use it.
considering the number of posts, you would think you are trying to solve homelessness…
agreed
it's a horrible design decision
can't begin to tell you how many times i have heard users complain about that
thing is, its a trivial point design wise
how often have you seen the front of your mouse?
i have a logitech MX master mouse, and when it dies, i use it as wired, with the cable plugged in the front
and go about my business
for my VIP staff, we actually have a spare mouse plugged in thats used when the primary one dies
Then it dawned on me. Apple's design decision here isn't just aesthetic. It's functional. If Apple put a charging port on the front edge of the mouse so it could be used while charging, some people would leave it plugged in all the time. The result would be frayed charging cables and damaged charging ports due to constant repetitive motion flexing and bending charging cables and applying leverage and torque to the port. Then, because it's Apple, what would we have? A class-action lawsuit.
You know it's true.
Damage to the port would be slow and cumulative, and no doubt most failures would happen outside of the device's warranty. So the class action lawsuit would claim that Apple knew this would be the result, and that they intentionally designed it to fail in order to sell more replacement mice.
So yeah. This is a functional choice. Apple is not going to spend money on over-engineering the charger port, and they're not going to spend money on lawsuits or settlements with people who insist on using it as a wired mouse, because it's a wireless mouse. It says so right on the box.
no this is a straight out example of Ive trained designers wanting to hide the charging port winning over engineers preferring functionality.
one of the things that makes Apple great is the constant focus on the balance between functionality and beauty. The consequence though is sometimes that balance isn’t achieved. The charging port on this mouse, and the location of the power button on the new Mac mini are examples of these fails.
Why not add wireless charging to the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard?
Why not incorporate a wireless charger into the Display and iMac stands? (Fine, even add an extra charge for a stand that includes your wireless charging puck!)
Eliminate the charging ports and cut the cables forever—just place your input device or iPhone on the stand under your screen to charge. It would be so easy and practical...
Over the years, it’s been my touchstone to establish relevance: if you’re still whining about a ten-year-old mouse design, you’ve established that you have nothing meaningful to say.
If you don’t like it, buy a different mouse
Is there ANY functional reason to have the port on the bottom? No. Is there ANY advantage? No.
Bottom line: there is no reason and no advantage but very clear disadvantages. Hallmarks of bad design. The best argument I've seen people come up with is 'well, it's not that bad and it doesn't disrupt your workflow that much.' Seriously, such (attempted) arguments call into question the intelligence and ability to reason of the people making them.
But I appreciate the design aesthetic, along with the ergonomics. It's for smaller hands, or portability with a MacBook. I haven't timed how long to how much charge in a pinch, I'll take your measurement on faith. To the grumpy Gus' who insist this is a critical flaw, I simply say, "this Mouse isn't for you then, get over it." I prefer the clean unfettered appearance and making the entire front ⅔ of the surface a usable gesture pad. I can't imagine where Apple would put a horizontally aligned port for charging while maintaining the superior overall look and shape. Those who want to insult you as an "Apple Apologist" are just throwing toys out of the pram, literally: I'll bet they've less years on this earth than you and I have been typing on computers.