The Mighty Mouse Apple didn't ship

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
An image depicting an earlier version of Apple's multi-button Mighty Mouse has recently surfaced and it may have been hidden in a shipping version of the Mighty Mouse software.



The image below shows a version of Apple's Mighty Mouse that never shipped (left) alongside the revised model which Apple released earlier this month.



From the image it can be seen that Apple's original Mighty Mouse design featured a slightly different scroll-ball enclosure and also lacked the recessed Apple logo.



As we noted in our review of the Mighty Mouse, it's strongly believed that the mouse was originally scheduled to ship as a complement to Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger" during the last week of April.



Due to quality assurance issues sources have said the Mighty Mouse project, which went by the code-name 'Houdini,' was delayed slightly while revisions to the mouse design and/or software were performed.



Users of Mac OS X 10.4.2 who have installed the Mighty Mouse software install may be able to locate the earlier image of the device by tracing the following Mac OS X filesystem path: /System/Library/PreferencePanes/Keyboard.prefPane/Contents/Resources/type1.gif



Earlier this week, sales of the Mighty Mouse through Amazon.com drove it as high as the No. 13 spot on the retailer's top selling electronics list. Currently the mouse sits at No. 21, outselling Apple's 60GB iPod model.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 31
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Looks like clear plastic with white paint/plastic underneath--like the front of an eMac, or the old iBooks, or like iPods (but thicker plastic).



    That always seemed VERY challenging to me: the inside AND outside of the shell must be featureless to pull off that effect. I can see it might not be worth the trouble.
  • Reply 2 of 31
    adam1185adam1185 Posts: 19member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleInsider





    Users of Mac OS X 10.4.2 who have never performed the Mighty Mouse software install may still be able to locate the earlier image of the device by tracing the following Mac OS X filesystem path: /System/Library/PreferencePanes/Keyboard.prefPane/Contents/Resources/type1.gif




    [ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]




    No type1.gif on my hard drive \
  • Reply 3 of 31
    inside_lineinside_line Posts: 42member
    me neither :/
  • Reply 4 of 31
    keymacerkeymacer Posts: 15member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by adam1185

    No type1.gif on my hard drive \



    ditto. missing in mine too even when showing hidden files
  • Reply 5 of 31
    gyroscopegyroscope Posts: 68member
    Ditto. I searched type1.gif to no avail.
  • Reply 6 of 31
    necrocoolnecrocool Posts: 3member
    Woah... I really have that file... It's probably a part of the Mighty Mouse software.
  • Reply 7 of 31
    feraliferali Posts: 175member
    maybe its the upcoming bluetooth version since it looks bigger?
  • Reply 8 of 31
    supertedsuperted Posts: 41member
    I was wondering why the early site had a link to the quicktime vr saying "see Houdini in action" It now says "see Mighty Mouse in action"



    Now I know - and knowing is half the battle (GI JOOOEEEE!!!!!)
  • Reply 9 of 31
    w_parietti22w_parietti22 Posts: 74member
    I cant tell... but it looks as though it has 2 seperate left click and right click buttons instead of the sensors. It also looks like it has the Requalar mouse design instead of the wireless mouse design.
  • Reply 10 of 31
    catman4d2catman4d2 Posts: 174member
    i still call it the ITit....
  • Reply 11 of 31
    supertedsuperted Posts: 41member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Ferali

    maybe its the upcoming bluetooth version since it looks bigger?



    I'd agree.... I think this is the wireless version, it certainly looks like a version of the clear acrylic wired mouse that Apple sells now, seeing that the Mighty Mouse in it's current form more closely resembles the Bluetooth Apple Mouse (both are "whiter" than the regular wired Apple Mouse) it may be that Apple are making the wireless version look more like the regular wired one.
  • Reply 12 of 31
    soosysoosy Posts: 23member
    I like that shiny clear layer look that is on the previous Apple mice. Too bad they changed it. (I also like black more than white... *shrug*).
  • Reply 13 of 31
    aquamacaquamac Posts: 585member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by soosy

    I like that shiny clear layer look that is on the previous Apple mice. Too bad they changed it. (I also like black more than white... *shrug*).



    I agree, The dark with the red glow was much more HAL 9000 like. "Open the iPod bay doors please Hal."
  • Reply 14 of 31
    louzerlouzer Posts: 1,054member
    Man, I'm just glad they changed it. People are already complaining about the mouse's size. Can you imagine the outcry with the original proposed design? Heck, might be good for the basketball player market, but not much else!
  • Reply 15 of 31
    w_parietti22w_parietti22 Posts: 74member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Louzer

    Man, I'm just glad they changed it. People are already complaining about the mouse's size. Can you imagine the outcry with the original proposed design? Heck, might be good for the basketball player market, but not much else!



    I dont see why they are... the might mouse is smaller than the regualer Apple mouse.
  • Reply 16 of 31
    matthew yohematthew yohe Posts: 310member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by superted

    I was wondering why the early site had a link to the quicktime vr saying "see Houdini in action" It now says "see Mighty Mouse in action"



    Now I know - and knowing is half the battle (GI JOOOEEEE!!!!!)



  • Reply 17 of 31
    soosysoosy Posts: 23member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by w_parietti22

    I dont see why they are... the might mouse is smaller than the regualer Apple mouse.



    Huh? they are the same size:

    http://railheaddesign.com/graphics/various/mm03.jpg

  • Reply 18 of 31
    kwsanderskwsanders Posts: 327member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by soosy

    I like that shiny clear layer look that is on the previous Apple mice. Too bad they changed it. (I also like black more than white... *shrug*).



    It is no longer clear due to the electronic sensors that has to be right up under the shell. They could have made it clear so we could see all the internals, but then someone has already done that.
  • Reply 19 of 31
    kwsanderskwsanders Posts: 327member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by soosy

    [B]Huh? they are the same size:



    Soosy,



    What do you think about the new mouse? I am assuming (maybe inappropriately) fromt his picture that you have one now.
  • Reply 20 of 31
    t'hain esh kelcht'hain esh kelch Posts: 1,274member
    Looks like a prototype model to me.
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