I was holding the Apple remot in my hand

sekio

and thought of a great idea for a mouse. Something like this may have already been invented but it's a good idea! It would look just like the current remote except the middle buttons would be a trackpad used to control the cursor. You could push down on the trackpad to click. If we wanted a second mouse button, it could be where the menu button is or on the back for the supporting fingers to push. There are all kinds of ways to do it but I think it would be great. You could use your mouse from anywhere eithout ever needing to move your hand.



What does everyone think of this idea?

sunilraman

like a "floating trackball" concept? i've seen some "presentation mouse" type devices, have you tried those?

vl-tone

Apple had a trackball in the gamepad for their game console called the Pippin.



But, I think this would be a better idea:







It detects movement in 3d including rotation, and it can be used to precisely point at the screen to control a cursor amongst other things.



If Apple added that to the Front-Row remote it would be very useful. The volume level would always be available on the click-ring thing as the pointing feature would enable you to point at menu items and scroll down trough long list at variable speeds, just by tilting the remote...

sunilraman

heh. that's the kind of innovation we expect from apple. but nintendo beat them to it

a_greer

Quote:

Originally posted by Sekio

and thought of a great idea for a mouse. Something like this may have already been invented but it's a good idea! It would look just like the current remote except the middle buttons would be a trackpad used to control the cursor. You could push down on the trackpad to click. If we wanted a second mouse button, it could be where the menu button is or on the back for the supporting fingers to push. There are all kinds of ways to do it but I think it would be great. You could use your mouse from anywhere eithout ever needing to move your hand.



What does everyone think of this idea?

this might work. It isnt exactly what you want but it is close and it works great from 30-ish feet away in real life, even through walls with steel beams. we use them at work, in every classroom and have no troubles with them.

bergermeister

I have used the HP controller that came with my projector, and it lets you move the cursor and click away. Actually works pretty well, but I don't use it too often (just the laser pointer and the button for the next slide).