Apple may extend multi-touch to computer mice

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 49
    meelashmeelash Posts: 1,045member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by grifmx View Post


    I'm happy with my current mouse. A medium small Logitech. I don't like Apple's mice, too big and cumbersome feeling. Smaller mouse just fitss my hands better and seems more nimble to move around.



    What I REALLY want is a Powermac WITH NO FANS! or an iMac WITH NO FANS!



    Apple needs to solve the HEAT and FAN issue once and for all. I'm so tired of my 747 jet plane (Powermac G5) taking off every time I open an application, surf the web, watch a QT movie or just breath!http://forums.appleinsider.com/images/smilies/1hmm.gif



    :bugeyes: This is a joke right? The iMac doesn't have any fans. And it is practically completely, blissfully silent. And the PowerMac G5 is what, almost two years old?
  • Reply 42 of 49
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by meelash View Post


    :bugeyes: This is a joke right? The iMac doesn't have any fans.



    All the Intel Macs have fans:



    http://mactree.sannet.ne.jp/~kodawar...l/01141052.jpg



    It just isn't very loud.
  • Reply 43 of 49
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    Apple has done a rather good job keeping things quiet at idle and low intensity use. A big reason why they manage to do it is using low-power, mobile parts on the desktop.



    Generally for quiet operation you'd want the noisiest components suspended in a manner that transmits minimal mechanical vibration to the structure of the case, and a long, isolated airflow channel that isn't straight so that sound could get out directly. Huge fans at low, automatically variable speeds. Large volume of air inside the case to disperse the noise. Heavy, solid case walls and structure to absorb what is left of the noise.



    Apple aims for miniaturization in everything but the Mac Pro, and that's why their relatively quiet computers start whining once you copy a large file or start a game.
  • Reply 44 of 49
    dunksdunks Posts: 1,254member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Haggar View Post


    The mighty mouse does not support pressing more than one button at a time. On my Logitech MX mouse, I can hold down the side button to activate Expose to show the desktop, drag an icon using the left button, release the side button to make windows visible again, then release the left button to drop the icon onto the window.



    I was so chuffed with myself when I worked out this trick. I do it all the time with my cheap and cheerful logitech mouse. You can get a similar effect on the mighty mouse if you simply set the exposé "desktop" to a hot corner.



    Try activating exposé "all windows" mid-drag to move things easily between windows. It's a great time saver. You only need to hover the mouse over the correct window for a second or so.
  • Reply 45 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by grifmx View Post


    I'm happy with my current mouse. A medium small Logitech. I don't like Apple's mice, too big and cumbersome feeling. Smaller mouse just fitss my hands better and seems more nimble to move around.



    What I REALLY want is a Powermac WITH NO FANS! or an iMac WITH NO FANS!



    Apple needs to solve the HEAT and FAN issue once and for all. I'm so tired of my 747 jet plane (Powermac G5) taking off every time I open an application, surf the web, watch a QT movie or just breath!http://forums.appleinsider.com/images/smilies/1hmm.gif



    The Mac Pro is very quiet, especially compared to the G5. It's barely noticeable most of the time.
  • Reply 46 of 49
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    I'd prefer a touch keyboard over a touch mouse as long as it had a changeable key panel. It wouldn't have to be a display but just have removable printed sheets and you could print your own if you wanted.



    I also don't see what's wrong with the current general mouse design that has actual buttons. I really don't like the pill design either as it's not very ergonomic. The finger tips sit lower down than the palm and yet Apple mice put them at nearly the same height.



    Why can't they just bundle a nice Logitech mouse with their machines? It wouldn't cost them any R&D so they'd save a whole heap of money and customers would be happier both with the price and the quality.



    A suppose a multi-touch mouse would be better than the mighty-mouse but how do you move it without activating the sensors?



    You just hit the patent on the head, you just didn't see it. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE 'MOUSE' PART IS A SMOKESCREEN -- APPLE IS DEVELOPING An iTOUCH KEYBOARD!! Think of it -- no actual keys, just a smooth screen like the iPhone. Turn it on and start typing -- in English, on a Dvorak layout, in Chinese, etc. Hit a function key, instantly switch to a new key layout -- for Photoshop, WorldofWarcraft, whatever. Hit a split key, the keyboard re-organizes on the fly to a smaller layout (think iPhone keyboard side-ways and then straight-up), and now there's room on the side for a scroll wheel, or a favorite page of widgets. (Take that, Maximumus OLED!!) The only drawback? No Bluetooth -- it'll have to be corded for power.
  • Reply 47 of 49
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DOSbox-gamer View Post


    You just hit the patent on the head, you just didn't see it. EVERYTHING ABOUT THE 'MOUSE' PART IS A SMOKESCREEN -- APPLE IS DEVELOPING An iTOUCH KEYBOARD!! Think of it -- no actual keys, just a smooth screen like the iPhone. Turn it on and start typing -- in English, on a Dvorak layout, in Chinese, etc. Hit a function key, instantly switch to a new key layout -- for Photoshop, WorldofWarcraft, whatever. Hit a split key, the keyboard re-organizes on the fly to a smaller layout (think iPhone keyboard side-ways and then straight-up), and now there's room on the side for a scroll wheel, or a favorite page of widgets. (Take that, Maximumus OLED!!) The only drawback? No Bluetooth -- it'll have to be corded for power.



    The only drawback, huh? You mean in addition to it being worse than any $9.99 keyboard, for anyone who can touch type *or* plays games?
  • Reply 48 of 49
    Worse? No, no, the iTouch Keyboard will be light-years better! Right now, every single different software out there must figure out a way to be used within the limited confines of a generic QWERTY keyboard. The iTouch does away with this hindrance entirely. Just like on the iPhone and iPod Touch, the surface you type on will reconfigure itself on-the-fly for whatever application you're using right then. Anyone who has used these devices knows how intuitive and useful and elegant that (reconfigging per app) is.

    Let me put it another way: remember that quote about the iPhone being off of Captain Picard's desk? Well, the iTouch Keyboard is just a much smaller version of the Enterprise-D's bridge consoles. Mr. Data, set course for the Sol System, warp factor 8. Engage!
  • Reply 49 of 49
    gongon Posts: 2,437member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by DOSbox-gamer View Post


    Worse? No, no, the iTouch Keyboard will be light-years better! Right now, every single different software out there must figure out a way to be used within the limited confines of a generic QWERTY keyboard. The iTouch does away with this hindrance entirely. Just like on the iPhone and iPod Touch, the surface you type on will reconfigure itself on-the-fly for whatever application you're using right then. Anyone who has used these devices knows how intuitive and useful and elegant that (reconfigging per app) is.

    Let me put it another way: remember that quote about the iPhone being off of Captain Picard's desk? Well, the iTouch Keyboard is just a much smaller version of the Enterprise-D's bridge consoles. Mr. Data, set course for the Sol System, warp factor 8. Engage!



    The Dvorak typing and WoW playing examples you used are precisely the kinds of tasks where the keyboard would fail utterly compared to any $9.99 one. Think about it - when you are touch typing, you don't look at the keyboard, so any display capability is useless. On the other hand, you do rely heavily on tactile feedback in order to be able to type fast. It's the exact same with any real-time action game, only less buttons and generally just one hand.



    (I constantly switch between two different layouts while typing. I also play WoW, and activate all skills from the keyboard while keeping my eyes on the opponents/environment. The touch keyboard would be virtually worthless to me.)



    There are valid uses and possibilities for such a keyboard. A non-touch typer having to work with several languages and corresponding layouts would appreciate it. A non-touch typer Chinese or Japanese could maybe write Kanjis faster with their finger and a good character recognition input method than with the typing-based input methods. I can also imagine a limited amount of purpose-designed games and apps that would be dependent on the keyboard. Maybe it'd be useful for some graphics and music software? But apart from the large-character-count input methods, where the usefulness is still questionable, these are all niches. I'm sure the "cool and different" factor would allow Apple to sell many a keyboard before there even were apps for it, but there is no way they can make it a default keyboard. Therefore they'd be limited in number and so would the apps that depend on it or take advantage of it.
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