Apple's new Magic Mouse disassembled with pictures

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
The world's first multi-touch mouse, Apple's new Magic Mouse, has been pulled apart from all of the glue that holds it together, allowing a glimpse at its internal components.



The new Magic Mouse has a solid acrylic surface on a low-profile body. It lacks any physical buttons or the scroll ball of its predecessor, the Mighty Mouse. Instead, the hardware senses the movement of fingertips across its surface, in a multi-touch fashion much like the technology employed in Apple's iPhone, iPod touch, MacBook and MacBook Pro lines.



iFixit's look inside found an aluminum base covered by a smooth multi-touch panel. Inside, the hardware is held together by "copious amounts" of glue. It was disassembled with an iPod opening tool.



"The glue didn't want to let go, but we overpowered it with the flick of our magic wand," the solutions provider said. "Screws would have been a lot easier to get apart (and much nicer to put back together)."



Most of the hardware's weight comes its two AA batteries (47 grams). The plastic weighs in at 37 grams, while the inside is just 10 grams.



A single ribbon cable connects the top of the mouse to its internal board, and orange capacitive touch sensors line the translucent top to track individual finger movements. iFixit found that the mouse's entire surface, from the Apple logo up, is covered with capacitive touch sensors.







Currently, the Magic Mouse requires a software patch for the multi-touch functionality to work with Mac OS X. But the forthcoming release of Mac OS X 10.6.2 is said to have native support for the new hardware.



The solutions provider said that the average mouse board weighs in at 0.4 grams, while the Magic Mouse's "brain" is 9 grams.



The mouse uses a Broadcom BCM2042A4KFBGH Bluetooth chip to wirelessly communicate with a desktop machine. Broadcom advertises the chip as a "low cost component" that allows manufacturers to create new hardware at the same price points as older mice with less features.



"Apparently Apple missed that memo," iFixit said of the $69 mouse.







Disassembly of the new hardware is not recommended, as the sheer amount of glue holding it together would be difficult to repair once pulled apart.



"Another mouse killed in the name of science," they said. "We didn't break anything, but gluing it back together will be challenging."



For the full disassembly process, view the entire article at iFixit.



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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 129
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Already a controversial product:



    http://www.i4u.com/article27784.html
  • Reply 2 of 129
    dluxdlux Posts: 666member
    Quote:

    The new Mighty Mouse has a solid acrylic surface on a low-profile body. It lacks any physical buttons or the scroll ball of its predecessor, the Mighty Mouse.



    Should be: "The new Magic Mouse...



    Sorry, but it's kinda distracting.
  • Reply 3 of 129
    I would have to believe that, based on the huge sensing area on the top of the magic mouse AND the rails, Apple will continue to release software upgrades to add more functionality.



    Right now, you are only using the forward half of the mouse.



    With those rails, you might be able to lock the mouse in place and provide a more "multi-touch" interface, using the entire surface of the mouse.



    Dare I think....
  • Reply 4 of 129
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Ahhh, a mouse dissection.
  • Reply 5 of 129
    dluxdlux Posts: 666member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by BuffyzDead View Post


    With those rails, you might be able to lock the mouse in place and provide a more "multi-touch" interface, using the entire surface of the mouse.



    If this wasn't a forum of computer users, one might read that and think we're all a bunch of perverts!
  • Reply 6 of 129
    floccusfloccus Posts: 138member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    The mouse uses a Broadcom BCM2042A4KFBGH Bluetooth chip to wirelessly communicate with a desktop machine. Broadcom advertises the chip as a "low cost component" that allows manufacturers to create new hardware at the same price points as older mice with less features.



    "Apparently Apple missed that memo," iFixit said of the $69 mouse.



    Except, how much added cost are all of those touch sensors? Stating that the price should be lower simply because the bluetooth chip is "low-cost" is pointless if everything else is a premium component (for now).



    Also, why Magic Mouse? Please, Apple (Steve), go back to using Pro Mouse, or even just Mouse. Using the name Magic Mouse makes it too toyish. Simply calling it the (Pro) Mouse gives it a little bit of a minimalist cool factor.
  • Reply 7 of 129
    I won't be getting one until I see a wired version, which I doubt will happen ever. I already have to replace batteries as it is with a Wiimote, so now another battery infested device? No thanks.
  • Reply 8 of 129
    takeotakeo Posts: 445member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by teckstud View Post


    Already a controversial product:



    http://www.i4u.com/article27784.html



    I agree wholeheartedly. The multi-touch thing seems brilliant... and it's nice that the mouse finally has sides again (instead of the button wrapping all the way down the sides)... but it's WAAAAAAY too small. Way too small and insanely thin. I'd like to try one before deciding for sure... but from the pictures... it looks like the ergonomics will be disastrous. As expected.
  • Reply 9 of 129
    doxxicdoxxic Posts: 100member
    Quote:

    Apparently Apple missed that memo," iFixit said of the $69 mouse.



  • Reply 10 of 129
    boogabooga Posts: 1,082member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Takeo View Post


    I agree wholeheartedly. The multi-touch thing seems brilliant... and it's nice that the mouse finally has sides again (instead of the button wrapping all the way down the sides)... but it's WAAAAAAY too small. Way too small and insanely thin. I'd like to try one before deciding for sure... but from the pictures... it looks like the ergonomics will be disastrous. As expected.



    I'm not as sure about that. One of the least ergonomic aspects of most mice for me is the scroll wheel. Too much scroll-wheeling and my hand/wrist definitely starts to feel it. Despite a flatter profile I can imagine that doing away with the scroll wheel and allowing some more natural gesture to take its place could offset any problems with the height.



    It's too soon for an ergonomic article. Use the thing for a few weeks then tell us about it.
  • Reply 11 of 129
    wingswings Posts: 261member
    The one thing that kills this mouse for me is its weight, all attributable to the use of 2 AA cells. I've tried wireless mice before but after using one for 8 hours the weight starts to become an issue.



    (The other issue I have with this mouse is where am I going to rest my fingers? I've noticed that my fingers wander all over the top of a mouse while I'm using it, and this one is going to think I'm scrolling. Haven't tried one yet but that's the impression I get. We'll see.)



    Wish they had put in a Li-Ion rechargeable in there along with a mouse pad with a built-in inductive charger. I'd try that.
  • Reply 12 of 129
    Wait, so there's no physical click to it at all? That's rather disappointing (though I already have it ordered :P).
  • Reply 13 of 129
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by teckstud View Post


    Already a controversial product:



    http://www.i4u.com/article27784.html



    CNET don't have a clue, but they may be right on this one. I've ordered one, so it better be decent. The ergonomic factor isn't why I like the MX Revolution though, it's all the other stuff. I'll give an honest review when it turns up.
  • Reply 14 of 129
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ghostface147 View Post


    I won't be getting one until I see a wired version, which I doubt will happen ever. I already have to replace batteries as it is with a Wiimote, so now another battery infested device? No thanks.



    Of all the things Apple has that really NEEDS a non-replaceable, rechargeable battery with a charger is it's mouse! I'm sick and tired of changing batteries as well. And how exactly is this environmentally friendly? I'm supposed now buy an additonal battery recharger out of my pocket and draw more electricity with it? No thanks.
  • Reply 15 of 129
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    CNET don't have a clue, but they may be right on this one. I've ordered one, so it better be decent. The ergonomic factor isn't why I like the MX Revolution though, it's all the other stuff. I'll give an honest review when it turns up.



    Must be nice to have $70+ to burn.
  • Reply 16 of 129
    teckstudteckstud Posts: 6,476member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mbarriault View Post


    Wait, so there's no physical click to it at all? That's rather disappointing (though I already have it ordered :P).



    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Ireland View Post


    CNET don't have a clue, but they may be right on this one. I've ordered one, so it better be decent. The ergonomic factor isn't why I like the MX Revolution though, it's all the other stuff. I'll give an honest review when it turns up.



    I never understood why people buy things blind without reading a single review. Must be stockholders.
  • Reply 18 of 129
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by teckstud View Post


    Must be nice to have $70+ to burn.



    I never said I was poor.
  • Reply 19 of 129
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by teckstud View Post


    I never understood why people buy things blind without reading a single review. Must be stockholders.



    Yeah, you can tell I'm a stockholder by how much I love the Mighty Mouse



    My gut feeling says I'll like this mouse, as I love swiping, momentum-scrolling and wanted the ball gone for years.
  • Reply 20 of 129
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:



    Gizmodo is great.
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