What, no bluetooth?

Posted on Tuesday, August 2, 2005 by Rex Hammock

What, no bluetooth? Apple introduces a new mouse called, “mighty mouse” but am I missing something? Over the past couple of years, Apple has hooked me into an addiction to using a bluetooth mouse but the mighty mouse doesn’t have that feature. I’m sure it is a swell new mouse, but Apple has already introduced me to the joys of using an untethered mouse. There’s no way they’re getting me to plug back in.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

About Rex Hammock

Founder/ceo of Hammock Inc., the content marketing and custom media services company based in Nashville, Tenn.
This entry was posted in All other, blogging and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.
  • Kevin Newman

    I could never go back to using a single-button mouse with no scroll wheel. I’d rather have a mouse with TWO cords than give up my other buttons. Did you never get addicted to the wheel, or do you prefer the lack of cord so much that it was worth the loss?

    I’m thinking that a bluetooth model will be next/later.

  • Tim Morgan

    If they came out with a wireless one now, then they couldn’t release the SUPERMIGHTYMouse later. They know how not to upstage themselves.

  • nospamstilwebm@yahoo.com

    First the Intel announcement, then a two button mouse announcment. What next? A new Newton?

  • MMMikey

    Am I the only guy in the world who has no use for a scroll wheel? I’ve had one for years – years, I tell you – and I’ve never found an actual use for the thing.

    Buttons, though… oh yeah, I gots me some buttons, and I use ‘em all. Never touch the scroll wheel, though.

  • lcreekmo

    I hate the scroll wheel. But I have a wireless mouse at home and when I have to use a mouse with a cord….well you cannot go back. Every day I think my mouse at work is broken. It’s not. It just has a cord.

  • Hudge

    I’ve been lucky to almost never have used a two-click mouse, and see no reason to celebrate this advance to the rear.

  • Kevin Newman

    This is fascinating to me. There’s no where on my desk that isn’t reachable by the cord on my mouse (plugged into the keyboard), so although I’ve used a wireless mouse before, I don’t think that I am missing anything by having a cord. I guess I could take the mouse across the room, but I can’t read the screen from there, so why?
    In comparison, second mouse button allows me to get to contextual menus (1) quicker than holding the button and waiting, and (2) without holding down a keyboard key with the other hand. The scroll wheel allows me to have a third button (which lets me do things like “open window in new tab” in just one click), and to scroll the current window without having to (1) find the pointer (2) move the pointer to the narrow target of the scroll bar or scroll arrows at the ends of the bar (3) click and drag to scroll smoothly or click-scroll in full page increments. I can do things with the second button and scroll wheel more quickly and with fewer movements and less clicking. That seems like it is more healthy as well, since fewer Rs should make fewer RSIs.

    It seems so foreign to me that someone would prefer to not have a scroll wheel or more than one button. If you were blindfolded, how would you even know if your mouse had a cord or not? How are you guys using your mice that is so different?

  • Kevin Newman

    This is fascinating to me. There’s no where on my desk that isn’t reachable by the cord on my mouse (plugged into the keyboard), so although I’ve used a wireless mouse before, I don’t think that I am missing anything by having a cord. I guess I could take the mouse across the room, but I can’t read the screen from there, so why?
    In comparison, second mouse button allows me to get to contextual menus (1) quicker than holding the button and waiting, and (2) without holding down a keyboard key with the other hand. The scroll wheel allows me to have a third button (which lets me do things like “open window in new tab” in just one click), and to scroll the current window without having to (1) find the pointer (2) move the pointer to the narrow target of the scroll bar or scroll arrows at the ends of the bar (3) click and drag to scroll smoothly or click-scroll in full page increments. I can do things with the second button and scroll wheel more quickly and with fewer movements and less clicking. That seems like it is more healthy as well, since fewer Rs should make fewer RSIs.

    It seems so foreign to me that someone would prefer to not have a scroll wheel or more than one button. If you were blindfolded, how would you even know if your mouse had a cord or not? How are you guys using your mice that is so different?

  • rex

    How I use a bluetooth mouse: I am sure that life will be better one day, Kevin, when I use a two-button, scroll-wheel mouse for the first time in 21 years. I look forward to that experience. However, the wireless feature is a must for me. I am a PowerBook user but when I am at my desk, I plug my laptop into a large monitor and use it with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Those who know me know that I’m not a fan of wires — of any wires. Especially wire that run all over my desk and get tangled with each other. (I’m less bothered in the birdsnest of wires that accompany most computer set ups is out of sight — i.e., don’t look behind my desk). AS foor the “there’s nowhere on my desk a cord won’t reach” argument, I guess the same could be said for having a long ethernet cord that would reach anywhere in a room or, perhaps throughout an apartment or home. But once you’ve experienced wi-fi, well, it’s hard to go back.

  • Kevin Newman

    I’m a two desktop guy with three monitors who can see wires for printer, 2 keyboards, mouse, two pairs of headphones, iPod USB cable, dimmer switch for the lamps, two speakers, camera USB, radio antenna, cable modem, router, and NTSC video, all within arms reach. The clutter/aesthetic factor never even occurred to me. That seems like a reason for bluetooth that would resonate well with the millions of mac users who appreciate things looking neat and clean, including their computers.

    I guess it is like that broken window theory of police work. Going from 20 cables to 21 cables (in my case) isn’t a big deal, but going from 0 cables to 1 cable (you) is quite a distraction, and evidently not worth that second button. I think I get it now.

  • rex

    I think Apple realizes that the marketplace for the mighty mouse is made up of more people like you, Kevin, than me. A few months after selling them to the 90% of folks who have no desire for a wireless mouse, they’ll get around to bringing out one for the rest of us.

  • Mond

    Very interesting blog!