Apple Proves a Mouse Can Be Magic

Apple has done it again. Amidst today’s announcements of updated iMacs and Macbooks, it was a mouse that stole the show. From being a top trending topic on Twitter to the approximately 651 articles to date, Apple’s new Magic Mouse has the techies buzzing and with good reason. Totally wireless and cool to look at, Magic Mouse is the first mouse to use Apple’s new Multi-Touch Technology.

So what’s all the hubbub about? This unassuming piece of hardware basically is a mashup of your traditional mouse features and touchscreen. Borrowing from the iPod Touch, iPhone, and Macbook trackpad technology, Magic Mouse allows users to navigate the web with an intuitive finger twitch. It functions like your old boring mouse as far as in getting the pointer to where you need it to be. However in lieu of a scroll wheels and buttons, the Magic Mouse has one big button on the top that has a Multi-Touch surface. Simply go to the preferences menu and set the mouse up for two button functionality and double clicking works anywhere on the mouse’s surface. Lefties can also get in on the fun as the mouse is ambidextrous. The curved surface looks like it will be easy on the hand so we can get our finger stroll on for hours on end.

Magic Mouse also has your old mouse beat in the precision department. Thanks to the laser tracking, the Magic Mouse can operate on almost any surface without the annoying hiccups a mouse with an optical drive would encounter. Bluetooth-friendly, the mouse can operate within 33 feet of a secure network connection. It also conserves energy, switching off when it senses moments of inactivity.

So onto the hand gestures. To scroll through pages in Safari or check out photos, swipe the top of the mouse with two fingers. The page will turn, almost like your flipping through a book or magazine. Regular scrolling only requires one little piggy and to zoom in on an item of interest, hold down the Control key and scroll with your finger.

Retailing for $70, Apple once again pushes the envelope to bring us closer to the tech we secretly play with in our most fevered dreams. Better yet, they create tech we didn’t even know we needed and somehow can’t seem to do without.