Here it is: the new Magic Mouse, a single button mouse (with a software-controlled right click option) and a touch sensitive top surface that allows you to touch the mouse to pinch, scroll, and drag, just like a trackpad. The mouse uses two AA batteries and lasts 4 months on one change.
It costs $69 and is available at the end of October.
RIP Mighty Mouse name. It’s now called the Apple Mouse.
Apple Introduces Magic Mouse — The World’s First Multi-Touch Mouse
CUPERTINO, Calif., Oct. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple® today introduced the new wireless Magic Mouse, the first mouse to use Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch™ technology. Pioneered on iPhone®, iPod touch® and Mac® notebook trackpads, Multi-Touch allows customers to navigate using intuitive finger gestures. Instead of mechanical buttons, scroll wheels or scroll balls, the entire top of the Magic Mouse is a seamless Multi-Touch surface. Magic Mouse comes standard with the new iMac® and will be available as a Mac accessory at just $69.
“Apple is the Multi-Touch leader, pioneering the use of this innovative technology in iPhone, iPod touch and Mac notebook trackpads,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Apple’s Multi-Touch technology allows us to offer an easy to use mouse in a simple and elegant design.”
Magic Mouse features a seamless touch-sensitive enclosure that allows it to be a single or multi-button mouse with advanced gesture support. Using intuitive gestures, users can easily scroll through long documents, pan across large images or swipe to move forward or backward through a collection of web pages or photos. Magic Mouse works for left or right handed users and multi-button or gesture commands can be easily configured from within System Preferences.
The Magic Mouse laser tracking engine provides a smooth, consistent experience across more surfaces than a traditional optical tracking system. Magic Mouse uses Bluetooth wireless capabilities to create a clean, cable-free desk top and its secure wireless connection works from up to 10 meters away. To extend battery performance, Magic Mouse includes an advanced power management system that works with Mac OS® X to automatically switch to low power modes during periods of inactivity. The wireless Magic Mouse is powered by two AA batteries which are included.
Pricing & Availability
Magic Mouse comes standard with the new iMac and is available at the end of October through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com), at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $69 (US). Magic Mouse requires Mac OS X Leopard® version 10.5.8 or later.Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.
© 2009 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, Multi-Touch, iPhone, iPod touch, iMac, Apple Store and Leopard are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.
One button?
ONE FUCKING BUTTON?
Seriously Apple? Seriously? You relented with copy and paste on the iPhone, you’d think they would have thrown in the towel with one-button mice a decade ago.
And a non-user-removable propitiatory battery as well!
Could this POSSIBLY scream “fail” any more?
From the press release above:
“The wireless Magic Mouse is powered by two AA batteries which are included.”
There doesn’t seem to be a proprietary system for power and John’s post at the top is incorrect.
yes, sorry. was in a hurry.
don’t be in a hurry – do things right the first time. Hell, most of your article was just regurgitation of the press release anyway. . .
This doesn’t make sense… What is the big deal here except for the apple hype… Scroll, right click & drag… have been the basic functionalities supported by even the simple mice… There is no point complicating these basic functionalities in a single click mouse or trying to do them in a round about manner… I don’t see any big added advantage or selling point here!
It’s the worlds first commercially available Multi-touch mouse. If you can’t see that selling point, amidst the multi-touch age of user interface, you need to polish the bi-focals a little better.
+1 Dante. In other words, this is the first of the last generation of mice.
Couldn’t of said it better frank!
If everyone thought like that we’d still be using the command line as the standard UI.
People usually ask Apple why… they usually find out down the line
John C. Dvorak – 1984 comments on the “mouse”
http://idek.net/adP
+1 Dante
pss… you are all a bunch of people with no self opnion, you just think its nice because who did was Apple, if was Microsoft, Logitech or Razor I bet we’re seeing many flame posts… but hey, was apple who did, so now, all mac users will have many mouse options, oOps, just 1 option, 1 nothing ergonomic option, very unconfortable mouse who brings the touchpad world to the mouse, what d’fuck! And about the gestures, my Razor Cooperhead have gesture support, not on his surface (duh) because its a mouse! Not a touchpad, but I can make any gestures with the pointer and program all of them in the driver control panel… buts ok if you don’t like it, you can choose from lots of other different models, like from logitech or microsoft mouses (come onnnn fucking Apple Maniacs, are you going to say that microsoft mouse arent good) but if you are a Apple guy, its better do what apple told, and use what they just made, even if all ergonomic concepts aren’t used, after all why we need that?
=/
jmgnt, are you a fucking moron? We’ve only had one mouse option? Most USB powererd mouses work with Mac, you just plug it in and it works right out of the box, specifally with Logitech mouses. Oh and the Magic Mouse does actually click my friend. It does not have the “tap to click” option like a trackpad.
“The wireless Magic Mouse is powered by two AA batteries which are included.”
Also supports right click…
Wow– RTFM.
I Read the Fucking Post, and saw this:
“”
“”
Fucking submit button…. and I saw this:
“a single button mouse”
“The battery is built-in”
Is it my fault the person who posted this article posted incorrect information?
“Is it my fault the person who posted this article posted incorrect information?”
Yes, since there is an entire press release with the accurate information. Good that you rely exclusively on second-hand sources for your opinions. Good job!
Soooo… you think the multi-touch mouse can recognize finger gestures across it’s entire surface, but not recognize its right click? Dude… you’re a f*cking moron.
My wireless mighty mouse seemed great in the store but sucks in actual application. I could see this being a horrible idea in much the same way the mighty mouse sucks.
No brains, no headaches…
My Macbook Pro trackpad only has one button (the whole trackpad) and I can copy and paste quite easily on it using “right click” thanks to their cleverness.
I think if you bother to go over to Apple (http://www.apple.com/uk/magicmouse/) you’ll find that right click is available through multi-touch as are quite a few other functions.
So it’s kinda actually a 5 button mouse, with just one button. And that’s clever. More clever than trolls.
Actually select, copy and paste is the one thing the Mac trackpad sucks at. It’s pretty awesome at everything else.
As for the new mouse…. nah.
What a troll.
It’s multi-touch so it supports a ton of FUCKING STUFF MAN!!!!
supports right click yo. so does the mighty mouse, which a lot of people don’t realize has actually 4 buttons.
Yikes. Too much coffee this morning.
A: It’s just a mouse
B: You don’t have to buy one if you don’t want to
C: Apple’s industrial design and interface design have been a pretty good bet recently
Did you see how sleek this mouse is? Try it.
no ……… no it could not
It says you can enable second button functions and as everyone else has said it uses AA batteries.
Not that built in batteries are bad anyways. I have a logitech mouse with an integrated battery and I just put it in a charging cradle and it’s nice not to have to ever buy batteries.
Since Apple wants this mouse to go well with their notebooks though I think AA batteries is the way to go.
No pinch zoom. It’s ctrl+scroll.
Yeah, that’s a pity.
Why is it a pity? It’s easier just scrolling–it would be pretty uncomfortable to pinch in your mouse.
Chill @Cyber. Watch the video. The top corner of the mouse works as a right click.
top corner! how about doing it in a way that would be more user friendly… and obvious…
omg! it is pretty obvious. they say top-corner; but it is a multi-touch that detects when you are trying to click on the right. wait until it comes out.
how ergonomic is it?
the might mouse was distinctly not.
New remotes, too.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC377LL/A
its a friggin portable touch pad…if I wanted a touch pad I’d just use the one that comes with my laptop…
So don’t buy it.
Buy a Microsoft mouse with its five buttons and scroll wheel.
Your choice.
+1
+1
For what it’s worth, I’ve been using Microsoft mice for 15 years and wouldn’t give up my 5-button Microsoft mouse for all the Magic Mice in the world.
You Lie!
Some of us have these things called ‘desktop computers.’
It’s not a “single button mouse”. It says clearly in the press release that it can be configured to be “a single or multi-button mouse”. Perhaps the author should read the release before summarizing it.
New mouse looks really hot. Hope they really did some serious testing on this one as its predecessor was probably one of the worst Apple products in recent time as far as quality. Scrolling broke after 3 weeks of use.
Hardly an issue this time around.
Wish it was compatible with Windows machines…
no you don’t because m$ and other companies are coming out with better and cooler mice.
Ditto. Also add other colors. The white seems to prissy. I mostly prefer Logitech mice because the have found ways to introduce useful features (i.e. buttons). I like the minimalist design but would Logitech to give a minimalist design a go with similar features as the this and add one button zoom (sans CTRL), application swap/toggle, and back/forward buttons for browsing.
Multi-Touch includes right-click. It doesn’t need a *separate* button for it.
The trackpad on my MacBook includes right click, and it doesn’t need a *separate* button.
You Windows guys get sooo excited.
Buttons are old-school, like floppies.
“Buttons are old-school, like floppies.”
You mac guys are sooo gullible.
What’s a button?
What’s a floppy?
What about power buttons?
I see! so u mean a single button on apple mouse is not “old school” but 2 buttons on other mice are… lol…
Hey, at least you can change the batteries in it without sending it in and paying more money!
The point of the enclosed batteries in apple designs is to allow you to have a thinner product with room for a larger battery. It’s a tradeoff, but for most people it’s a good one.
Life is a trackpad.
Life is a highway …
Apple always tout the AA battery thing as some kind really nice thing they’re doing for you, as if it’s somehow not just that they’re too lazy / cheap to supply a rechargeable battery.
Usually, people will bitch about integrated batteries and how much they hate them. This product uses standard AA batteries, and you’re still not happy. I don’t think Apple is touting anything. Telling people what kind of battery it takes is just a spec detail. Honestly, you Apple-hating trolls will bitch about anything, even if you have to make a problem up.
this is cute!!!!
I’ll await the reviews, once someone makes a blog entry (and reveals, per FCC requirements, the manner in which they acquired the mouse! No conflict of interest please!)
wow audi…. >.> <.< lol
wow audi…. >.> <.< lol
Big snooze on all levels. Design over function. Not good for a mouse.
Have you used it? If not, can you comment on how well it functions?
Have you used it? If not, can you defend people’s opinions?
What do TC commenters feel is the best mouse they’ve used?
Logitech VX revolution. Hands down. Then, the Gyroscope joint.
Why doesn’t Apple want to make even more money by releasing a mouse that will work on something other than a MAC? They are really limiting profits. Pretty stupid.
Why hold back? If your technology is so good please share with the majority of society that owns traditional PC’s running Widows and Linux.
Mispelled “Widows” should be “Windows”.
Yea, if you start allll the way back to 1976, you will see a trend that Apple doesn’t like to share.
Because believe it or not there are idiots out there that buy one computer over another because it looks better. Whether or not the mouse is actually functional is one thing. But nobody can deny that the mouse pictured above is sexy as hell. Sexy enough for a 14 year old Beverly Hills brat to whine enough to get. Which then evokes this gem, that I have heard: “But PC’s don’t have that!!” Apple doesn’t sell computers. They sell sex.
You have a point. I just told a friend of mine, not 10 minutes ago, that this new mouse was sexy…like 1964 Mustang sexy.
Having said that, it doesn’t change the fact that I love my mac. This is the 2nd one I’ve owned, and I have never, not once, had a problem with either of them. The same cannot be said, by a long shot, of any of the Windows machines I owned in the past.
This doesn’t make sense… What is the big deal here except for the apple hype… Scroll, right click & drag… have been the basic functionalities supported by even the simple mice… There is no point complicating these basic functionalities in a single click mouse or trying to do them in a round about manner… I don’t see any big added advantage or selling point here!
I love Apple products, but seriously, considering they are the company that put the mouse on the map, Apple makes absolutely the worst mice for usability in the industry.
Sure they look great, but they really do suck in actual use. I think they really need to start with this basic concept before all others…
“Design a mouse that people won’t ditch the second they open the box”.
It’s a bit Mickey Mouse to be fair…
that’s incredible.. now Apple has managed to make the top 3 worst mice ever.
I give them credit for not outdoing the ipuck, but this particular lameness is on par with mighty mouse.
let’s just say you can “pinch zoom” , which fingers are you doing that with? your index and middle finger?
Which is precisely why there is no pinch zoom.
That’s why Microsoft’s multi-touch mouse can do pinch zoom – they didn’t focus on making it sexy, but functional – check the video out!
I’m not so sure about that. I’ll be interested to see how this shakes out in day-to-day use. In Microsoft’s version you have to nearly stop the motion of the mouse to zoom in or out. In daily use, it might get cumbersome. I’d bet most of us keep one hand on the keyboard while the other is on the mouse. Apple’s method allows you to keep your mouse hand in standard position, and lets you to switch from moving to zooming with relative ease and speed.
But that’s just .02 based on the movies we’ve all seen. Won’t know until you get your hands on one.
The magic mouse looks like only true innovation from all products launched this week. Wonder how the scrolling works…
the scrollings going to B crap
Actually after watching the video of the kinetic nature of the scroll… the think looks awesome. Its like the clutch wheel of Logitechs revolution, only without the wheel.
It’s going to be amazing. Anyone’s who tried scrolling with a MBP multi-touch pad can attest to how amazing it is.
Seriously this is stupidest mouse. However mac fun club will buy it no matter what price it is.
Remote control WTF it is?
What they ran out of good ideas?
LOL
Wow, TechCrunch comments are pretty much as dumb and inane as YouTube comments. Worthless.
Yeah, I noticed this as well.
Stupid people complaining about everything being stupid…
I think this looks like a fantastic product (though I would have to try it out first).
First ever multitouch mouse + look at that thing! That’s enough to make a headline. If it works as good as it looks, I’m definitely going to by one!
I love the multitouch gestures on the MacBook trackpads, so putting it on a mouse is a welcome feature.
I would have liked options for a middle mouse button somehow, but I guess they will be able to do all sorts of things with the software for this one. And they should be able to add new functionality to it in future updates as well!
This appears to be a major improvement to the Might Mouse…or “Apple Mouse” as they call it now.
Only thing that sucks from what I can see, is the name…
Why not just use a trackpad? I’m honestly not seeing what the advantage of a multi-touch mouse is, especially one that doesn’t support all of the gestures.
For obvious reasons…
> For obvious reasons…
you mean besides it comes with the system? desperate for a paperweight?
so you want a wireless trackpad… talk about lame.
seriously, just goes to show people will buy anything with an Apple logo on it.
gotta love all the comments over at AI drooling over this crap and might mouse.. (yea.. it only broke every month, but it’s soooo cool… ). My mouse still works after 10 years.
Right. Why try to innovate when you can keep pushing the same old same old? I totally agree that the Magic Mouse was not the pinnacle of innovation, but you have to hand it to Apple… They’re one of the few companies who are a) innovating (or at least smartly attempting to innovate) throughout the new mishmash of entertainment, personal computing and mobile devices, and b) really great at appealing to consumers from an aesthetic and emotional point of view.
Look at performance, revenue and profit. Consider Apple’s recent successes… iPod, iPhone and iTunes. Then look at the many unsuccessful copies of these products (and related services). There are no magic reasons why Apple is killing in a down economy and companies like Microsoft are struggling.
Apple has made solid decisions. They make innovative, high-margin products designed for the upper and middle class masses.
A little reading…
http://www.pcworld.com/article/169467/apple_vs_microsoft_rival_strategies_rival_results.html
Not so impressed with the one button mouse. Its just so much faster with 2 buttons.
If someone writes a windows driver for this thing, I’ll buy the mouse and use it just for the sake of irony.
Whoopee, more yuppy shit from apple.
I would love to know how many of all of you have iPhones. Come on. Admit it.
Sinners.
Yeah, I thought the Macbook Pro buttonless touchpad was a non-starter – until I tried it, and I would never be without it. Difference is, I didn’t spout off about it on a public forum first.
So why don’t all you whiners just STFU until you fracking try the thing.
this screams fail, all over the place, no matter the logistics
The best mouse I had since Win3.1 days has been the basic Logitech Pilot 3 buttons. Perfect shape for your fingers and hand to rest on it. They would have made the same with laser and a wheel ON THE THUMB (I’m the only one to think of that ?) it would have been the perfect mouse for centuries.
But nowadays all you get is fancy mouse with weird shapes and functions that just sucks … look at the pictures on apple website, you can barely put your fingertip on it ?!
i despise of my apple mouse. it’s heinous for graphic design, and i can only hope this one provides a bit of relief.
but seriously… double a batteries? LAME.
hahaha andrea you picked up on the aa batteries for 4 months as well right. man. i thought i was in 1999 or something. anyways as much as i was hopeful (will have to look at what else they’re offering cause this one isn’t my thing) that they would be different and maybe just think about the customer, they didn’t. i wish i could like kthe shape or the design of it but i don’t. will have to test it out when one of my mac friends get it.
One of the important things about regular mice is…
– being able to rest your fingers in the click area without triggering a click
– being *explicitly certain* you are going to trigger a context-click instead of a normal click, like in the case of not wanting to follow a link
So unless this is pressure sensitive, I wonder how annoying it’ll actually be to rest fingers or be 100% sure whether a right or left click will be made.
If it’s anything like the Mighty Mouse, you will have to lift your left finger off the mouse in order to make a right click. Since it only has one physical button, it assumes if your left finger is on the mouse you want a left click. And that’s why my Mighty Mouse is collecting dust in a drawer somewhere.
Uhhh…that’s not how the mighty mouse works at all.
This. If you’re a gamer, Apple’s fake-two-buttons-with-one-physical-button mice suck. Once one button is down, you can’t add the other, which is necessary for many games (such as FPSs with secondary fire modes).
Otherwise, this looks pretty cool.
They mighty mouse (despite what the haters may say) was a solid product if configured properly and I’m sure the magic mouse will be the best of what’s around. I’ll leave a real review after I buy it.
Why no mention of the new iMac Models?
You spend all week drooling and hyping about the unseen Motorola Droid.
But the moment Apple announce a new line of hot iMacs you say omerta.
Not cool, Techcrunch.
Ha!… here is the real nugget that has gotten lost in all the new iMac Hoopla: They double as led cinema displays!! I can hook my lapper to it when the wifey isnt using it and BAM! a second display… ingenious.
The smooth one button design works well for porning. You don’t have all those top surface cracks and crevices for bodily fluids to get stuck and buildup in.
The guys at Apple are really incredible. Whatever they build they do it differently. There seems to be always some kind of innovation. Doesn’t matter what product or service. I just saw the video and would buy one immediately.
the mighty mouse we got around here has a bunch of masking tape on it, because anybody who tries to use it kept dropping the damn thing *LOL*
Multi-touch pads are quite nice once you grow accustomed to the gestures.
Of course there is right click, there always has been. Haha
It’s multi-touch so it supports a ton of FUCKING STUFF MAN!!!!
We don’t care what you guys think. Buy what you want. Do no harm. Have a nice day.
Its the Magic Mouse!
I can right click!
……..Magic!
All very well saying “if you don’t want it don’t buy it”. After Apple realised they couldn’t persuade their customers to buy the MightyMouse, they tried forcing them to take it by bundling it with their keyboard. This was effectively sending out the signal loud and clear: “Yes, this product really is that bad!!”
We’ll see if they have enough confidence in this one to let it sell on its own merits, or if it will be “marketed” in the same way..
lmao Mouse and Keyboard bundles have been around since the beginning of time.
You could purchase a mighty mouse or keyboard individually sans the bundle, so your point is quite null.
I’d buy it if it didn’t use AA batteries. I expected better, Apple!
I like the sleekness of this mouse. You all should try it.
Monica S.
Los Angeles Computer Repair
http://www.sebecomputercare.com”