Microsoft invents touch-sensitive mouse Microsoft says it's Touch Mouse - a input rodent with a touch-sensitive top surface - came out of a programme to research how "mouse 2.0" might appear. We're certain it did, but we'd also suggest the company could have saved itself an R&D buck or two by buying an Apple Magic Mouse and copying it. Bottom line: it's a mouse that …
Ummm.... With all the nonsense of patent trolling and IP licencing and all the rest of it. Which lets face it, are people trying to cash in on not doing any work.
At first glance this looks like a copy of something that already exists and does the same thing. Someone somewhere has ACTUALLY made this, its prior art fairly clearly exists.
A patent for a 'multi-touch external GUI pointing device' actually might exist as a real patent. Far better than the patenting of a 'process' that seems the current trend.
You'd have thought patent lawyers would be all over this.
You are assuming that apple actually invented things any more. If that were the case, your statement would be on the money. Unfortunately the IP for multi-touch and its applications lies in a complex web of companies including apple (bought from fingerworks) and patents that Microsoft secured from Nokia and Philips research Labs in about 06, they just haven't done much with it until now.
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The 'Magic' Mouse (yes, shit name) is a fantastic mouse. It's well made and surprisingly comfortable to use. It also has the bonus of not needing Logitech malware installed to run. Seriously, the only other mouse vendor to bother considering is Microsoft. Apple's previous Mighty Mouse was decent too, if flawed by the muck gathering ball. The only complaint I have about the 'Magic' (It really *is* a shit name) Mouse is that it sucks batteries dry too quickly.
You don't find the "scroll" ball clogging up with dust and failing within a few months a problem?
I could put up with it *if* the mighty mouse could be taken apart and cleaned, but it can't. Needless to say I didn't fancy handing over cash every few months to Apple for a new badly designed uncomfortable mouse, so got the logitech. I have no idea why you refer to the logitech software as malware, I've never had any problem with it, and I've used logitechs for more years than I can remember. Some of the mice are that old too, and still working.
but I generally like my buttons on keyboards and mice (and tv's!), along with scroll wheels, to be tactile and responsive - I dislike trying to type on touchscreens, I'm touch typing this on a physical keyboard but I don't believe I would be able to type nearly as fast and easy on a touchscreen keyboard as they're a bit of an oxymoron, you have to look where your fingers are to type and make sure you're not making any mistakes.
but for touch gestures, having a flattish surface like the Apple mouse probably gives a much easier platform to make fingerswipes, even if it is less comfortable. The MS mouse being taller and having a more curved touch surface (with a split in) will interfere with finger movement more, I think.
Shall have to try one and see. £13 for an extra button seems a bit stiff though!
Actually pricing wouldn't normally work out that bad. Need to remember what figure MS usually puts on things for it's RRP is such a high figure that retailers don't go anywhere near it. On average most things are sold at about 30% less than MS's RRP prices. Would figure when it becomes available this will be around about £49 mark for most retailers.
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