14 DAY TRIAL // After using the Magic Mouse for a month or so, the thought had crossed our minds to post a report on the fact that Apple’s Magic Mouse hurts wrists. We decided to make sure the issue was widespread, before proceeding with doing the write-up. Apparently, it already is.
It seems that, although Apple has scored a jaw-dropping design with the Magic mouse, it comes at a cost. According to Will of Hybrid Racing, “the Magic Mouse does not contour to the users hand,” making it difficult to achieve a comfortable using position, leading to hurting wrists.
“Being a fan of Apple products I picked up a Magic Mouse a few days after it launched,” Will writes on his Magic Mouse, Fixed web site. “After using it for a week I was hooked on its multi-touch surface, but it was awkward to hold and after an hour or two of using it I would develop a pain in my wrist,” he explains. “Looking into the problem further, I found out that a large majority of Magic Mouse owners were having similar problems and all of the online product reviews I read revealed the same flaw. The Magic Mouse does not contour to the users hand. So, being a product designer and manufacturer, I decided to see what I could do to fix it.”
Introducing his fix, Will continues to write, “I started by building prototypes out of clay and testing them until I came up with one that fit my hand nicely and eliminated the wrist pains I was developing (I had my wife use it as well to confirm it would work in large and small hands). From there, I had it converted to a three-dimensional model and put into production. I decided on a comfortable silicone that feels slightly softer than a pencil eraser and integrated a suction cup into the bottom for quick and easy attachment and removal from the Magic Mouse. The "FIX" was ready!”
Will’s “quick and comfortable solution to the poor ergonomics of the Magic Mouse” can be seen in the image at the top of this article (click to enlarge). Although we like his idea, it still doesn’t look like much of a fix, from where we stand. And here’s why.
Softpedia note
The Magic Mouse is, in fact, a marvelous piece of engineering, and while it does pose a few drawbacks, we can’t help but disagree that this is an appropriate fix. If you’ve already bought the mouse, you might as well keep it untouched, on your desk, as a decoration item. The thing is a beauty! You can’t just place a bulky, silicone lump on it and call it a solution to something that was designed not only to work well, but also to look great. If you ask us (not that anyone has), Will’s “fix” should be a tad more integrated with the mouse - something that comes off at less of a straight angle on the surface of the device. But hey, as long as someone’s addressing this issue, it well deserves our attention, as well as yours. Do tell us what you think of Will’s Magic Mouse Fix in the comments.