14 DAY TRIAL // Better late than never is what they say and, in my case, I’m actually glad I waited for it this long. Getting my hands on the all-new Magic Mouse around the holidays made me feel like I got an early Christmas present, and one that I didn’t even deserve. But, a review is a review. So, here’s why I’ve fallen in love with Apple’s newest addition to the accessory line.
The Magic Mouse ships with every new iMac alongside an Apple Wireless Keyboard. But it’s also sold separately. I haven’t upgraded to the new desktop computer yet - the aluminum 20-incher (2Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo) still performs beautifully for my every day work tasks (including some personal business) - but I had to get my hands on this touch-sensitive peripheral that looked like something from the future. So, we ordered it. And the wait was on... Until one day when the little rodent finally arrived!
I didn’t waste any time going through the written documentation provided with the device, and went ahead with setting it up for use with my iMac. Having already installed Mac OS X 10.6.2 (which provides support for the multi-touch nature of the gadget), I was good to go in seconds.
Note: on Leopard machines, the Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0 is required for compatibility with the multi-touch functionality.
Besides the incredibly comfortable shape and size of the mouse, the first thing I noticed when I made the switch was a new panel for “Mouse” in System Preferences. Instead of the boring old panel showing a bunch of cursors and lines, the new one had all the parameter-tweaking knobs I needed, plus a video preview showing me what each function did. Talk about “built with the user in mind.”
As with any mouse, you left click to open links, and right click for more options. However, unlike with the Mighty Mouse, the Magic Mouse is much more accurate performing right clicks. Your finger doesn’t slide off its surface, a rather annoying aspect typical to the old peripheral.
One of the most important benefits is, of course, the lack of a scroll-ball / scroll wheel. In fact, just because the entire Magic Mouse is a button, there are no more seams. No more seams means no more dirt getting in your mouse (I’ve practically opened and cleaned a dozen Mighty mice around the office since I’m handling the Mac news section).
While the double-finger swiping doesn’t help me much, I find this feature extremely useful for those who spend a lot of time browsing files in Cover Flow view, iPhoto, etc. It’s surprisingly responsive, although the shape of the Magic Mouse doesn't allow you to repeat the swipes rapidly. You have to adjust your hand from time to time, as it can easily slip from under your palm - the device is extremely flat, compared to regular mice. As a gamer, you’ll probably pass on the magic-ness altogether.
