There's a myriad of ways us photographers interact with our computers on a daily basis. While Wacom tablets are certainly the luxurious way of editing, many of us still love our trusty mouse for plenty of tasks. One of the most popular and controversial mice on the market is Apple's Magic Mouse, and it looks like the love/hate fest is going to see even more action with the new Magic Mouse 2.
Engaget released a close-up photo showing how this new mouse gets its juice. Gone are the two AA batteries. In its place, in typical Apple fashion, is a non-removable battery with a Lighting connector charging port. That charging port is on the bottom of the mouse. Obviously this means that the mouse cannot be used while charging; a point Reddit was more than happy to turn into a frenzied controversy.
Reddit user Joetwizzy writes:
I'm a massive apple fan. And I called BS on this until I googled it. I think I'll stick with changing batteries.
He was not the only one to show dissension. User Philyeagles710 argues that this is just another example in the long-line of charging port mishaps, saying:
They suck with charger location. I can't stand having the charger port of my iPhone on the bottom.
Of course there are those coming to the defense of this design decision. SJS12 says:
It takes like two minutes to fully charge, so they put it in the least visible place possible.
And that's the big key right there. Charging on this new mouse is lightning fast. Two minutes of charging will give you an entire 8-9 hours of use. Overnight on the cable will give you an entire one to three months. Much ado about nothing? Absolutely. I know it takes me over two minutes just to find full batteries or a wired mouse when mine dies. If you can't find two minutes in your day to put down the mouse, you need a new job. I also figure that if the port was on the side, a lot of people would just use it plugged in, defeating the purpose of a clean, wireless design. This could also put unnecessary wear and tear on the port in certain usage situations.
Chances are that if you're a current Magic Mouse user and/or fan, you'll be a huge fan of the new version. I wouldn't have any reservations upgrading if I were you. You can pre-order it from B&H here. You can even check out this unboxing video if that's your sort of thing.
I understand 2 minutes of charging = 8 hours of use (when it's new) but this is still hilarious to me. My Logitech mouse has removable aa batteries and you can charge / use the mouse using a usb cable into the front of the mouse.
This is worse than the apple pencil charging technique.
Totally disagree. Changing AAs takes that long. First, there's walking over to the drawer. You only find one AA. Or you find 4 rechargables....one is charged. Or fine, you're on top of things and have a fresh 18-pack right there. But then you fiddle with it, stick them in, and maybe in one minute you're ready to go again, best case scenario.
Magic Mouse 2 takes two minutes. Big whoop. An extra minute or so and you have a more beautiful, completely seamless mouse on your desk. I vote for the downward facing port on this one.
Call me completely old fashioned but I still use a corded USB mouse with a corded USB Wacom. I can't be bothered to troubleshoot ANY of this stuff!!
I don't want fancy or slick...I just want it to work all the time...every time.
When I took my lame Windows laptop down to the Bahamas...guess what I took along with it? :)
I use the trackpad and keyboard. I use rechargeable batteries in them. When they need to charge, I just swap them with some non rechargeable batteries I have on my desk just for this purpose, while the other batteries charge overnight. no biggie.
My mouse has replaceable aa batteries but the mouse itself ALSO ACTS AS A CHARGER with a micro usb port in the fron of the mouse (where the wire for a normal wired mouse would be anyways) ... just saying.
After a year, when 2 minutes of charging gives you 7 minutes of battery life and you're on a deadline or a Skype call or whatever and every 7 minutes you are pausing for 2 minutes you will remember my comment and go dammit, Lee was right!
This certainly isn't a disaster and I'm obviously exaggerating but putting a plug on the front isn't impossible.
After a year, something new and shiny will come out.
I know I'm rare but I keep a stock of enloops just for my mouse and keyboard, charged up and ready.
Agreed. Much, much ado about nothing. I hope the pleasures of my life are never reduced down to 2 minutes either way... missing a green light, standing in the slightly longer grocery line... or charging a mouse or pencil.
There. That took 2 minutes.
You could just use rechargeable AA's. The ones in my mouse last for days.
So the charging cable is always on your desk? ;-)
Could be worse. Try using this one whilst charging http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/417704TJX6L._SY300_.jpg
The difference is that with this design you put the mouse into the charger each time you stop working. Try this with the cable and plug it in every evening. It would solve that issue though.
Solution: Get a shiny new iPhone Dock.
What the... controversy over a mouse ? C'mon guys !!! This one looks good, feels ok, and yes it's not perfect because it has to be charged once in a while... Like any other wireless mouse.
Anyway... Don't get one if you don't like it ! End of story.
Am I the only person who thinks of this when I hear Magic Mouse?
Nope. You are not the only one. Ha.
That mouse itself is a major failure..
The Magic Mouse in general? Why?
They are too flat, small and get's me RSI...
see my post below.
With Apple's Magic Mouse 3 you will be able to charge and use at the same time. Planned obsolescence.
I still don't see why there isn't inductive charging. The fact it's on the bottom and I have to keep another damn cable on my desk also bugs me.
I must be the only one still using a good ol' wired mouse because - like my keyboard - I can't fathom why anyone would be bothered by a cord.
I'm ALL about the wired keyboard. I like having a numpad, and it's in a keyboard tray so the cable is hidden. Plus, you get remote USB ports.
Terrible design. Personally I rarely use a wireless mouse at all. I could see using one wired to be charged most of the time, but having the option of going wireless when I move my computer (not that often). If so though, I would want it in charging mode 99% of the time -- which means while I am using it.
A clever design would have had it charge by a USB cable that would also give wired control, yet have the capability of unplugging and continue to use it. Apple lost the concept of "clever" years ago though.
As is, I am afraid that Apple products have gotten worse with every iteration. Every single iTunes version is worse than the one before.
I sent apple a message years and years ago when they made the first magic mouse to make a port micro USB at the time to add it in the front of the mouse so you could use it while it was wired up, That or make a magnetic adaptor that just sticks to the mouse while allowing you full function of your mouse as it charges.
Why couldn't they just made a dock for it when it's not in use? How hard is that to come up with?
Maybe in the future we will have a wireless charging mouse pad and it charges the mouse as we use it.
Just Apple haters doing their thing. Nothing new here.
I think Apple's intent here was to prevent more batteries from being wasted in the environment. Not everyone uses rechargeables so there's a lot of waste going on out there.
In my opinion, I think it's a great design. I don't want to see the engine on my car while driving...I want it to look good while in use. As such, I don't want to see the charging port on my mouse. I want the mouse to look good while in use. I think you'd have the right to be upset if the mouse required 12 hours of downtime to recharge. But in this case, it's literally MINUTES that it takes to recharge. I think everyone who gets this mouse will plug it in to charge overnight and then they'll enjoy NOT charging it for 3 months.
This is a non-issue. But whatever...free press for Apple.
Here's how to solve this problem in 3 easy steps:
1. You know when you use the bathroom or grab a coffee? Unplug your iPhone from the cable thats always on your desk and pop it in the mouse
2. Come back
3. Unplug from the mouse.
BONUS STEP
4. Realize this isn't a real problem and go create something amazing with your time.
Ehhh.... requires a propriatary wireless receiver that takes up a USB port and if you lose that tiny dongle, your keyboard is worthless. Also, no mac software. :( I prefer the bluetooth standard,
Any wireless device that uses a USB dongle, no matter how small, is stupid. I hate that my Wacom 5 tablet requires one. At least they built in a nice little storage compartment in the tablet... but still. I use it less than I should just because of that.
major flaw IMHO is that we know that rapid charging kills battery life. The fact of having non replaceable cells in there means that when it dies out, or that the memory effect kicks in, the product has to be replaced as a whole. We are again entering Apples Controlled Obsolescence.
Apple used to focus on professionals, and now we can clearly see that the focus is not towards non obsolescent gear. No ram change, no HDD change, no Battery change, everything is soldered and locked in, forcing to change the whole product.
It's probably more the fact that it's a tiny battery and the mouse consumes very little battery. I doubt there's any rapid-charging circuit in there.
The touch top is still very functional to me, but damn if it isn't still hand cramp 2000
People are really getting up in arms over a charge port? Plug it, go take a shit, and you'll be good for the next couple days. Plug it in over night as the article said.
They couldn't make this so it sits flat in a charging cradle?
Cradles are very un-Apple like. They like as little stuff on your desk as possible.
True. They are the minimalists dream but yet they design that big track pad thing. A cradle would be smaller and only need a footprint barely larger than the mouse itself. Surely Johnny Ive could knock that out in his sleep. On an iMac, it could integrated into a redesigned stand.
My Logitech mouse going strong for four years on the same batteries and the software shows the battery power levels. And that's a pc mouse. Get a bite of the that Apple.
Wow, I've never thought of the design desision in this way. I guess it's not THAT bad. I think the Apple Pencil's charging solution is way worse, because you could like break it, or stab someone with it.
Charging is one thing, but no indicator light that the Magic Mouse 2 is charging was shortsighted, verging on egomaniacal. Even worse, if you aren't quick to charge when the warning message pops up you might be screwed. I can't tell if my mouse is completely dead or salvageable. I can't tell if the 4 attempts to charge it did anything. The computer doesn't recognize it via the Mouse or Bluetooth windows under system preferences. I wasted well over an hour on Apple Support reading gripes and complaints but found no solid, logical resolution. I hit a wall. The other Bluetooth enabled bits are working. I disconnected them to see if there was a conflict and they were readily identified and connected again.
I got so frustrated I went to Best Buy, no Apple stores here in Redneckville, and they had no clue. I looked at buying a new MM2 then thought better of it, not knowing if that would even work and then have to return it, so I bought a cheap corded Insignia brand mouse for $7.99, thinking it's a good back up in the event I ever get this less than one year old (with only 4 full 9 hour recharges to it's name) over-designed, under-considered MM2 to work again.
So my advice if you are frustrated and disappointed, and about to miss a deadline like I did, spend well under ten bucks on a corded mouse and put the MM2 is a drawer.
Interesting that the weakest link turned out to be the one thing you can't operate without. Oh, and AA batteries are a lot less expensive than a new mouse, and they can be changed out in less time than it takes to get a quick charge. I love my Apple products, been a user since 1987, and dealt with Microsoft during the Vista train wreck, and while this doesn't compare, it's a very serious flaw.