Apple this morning released the Mighty Mouse ($49 at the Apple Store). With a scrollball, left and right click, and side buttons, it’s a big departure from Apple’s old opposition to multi-button mice. Apple didn’t invent the mouse, but they were probably the first to put mice through usability testing. One, two, and three button mice of a great many different shapes and sizes were tested before they settled on a one-button mouse for the original Macintosh in 1984.

Interestingly, the “buttons” appear to be solid-state electrostatic sensors which give no tactile feedback.

“A tiny speaker inside Mighty Mouse produces button-clicking and Scroll Ball-rolling sound effects.”

tags: apple, computer, hci, human factors, mac, macintosh, mice, mouse, multi-button mice, multi-button mouse, one button, one button mouse, one button mice, two button mice, two button mouse, two buttons

Posted August 2, 2005 by Casey Bisson
Categories: Technology. Tags: apple, computer, hci, human factors, mac, macintosh, mice, mouse, multi-button mice, multi-button mouse, one button, one button mice, one button mouse, two button mice, two button mouse, two buttons.

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