We have been mousing with the Apple Magic Mouse to know if the magical charm has struck the right chords. So, here’s presenting a detailed review of the peripheral. Apple and its ‘i’ labeled devices have certainly revolutionized the industry. The Macs have also been widely accepted. But the company definitely didn’t get the right start with peripherals, particularly mice. In the past, we haven’t witnessed an eye-ogling or performance-boosting rodent from the company. However, sometime back, the company had tried to sway its wand to bring in some exceptional performance which resulted into Apple slicing in the Magic mouse.
As we unboxed the peripheral, the eye-appealing and elegant snow-white curvy mouse (unlike any other mouse) popped out. Unable to take the glance off the peripheral, the visuals were exactly what we’d expect from an Apple device. Yes, broadly, looks, looks and looks, that’s what the peripheral oozes. However, placing our hand on the peripheral, it felt really low, we mean the height. It clearly prioritizes the hand over the palm. So, those who have been using Logitech or Microsoft mice would miss the arch-back. This would certainly make the gamers grin.
The curvy Apple Magic mouse shell is crafted of plastic while the sturdy base goes metallic in silver. You won’t view any distinguishable button while the multi-touch ability replaces the scrollball. Evidently, the shell is cut out of a single layer. On the wrist side, the mouse adorns a silver Apple logo and the portion above the logo adheres to the multi-touch capabilities. Comparing it with the Mighty Mouse, this magical offering is more rectangular and smaller but puts on a little weight, owing to the two AA Alkaline batteries.
As aforesaid, the base is metallic. Fret not, it wouldn’t hurt your desks, not just owing to the smooth finish but dual plastic railings have also been integrated underneath the mouse. In between the railings is a removable flap that managed to annoy us a few times. This flap opens to reveal a slot for two Alkaline AA batteries that power the mouse. Needless to say, a white Apple logo sits just at the centre of the base while an on/off switch and a clear view of Apple’s tracking engine is laced on the base. Moreover, the in-box contents include two AA alkaline batteries and an extremely small Quick guide (probably Apple finally plans to save paper) to help users set up the peripheral.
The highlight of the peripheral is the Bluetooth connectivity used to get the peripheral started. Yes, it was as easy as pairing a Bluetooth device. In less than a minute, the mouse was ready to be used and all we had to do is switch on the mouse using the toggle on its base and pair it with the Mac. A minuscule (literally) LED integrated above the toggle displays the pairing and battery status. However, ensure that your Mac has the essentials like Mac OS 10.5.8 or later and Wireless mouse Software update 1.0.
Well, a multi-touch mouse sounds quite exciting. It did manage to set the Magic apart from other peripherals with some of the well versed Macbook gestures like the finger drag, two fingered swipes, hold down control and drag to zoom. It incorporates a standard laser sensor and we could conveniently use the Magic mouse on a few general surfaces. As aforesaid, the two click buttons aren’t distinguishable and we did take some time to get a hang of it. The sensor distinguishes it depending upon the location wherein you click. Besides, we could also use the single finger scroll which was great while surfing Web sites.
The two finger swipe enables one to move forward/backward horizontally. However, we did face a few issues with this hand gesture that Apple really needs to work upon while integrating on peripherals. So, it brings in a few multi-touch gestures integrated on Macbook but what we missed is the pinch function. The vertical scrolling functionality wasn’t precise as the flick of a finger rolls in continuous pages and halts with a single tap. This is where precision goes for a toss.
The multi-touch ability that replaces a scrollball does have a few advantages over the latter pertaining to maintenance. However, scrollball is bound to enhance precision. Apple has definitely conceived a great looking device but it didn’t cast an effective spell over comfort and usability. The device may turn out to be an eye-candy on one’s desk or as it pops out of a backpack but prolonged usage may usher in discomfort, owing to its low height (Unless users want to blame it on the arched mice which they’ve been using). Moreover, rechargeable batteries would have been appreciated (Apple claims the AA Alkaline batteries to last for four months).
The Magic’s support for hand and not the palm could get strenuous after a prolonged usage as the good looks dilemma fades off and comfort takes priority. Weighing the pros and cons, the Apple Magic mouse has managed to gain a rating of 8 on 10. It is priced at Rs. 3,134.
