OK, so I just got the pricey but nicey new Apple Magic Mouse. It's a booooootiful design, and in many ways, so far, the best mouse I've tried. (Not sure yet if it's the best pointing device I've used.)
But I just have to say, I don't get it: optical mice have been common now for a decade, and still they have trouble with smooth tracking on an ordinary wooden desk? WTF?
(Does anybody know a good mousing surface for optical mice?)
But I love the scrolling mousetop surface. Fantastic idea.
Update: Ray suggested denim or art paper. And I happen to have some samples of hand-made paper, so I am trying this now. Early results are promising.
Update: but later ones less so. It developed some jumping and unevenness again. The paper surface was perhaps too rough. So now I'm trying plain copy paper.
I use this surface at work and home (not for gaiming) with microsoft natural mouse 6000 and really pleased with it.
It helped to greatly reduce arm strain after hours of work.
eolake said...
Thanks. I think I'll try it, because I have just given up and gone back to my Rollermouse.
Update:
There's some evidence that the jumpiness may be related to the wirelessness. From this forum page here.Quote:
(I wish they had a wired version of the Magic Mouse because I don't like the jumpiness of bluetooth. Especially when you do layout and graphic design, there isn't as much precision with a bluetooth mouse. Plus I'd rather have the $50 price tag than $70. I have a Logitech Bluetooth mouse right now, and if Best Buy has the Magic Mouse in stock by Halloween, I'll have one of those to replace it.)
"This is what I want to know before I buy one. I won't buy another Apple mouse if it's as unprecise and jumpy as the wirless mighty mouse. I like the fluid motion that OSX gives for mouse movement, but it just doesn't follow through on the Mighty Mouse."
Eolake:
I think it's a lousy move by Apple to make a wireless option the only one, if it really is true that it's less precise than a wired one.
17 comments:
Looks like a wireless mouse, no? There is a tendency in current products to go to ridiculous lengths to extend battery life.
In wireless products, this usually entails turning off the radio as often as possible to preserve precious battery power. And I do mean fast acting, could be less than 1/10th of a second after motion stops (in the case of a mouse).
That's really too bad, because it takes some time to wake up, stabilize and synchronize the radio when motion resumes, and the duration of that delay is somewhat dependent on the quality of the radio link.
In the end, any deviation from ideal operating conditions translates to poor tracking performance and erratic behavior of the mouse, all in the name of winning the numbers race.
For my part, I'm done wasting time and money searching for a wireless mouse I can stand. I use a wired mouse, on an ordinary cloth-covered pad, and I'm very happy with that setup.
sounds sound, only the wired optical mice I've tried did not fare any better on wooden surfaces.
An optical mouse doesn't like smooth polished or glazed or reflective surfaces, because those don't provide it with the right feedback.
Generally speaking, any slightly rough surface, such as cloth or rough surfaced paper (or cardboard)
works better than a bare laminated desktop. The optical mouse needs a surface that has some kind of texture or variation in it so that it can reference that to track the cursor - so anything polished, reflective or mirrored won't work.
Logitech recommends a sheet of plain white paper, which works because the light-beam detects the little fibres in the paper's surface. A slightly rougher paper than ordinary letter bond works even better. That's why I like art paper. It has an obvious 'grain' for the light beam to work on.
My cheap mouse works fine on my cheap desktop surface. It's not fake wood but that kitchen counter material. Not sure what it's called but they sell it in sheets at the hardware store and needs a saw to cut. Anyway, I have often used a piece of copier paper under a mouse when a shiny surface didn't work. That also works fine. So lo-tech.
Oh, and I forgot my mouse is wireless too and has 2 NiMH batteries inside and recharges via an optional usb cable. It has a mini dongle that stores in a slot on the front edge and you take it out to plug into the usb port (for radio). I can use it while it charges and disconnect to go wireless. Runs about 3-4 days normal use and then needs charging again. However, after almost 2 years I'm finding the wireless ability is not working too well any more. Well, it is just cheap Chinese crap and cost $10. I talked them into giving it to me free when I bought my notebook. The sad thing is I really like it so I wish it would still work as well as it used to. I wonder if it's just the NiMH batteries fading as I never replaced them.
Well, sounds worth it to try a couple of Duracells.
Update: Ray suggested denim or art paper. And I happen to have some samples of hand-made paper, so I am trying this now. Early results are promising.
Update: but later ones less so. It developed some jumping and unevenness again. The paper surface was perhaps too rough. So now I'm trying plain copy paper.
I use this at work and home (not for gaiming):
http://www.razerzone.com/gaming-mousing-surfaces/razer-goliathus-speed-edition/
with microsoft natural mouse 6000
and really pleased with it.
It helped to greatly reduce arm strain after hours of work.
Thanks. I think I'll try it, because otherwise I'd just given up and gone back to my Rollermouse.
I use mouse with my right hand and Cirque GlidePoint touchpad with my left hand. This touchpad is really good and this way i can alternate between two hands to reduce fatigue.
And if you are interested in ergonomics, Microsoft Natural ergonomic keyboard 4000 is the best i've tried so far (in use at work and home).
Mmmm, I'll look at that. Heck, it's a third of the price of the last keyboard I bought! (Which I really like though.)
There is a difference between "Optical Mouse" and "Laser Mouse", the latter one resolving much higher.
Using my old optical mouse the cursor jumps sometimes on the screen, without any reason to see (but it works fairly good also on nearly any surface).
But my "Microsoft Laser Mouse 6000" works fantastic, very smooth and very precise, without any jumping and on nearly every surface, even on a white glossy plastic surface without any texture I could see with my eyes.
Oh, and I'm using only wired mice, because the wireless feature is IMO an unnecessary source of trouble. Of course, there are exceptions, but I don't need that feature.
There's some evidence that the jumpiness may be related to the wirelessness. From this forum page here.
Quote:
(I wish they had a wired version of the Magic Mouse because I don't like the jumpiness of bluetooth. Especially when you do layout and graphic design, there isn't as much precision with a bluetooth mouse. Plus I'd rather have the $50 price tag than $70. I have a Logitech Bluetooth mouse right now, and if Best Buy has the Magic Mouse in stock by Halloween, I'll have one of those to replace it.)
"This is what I want to know before I buy one. I won't buy another Apple mouse if it's as unprecise and jumpy as the wirless mighty mouse. I like the fluid motion that OSX gives for mouse movement, but it just doesn't follow through on the Mighty Mouse."
Eolake:
I think it's a lousy move by Apple to make a wireless option the only one, if it really is true that it's less precise than a wired one.
Have you ever tried a high quality wired laser mouse (e.g. USB) from another manufacturer?
(Of course it's only possible if there is also an appropriate driver for Apple computers.)
1) I haven't. Not lazer.
2) So far as I know, keyboards and mice do not need special Mac drivers. Only for any special buttons.
Hello..
I have read somewhere that the Magic Mouse laser tracking engine provides a smooth, very consistent experience across more surfaces than a traditional optical tracking system. Magic Mouse uses Blue tooth wireless capabilities to create a clean, cable-free desk top. It is secure wireless connection works from up to 10 meters away.
Yes, that's why it's so frustrating to have these problems.
But it seems it's the connection. I am now getting "connection lost" error messages.
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