Chances are if you’re reading this you are in Japan, own a Mac, and want to watch some free HD channels over UHF. The GV-MACTV is one of the few devices made for this purpose.
*WARNING* This product will not work with the Mac Mini or Mac Pro! Continue Reading »
The hardware isn’t majorly impressive and the software is basically what was expected, so what makes the Apple iPad so “magical and revolutionary,” as the folks at Apple like to put it?
Apple has likely created the first popular computing device that will conquer every room of your house and, for the first time, make using a computer a socially friendly experience.
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My Experience With the Apple Wireless Keyboard
A few months ago, I bought the Apple Wireless Keyboard to compliment my Macbook Pro and external display. Sitting so close to my computer’s display — as anyone does when using laptop — had given me a bad posture and probably worse eyesight. What I wanted to do was place my notebook further back, and at head level, requiring me to sit up and fix my gaze further away from where I was sitting. Plus, I could finally use my much larger external display as my primary display and face it directly.
With these ergonomics and health issues in mine, I bought the Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple Magic Mouse. Now, I sit much further back from my displays and I’m no longer bent over staring downwards.
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I’ve been using the Apple Magic Mouse for a few months with my MacBook Pro, Apple Wireless Keyboard and external display. In short, the Magic mouse has performed well and I thought I would share my thoughts on its features and performance.
When the Apple Magic Mouse was first announced many people, including myself, were concerned by its sleek form factor. At first, I was slightly annoyed that I wouldn’t be able to cup the mouse in my palm like I had always done with previous mice. However, after several months of daily use, I can report that I have no complaints concerning its low profile. I’ve simply gotten used to its shape, and I find its symmetrical design easier to grasp when moving my hand back and forth from the keyboard. To operate the mouse, I slightly pinch the device between my thumb, ring and pinky fingers, resting my index and middle finger on its top surface. I have found this to be a comfortable way to use the mouse for many hours at a time.
By far, the most talked about and innovative feature of the Apple Magic Mouse is its multi-touch surface. Having been the owner of several iPhones and MacBook Pros, the marriage of a Multi-Touch surface to yet another input device has been a godsend. Once you realize that there’s no need for buttons and scroll wheels, you’ll understand why Multi-Touch is the way of the future.
Left and right clicking and multidirectional scrolling works intuitively and predictably. Furthermore, several freely available apps have made it possible to unlock other Multi-Touch gestures, including the same three and four finger gestures that are available on the newer MacBook trackpads. However, due to the relatively narrow surface of the Apple Magic Mouse, I have found that most of these unlocked gestures are difficult to perform reliably. This is probably why Apple chose to not support them even though the hardware is capable of tracking more than just two fingers. One extra gesture that I do use is the three finger click, which I’ve tasked to activate exposé.
Regarding battery life, I received my first low battery warning after two months of daily use. Fortunately, the Magic Mouse uses regular AA batteries, which are pretty easy to swap out from a latch on the bottom of the mouse. When I get some cash together I’ll probably buy some Sanyo Eneloops to replace the disposables that I’m currently using.
The construction of the Apple Magic Mouse appears pretty robust. Absent of physical buttons or a scroll wheel there are not the usual crevices and gaps that are found on traditional mice, meaning less opportunities for the device to accumulate filth and break. One thing that did concern me was that the top plastic surface seems to scratch easily. These scratches are too superficial to be felt, but they tend to catch the eye when the light hits them at the right angle. This is a pretty mild complaint, but I did notice that several of these scratches were present when the mouse was brand new.
To summarize, the Apple Magic Mouse performs admirably and its Multi-Touch surface is what I now consider to be a must-have feature for a modern input device. If you own a iMac or use a Macbook with an external display, you should definitely pick up this mouse!
