Thanko Silent Mouse kills the click

Of all the noisy, annoying devices in our office, our mouse has got to be fairly close to the bottom of the list, with an annoyance factor well below that of the fax machine, printer, coffee maker, and, of course, the dude in the next cube who insists on sharing every phone conversation with the world. While he drums on his desk. And snaps his gum. And plays loud Flash games on his PC. But the mouse? How much noise does it really make? Well, it makes enough that Japan's Thanko has decided to come out with a completely silent one, so that when you point and click, you actually point and _________. The price of silence: about ¥2,500 ($21). We suppose if you're really sensitive to ambient noise, it could come in handy. Otherwise, we really don't see the point. However, if Thanko has some ideas about the dude next door, we're ready to listen.

[invaderluj @ Mar 14th 2006 6:46PM]

I agree that there is little reason for a silent mouse but at least it looks nice with the blue LED scroll wheel

[rm7244 @ Dec 17th 2006 11:36AM]

Oh man, you guys don't have a spouse who is up late clicking constantly on a wargame!! This mouse is great. The clicking keeps me awake, it is very annoying when it is dead silent and you're trying to sleep. He gets ticked when I tell him it bothers me, I was searching for a silent one! My sick daughter was also on the couch when her sister was on the computer in the living room, and she complained the clicking was making her migraine worse so ...another situation.

[Nullness @ Mar 14th 2006 6:51PM]

Stealth surfing? I can't imagine any possible application for this at all.

[Xan @ Mar 14th 2006 6:54PM]

well i like to play my games, and my logitech mouse makes such a lame clicking noise, its almost like cheap plastic clicking -__-
i would love to buy one. Where can i buy it???
and it looks a little cool too >_> why not...

[ian @ Mar 14th 2006 6:56PM]

Thanko you for doing this. Imagine people that ur at werk. thousands of pc mice cliking away. Then there's one dood, no clicking. Ahh the peace and quiet that will follow now.
Thanks so much; now if only I had a quiet keyboard....

[Kevin @ Mar 14th 2006 6:56PM]

Well, when you're a teenager who doesn't want to wake up his parents when he's doing homework at 5 A.M. or chatting at 12 A.M., it can be VERY helpful.

[Timothy @ Mar 14th 2006 7:04PM]

Whoa, what kind of parents wake up because of mouse clicks?? That would've sucked when I was a kid.

[charlie @ Mar 14th 2006 7:04PM]

Mice make noise on purpose. Its part of the feedback the mouse gives so you know whether you activated the mechanism or not. I imagine I'd be much more annoyed WITHOUT a click because I'd sometimes have to guess whether I really 'clicked' or not.

[Sean @ Mar 14th 2006 7:06PM]

Uhm, Kevin, wouldn't the clicking of your mouse be the least of your worries?
I think the keyboard would be more of an issue if you're trying to chat at 12AM or do homework at 5AM.

[Jake @ Mar 14th 2006 7:16PM]

Well, if it removes the 'jolt' at the end of the click, some CTS sufferers might find some relief in it.

[lizard.boy @ Mar 14th 2006 7:19PM]

I could care less about the clicking sound.. but if the tactile feel of the click went away, i would go crazy.

[Mike @ Mar 14th 2006 7:24PM]

In the picture at the linked site, they show how it's made silent. Doesn't seem too hard to put a piece of foam in a regular mouse. ;)

But I'd be interested in one of these. My son seems to wake up when I click too much on the mouse!

[kduvall @ Mar 14th 2006 7:30PM]

Podcasting. You don't need that click when you play a clip.

[Elton @ Mar 14th 2006 7:39PM]

The mouse click is the only noise that I make that let's my boss know that I might be slacking off. No mouse click! Omg great!

[Ody @ Mar 14th 2006 7:43PM]

THIS IS A GREAT ITEM!!!

now I can surf the net while I'm in the lecture. Usually the rooms echo so well that a mouse click is very noticeable to, not only people around, but the professor as well. With this I can chat, surf, and play the occasion wireless network game with the guy across the room. Then again i already have like 6 mice (mouses?) do i really need another one?

[blarg @ Mar 14th 2006 7:52PM]

This sounds ridiculous, but I once had a loud mouse, and it make me want to kill.

[George @ Mar 14th 2006 8:00PM]

Anyone else notice that this mouse is identically shaped to the Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer...

http://www.engadget.com/media/2006/03/thankosilentmouse.jpg

http://images.acortech.com/www.acortech.com/Wireless-IntelliMouse-B.jpg

It's a great shape, but they could have been more subtle about the rip-off. They even kept the MS brand logo in the same spot, just blacked out.

[Snappy! @ Mar 14th 2006 8:04PM]

George,

I was just gonna say that. Either that is licensed from MS or someone is going to get their pants sued very soon!

[Dageddy @ Mar 14th 2006 8:05PM]

It should come with a utility to program the desired sound and control volume. Speaker is built into the mouse. How about a different sound for scrolling as well, and when the mouse is sliding. Save different profiles for work, play, silent mode, kids mode, assist mode (different sound when max, min, close button, double click is pressed)...

[Ron @ Mar 14th 2006 8:13PM]

I dont know about mouse clicks but the noise (and feel) of the scroll wheel really pisses me off, that was until I decided to open it up (to do the lego dude in cryochamber mod) and lost something in there, afterwards my scrolly was quiet (and slick) as hell!

Theres also a mod somewhere that makes it so you can change those buttons (for the clicks) are basically disabled (think it involves removing the spring and loading it with tissue or something (so the button stays up after a click).

[Greg @ Mar 14th 2006 8:19PM]

I thought this was a stupid idea too, but as soon as I finished reading this post, I clicked to comment and it almost scared me.

[Jessica @ Mar 14th 2006 9:00PM]

I'd buy it. It would make stealth all the more easier to pull off. I'm nearly silent on the keyboard when I try, but that darn noisy mouse could be the death of me one day.

[Jason Anderson @ Mar 14th 2006 9:01PM]

Apple already invented the clickless mouse.

http://www.apple.com/mightymouse/

[Beowulf @ Mar 14th 2006 9:02PM]

I so want one! I'd buy them as gifts for people in the office...

Next up? Silent non-echo-y keyboard??? Please?

[RyanV @ Mar 14th 2006 9:14PM]

You guys just don�t get it. This is the most brilliant gadget ever.

See, my wife likes to play games. Mind you, I don�t mean Quake or DOOM. We are talking more along the lines of pop cap/gamehouse games like book worm and SUPER TEXT TWIST. If i have to sit here and listen to an hour long barrage of incessant mouse clicks much longer, my cats are going to start telling me to kill people.

Sign me up. This is a must have for my mental health!

[Matthew Lewis @ Mar 14th 2006 9:42PM]

Yes, but Apple included a piezo to make it click. I'm not going to buy a $50 mouse to open it up and cut a wire or two.

[Andrew Harrison @ Mar 14th 2006 9:58PM]

my mother plays solitaire incessently.

it drives me crazy trying to work in the same room [we have a large open room with the computer in it on one side, and the dining room on the other] on my laptop whilst she's sitting there clicking multiple times a second, without stop.

i think i might just have to buy one of these for her.

[Kip HT @ Mar 14th 2006 10:02PM]

HA!
In class a few days ago we started a project, my friend (who is next to me now) suggested that we do a mouse with no click.

DAMN

[bliss @ Mar 14th 2006 10:25PM]

this would actually be a great mouse to have in libraries or for air travel... or at least I wouldn't mind using one...but then again, the clicking is almost therapeutic at times...haha

[Tex Texerson @ Mar 14th 2006 10:28PM]

Forget about silent. The goddamned mouse wheel is glowing!

[Eric @ Mar 14th 2006 10:58PM]

#14, #15: The first thing I noticed was that this mouse is the almost exact same (yet cheaper looking) thing as my Intellimouse Explorer.

I held my mouse up the the monitor the minute I saw it, and it's almost exactly the same, sans 'forward' and 'back' buttons, and Microsoft logo.

Although the silent one is corded.

Nothing is perfect.

[Peter Ramsing @ Mar 14th 2006 11:10PM]

I do recording work and I think this would be the best for all those late night recording jobs were you just want to put the quick little voice over in, but you have to be so carfull not to click the mouse. I just can't wait till they come out with the silent keyboard.

[TeleCustom @ Mar 14th 2006 11:43PM]

You know, I've used a few laptops where the buttons for the nipple/eraser mouse didn't make any clicking sound.

It's a good idea (if it still feels like a normal mouse), but it isn't earth-shattering.

[Ami Schreiber @ Mar 15th 2006 12:27AM]

Um ... what about those annoying people (i.e. 99.9% of the world) that refuse to either disable the sounds on their computers (in particular their IM clients) or mute the volume on their pcs altogether?

The first thing I do when I get a new computer or reinstall my OS is disable the sounds. How is it possible that people can't understand how annoying beeps, boings, zips and bangs can be to other people who are trying to work??? Where is it written that every time an alert message pops up on someone's screen or when they hit the enter button while sending an IM message that everyone else in the whole freaking office has to hear it??? Someone should write a virus that does some good like auto-disables all sounds on people's computers.

Forget silent mice. Let's use human beings as the "lab rats" this time and when we can get ourselves to shut the @#$%! up then we can move on to silencing those really LOUD AND ANNOYING (read with sarcastic tone)computer mice.

[J.I.G. @ Mar 15th 2006 12:46AM]

No, it's not a great idea, nor is it new. For instance, Apple's Mighty Mouse doesn't have right & left mechanical buttons, just a smooth surface that detects where you put your fingers. They added an internal speaker to simulate the "click" sound, just like they did when they switched the iPod from a mechanical scroll wheel to a touch sensitive version.
Why? Feedback. It is barely audible, but enough to confirm your "click" actually registered.

[Matt M @ Mar 15th 2006 1:44AM]

OMG Apple has got to incorporate this into the next-gen mice. Think about it - Bluetooth 2.0, Laser precision, scrolling ball, and no click. Awesome!

[Xan @ Mar 15th 2006 1:51AM]

So, compare the all-'Mighty Mouse' to this ones price?
Mighty Mouse = $49 (USD)
Silent Mouse = $21 (USD)
Well, where can i buy it though?

and i never researched mighty mouse, but looking through their own reviews on their site... 'omgz teh mouse scrolliey thing is teh BROKENZOR@@@@@@!!!!!!' is really all i see... and 'OAH NOES teh HEAT ISSUES' i think its a good idea, but poor execution? although i cannot say i have used it.

I cant believe people are complaining about 'not knowing if they clicked or not. I am not one with jokes, but if i was, i would be able to compare it to something to not knowing you clicked that would be outrageously funny...

damn, i just want to buy this :]

[Martin @ Mar 15th 2006 3:57AM]

I've been searching for a mouse like this for years. It's ideal for radio studios where the presenters access a PC - the noise from the clicking mouse on-air starts to get really annoying to listeners.

[Axman @ Mar 15th 2006 5:44AM]

J.I.G is wrong about the Mighty Mouse. It does release a click without a speaker, the speaker is in fact used to give the mouse-ball very subtle audio-feeback. Try unplugging your Mighty Mouse and you'll notice that it still clicks, but the mouse ball falls mysteriously silent.

On the subject of Mighty Mouse, the mouse-ball really is superb. The ability to scroll up-down and left-right is a real god-send if you work in Photoshop or iPhoto or any program where you work on documents larger than the screen. You can scroll around them without having to revert to the keyboard and it feels very sweet and sexy.

[Ian @ Mar 15th 2006 7:54AM]

Anyone who's ever worked in a modern radio newsroom will know how valuable this device could be. I'm sure the BBC have already got an order in - they get so many complaints about 'clicking' during broadcasts.

[doug bonne @ Mar 15th 2006 11:07AM]

How comes that looks exactly like my microsoft mouse?

[Pikachelsea @ Mar 15th 2006 12:13PM]

I'd love to get one of these for the guy at work who sits kitty-corner from me and clicks his mouse so hard and noisily it's ridiculous. But then, I guess that won't stop him from constantly clicking his ball-point pen... argh.

[Xan @ Mar 15th 2006 12:55PM]

seriously.... Where can i buy this >_>

[left-handed genius @ Mar 15th 2006 3:16PM]

And of course, the coolest concept to hit in a while for people like me that can't stand the incessant clicking of the mouse, is a damn right-handed mouse. Why are the world's elite (left-handed people) excluded just because we weren't born with the same deficient mutation that the rest of you were? It's lonely at the top... : (

[joe @ Mar 15th 2006 4:21PM]

exactly....lecture rooms and work.

if you work in an office all day long...you can pick up on clicking patterns.

also, if they had a mini silent mouse, i would bring it to lecture rooms

[JImBob III @ Mar 19th 2006 10:06AM]

you can buy it here:
http://dynamism.com/silent-mouse/pricing.shtml

However the price is $35

Of course, if your good with the ol' Japanese you might get it cheaper:
http://www.thanko.jp/silent_mouse/

Let us know how you get on and report back to us!

[JImBob III @ Mar 19th 2006 9:36PM]

I emailed thanko about ordering a mouse from them and they sent me this reply:

At this time, we can only accept and ship orders to addresses located in Japan, since we can't offer enough support to the outside Japan. Also, about showing our website in English, we are considering as one of our plans, but it's just at the stage of planning and we cannot tell exactly when it'll be started so far. We do apologize about that.
If you have any question, email us at [e-mail] Thank you.
Best Regards,
Thanko

[tilly @ Mar 20th 2006 4:37PM]

i have been after a silent mouse for ages. this will stop my mrs moaning at me when im on games behind her:)

[Frank @ Apr 7th 2006 2:05PM]

A silent mouse would be perfect for being in the Audio/Visual section of church. Especially when you are trying to set up the next presentation while everyone is ultra quiet during a prayer time. How 'bout just a touch pad on the ends of mouse, like those on a laptop? You could even adjust the sensitivity then.

Come on folks, where's the inovation and invention?

[jen @ Apr 12th 2006 8:19PM]

where can i purchase a silent mouse, i am so annoyed at bed time when my husband is on the internet and that is all i can hear, it drives me crazy. help me please. i want to buy one of these.