Apple applies for multi-touch mouse patent
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Jul 5th 2007 6:23AM
posted Jul 5th 2007 6:23AM
[Via PC Joint]
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Amazing the lengths some people go to avoid making a two-button mouse.
Damn, you stole my fire.
Apple has multi-button mouses for a long time: you must update your cliches.
@Yago I suppose, but they are a pain to use. They have those technically two button monstrosities up at school. They look like they are one button, but it is supposed to detect which side of the mouse you push down on. It works.... sometimes.
Well considering that almost any USB two button mouse will work on a Mac, I don't think the desire is to avoid using one. If they wanted to avoid using two fingers, it wouldn't be "multi"-touch.
Apple provides visually simplified methods to appeal to the other crowd. If someone doesn't want the visually simple mouse that came with their computer, they can always use another. However, while this may be another move towards their "out of sight, out of mind" approach, to simplify things ... it does indeed complicate matters (since people like visual cues, and the gestures are elaborate).
I think from a manufacturing perspective it might be more cost effective long-term. Sensors replace click registers on typical mouses. The lack of separate plastics means less assembly, and less molds (though the plastic itself may be more expensive). The lack of crevaces means less dirt and damage ... also @ less damage ... less movable parts == less wear and tear.
Though in the end they may merely be attempting trying to stretch their "revolutionize input" hats. I dunno, just wanted to provide possible alternate perspectives.
This is Awesome! Not as good as a multi touch display but it gives you the ability of soo cool stuff, like pinching or actually making a gesture for magic in games^^
Have a nice Day
WOW!
"Use the mouse as identification device (by scanning the fingerprints and other characteristics of the palm)"
Very interesting!
it will be called..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Imouse!
Or perhaps "Mighty Mouse"? That'd be a shocker.
The Mightier Mouse. =P
Maybe iRat?
This doesn't necessarily mean that a multitouch mouse is in the works. Remember, Apple like to patent everything.
btw the images looks soo 1400ac
Another extremely confortless apple mouse.
How can you say that when you have never even used it?
Because they are the same basic shape as the Mighty Mouse.
Also, comfortless?
HAHAHAHAHA, go back to your logishitec and Microsuck mice then.
Cause working in photoshop or any big applications are something like impossible with an apple mouse. And anyway, the shape of this mouse is more basic than the most microsoft basic mouse. This is my opinion.
lol the only way this could be usefull is in some erotic Apple OS touching game
A mouse without tactile feedback? I don't like the idea at all to be honest.
uh..."multi-touch touchpad'?
itunes. coverflow. two fingers. already there.
would be cool using a mouse as a numeric keypad, or for gaming
Those Moixa folks who launched those USBCELLs Batteries (http://www.usbcell.com ) are so way ahead of this - with earlier better examples of 2D and 3D multi-point mice.....
http://v3.espacenet.com/textdraw?DB=EPODOC&IDX=US2006176277&F=0&QPN=US2006176277
http://v3.espacenet.com/textdraw?DB=EPODOC&IDX=EP1751733&F=0&RPN=WO2005114624
Apple users have more than one finger???
PC users have only 1 finger?
PC users have only 1 finger?
yall have fingers?
Apple has multi-button mouses for a while, and even on their touchpads, there is a very easy way to right-click. As for me, I just plug in a nice Logitech wireless laptop mouse and it works really well.
Also, I have a multi-touch touchpad right in front of me. I scroll with two fingers. Granted, this is not full blown multi touch (it would be cool if you could pinch-zoom with the pad) but it's pretty useful anyways.
The mouse uses frustrated total internal reflection, just like the wicked multi-touch screen demo we saw floating around the internet a year ago. Pretty cool.
I'm not sure this patent will fly--Apple may have another patent infringement suit on their hands:
The Asgard have been using this technology for thousands of years.
Think of all the possibilities for things like photo editing, all the little gestures you could do. Even simple, cross-app things like scrolling, although I'm not sure it would necessarily be better than a wheel. Certain gestures could go forward or backward in your browser. Heck, why not use the top surface of the mouse to guide the cursor to a general area of the screen, then use the mouse set at a very low resolution to pinpoint the cursor. It would have a learning curve, but it would be pretty cool for high-res displays.
Unfortunately, it also makes me kinda sad that it may or may not ever be made, yet it's patented anyway. It's just once again killing competition and innovation.
Might be cool. However, if you have to lift your finger from your mouse to tap, it might not.
lol@me trying to raise my finger to click and test. Yeah, that did feel uncomfortable. I can't imagine clicking like that through numerous items for an extended period of time.
Apple never uses these patents the way they appear in their filings. My bet is that the tech is to be used in a trackpad for MacBooks.
Damn you apple! Just come out with a touch screen computer already!!
Flash on iPhone within a few months?!
http://www.ministryoftech.com/2007/07/05/flash-on-iphone-in-a-couple-of-months/
Apple first concentration on making their mouse comfortable.
Apple Mouse = 80 design 10 function 10 junk technology
For everyone talking about the revolutionary new gesture mice that could be produced, see http://www.fingerworks.com, the people Apple bought the technology from (I think)