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Which mice are worth buying?
Plenty of folks make do with their laptop trackpads, but for many of us, there's still a place in our hearts (and on our desks) for a good ol' fashioned mouse. And, while gaming mice certainly offer lots of bells and whistles to make you a better player, what do you do when all you need is something to browse the web with? To answer that question, we've scoured reviews from a few trusted sources to find the best non-gaming mice out there. You might not be sniping soldiers from a rooftop with them, but they'll certainly make it easier to edit documents at work.
Scientists stimulate mouse brains with wireless 'charger'
For reasons we'll soon explain, turning on a light inside a mouse's head can help scientists map brain function. It's easy to implant an LED in a mouse's brain, but how to power it? Until now, the mice either needed to be tethered to a fiberoptic cable or fitted with heavy wireless charging devices. However, Stanford scientists managed to build an implant that's not only lightweight, but able to receive consistent amounts of wireless energy.
Tiny brain implant delivers drugs with a remote control
An implant, the size of a human hair, can deliver drugs to the brain with the click of a button. A team of researchers from Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Illinois have demonstrated the wireless technology in mice. While a previous iteration of the device delivered LED to neurons that respond to light, the latest experiment successfully introduced pharmacological agents directly to the brain. A drug was first sent to one side of the brain that made a mouse move around in a circle. Next, shining a light onto cells that cue the release of dopamine rewarded the mice with happy feelings. When the rodents came around for more, the researchers used a remote control to interject with a drug that put a halt on the dopamine effect.
Monkeys may be the first primates to get successful head transplants
Outside of horror and sci-fi flicks, head transplants aren't really viable. What attempts have been made so far usually kill the unfortunate test subjects within a day, and they can't really survive without life support. Researchers at China's Harbin Medical University think they can do better, however. In the wake of hundreds of mouse operations, the scientists are planning to conduct the first primate head transplants where the patient survives on its own for at least a while. The surgery will connect only a fraction of the spinal nerve fibers in the long-tailed macaque monkeys going under the knife, but it should be enough to maintain voluntary muscle movement and other crucial functions.
'Amnesiac' mice made to remember what they forgot with blue light
Mice with amnesia were able to recover training memories with assistance from blue light, in research that suggests that memories lost in brain trauma could still exist (and perhaps even be recalled) from the human brain. It marks the first time scientists were able to suppress a memory and then bring it back. The research focused on retrograde amnesia, which affects the ability to form memories after a brain injury, or recall what happened before the accident. The group trained two mice teams to remember that one room would deliver a mild electric shock when entered into. Afterwards, placing the mice in the room would cause this reaction without even delivering the shock. Researchers then identified which neurons were active in mice brains when they froze at being in the shock room. labelling those cells with a protein sensitive to blue light, and using a virus to get it where they wanted it. When blue light hit these "memory engram cells" the mouses experienced the same shock — and froze up.
Obama's 2013 'BRAIN' initiative results in remote-controlled mice
The first results to stem from President Barack Obama's 2013 "Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies" initiative are in, Reuters reports. As noted in the journal Neuron, scientists were able to manipulate the brain circuitry of lab mice, making them move, stay still, eat or leave their bowls of food behind. This was accomplished through the use of DREADDs, "designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs." The DREADDs system uses genetically engineered brain neurons to create custom receptors that lock into manmade molecules, activating whichever neuron scientists target. The DREADD method is a noninvasive form of behavior control, first introduced about a decade ago as a way to turn neurons on or off -- the newest DREADDs are the first to be able to do both.
Ultrasound helps destroy Alzheimer's-causing plaque in mice
Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease often characterized by severe memory loss, and even though it affects more than 5 million people in the United States (with an uptick expected as the Baby Boomer generation ages), it remains notoriously difficult to treat. The University of Queensland reports an Australian research team recently took an encouraging step toward possible treatment by sending ultrasound waves at the brains of mice with Alzheimer's. In 75 percent of the mice, the waves broke up clusters of an amyloid beta plaque that contributes to the disease's progression, and these mice performed better on subsequent memory and spatial recognition tests.
Scientists successfully implant self-destructing nanobots into live mice
We've seen nanobots do some neat stuff so far (aquatic dance routines immediately come to mind), but them administering drugs inside a living organism's been the stuff of scientists' dreams. Researchers at the University of California San Diego, however, recently made it a reality by successfully administering acid-powered, zinc-based, self-destructing micromotors inside living mice. The ultra-tiny 'bots measured in at 20 micrometers long, roughly a human hair's width, and are tough enough to survive the harsh gastrointestinal environment autonomously. What's more, they destroy themselves without leaving any traces of harmful chemicals behind and being self-propelled apparently was a factor in "greatly improved" tissue penetration and drug retention. As the BBC points out, this would make them great for treating maladies like peptic ulcers and other stomach disorders.
The Big Picture: a closer look at live rodent nerve cells
What you're looking at up above isn't a crazy anaglyph 3D image. Well, at least not intentionally. It's actually the result of a decade-old tagging method that researchers at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Italy are now using in live mice. The method, called SNAP-tagging, uses proteins that latch onto specific chemical structures and don't let go. To explore rodent nerves, researchers genetically engineered the mice to produce SNAP proteins and then injected the vermin with fluorescent probes that the proteins would attach to. This allows them to be followed through the body with a microscope. For example, in the picture above, the thick blue lines are hairs and the red bundles are nerves.
This pocket-sized gesture controller aims to replace your mouse
If a new Indiegogo project has its way, you could soon be waving goodbye to that old, beloved mouse of yours. Meet Flow, a small gadget that pairs with your desktop or laptop and can be programmed with shortcuts to your most frequently used actions. At launch, Flow is said to offer support for more than 30 applications, including popular ones like Final Cut Pro X, Photoshop, Premiere, SoundCloud, Spotify and YouTube. With Spotify, for example, you could set up Flow to skip tracks by simply making a swipe gesture over the device, among other things. Right now, most of Flow's information points to the peripheral being used with desktops or laptops, but the company does note that there could be support for mobile applications in the future. The Flow Indiegogo page appears to be doing really well thus far, so be sure to check out the crowdfunding page if you want to see this get made.
Which gaming mice are worth buying?
The peripherals you play with can be just as important to your gaming success as actual skill. A suboptimal keyboard or sluggish mouse can open the door to defeat, which is why it's a good idea to pick up equipment specifically made for the job. But like a lot of specialized tools, gaming mice don't come cheap, and you wouldn't want to spend a pretty penny on one only to find it lacking in speed or features. We don't review mice very often here at Engadget, so we've consulted the opinions of trusted critics to find some recent options that can help pave a path to victory.
Researchers figure out how to turn bad memories into good ones (in mice)
We've all got memories we wish we could view less negatively. Some are trivial, like that drunken display at the office party; some are serious and create genuine psychological challenges. So far, researchers have figured out how to create false ones, or remove them entirely. Now -- in mice at least -- scientists have converted a bad memory into a good one. The researches established good and bad memories in the mice (with food rewards, or light shocks) and recorded the parts of the brain that dealt with the location (hippocampus) of those events, and the emotional recording part (amygdala). To switch the memories, when the mice returned to the location where they received the shock or food, they triggered the location memory of the other event. The mice then displayed behaviours consistent with the opposite memory (quickly moving from, or remaining calm in the current location). While the work gives us a new insight into the mechanics of memory, the process is too complex and invasive for there to be any hope of it being used for treatment of obvious conditions like PTSD. It could however lead to further validation of other therapies (like CBT) that work on similar principles. [Image credit: rduffy/Flickr]
Scientists grow whole organs inside animals for the first time
Researchers have had success growing organs in controlled lab environments, but repeating that feat inside a complex, messy animal body? That's more than a little tricky. However, researchers at the University of Edinburgh have managed that daunting feat for the first time. They've grown thymus glands inside lab mice by "reprogramming" the genes in tissue-regenerating cells and partnering those with support cells. The team didn't have to use scaffolds or other "cheats" to trigger the growth; it just injected the cells and waited. There weren't even any obvious limitations. The organs were full size (unlike the baby-like results from some experiments), and they were just as efficient at producing virus-fighting T-cells as the real deal.
Razer's Taipan might be your ideal Mac gaming mouse
When it comes to gaming mice, it's not entirely surprising that it's close to impossible to find a mouse that even remotely fits the aesthetic of Apple. The Razer Taipan is one of the rare gaming mice that is offered in such a shade, and if I'm being completely honest, its creamy white paintjob is one of the things I love most about it. But it's not all about looks, and thankfully -- aside from a few niggles -- the Taipan is great piece of gaming hardware in function as well as form. Specifications 8200dpi 4G laser sensor Ambidextrous form factor 9 programmable Hyperesponse buttons 1000Hz Ultrapolling Up to 200 inches per second / 50g acceleration Length: 124mm / 4.88" Width: 63mm / 2.48" Height: 36mm / 1.42" Price: US$79.99 Design The Taipan is an ambidextrous mouse, meaning it's symmetrical. Whether or not you'll appreciate this design choice is a matter of personal preference, but if you're used to something like the SteelSeries Rival or Razer Naga, it will take some getting used to. The color of the review unit, as previously mentioned, is a gorgeous white, though the Taipan is also available in black. The mouse surface, save for the rubberized grips on either side, is glossy, which can often spell trouble for gamers with particularly sweaty hands. Luckily, the grips are extremely comfortable and contoured in such a way that even long, intense play sessions didn't cause me any tactile trouble. If you're absolutely against the idea of a glossy mouse, the black version of the Taipan has a matte finish, which may be more to your liking. In terms of aesthetics, It's an undeniably appealing design from front to back. At just 36mm tall, it's significantly flatter than the 43mm height of Razer's own Naga, and it's also longer. The sleeker form is great for big hands, and while I've had cramping issues with many mice in the past, that was not a factor in my testing of the Taipan. There's a pair of programmable buttons on either side of the mouse, above each of the rubberized grips. The fact that the mouse is ambidextrous means that while one set of buttons is easy to tap with your thumb, the set on the opposite side is, well, a bit useless. This is really my only complaint about the Taipan's design, as I found myself accidentally tapping the unused side buttons with my ring finger at random times. It was more of an issue early on, but over time my grip adapted and I was able to mostly avoid it. Functionality Precise and accurate, the Taipan is classic Razer performance at its best. It employs dual sensors to provide faultless accuracy no matter the play surface. Soft mat, hard mat, tabletop -- it doesn't matter to the Taipan. It's like a world-class runner who doesn't care if they're running on concrete, gravel, grass, or a pond. The instant DPI adjustments work flawlessly even with zero programming, but if you're willing to get your hands dirty and customize your experience in Razer Synapse 2.0, you'll get an even more personalized feel. It's fantastic. Conclusion The Taipan is short on goofy extra features, but as a pure gaming mouse, it's hard to beat. It's sleek and solid with remarkable accuracy in virtually any setting, and the fact that Razer takes Mac gaming seriously enough to provide the full Synapse 2.0 experience on OS X is like icing on an already delicious cake. A single precariously-placed side button is really the only thing that kept my time with the Taipan from being perfect, but that shouldn't stop you from making it a top priority in your search for a new gaming mouse. Rating (3.5 out of 4 stars)
Scientists create fully-functional brain neurons from mouse skin cells
It's a good excuse to shoehorn Pinky and the Brain on to the site, but scientists have managed to graft neurons reprogrammed from skin cells into the brains of mice. It isn't the first time that's been done, but it is the first time the researchers have had any luck with the neurons surviving into long-term stability. Better still, six months after implantation, the neurons had become fully-functional inside the brain. Cell replacement therapy would be able to treat neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, replacing non-working neurons with new cells reprogrammed from elsewhere. It's still a ways off, however, according to stem cell research head Prof. Schwamborn: "I am sure successful cell replacement therapies will exist in future. Our research results have taken us a step further in this direction."
Flickr find: A mischief of Apple mice
Flickr user Damien Ward has shared this collection of old-school Apple mice. How many can you name? Current models are missing, like the Magic Mouse, but many of us will recognize the good old "hockey puck." Recognize and shudder, that is. You can contribute to our Flickr pool here. We'd love to see your photos.
Feedback Loop: Breaking down fitness trackers, Magic Mouse alternatives, 4K projectors and more!
Welcome to Feedback Loop, a weekly roundup of the most interesting discussions happening within the Engadget community. There's so much technology to talk about and so little time to enjoy it, but you have a lot of great ideas and opinions that need to be shared! Join us every Saturday as we highlight some of the most interesting discussions that happened during the past week. This week, we compared wearable fitness trackers and discussed which ones are the best for you. We also looked for some viable alternatives to the Magic Mouse on a PC, asked about 4K projectors for our home theater, shared the best cameras for recording sporting events and posted about our favorite apps that make a game out of being productive. Click past the break and read what fellow Engadget users like you have to say.
The SteelSeries Rival is a serious gaming mouse without a serious rival
Gaming mice typically fall into one of two categories: Overly intricate, button-covered monstrosities designed for MMO players that need as many input options as physically possible, and more modest designs that cater to gamers who want comfort, ergonomics, and hopefully a headache-free experience. The SteelSeries Rival falls into the latter category, and while its black-on-black aesthetic isn't immediately the most eye-catching thing in the room, it has a few hidden talents that make it well worth checking out. Specifications Weight: 0.28lbs (128 g) Height: 1.8 in (45 mm) Width: 2.76 in (70 mm) Length: 5.23 in (133 mm) Price: US$59.99 Design The Rival is the latest completely new design from SteelSeries, so it won't feel like anything you've ever used before. On first touch, the middle and rear of the device feel surprisingly large, but after few hours of usage it becomes clear that the fat-bottom design makes the Rival much more comfortable to hold for long periods of time. Now, rather than the Rival feeling too large for its own good, it feels just right, and my other mice feel undersized and even inadequate. The sides of the Rival feature rubberized grips and, along with the matte finish of the top of the mouse, the entire thing has a great grip to it, with no thumb or finger slippage. Between the primary mouse buttons you'll find a familiar notched scroll wheel which, to my disappointment, isn't weighted. The only major non-traditional additions to the mouse are a pair buttons on the left side of the mouse that can be reached with your thumb. They're a little bit high for me when it comes to quick activation, but they're close enough to my thumb's natural range that it's not uncomfortable to reach for them. Before plugging it into your computer, the Rival is unassuming in looks, but once it's powered on you'll see a pair of colored LEDs lighting both the scroll wheel and the SteelSeries logo on the body of the mouse. These LEDs can be programed in a wide range of colors and behaviors. This is pure eye candy and I can't help but enjoy the colorful display on my desk even when I'm not using the Rival for gaming. There's even a small nameplate situated at the rear of the mouse that can be swapped out for a custom one if you happen to have access to a 3D printer. If not, the default one reads simply "Rival." Functionality The SteelSeries Rival has a 1ms response rate and is capable of sensitivity range from 50 CPI to 6500 CPI (counts per inch) so you'll never have a problem finding the perfect feel for whatever game or application you happen to be using. Using the SteelSeries Engine 3 software you can tweak these settings, set up special profiles for different users or applications, customize button inputs, and adjust the lighted accents. It's a very simple program that doesn't needlessly complicate the customization process. Conclusion I had zero issues with the mouse, either in terms of its fit and finish or its functionality and features. Setting it up was painless and the lighting options and luxurious design make it a treat to have on your desk. The customization software is as streamlined as you could ever hope for and it remains comfortable to use for even the longest marathon gaming sessions. I would have liked to see a weighted scroll wheel and slightly more generous placement of the bonus buttons on the left side of the mouse, but these are relatively minor gripes for what is overall a near perfect design. Rating 3.5 out of 4 stars
Take a trip down memory lane with a history of iconic Apple mice
There may be no singular computer accessory that better symbolizes each era of Apple computing than the mouse. From the Lisa to the Magic, each Apple mouse can bring back the feel of each generation, and a delightful website from designer Josh Bader is a lovely way to enjoy a jolt of that nostalgia without digging through your vintage computer parts. The site, which is titled simply "Apple Mice" showcases gorgeous renderings of each mouse on a clean background. As you navigate from one mouse to the next, the devices transform into each other thanks to the magic of the site's CSS construction. It's a fantastic example of CSS coding, but it's an even better retro Apple tribute.
The Naga 2013: Improving on a classic by degrees
One of the hardest things to do is look at something you've created and try to make it better. Because sometimes you can't. I first picked up a Razer Naga back when I was first working at Massively, mostly because it suited my piloting style in Star Trek Online. Once I had it in my hand, I never wanted to let it go. It was small, which was a welcome fact for someone with small hands. It had a useful thumb-pad for keys that felt comfortable and intuitive. It was responsive, it was attractive, it was everything I could want from a gaming mouse. Of course, the Naga was getting a bit long in the tooth. So it got redesigned. I was sent a review copy of the mouse to take for a spin, to see if this new edition of the product was nearly as good as the existing mouse that I've been using for nearly four years. Is the new Naga a worthy inheritor, or did something beautiful get ruined by a redo?
