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- axentrix, on 10/11/2007, -0/+18"Multi-touch MacBook touchpads anyone?"
Aren't the touchpad on Macbooks and some powerbooks already some kind of multitouch?
Two finger scroll, and two fingers and mouse-button equals rightclick. - mikm, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Sounds cool, but I'd much rather they keep tactile feedback for the main two buttons.
- judgeFire, on 10/11/2007, -0/+8Since trackpads already support two-finger scrolling, laptops were already the obvious target for multitouch functionality, but extending this unified control scheme to all products, including desktops, sounds really impressive.
The first Mighty Mouse was about solving a tough design problem; how to create a one-button mouse that could be extended into a two- or three-button one, when so desired. This new thing is taking it even further, creating an input device that scales from really simple to infinitely complex, through multi-touch.
It's always nice to see Apple working on new designs for things as established as a mouse. Detail matters. - geminitojanus, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9http://pcjoint.com/next-step-in-apple-touch-interface-multi-touch-mouse/ for Engadget's Source
http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220070152966%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20070152966&RS=DN/20070152966
is the actual patent.
This appears to use Frustrated Total Internal Reflection by design, which means they might run into some patent issues with Han/Microsoft, but I honestly doubt it'll see the light of day (it'd be a bit too hard to use a mouse in the fashion described by the patent; people like to rest their hands on the mouse, and the mouse would have to take that into account which would be difficult).
Still, it's an interesting insight to what the Apple Engineers are working on in the Interface department. - NerdyNinja, on 10/11/2007, -0/+6Is that a pickup line?
- treed, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7The Mighty Mouse is already touch sensitive, which throws a lot of people off. Basically, if you click without your finger on the left side, it's a right click.
- timusca, on 10/11/2007, -6/+11Crap, not a Mightier Mouse.
Seriously, between the Mighty Mouse and the Hockey Puck, I have no faith in Apple to make a half-decent attempt at a mouse, even as a proud fanboy. - rebotfc, on 10/11/2007, -3/+7As much as I love apple products, they produce the most retarded and unusable mice EVER.
Logitech pro/gamer series any day of the week. - mateo60, on 10/11/2007, -4/+8Why can't they just make a god damned normal mouse?
- simpleid, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4People like you must wake up every morning, anxious to point out old, buried, and duplicate information. I'm beginning to feel unaware to some unrealized fact that you're actually achieving a level of 'cool' to some niche group on digg by expressing your all knowing knowledge of every single piece of information that has ever hit digg and it's date.
people, please stop pointing out old, duplicated, and/or buried information. because the fact that it hits the front page again means by implication that enough people cared to *vote it back.*
old news is new news to those who have never seen it, thanks! - cien750hp, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3maybe its just me, but id like to have tactile feedback in a mouse. if they are going to make something multi touch, it should be their computer screens.
- noahhoward, on 10/11/2007, -3/+6Yes you did, after the MacBook laptops and iPhone.
- totorototoro, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3The beauty of multitouch on the iPhone is direct manipulation on the screen...how does stroking a mouse really mimic that?
(the touchpad on the MacBook has some cool scroll/click abilities too, but its still not as intuitive as the iPhone) - zeiben, on 10/11/2007, -0/+3They're falling into the "trying to build a better mouse" trap.
- Daniel001, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I hope this appears sooner rather than later, as their current mouse leaves much to be desired.
- aknowles5139, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Why does everyone think its for a laptop touchpad? It looks to be a multi-touch desktop mouse. What i see right now is scrolling without a scroll wheel and probably some kind of shortcut buttons around the mouse.
- AtHomeBoy2000, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2Get me a MacBook/Tablet with MultiTouch! That would be sweet!
- timusca, on 10/11/2007, -5/+7eh? I swear I saw Apple iphone do multitouch before the surface table.
you gone crazy, you are a dumbass. - Dog_Paddle, on 10/11/2007, -2/+4Some of us actually like the Mighty Mouse. If you don't, go buy another one.
- phill, on 10/11/2007, -0/+2I wish they would just bring back the Fingerworks keyboard already!
- geminitojanus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Sure, you can't patent a natural phenomenon (Total Internal Reflection). But you could damn well patent "Using Frustrated Total Internal Reflection for Multiple Point Input", and you can bet the respective patent mongers are going to be running to the USPTO with that one [yeah yeah, prior art, yadda yadda, but when has that stopped _anyone_ from filing a patent, let alone a totally bogus one?].
- mateo60, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I did. Much like 90% of Mac users. IMHO the Mighty Mouse is garbage.
- geminitojanus, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1This design has an imaging sensor in the center of the mouse and two LEDs on the top and bottom. When your hand isn't on it, the material reflects very little light back towards the sensor (total internal reflection). When you touch it, you "frustrate" that, sending light towards the sensor. Depending on what part of the sensor picks it up and with what intensity, it can do some math and figure out where you're touching it.
So the answer is, it is using the same FTIR technique as the Surface and Jeff Han's creations. - simpleid, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1For ever action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Not; for every action another occurs simultaneously somewhere else.
You're reacting to me, reacting to him. Had he not been initiated we wouldn't be having this conversation. And for being in a position to pointing out my flaw in pointing out his flaw, you sure do a good job at contradicting your intent by only pointing out a flaw in my grammar
regardless of similarities of intent with both our reasons, mine was only to prevent him from continuing so people like me don't have to feel compelled to say something and act on it.
so troll someone else, i'm trying to end something, where you're only trying to continue it. so it's not so similar after all, is it?
and it doesn't matter how stupid you think something is, the point is more important.
'pwned. n00b.' (i'm instigating i know...) - evilpettingzoo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2I've punched the mighty mouse in frustration........... After it finally died bought a logitech mouse, it works great no beatings have been handed out.
- ToadLeg, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1multi-touch my ass!
- Kronos6948, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Man, I could see how screwy this would be for someone with large fingers like me. Plus, I'm heavy handed, so I'll be clicking on all sorts of banner ads and stuff...
- basye, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2I wish Apple would find someone else to design a better mouse for them, then buy that one. They really just can't get it right. While their Mighty Mouse looks so good, and works theoretically, practically speaking I've not been able to keep one working for more than a couple of months without having to return it for repair. Also, their current designs aren't very comfortable (I'm a designer), so trackballs are my choice.
Now if Logitech would design a good trackball mouse with 4-6 buttons, we'd be in business! - bigapple666, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1True. There will have to be buttons, but something like a large touchpad, maybe the size of a mousepad or a small Wacom tablet would be great if they added things like resizing and scrolling functionality as exist on the iPhone.
- zdiggler, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1You don't need track ball in a mouse and you definitely don't need touchpad on a mouse.
- NerdyNinja, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Gah, session expired, sorry.
Didn't see that this uses a camera too. What I think is really cool about this though is that you can still rest your hands on the mouse, as it watches for the uh... footprint... of your finger to grow larger, indicating a pressing motion. Nifty idea - NerdyNinja, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1MS Surface uses cameras, doesn't it?
- superkendall, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Tablets are very popular today, I could imagine some gestures on the mouse having similar effects as the iPhone offers today, within the active app - especially zooming and panning. Woudln't being able to flick scrollable content up or down as on the iPhone be preferable to the scroll wheel?
- NerdyNinja, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1[token highschool humor]
"stroking a mouse" gyahahaha.
[/immaturity] - LeeSoong, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Oh Please God, let your child Steve, Son of Jobs (blessings be upon him) see the light:
Multitouch displays on iMacs, iBooks, MacBook Pros, and finally, a Flip Top 17" Mac Tablet! - AtHomeBoy2000, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I agree completely. I hate touchpads. A mouse is far more accurate and easy to use.
- MacParrot, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1I would agree with that. Even as a long-time Mac user I despise Apple's mouse's (mice?). I've almost always used either a third-party mouse or a trackball.
- kc0re, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Done. Been Done:
http://www.fingerworks.com/
Apple bought them out. I still use some of their products. - MightyGiant, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1dddhuuhhhh
- LilyFoxglove, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1As seen here http://www.thefreedictionary.com/mouses in article four, either is acceptable.
Though "mouses" is preferred. - MightyGiant, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1The reason he points out old stories is the same reason you're pointing out that he's doing so. And the same reason I'm pointing it out on you. So stop acting like you're better than everyone else.
oh and this is a stupid sentence, "I'm beginning to feel unaware to some unrealized fact" - jlebrech, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2Isn't that using the same tech as MS Surface?
But I could see use in multihand input for one mouse, maybe for a mouse stroking simulation.
But Maybe yes it could come in handy for scaling, but maybe using two mice on Linux maybe be more Handy with use of mpX like you could use two mice with Gimp, one hand would be for flicking thru layers and tools, and the other for drawing.
It would be handy for using a graphics tablet AND a traditional mouse. - ThatEvilGuy, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0Logitech will not be happy to hear this
- dpfinearts, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0I'd imagine that the folks at Apple are creating a mouse that can sense movements / commands over any part of a mouse. Thus, the user can program what the mouse does, regardless of button location, or existence of buttons at all.....proving.....in an ass-backward sort of way....that two-button mice work.....a one button mouse kind of works....but a NO button mouse may work best of all. We'll see.
- VitriolAndAngst, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0This seems do-able.
The thing some people are forgetting, is that Apple has already worked out the kinks with using the surface as a mouse, or a multi-touch device. On the iPhone, they can detect the difference between your ear and your finger -- probably a combination of surface area and some "off surface" sensing -- meaning the device uses an electric field. You might get no "touch" indicated, for instance if you cup your hand over the device and just move a finger -- that would be like when you first touch your ear.
I don't have an iPhone -- but I've heard that you can get really close to the surface without really touching it, and it still works. That would support it's ability to sense at a distance.
Therefore .... hand over object it works like a mouse, fingers extended towards object it works like a multi-touch. Finger touch with large conductive surface like a face or hand within two inches -- probably works like a mouse still. - spyrochaete, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Way to go, Apple! Evolve from one button to two buttons to no buttons!
I'd much rather see a 4 button mouse (left, right, thumb, pinkie) with a touch sensor square instead of a mouse wheel. That'd let you scroll up, down, and diagonally, plus you could tap it to middle-click. It wouldn't be any good for gaming though - you couldn't accurately change weapons in a FPS. - judgeFire, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2"how does stroking a mouse really mimic that?"
Moving a mouse on a table already mimics directly manipulating the screen, so this is just an extension of that. It might or might not be good, but it's hard to tell without trying it out. - movingtobc, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1@gem:
Multi-touch has been in existence since the 1980s. They won't run into patent issues for using FTIR. Jeff Han and other scientists confirmed that Frustrated Total Internal Reflection is not patentable.
source: http://multi-touchscreen.com - dh89, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1Still the same shape as a Might Mouse....
- noahhoward, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1Change your configuration settings. Mine is set so one finger tap is click, two finger tap is right click.
I hardly use the button -
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