If Apple does bring this projector to light (pardon the pun) –my money is that they will incorporate a projector into a new Airport Express. Especially since the patent filing specifically mentions that the device would also work as a router and wireless hub. In addition, the wording seems to indicate that the projector could also receive video feeds from other networkable devices. With Keynote and possibly PowerPoint coming to the iPad, it makes sense for Apple to have a new device to handle presentations. So if cell phones can function as a Pico projector, then why not an Apple device?

And now comes their new product, which really needs hyping – the Eye-Fi Pro X2. Introduced at last year’s CES and seen this week at the Macworld Expo – this must-have memory card is almost upon us. The Eye-Fi Pro X2 allows for high performance shooting with 8GB of Class 6 read and write speeds (i.e., super fast transfers) with a built-in 802.n wireless transmitter, giving you the ability to take your RAW, JPEG, and even videos to sites like YouTube and wirelessly send them to your computer (Ad Hoc) or online.

To top things off, the Eye-Fi Pro X2 also incorporates Geotagging capabilities. Which means if you don’t have a digital camera with this built-in GPS feature or one of those add-ons, then having the Eye-Fi Pro X2 gives any digital camera you use the ability to mark your photos with location metadata. This comes in handy, especially for those using programs like iPhoto or Aperture 3 that show the location of your photos on an actual map, which can then be incorporated into a photo album or shared through geoblogging.

The Eye-Fi Pro X2 is now available for pre order online through Eye-Fi or Amazon and retails for $149.99. Most likely it will also be found at such local stores as Walmart and Best Buy. Check back here for a full review once the product is released.

Google may change all that with their new initiative in the U.S. allowing 50,000 to potentially 500,000 residence to receive its 1 gigabit Mbps service, which is about 100 times faster than the internet speed most are getting with high-end packages. Google claims this ultra high-speed fiber network is to experiment with new applications and services, but it really could be their attempt to take over the world – just kidding.

If you want your community or city to be considered as a candidate for Google’s 1 gigabit service, please contact your government official or go to this website to nominate your community.

As some of you may know, Amazon announced on January 31, 2010 that they would reluctantly bow to higher price E-Books with Macmillan due to Apple’s aggressive negotiations with them and other publishers. So instead of Amazon’s standard $9.99 for an E-Book, Kindle customers will now have to pay anywhere from $12.99 to $14.99 for a Macmillan title. While Amazon regretted this decision, they expressed their hope that other publishers will not follow suite – a move that is likely to happen because of the iPad.

However, as reported by the NY Times, it seems that Amazon is doing some wheeling and dealing of their own by there yesterday’s purchase of Touchco – a startup company that produces cheap, pressure sensitivity, multi-touch panels that allows for more than one user. This technology called interpolating force-sensitive resistance, or I.F.S.R, becomes more conductive as you apply different levels of pressure and also constantly scans and detects different inputs. This technology will then be implemented into newer Kindle readers to add new features to challenge the iPad. Who knows, Amazon may also offer customers with a colored display.

Only time will tell what the fate of the Kindle will be, but it’s apparent that Amazon is not going down without a fight! Personally, it’s consumers like us who will benefit from this sort of company competition.

First is the rumor that Apple is still in discussion with Verizon. According to a Verizon source that spoke with Fox News Channel’s Clayton Morris, Apple may still be bringing a Verizon version of the iPad to consumers, as reported by Silicon Alley Insider.

TOP: iPad frame CENTER: Front Camera BOTTOM: Macbook frame

Next is the rumor about the potential front camera based on posted images of what appears to be an iPad outer frame? Mission Repair, which is the repair company that posted these images, apparently has received iPad supply parts through unofficial channels. Currently, the iPad does not have a front camera visible to users, but that does not mean Apple couldn’t add one within the next two months. Especially since sources have located rudimentary support for video calling in iPhone OS 3.2. While I personally don’t expect a front camera to be included with the iPad coming out late March and April, I do however feel it’s very realistic in next year’s models.

15" Macbook Pro Display

Finally, there is a rumor spreading that Apple is already working on a larger iPad. This rumor reported by Tech Crunch cites Apple’s trend in touch-based computing and believes Apple is designing an iPad with a possible 15.4″ display that will function more like a Mac than an iPhone.

Although none of this can be confirmed by Apple, whose main marketing strategy seems to thrive on rumors, it is certainly interesting to hear what we may see in the future with the iPad. Who knows, perhaps Apple is responsible for spreading these rumors in the first place, as their way of counteracting the many criticisms their shiny new product has received.

For one, consumers like myself are looking to Apple to truly revolutionize the personal computer by giving us a full-fledge experience without the weight of carrying around a full-fledge laptop. While netbooks sort of fill the gap and in many ways have features the iPad is sorely missing, netbooks are still lacking in innovation and design – they are nothing more than tiny laptops with less horsepower under the hood.

So what should Apple have done? Well, for starters, how about more memory. The pathetic starting model with 16GB is a joke – one Apple is hoping consumer won’t get. But anyone whose ever used a computer before will tell you that 16GB and even 64GB won’t take you very far. I am surprised the iPad demo Apple showed at the media event had all those pictures on it. They must have been optimized photos (not original) and I guess that’s why there weren’t that many movies on it either. Heck, if I had this thing, I’d fill it to the brim with tons of movies and shows. To me, that’s the most appealing aspect of possibly owning an iPad.

Also, hey Apple, where’s the Flash? I mean, I have Flash on my MacBook Pro when browsing the web, so are you really asking me to settle for less? I mean, if you really want me to feel like I have the Internet in my hands – then give me Flash! Of course, this like Blu-ray is probably Apple’s way of redirecting technologies to eventually bring consumers to their side only. In other words, it’s not that Apple can’t have Flash on the iPad (or iPhone for that matter), and it’s also not that Apple can’t have Blu-ray on their Macs (despite their pathetic reasons) – it’s just that Apple wants to control where you spend your money. Boy, am I getting ticked just thinking about all this, and I am an Apple fanboy to boot. Yet their recent practices are reminding me way too much of Microsoft right now, which I left after Vista.

Another bonehead design choice is with the dock-connector. As it stands (sorry for the pun) you can only dock this thing in portrait mode. Hmm…when was the last time you saw a computer monitor being used in portrait mode? I know Gateway came out with a monitor that rotated into portrait mode about four years ago, but I never found a reason to turn it that way. Seems to me, most monitors are widescreen – in other words, landscape mode. So why couldn’t Apple have included a second 30-pin connector on the side of the iPad? This would have allowed you to dock it in landscape mode, which is more practical for most programs, plus it would give us the feel of a true netbook/notebook experience.

Other than being stuck with docking the iPad in portrait mode, I also hope I am not stuck with just using iWorks. While I am grateful to have office apps, why tease me with just being able to run these programs when what I really want is Office, as in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Here’s hoping Microsoft will create “Office App 2010″ and sell it on Apple’s App Store. Man, I’d even be willing to pay more than just $9.99 for each of these programs to have them realized in a portable device of this nature.

Speaking of the nature of this portable device, shouldn’t Apple fall inline with other portable devices and give us a USB port on the iPad? I think I remember reading that European iPhones might start using a USB connector versus the 30-pin one we’re stuck with, but I’d even settle with a micro-USB port. Scratch that, no I wouldn’t. I want a normal USB port so I can plug in my flash drives and move my files on and off the iPad at will. Plus, let’s not forget about all the USB devices we could then use. But no, I don’t think Apple will let that one happen, especially since they receive licensing royalties for third parties to develop products for use with their 30-pin connector.

Okay moving on, let’s talk about the lack of a camera on the front of the iPad. Rumors said it would be there, but I guess these rumors were wrong. Perhaps Apple had the same reported issues with getting a camera into the new iTouch as they did here with the iPad – nay! There is no reasonable excuse as to why Apple left a camera out. It’s not that I wanted a camera to take pictures or videos with – this would have been awkward and impractical with this size of device. But think about all the cool fun and effects we could have had with a touch-screen version of Photo Booth. But more than that, I would think having a camera for video chatting would have justified the purchase of an iPad for many. Video chatting on the iPad would have been truly revolutionary.

What also could have been a simple revolution in product design, at least within the Apple family of portable devices, is the home button. You know, that little round button. To me the problem is that this button is only on one side. So depending on whether I was right or left-handed, I may feel compelled to orient the iPad to place the home button on a certain side. Personally, I think Apple should have eliminated the home button altogether this time around. Other than making the iPad look like a giant iPhone or iTouch, the home button is just not that revolutionary. In fact, I think it’s kind of lazy to incorporate it into the design of the iPad. Sure, if I know how to use an iPhone or iPod Touch, I can use the iPad…blah, blah, blah. But what I really wanted is a new navigation button. Heck, with the iPad’s huge bezel they could have easily implemented a button on both sides of the device and it wouldn’t even have to be round. How about a rectangular button or even a touch-sensitive button like those found on Wacom tablets? Plus, people could have flipped their book pages with just a press of a button. Apple seems intent on ridding the world of buttons, but I still say physical buttons are more intuitive in many ways. Thus the reason many have argued and complained about the lack of a physical keyboard on the iPad (and iPhone for that matter). While I am okay without a physical keyboard on the device itself, give me some button love Apple.

Another note on the product design is the fact that the iPad is not even a true widescreen device. Instead of 16:9 ratios for movies, we’re basically going to get stuck with a 4:3 aspect ratio. Please. Hey, even though I sort of realize why Apple did this to give us a more of a book-like experience, more than that, I think this was their way of cutting costs. Oh, I mean cutting down their costs, while increasing their profit margins. Just like my gripe with no second dock connector, Apple should realize everything is in widescreen now.

Finally, like Jim Carrey’s freaky rendition of the Riddler, I too have “too many questions.” And these questions are bothering me even more, now that I am thinking of all that the iPad could be. For example, will the iPad allow for tethering? Will I also be able to play games with my fellow iPad owners like Nintendo DS owners do? Can I share files, photos, videos, and music wirelessly? Since this is more like a netbook than a Smartphone, can I have iTunes on my iPad and sync my iPhone or iTouch on it? And one more obvious question is, will I be able to use an iPad like my Wacom for digital art, and I don’t just mean Apple’s paint App they showcased?

All in all, I am really starting to think Apple is full of themselves right now – riding on a wave of profits and new fans brought in via the iPod and now iPhone. But I say, “Apple give me electronic innovation and revolution or go bite yourself!” I love my Mac, I love my iPhone, but please give me a better reason to believe you’re passionate about your products other than all the hype. Bottom-line, I want your iPad to be more like my MacBook Pro.

iPad Specs

The iPad features a 9.7-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy screen with Multi-Touch allowing both portrait and landscape viewing. Translation = it will work just like your iPhone or iTouch just bigger and better. It also features an Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor and Compass. The iPad is only 0.5 inch thin and 1.5 pounds in weight. Featuring a battery capable of 10 hours of video, web surfing and music. There is built-in Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n) on all models and Wi-Fi + 3G on other models utilizing GMS technology. Capacity will come in the flavors of 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB. Like your iPhone or iTouch, the iPad will also have built-in speakers, a microphone, a 3.5-mm headphone jack, dock connector, on/off button, mute button, and volume controls. The 3G models will also feature a SIM card tray. Running the iPad will be the 1 GHz Apple A4 chip, allowing for an amazing screen resolution of 1024×768.

Prices and Plans

The iPad has three Wi-Fi only models: 16GB for $499, 32GB for $599, and 64GB for $699. The three Wi-Fi + 3G models will be priced accordingly: 16GB for $629, 32GB for $729, and 64GB for $829 (basically $130 more for having 3G). The Wi-Fi models will be available in stores in 60 days, while the 3G models will take 90 days to become available. The 3G models will be carried by none other than AT&T (no switch there as rumors had it). The interesting thing about the 3G models is that they are Unlocked. And Apple made it clear that the iPad could work on any carrier using GSM technology – can you say T-Mobile (even though it could only be T-Mobile’s Edge data speeds versus their full 3G). Data plans for the 3G will be: 250 MB for $14.99/mo and Unlimited for $29.99/mo. Like the iPhone, the iPad can also utilize the free AT&T Wi-Fi hotspots. One thing to note is that the data plans will require no contract and you can cancel anytime. Activation for each plan will also be done directly from the iPad, meaning no special trip to the AT&T or Apple store. The iPad will come with the actual unit, dock connector to USB cable, 10W power adapter, and documentation.

Features

Other than revamped versions of iTunes, iPod music, movies, YouTube, email, calendar, contacts, notes, photos, maps, Safari and other features you would find on the iPhone or iTouch, the iPad now has its own version of iWorks. Numbers, Keynote, and Pages can be purchased individually for $9.99 or the entire iWorks suite can be had for $30. These files are also fully compatible with its Mac OS version. The other feature as speculated, is full compatibility with existing Apps and the use of Apps you already own. These Apps and games can then be seen in their normal size or 2x. Of course, Apple announced and showcased Apps and games that would take full advantage of the iPad. Translation = more money for these iPad Apps and games. New to the iPad is iBooks, which crushes the rumors that Apple was making a device that would replace Amazon’s Kindle. To the contrary, like Amazon’s Kindle reader App for the iPhone or iTouch, the iPad will have a new App for its iBooks featuring books, magazines, newspapers and textbooks that can be purchased on the iBooks store – adding to the App and iTunes store. However, though Amazon has worked with Apple to create this new App reader for the iPad, unlike the Kindle, the iBook App will not only feature color content, but the App itself will use the ePub open source format. Owners of the iPad will also flip pages by swipe or finger-touch versus using a button.

Connections and Accessories

“Conjunction, Junction, What’s Your Function?” Sorry, I couldn’t resist. The iPad comes with a 30-pin connector allowing you to charge the device and connect it to various accessories. There is the standalone iPad Dock, the iPad Keyboard Dock featuring a physical keyboard much like the Apple keyboard without number pad, and the iPad Camera Connection Kit allowing you to import photos and videos directly from your camera’s USB cable or using its SD card. Sold separately will also be the VGA video adapter allowing you to show your content on a projector or TV. And finally, there is the iPad Case to carry and protect your iPad. This case will also serve as a stand to make things like typing and watching movies easier.

The Unknown

How will the reading experience be on the iPad? I know it utilizes IPS technology allowing for better viewing angles, but will the brightness of the screen make reading tired some? Will there be a special brightness setting that will automatically turn on when using iBooks? Also, I know Apple’s promotional video says you can hold it anyway you want, but will the casing be slippery to hold? I am sure every case maker is already lined up to sell some cover or case making it easier to hold and protect. Another question is about iBooks. How much will these books and other periodicals cost us? I hope they won’t be as much as items are for the Amazon Kindle, but personally I think they will be. Wouldn’t it be great if Apple and Amazon offer us a substantial discount if we already own a specific title? As far as Safari, is Apple really not letting us have Flash? Come on, if you want us to have a web browsing experience like on a netbook, give us Flash! Last question about the unknown is this – why did Apple keep using the phrase “goldmine for developers” in its press conference today? Are Apps and games for the iPad really going to be that much higher than Apps and games for the iPhone and iTouch?

Comments and Criticisms

Although I want an iPad, I am not sure why you’re average person will, unless of course, they are looking for a netbook with touch-screen features? I mean, if I own a laptop and carry it around with my iPhone, what real need do I have for this device other than feeling cool and seeing things on a larger screen? Also, if Apple would have included a camera for video conferencing that would have at least justified owning one, but no! And even though books and textbooks, and magazines and newspapers are there on the iPad in full color – why couldn’t I just settle for looking at them online or on my Kindle App for my iPhone? Also, why is there such a low storage capacity for this device? With all those features, most everyone is going to need the larger 64GB model unless they really limit how they use their iPad. Personally, I think Apple should have made models with the following capacity: 64GB, 120GB, and 250GB. I mean, isn’t it a little ironic to brag about being a $50 billion dollar company with excess profits and then say you want to make affordable devices for everyone; but then, you don’t reduce your profit margins on this new device to give people more memory? Also, would it have killed Apple to give us a USB port on this thing so we can directly plug-in our flash drives?

So will you buy one? I probably will, just because I am a tech-junkie and I may be able to justify one with my wife so I can review it for this blog (and she can have a netbook-type computer for using Facebook on the couch). But even if I do, I know Apple is going to come out with a newer iPad next year; and it will probably have higher storage capacity and that darn camera everyone wanted. So who wants to buy my iPad when I sell it to get the newer one when it comes out? LOL

While all of that remains to be seen, the one rumor that seems to hold some weight is with the rumored carrier announcement. Based on one analyst, the Apple press invitation may actually indicate that Apple will allow all U.S. Carriers to sell the iPhone.

According to the Bloomberg analyst:

T-Mobile USA Inc. will get the phone this summer, followed by Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. in the fall, and Clearwire Corp. in 2011

The colors on this invitation may be coincidental, but it certainly makes for an interesting possibility. Stay-tuned for a full report of the media event to see if these and many other rumors hold true.

Magic Jack's FAQ - Notice the Last Time this was Updated - 3/19/09

That’s when I decided to investigate Ooma. I had already heard of them a while back when they first came out, yet at that time, I wasn’t ready to make the switch. But now with my unfulfilled experience with Magic Jack, I feverishly began researching which product offered the best Voice over IP (VoIP) solution. My conclusion after looking at similar products like Vonage was that, Ooma not only offered the best features and quality, but it also came with no monthly bill (unless you wanted their Premier features – more on that later).  Plus, unlike Magic Jack, the Ooma Telo is a standalone unit. Meaning, it doesn’t need to be plugged into a computer to operate.

So I once again headed to my local Best Buy where I returned Magic Jack for store credit, which I then applied to the purchase of my Ooma Telo. The price is the same whether you buy it locally or online, coming in at $249.99.  Once at home, I began to setup my Ooma Telo. The first step, after unpacking the unit, its included Ethernet and phone cable, and ac adapter, is the activation of the unit online, which requires you to enter a code located under the actual device. This basically registers your device, sets up your number and account, and tells 911 your address.  Once this is done, you’re now ready to connect your Ooma to your home network. The instructions for doing this are pretty straightforward and I found the overall setup to be pretty simple. Ooma recommends running your Internet connection from your modem to their Telo device and then to your router to optimize its quality, though some have just run it from their router and saw no apparent affect. The advantage of setting it up this way is that, when your Internet goes down for whatever reason, you’re not waiting for your Ooma Telo to bootup before you can get online again.

Once your Ooma is activated and setup, you can proceed to add the option of porting your existing phone number. The process takes 3-4 weeks and you have the option of being assigned a temporary number in the meantime. However, in my experience, it took only about two and a half weeks. Not to mention, Ooma kept me up-to-date on the whole process via regular emails. It costs a one-time fee of $39.99 unless you chose to opt for Premier upfront (a $9.99 monthly fee), which then gives you the choice of free porting or a free Telo handset (a $49.00 value). Overall, my experience with Ooma has been satisfying. The call quality is excellent (same or better than my former digital service) and the included free features of Call-Waiting and Caller-ID work. I also don’t miss my monthly phone bill, which for me, is a savings of about $600 a year!

Now that I am done with my hype, let me offer some of minor gripes. First off, while Ooma Premier is reasonably priced and comes with a free 60-day trial when you activate your device; at the time I got my Telo, their handsets were not available. So I could not fully experience all the benefits that Premier offers, since you have to have the Telo handset to enjoy things like their Instant Second Line. With that said, I think Ooma should have extended their free trial period until their handset came out. When I asked Ooma to do this for me they said they would. But, since I purchased my Telo from Best Buy, I would have to contact them. Yeah right. Have you ever tried to call Best Buy and ask for something? So in the end, I just used my existing wireless phone system.

My second minor gripe is with the Caller-ID feature. While I can see whose calling on my existing non-Telo handset display, I could not see the name and the number of the person trying to call-in. All I heard was the familiar “beep” indicating that I had another call, but that was it. It seems that if you want Caller-ID for your Call-Waiting calls, you have to have the Ooma Telo handset and be a Premier subscriber. I can’t 100% confirmed this, since I haven’t bought their handset yet, but reading their documentation, this seems right. Once I do purchase a Telo handset, I will try to either update this review or post another article. Perhaps the folks at Ooma can hook me up? I will also update this post to discuss all the cool features of Premier if I ever signup for it. But since my whole point in buying Ooma was to avoid having a monthly phone bill, that’s probably not likely to happen for a while.

My third gripe deals with its construction and design. While aesthetically the Ooma Telo is very easy on the eyes with its sleek and modern design, I personally wonder if they should have included a display for programming and things like Caller-ID. I know their handsets have one (who knows maybe this was their way of coaxing you into buying one), but I am used to a wireless phone system with a display on its central hub. To be fair, not having one has not interfered or impeded my use of the Telo. Though the buttons aren’t raised, they are touch-based and very well lit. The only annoying thing about the Telo is with its AC adapter, which seems to easily become unplugged when you simply move the unit.

My fourth and final gripe is with the limited number of handsets you can have per Telo. Currently you can only have a maximum number of four Telo handsets. While this maybe more than adequate for some, there are those with large homes and detached garages who may need more. I am not sure why there is a limitation, but who knows, perhaps a future software update could allow for the addition of more handsets.

Bottom-line: I realize there are other Internet solutions out there, like Skype for example. But for me, Ooma allowed me to keep my existing phone system, keep my existing home phone number, keep my computer out of it, and keep landline quality – all while dumping my monthly phone bill with no contract to boot. So if you have a high-speed Internet connection and you want a home phone without increasing bills, I highly recommend the Ooma Telo.

Uh Oh, It’s Magic, You Know?
When Apple first showed off their Magic Mouse to the world on October 20, 2009, I like most geeks who love Apple products, couldn’t wait to get my techie hands on it. In fact, as soon as I was able to, I preordered one from Amazon.com since they promised I’d get it day one. As I eagerly waited, I got more and more excited to start using this mouse. So excited that I took my wireless Mighty Mouse and began pretending it had all the cool new multi-touch features: I two-fingered swiped left and right and even imagined what scrolling would be like on a smooth flat surface versus my little trackball that usually chocked on dust.

Then the day came. UPS knocked on my front door and handed me a very small box. Opening the box I expected to find the same sleek packaging most Apple products come in; yet instead, I was met with a clear plastic case that held the Magic Mouse in so tightly – I had to pretty much pry it out of its container. Feeling somewhat cheated out my normal Apple unpacking, I went ahead and placed the mouse on my desk and immediately rested my right hand on it. And that’s when it happened. That’s when I suddenly realized that something was very wrong because I didn’t feel the magic. Why? Because ergonomically, it seemed more designed for a flat-handed robot, rather than a human hand that naturally rest in a palm-like position. That’s when I started thinking that Apple should have called their new mouse: “Mech-Mouse!”

The Positives

Now before I continue my rant, let me just offer some positive comments in this review. First off, as far as the Magic Mouse being a multi-touch mouse – it succeeds. Two-finger swiping works like a charm with a very similar experience as swiping on my MacBook Pro’s trackpad. My favorite though has to be the scrolling, especially scrolling with momentum. Of all the new features, this one alone, felt magical in my hands. It should also be noted that the standard single click functioned as normal. And the two-button click worked even better than it does on the Mighty Mouse, which sometimes seems finicky as to where your second finger has to be placed.

Secondly, another positive aspect of the Magic Mouse comes in both its aesthetics and its overall feel. Looking at this thing, you’d think you were either looking at a piece of art or something from the future. Of course, this is not the first Apple product that carries this type of aura, nor will it be the last. The folks in Cupertino appear to have a knack for making the beautiful. But not only does the Magic Mouse look good, it feels good. Other than my iPhone, this is the first time I held the surface of a mouse against my face and actually enjoyed it. Don’t get any ideas here – I am not a freak. I am only trying to make the point that this thing is really smooth to the touch. So much so, you just want to rub it.

Last positive comment (if you’re still with me and not with your mind in the gutter) has to do with its tracking and movement. The Magic Mouse is very fluid and moves across the screen like it’s gliding on air. So when Apple boasts that the “Magic Mouse uses powerful laser tracking that’s far more sensitive and responsive on more surfaces than traditional optical tracking” – man, they are not lying because it’s so true. To get the same responsiveness, you’d have to buy a Razer gaming mouse.

The Negatives

Okay, now that I’ve gotten the nice comments out of the way, let me move on to the not-so-nice ones, which in my opinion, out weigh what works with the Magic Mouse. I’ve already been candid about the ergonomics of the mouse, but I need to expound on this some more, because it’s like the design-engineers at Apple put priority on form versus function. Frankly, this blows my mind because no matter how many features a mouse has and no matter how well those features work – if the mouse does not feel comfortable to hold and move in your hand – you’ve failed at the most important aspect of any good mouse!

I mean, who knows, perhaps the design-engineers at Apple have iPhone fever – where they are so emblazoned with all the accolades they’ve gotten over its multi-touch features – they forgot they were actually designing a mouse. Come to think about it, just because the iPhone and iTouch are flat, does that mean every new Apple handheld device needs to be? In fact, the Magic Mouse is so flat, it’s painfully uncomfortable to use for long periods of time. For one thing, you can’t just rest your hand on it. The only way you can sort of rest your hand on it, is to unnaturally flatten your hand out with your fingers spread apart. On top of which, as fluid as the tracking is with the Magic Mouse, you have to actually grip the mouse tightly with your thumb and ring-finger to just move it around. To make matters worse, because the Magic Mouse is so light, it feels like it’s going to fly right out of your hand when your moving it on your desk.

Poor Ergonomic Design - Notice the Huge Gap

Better Ergonomics with the Mighty Mouse

To add insult to injury, although swiping and clicking on the Magic Mouse works well, the overall shape and design of the mouse (in effect) work against these features. Let me explain. I’ll start with the simple task of clicking. Because the mouse is shaped more like a rectangle than an oval, your pointer-finger is positioned at the middle of the mouse.

This maybe okay if you don’t typically enable Secondary Click in the System Preferences. However, for those of us who do have this enabled, when it comes time to use the Magic Mouse as a two-click mouse, you have to awkwardly shift your pointer-finger and your middle finger together, just to get your fingers in position to make the right-click. This not only feels weird, it also becomes tedious and physically unpleasant over time.  As far as swiping goes, while it works great, the problem comes when you want to actually move your mouse and swipe at the same time. Again, because of its rectangular shape and flat design, you pretty much have to keep the Magic Mouse in a stationary position to swipe left and right. This in my opinion renders this feature useless. I’d rather swipe on my trackpad since I can easily move the cursor around as well. In fact, it’s when I swipe on my Magic Mouse that I feel as if Apple was trying too hard to give users an iPhone/iTouch experience on a mouse.

The only other criticism I can level at the Magic Mouse is the fact that it lacks two other buttons that its predecessor had, that being, the scroll ball button and the side buttons. I can understand not being able to have something like the scroll ball button, but Apple could have easily added side buttons. Of course, since you have to pretty much apply pressure to the sides to even hold onto this mouse, I guess side buttons wouldn’t work here either.

Bottom-line, after using the Magic Mouse and wanting to love it, I went back to my wireless Mighty Mouse and thought very seriously about getting a Logitech mouse for my Mac. The sad thing is, I think Apple could have easily kept a similar design/shape of the Mighty Mouse (minus the trackball), while adding these multi-touch features to where they could have quite possibly ended up with a great, if not, pretty innovative mouse.