Gizmodo Australia » alert

Apple Magic Mouse Hands On

Brian Lam — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:00:55 +0000

Apple’s Magic Mouse is an aluminium base topped off with a curvy, white multitouch panel. You point; you gesture with fingers. It’s a little weird to use but leagues ahead of the mighty mouse. I may go back to mice.

AU: Looking at $99 for it in Oz.

The strange thing about the Magic Mouse is not how it works. It is that you have different gestures than on a standard Macbook Pro trackpad.

One obvious example: Since you move the cursor by moving the whole mouse with your hand, there’s no point in also using one finger to move the cursor, like on the trackpad. Moving your finger on the surface of the Magic Mouse allows you to scroll in all directions, 360 degrees around.

You can also scroll with two or three fingers, if you move them up and down. But if you swipe them from side to side while using a web browser, your browsing history moves forward or back.

Physically, the mouse is beautiful, and feels nice. The top is made of white polycarbonate that matches the keys on Apple’s keyboards. It is one seamless touch surface, and, logically, there is no Mighty Mouse scroll nipple.

The surface can also simulate the left and right buttons. Unlike in previous Apple’s mice, the two buttons work perfectly. This time they also added physical feedback, so when you click the buttons, you actually get the entire surface to click—like the original clear Apple mouse.

The mouse runs on AA batteries, and Apple claims 4 months of use per set. You can get it with the new iMac or pay $US69 separately.

There was a small thing I noticed, though: the mouse would sometimes move when I tried to scroll — I can maybe get used to this, but it was a thing that happened to me and my presenter who definitely had more time with the mouse. The other reason why Apple went with fewer fingers for swipe and scroll gestures, besides the issue of pointing already being taken care of by the mouse’s table action, was because you need your ring finger to hold the mouse properly or the thing slides on your desk.

Also, the mouse will be software configurable for lefties.

Apple Introduces Magic Mouse—The World’s First Multi-Touch Mouse

SYDNEY, Australia – 21 October 2009 – Apple today introduced the new wireless Magic Mouse, the first mouse to use Apple’s revolutionary Multi-Touch technology. Pioneered on iPhone, iPod touch and Mac notebook trackpads, Multi-Touch allows customers to navigate using intuitive finger gestures. Instead of mechanical buttons, scroll wheels or scroll balls, the entire top of the Magic Mouse is a seamless Multi-Touch surface. Magic Mouse comes standard with the new iMac and will be available as a Mac accessory at just recommended retail price A$99 inc GST.

“Apple is the Multi-Touch leader, pioneering the use of this innovative technology in iPhone, iPod touch and Mac notebook trackpads,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Apple’s Multi-Touch technology allows us to offer an easy to use mouse in a simple and elegant design.”

Magic Mouse features a seamless touch-sensitive enclosure that allows it to be a single or multi-button mouse with advanced gesture support. Using intuitive gestures, users can easily scroll through long documents, pan across large images or swipe to move forward or backward through a collection of web pages or photos. Magic Mouse works for left or right handed users and multi-button or gesture commands can be easily configured from within System Preferences.

The Magic Mouse laser tracking engine provides a smooth, consistent experience across more surfaces than a traditional optical tracking system. Magic Mouse uses Bluetooth wireless capabilities to create a clean, cable-free desktop and its secure wireless connection works from up to 10 metres away. To extend battery performance, Magic Mouse includes an advanced power management system that works with Mac OS X to automatically switch to low power modes during periods of inactivity. The wireless Magic Mouse is powered by two AA batteries which are included.

Pricing & Availability
Magic Mouse comes standard with the new iMac and is available at the end of October through the Apple Store (www.apple.com/au), at Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers for a recommended retail price of A$99 inc GST. Magic Mouse requires Mac OS X Leopard version 10.5.8 or later.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

Disaster Alert Map Shows Where the World is Ending

Mark Wilson — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 21:30:00 +0000

Until I loaded up this realtime Global Disaster Alert Map operated by the International Disaster and Risk Conference, which tracks biological hazards, chemical spills, fires, volcanoes, earthquakes and epidemics, I earnestly thought that it had been a pretty good day. I was wrong, and I will not be so naive as to drop my constant cynicism again. [IDRC via bookofjoe]

Honda GPS Warns Drivers of High Crime Zones

Gizmodo US Edition — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:47:10 +0000

Honda’s new GPS warns drivers when they’re about to leave their car in places where it is likely to be stolen, broken into or otherwise vandalised. The new technology, available from today if you live in Japan, links to local police stations and provides crime ratings by location, and if area is particularly dangerous it issues an alert. No indication of when or if this’ll come to the US. [Left Lane News via Inventor Spot ]

FCC Prepping Nationwide Text Message Alert System

Sean Fallon — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:25:00 +0000

According to both CNN and USA Today, the FCC is expected to announce a nationwide system that sends major alerts to mobile phones via text message. Rumour has it that these messages will initially be limited to the English language in 90 words or less and would warn users about events like terrorist attacks, major weather situations and Amber alerts. Participation is voluntary on the part of wireless carriers, but it is unlikely that any of the national providers will opt out. [CNN and USA Today via Mobileburn]

Smart Carpet Can Help Seniors Who Fall and Can’t Get Up

Sean Fallon — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:10:53 +0000

Yes, the Life Alert slogan is cliche, but how can you avoid it when talking about a “smart carpet” that can assist the elderly when they fall? The carpet is the brainchild of researchers at the University of Missouri, and it has the capability to electronically monitor a senior’s location and sound an alert in the event of a fall. This is made possible using a new sensor that can be printed on thin, flexible sheets using equally flexible and inexpensive “organic ink.”

These organic Ink sensors can be utilised in the thousands on a sheet layered between a room’s carpet and carpet pad. Currently, the researchers are working on a system that would feed the data collected by the sensors to a computer for display and electronic analysis. Caregivers could then use this information to determine whether or not the elderly individual was in danger. If all goes well, the device could be used in real world testing scenarios inside two years. All-in-all, a device like this would have a significant advantage over other warning systems given the fact that the individual in question would not actually have to be conscious to summon help. [University of Missouri]