Meet Apple's Amazing Magic Mouse

Meet Apple's Amazing Magic Mouse

Wireless Multi-Touch Mouse Makes Buttons Obsolete

When you're at a computer, there is little you use more than a mouse, so it is strange that it's taken this long to design the extraordinary Magic Mouse from Apple.

The Magic Mouse is the world's first "multi-touch" mouse, which means that when you swipe your fingers across the mouse's surface, it knows what you want it to do.

There isn't a scroll wheel. There are no mechanical buttons. Instead, the device consists of a very sleek, glassy white surface, with all the buttons and parts hidden, er, magically, inside.

The Magic Mouse also keeps a very low profile. Its top is only about an inch off of the table. Still, it fits very comfortably in the hand.

Apple learned that most people enjoy holding their input devices, such as mice, between their thumbs and last two fingers, allowing them to cup the surface of the small gadget when moving it.

To Move Cursor Around the Screen, Users Swipe Fingers Across the Mouse

You can scroll up, down, left and right with one finger, swipe through Web pages and photos with two, and click, or double-click (right or left), anywhere.

The brains of the operation are deep inside the Magic Mouse. And the device knows exactly what you want to do. It won't confuse a scroll with a swipe. It even knows when you're just resting your hand on it.

Apple introduced gestures to the trackpad in its laptop line a couple years ago (and part of the iPhone's success can be credited to the multi-touch display). The company is now bringing that technology to the mouse.

Let's say you have a Web browser open and want to go back three pages. Just swipe the mouse's surface with two fingers, from right to left, to go back. No need to move the mouse and click on the arrows.

Magic Mouse works wirelessly (no cables or adapters needed) up to 33 feet away from the computer. It runs for several months on two AA batteries (included).

Magic Mouse Conserves Power When You're Not Using It

It has an on/off switch on the bottom, but even if you leave it on, Magic Mouse manages power smartly by recognizing when you are not using it. I've used it every day for a month and the computer claims I have 90 percent of battery life remaining.

It connects via Bluetooth to any equipped Mac or PC, but a Mac is required if you want to make the most of its multi-touch wizardry. There is no software to install, but be prepared to "pair" the mouse to your Mac via Bluetooth, then download a software update. Then you have to enter the control panel to turn on features like right button clicking.

There ought to be an easier process for adding a mouse. I also wish it came with rechargeable batteries, but since it means you don't need another charging station on your desktop, I believe Apple chose simplicity over clutter.

The Magic Mouse now comes with every Apple iMac desktop computer and can be purchased separately for $69.

Google OS

Google OS: End OF The HARD DRIVE?

Google today unveiled more details of Chrome OS, a lightweight, browser-based operating system for netbooks.
With a strong focus on speed, the Chrome OS promises nearly instant boot times of about 7 seconds for users to login to their computers.
"We want Google Chrome OS to be blazingly fast ... to boot up like a TV," said Sundar Pichai, vice president of product management for Google.
The first Chrome OS netbooks will be available in late 2010, Pichai said. It will not be available as a download to run and install. Instead, Chrome OS is only shipping on specific hardware from manufacturers Google has partnered with. That means if you want Chrome OS, you'll have to purchase a Chrome OS device.
Google is currently working with unnamed computer manufacturers to define specifications for these computers, which Pichai said will include larger netbook-style computers with full-size keyboards, large trackpads and large displays.
Chrome OS netbooks will not have traditional hard disk drives -- they will rely on non-volatile flash memory and Internet-based storage for saving all of your data.
All the applications will be web-based, meaning users won't have to install apps, manage updates or even backup their data. All data will be stored in the cloud, and users won't even have to bother with anti-virus software: Google claims it will monitor code to prevent malicious activity in Chrome OS web apps.
"Chrome OS is a totally rethought computer that will let you focus on the Internet, so you can stop worrying about your computer," according to a Google promotional video shown at the event, held at the Google campus in Mountain View, California.
As part of its announcement today, Pichai said that Google would be releasing all of the operating system's code and design documents to the public.
Introduced in July, Chrome OS is a Linux-based, open-source operating system centered on Google's Chrome browser. Applications will run exclusively inside the browser, Google said Thursday.
"As of today, the code will be fully open, which means Google developers will be working on the same tree as open developers," said Pichai.
The OS's focus on design is consistent with the company's stance that the future is in the web. In July, Vic Gundotra, Google's engineering vice president and developer evangelist, spoke on a panel about app stores, in which he said native apps (such as those available for the iPhone) would be obsolete in the future, and that the Web will "become the platform that matters."
"Every capability you want today, in the future it will be written as a web application," Pichai said Thursday.
Netbooks -- lightweight, low-powered sub-notebooks -- were the surprise hit of 2008 and 2009. However, with the growth of netbook sales slowing -- and the prices of some full-powered notebooks dropping below $400 -- the continued viability of the netbook sector is an open question.
Though netbook shipments are falling below manufacturers' expectations, the inexpensive, low-powered devices appear to still be selling well. Pichai cited research figures from ABI research indicating that 35 million netbooks shipped in 2009, more than twice the number sold in 2008.
Manufacturers have yet to announce pricing on netbooks shipping with Chrome OS, but Google expects the cost to be about the same as current netbooks. On average, netbooks cost between $300 and $500.
Videos demonstrating Chrome OS's user interface, security, fast boot and other features are below the jump.

KaushaL PateL

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