Apple's mouse is so bad that Tim Cook prefers using a different brand for work
glassalmanac.com
glassalmanac.com
> The Wall Street Journal last month published an interview with Cook, in which he said he uses every Apple product every day. Soon after, The Verge's Wes Davis attempted to replicate using every Apple product in a single day. During that day, Davis said he mostly used the MX Master 3, but sometimes switched to a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.
> In other words, it was Davis who said he himself used a Logitech mouse, not Cook.
According to the MacRumors article, the misattribution came from The Mac Observer misreading an article by The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/22/24276142/tim-cook-wsj-in...
The author was attempting to interpret what a day with only Apple products would be like, written in a first person style.
They mentioned using a Logitech mouse but for someone skimming the article, it can be easy to misinterpret that as a pull quote from the mentioned WSJ interview
Something like the MX Master is a lot better but a vertical mouse is better still if your wrists have seen better days.
e.g. https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/mice/lift-vertical-e... or https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/mice/mx-vertical-erg...
Agreed – in the sense that you'll need strong analgesics when consistently using them.
And contrary to popular opinion good design is both usable and looks good, many just skip to the looks good part and call it a day. When do users notice their mouse is empty? When they want to use it. Charging preventing use in thst case is just bad design.
The only reason for this port placement is a marketing and anti-consumer one - to prevent people using mouse permanently plugged in.
I think you are reading way too much into this. That is likely not the reason.
The previous iteration of the Magic Mouse, which is actually quite old and created in the Steve Jobs era, was basically identical to the current one, but took AA batteries and had a door in the same spot underneath the mouse. When they decided to make the thing rechargeable, that was likely the easiest/least costly/most obvious spot to put the new battery and charging apparatus without changing any other parts of the mouse. You can bet accessories division is not the most resourced/staffed part of hardware engineering at Apple, so they would have to make do with whatever they are given. The calculus must have been "is this going to cause an issue for the user?" and as the charging is not frequent they decided to go with it. I am fairly confident their product has decent/good customer satisfaction rating, as is, and they have not received many complaints from the real user in this long time, just loud people in the news/social media. If not, it likely would have been fixed by now.
It would be even wilder if it wasn't, since this is a decision that is so different from what the rest of the market is doing. That would suggest a significant level of neglect in their product planning department.
But on the other hand if any comapny could get away with such neglect it would be them. The curious thing is that Apple has such a reputation for good design that people will defend things they would laugh out of the room if e.g. Microsoft did the exact same thing with a slightly less sleek styling. When they defend the following sentence you know they have become the ultimate consumer: You're holding it wrong.
Ergonomics become more important as you age. I'm afraid all the multitouch gestures in the world won't fix RSI, especially not a Type 2 like Carpal Tunnel. Can't speak for you, but using my computer comfortably is a critical part of my job.
The psychological aspect that's not discussed about the mouse port on the bottom is that some people get anxious about a battery running down. So even if it's a once a month, and just do it when it tells you to and take a 15 minute break, the problem with the port on the bottom is that there's a battery that will eventually run out and psychologically, not being able to charge it while using it just feels wrong, no matter how much that's not a real problem. It's an emotion and marketing is all about playing on people's emotions. BMW doesn't sell a car with a V10 that makes 577 horsepower, they sell the ultimate driving machine. Apple knows this better than most consumer products companies so it's just weird for them to stick to their butterfly keyboards, er, guns like that.
Whenever I kill one of these, I just buy the new latest version. Think I’m on mouse 5 or 6. At times I’ve had multiple – one for office, one for home.
In the interview with the Wall Street Journal [1] there's no mention of a Logitech mouse. The Verge has a seemingly satirical response [2] which contains: "I use an old iMac G4 as a third monitor just because. I mostly use a Logitech MX Master 3 but sometimes switch to a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad for funsies." which is attributed to the Verge author but not Cook. Nevertheless this is what is attributed to Cook in the parent article.
[1] https://www.wsj.com/style/tim-cook-interview-apple-intellige... [2] https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/22/24276142/tim-cook-wsj-in...
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/17/tim-cook-didnt-say-that...
I’ll also add that horizontal scrolling works really well on the Magic Mouse - comparable to a track pad. My MX Master has a horizontal scrolling wheel, but it is much harder to use due to its design and placement. This may or may not be a big deal depending on which apps you regularly use.
I think for a mouse that you plan to use all day long for work, it’s worth getting something with better ergonomics. But for most people, the Magic Mouse is fine.
Anyone who's played more than five minutes of Unreal Tournament knows full well how essential it is to have distinct physical inputs for primary and secondary fire.
And some of the more outside-the-box RTS input schemes expect me to left-click while holding down the right mouse button.
It may seem like the default Mac mouse is a decades-old grudge against the context menu. But I can understand Apple's motivation in the 80s— ideally, mice shouldn't require more than one button, and if it isn't required, why put the secondary one on a default mouse to begin with?— and in the 90s— when Apple's mere existence became a pure act of defiance. But nowadays, the message they send is, "We're big and successful enough to never have to compromise our the most fundamental ingredient, and if you want more, buy an alternative".
The Magic Mouse is a great general purpose mouse. Browsing websites, reading News, even coding where the mouse is kind of ancillary, with the gestures being a great affordance.
It is, however, terrible if you're doing pixel precise work: For that I use a standard gaming mouse where I have extra buttons mapped to things like control center. With the Magic Mouse you're just constantly accidentally doing gestures and doing micro movements. Not sure why that is, but I find it useless for precise usage, at least in my experience. And FWIW, it's also horrendous in Remote Desktop sessions.
And I imagine that for some hand sizes and health conditions it's a bad match. I have small hands and find it super ergonomic, but I imagine larger hands might not finding it ideal.
The only downside of it, is that it needs a larger battery for the price. I think you can hack it and put a larger one in there if you like, but still, the thing costs $99 which is kind of a lot for a mouse.
I still have it with the intentions of hacking it and replacing the battery for a secondary mouse for use in the garage, but ... I'm trying to get other things done first.
Every non-bottom of the range Logitech mouse I've ever had has suffered this problem. After a few years the "rubber" parts of the exterior of the mouse just become icky, like they gradually absorb your body oils and slowly dissolve. I'd be much happier if they just had hard plastic, like the bottom of the range. In fact, on my longest used Logitech (dual optical from early 2000s), I eventually ripped off the rubber and it was great to use for years after until eventually the mouse wheel packed up.
Subsequently my recent mice have been the $5 M90 which doesn't have any rubber finish. I don't suffer any kind RSI so far (despite being over 40 now), but from an ergonomics perspective I wouldn't mind something better.
I'm reminded of the situation where General Motors kept thin, uncomfortable metal keys decades after other manufactures released more ergonomic keys, or even remote key fobs.
When the system was new, there was a reasonable warning ahead of time on the battery level, but now the warning is not sufficient for a work around, and the mouse much be charged within a minute or two.
Port location is a non issue.
The Magic Mouse just sucks in general. It’s a terrible mouse. Poor ergonomic. No real right click. No physical scroll wheel.
They went way too fancy with the design. I’m guessing it was a Jonny Ive design.
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/11/17/tim-cook-didnt-say-that...
If you talk to people who use the Magic Mouse, they will mostly tell you that it is a non-issue. The mouse goes months on a charge and charges quickly. Just plug it in and grab a cup of coffee.
My guess is that Tim Cook can’t use it the right way because he is likely using a lot of Microsoft Excel, which is made for the Windows UI paradigm.
What UI paradigm shift does Numbers have that makes it well suited for the Magic Mouse?
However the entire macOS UI is heavily using swipe gestures, which is only possible with touch surfaces. That’s also why touchpads work great on Mac.
I can’t use anything other than Safari and Touchpad or Magic Mouse because I too often use the swipe slightly back to reveal the previous page to check something that I need on the current page.
If my Magic Mouse breaks down, I’m immediately getting a new one.
Wrong. The Logitech Master MX emulates gestures with a thumb button + mouse motion.
I added a bit more detail to the original comment.
Even if that is actually true, Apple's inability educate users in how to use the device properly is a failure all of its own.
Having your hands flat on the table is the opposite of ergonomic, that's how you end up with carpal tunnel.
Proper ergonomic input devices try to keep your hands rotated at least 45-degrees-ish from the surface.
https://www.logitech.com/en-us/products/mice/mx-vertical-erg...
Likewise with ergonomic keyboards which usually tilt upwards in the middle so your wrists aren't flat:
Oh. I broke my arm 5 years ago. I use everything "wrong" now. I have no other choice.
I've come to absolutely hate products and designers that can't grok this basic fact of life.
Besides the magic mouse being a terrible mouse (the usage instructions you describe don't actually work, I used it for a few months and got awful cramps, and swiping a mouse is not ergonomic at all), the Master MX 3s is amazing to use on macOS. The thumb button allows to replicate the touchpad gestures in a much more ergonomic way than the magic mouse.
One thing I am surprised doesn’t exist is a non Magic Mouse, with Apple branding. There is absolutely no way the average person sees the Magic Mouse and feels compelled by the gestures. It seems like a missed opportunity not to have Logitech 903 Apple Edition and make it an Apple Store exclusive.
It is the epitome of bad design at Apple; style over substance at the cost of usability and practicality. Not only is it uncomfortable to use due to the high cost of "minimalism", but that charger port ... oh boy.
Minimalism doesn't mean getting rid of things, it means having the bear minimum _necessary_.
Given that none of that has anything to do with my workflow usually, I don't use one anymore.
Have you tried adjusting the Mouse settings? You can certainly enable right-click.
The multitouch gestures + inertial scrolling is actually quite magical compared to a dumb fixed-offset scrollwheel, but the mouse itself is not the most ergonomic.
> Apple’s mouse is so bad
Article:
> Lists how good competitor's mouse is and in the end it has nothing to do with Apple's mouse
Who even writes this clickbait junk?
I pretty much exclusively use the Magic Trackpad if I dock my MacBook.
I use the Magic Mouse because of the gestures and, from my research, the tracking superior to the MX Master (when the dongle is not in use, with the dongle they're equivalent), I've never once cared about the charging port location, and prefer the honesty of the design placing the charging port at the bottom (e.g., having a mouse usable with an attached cable but still use Bluetooth, instead of a wired connection, is dishonest). I think I'd probably buy an MX Master's to compare it if they'd put the charging port on the bottom (although not 100% sure, needing a dongle to achieve comparable tracking is also a borderline deal breaker).
根据提供的资料,许多网友对苹果鼠标的设计缺陷,尤其是充电接口位置、人体工程学设计和功能性等方面,展开了激烈的讨论。许多人认为苹果鼠标的设计存在严重缺陷,并不值得购买。
*充电接口位置问题:*
* 许多网友对苹果鼠标将充电接口放置在底部表示强烈不满,认为这种设计极不实用。 * 他们指出,当鼠标需要充电时,用户无法继续使用它,这在工作流程中会造成极大的不便。 * 尽管一些网友认为充电频率不高,且充电速度较快,但其他人则表示电池电量不足的提示不及时,经常导致工作中断。 * 有网友认为苹果公司应该将充电接口移至鼠标前端,以便用户可以边充电边使用。 * 然而,也有网友指出,由于 Magic Mouse 的前端设计非常薄,可能没有足够的空间容纳充电接口。
*人体工程学问题:*
* 许多网友批评苹果鼠标的人体工程学设计糟糕,认为长时间使用会造成手腕疼痛。 * 他们认为,与其他符合人体工程学设计的鼠标相比,苹果鼠标的低矮外形和缺乏侧键使得用户难以舒适地握持和操作。 * 一些网友建议苹果公司提供其他符合人体工程学的鼠标选择,以满足不同用户的需求。
*功能性问题:*
* 一些网友批评苹果鼠标缺乏物理滚轮和右键功能,认为这限制了其功能性和实用性。 * 他们指出,在某些情况下,例如游戏或需要精确操作的应用程序中,物理滚轮和右键是必不可少的。 * 尽管苹果鼠标支持多点触控手势,但一些网友认为这些手势操作并不直观,容易误触,甚至可能导致重复性劳损。
*其他观点:*
* 一些网友认为苹果鼠标的美观设计是其主要卖点,对于注重外观的用户来说,这可能足以弥补其功能上的不足。 * 还有网友指出,苹果鼠标与 macOS 系统的深度整合,可以提供流畅的操作体验。 * 然而,有网友认为这种深度整合也限制了苹果鼠标在其他操作系统上的兼容性。 * 此外,还有一些网友认为苹果鼠标的价格过高,与其性能和功能性不相符。
*总结:*
尽管部分用户欣赏其美观的设计和与 macOS 系统的整合,但许多网友对苹果鼠标的充电接口位置、人体工程学设计和功能性表示不满。许多网友认为苹果鼠标的设计存在缺陷,并不值得购买。
*英文版本:*
## Summary of online discussions on Apple mouse design flaws
Based on the provided information, many online users have engaged in heated discussions about the design flaws of Apple's mouse, particularly in terms of the charging port location, ergonomics, and functionality. Many believe that the design of the Apple mouse is seriously flawed and not worth buying.
*Charging port location issues:*
* Many users expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Apple mouse's charging port being placed at the bottom, considering this design to be extremely impractical. * They point out that users cannot continue to use the mouse when it needs to be charged, which causes significant inconvenience in the workflow. * Although some users believe that the charging frequency is not high and the charging speed is fast, others say that the battery low prompts are not timely, often leading to work interruptions. * Some users believe that Apple should move the charging port to the front of the mouse so that users can use it while charging. * However, some users point out that the front of the Magic Mouse is very thin and may not have enough space to accommodate a charging port.
*Ergonomic issues:*
* Many users criticize the poor ergonomic design of the Apple mouse, arguing that prolonged use can cause wrist pain. * They believe that compared to other ergonomically designed mice, the Apple mouse's low profile and lack of side buttons make it difficult for users to comfortably grip and operate. * Some users suggest that Apple offer other ergonomic mouse options to meet the needs of different users.
*Functionality issues:*
* Some users criticize the Apple mouse for its lack of a physical scroll wheel and right-click function, arguing that this limits its functionality and practicality. * They point out that in some cases, such as gaming or applications that require precise operation, a physical scroll wheel and right-click are essential. * Although the Apple mouse supports multi-touch gestures, some users find these gestures unintuitive, prone to accidental touches, and may even lead to repetitive strain injuries.
*Other opinions:*
* Some users believe that the sleek design of the Apple mouse is its main selling point, which may be enough to compensate for its functional shortcomings for users who value aesthetics. * Other users point out that the deep integration of the Apple mouse with the macOS system can provide a smooth operating experience. * However, some users believe that this deep integration also limits the compatibility of the Apple mouse on other operating systems. * Additionally, some users believe that the price of the Apple mouse is too high and does not match its performance and functionality.
*Conclusion:*
While some users appreciate its sleek design and integration with the macOS system, many are dissatisfied with the Apple mouse's charging port location, ergonomics, and functionality. Many users believe that the design of the Apple mouse is flawed and not worth buying.
No, it’s because it’s very low-profile and some people will find that uncomfortable for long-term use.
It has been a huge problem for me all the bloody time.
Especially combined with the useless "battery low" prompts to recharge, which come at incovenient times (where you need to ignore them and continue working), and always too close to the damn thing running out of juice...
The problem with the Magic Mouse is the extremely poor ergonomic, no real right click, and no physical scroll wheel.
Granted, some people love to hate on the Magic Mouse. Perhaps it is bad (I also prefer different mice). I am happy to discuss it. But does it really have to be framed like that? This makes me want to skip over anything that site produces, I just can't take it serious.
Well, that means he finds the Apple one worse "for whatever reason".
He doesn't need to find it objectively bad (though one could, as well) for this to be a concern.
It's enough of an issue that he doesn't have enough fondness, faith, and pride in it to use it, or enough resolve to get his company to improve it.
Apple makes and sells mice as part of their business, my dude. Any t-shirts they make is just a secondary thing for the merchandise store.
Making their software and hardware good enough for them to use and "eating their own dog food" ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eating_your_own_dog_food ) is important.
Dogfooding has a big history in Sillicon Valley and kinds of software development culture way before blogging was a thing. Before the web was a thing too. It was a thing people explicitly referred to before it even had that name.
So there's that.
>But does it really have to be framed like that?
Eating your own dog food is a very important metric of product quality.
Apple sells one mouse so it is impossible they could serve all users optimally. Maybe they should sell other styles of mice, but it is a pretty saturated market covered by a lot of low margin players.