A Mouse That Roars With Tiger

When Apple recently announced the Mighty Mouse, just the name alone initially created an image in my mind of the cartoon character that I remember from my childhood. Of course that is not what it is, but it’s Apple’s new multi-button computer mouse. You might think it’s just another mouse, but this particular mouse actually marks the end of 21 years of Apple’s one-button mouse policy.

Mighty Mouse has Apple’s signature seamless top shell design and features a revolutionary scroll ball that lets you move anywhere inside a document without lifting a finger. With the touch-sensitive technology concealed under the seamless top shell, you get the ability of a four-button mouse in a single-button design. It allows you to click, roll, scroll and squeeze.

Wait, squeeze? That’s right. Apple engineers added force-sensing buttons on both sides of the Mighty Mouse that lets you squeeze the mouse between your thumb and finger. This instantly activates OS X Tiger Dashboard, Expose or other customizable features. The mouse is easily programmable using the Keyboard and Mouse option in Mac OS X Tiger System Preferences. As an ideal desktop companion for Mac OS X Tiger, this is the only mouse on the market that was specifically designed to work with it. Mighty Mouse is a USB optical mouse, and unfortunately unavailable in a wireless version.

Something interesting about Mighty Mouse is that it has a tiny built-in speaker to make mechanical noises when you click or scroll. When you apply pressure to the squeeze buttons, the mouse makes a simulated “click” noise to give the impression of physical movement and also to assure you that the button was pushed. Also, when performing the scroll function, the mouse makes a rapid clicking noise.

Overall, it’s definitely a step-up from Apple’s one-button version. Pick-up a Mighty Mouse of your own for $49 at your nearest CompUSA, the Apple Store at Ala Moana or online at www.apple.com.