Microsoft ArcTouch Mouse and MBP

I used to use the Microsoft ArcMouse and loved it until my daughter borrowed it and never returned it. I have been using the Apple MagicMouse but I decided to get a Microsoft mouse as the MagicMouse has issues switching back and forth between Mac OS X and Windows - at least I have problems with the two.

I went to Staples this morning looking for the ArcMouse and they only had the Microsoft ArcTouch Mouse. I had a look at it and read the box and bought one. It's a fairly cool design. The back of the mouse is a flat piece of semi-flexible material. It's flat for storage and you just curve it to use as a mouse. The RF dongle is very small and attaches magnetically to the bottom of the mouse. It has a new BlueTouch detection that is supposed to work well on difficult surfaces. It doesn't have a scroll wheel or a button. There is a strip of metal between the left and right buttons and you use touch gestures for scrolling and middle-click.

I hooked it up to my MacBook Pro in Windows and it came up as recognized. I could get the scroll to work but I had to read the manual to get middle-click to work. You have to tap twice on an exact spot to get middle-click.

Leave it to Apple to take something that works well, add new technology and then complete screw it up. BTW, this thing cost $69.99.

Problems:

- The middle strip is pretty narrow so you have to be careful scrolling
- The middle strip is narrow so you have to be pretty careful doing the middle-click
- I'd rather press a button then have to tap on a small spot to middle-click
- The left and right buttons have to be pressed very close to the top of the mouse. On typical Microsoft mice and the ArcMouse in particular, you can press (I think) and inch and a half or more below the top of the mouse
- The mouse beeps when you scroll or middle-click - I found this to be annoying.

I went to Newegg and ordered two of the older Arc Mouse models.

One other thing: the packaging. Microsoft's packaging of this mouse is very Apple-like. A small, rectangular box that you open like a present with the documentation wrapped with a ribbon-like thing. I think that some of the concepts and technology are good but they missed the boat in some of the human interface stuff.

 

Don't you mean leave it up to Microsoft to take something that works well, add new technology, and then completely screw it up? After all, you are talking about a Microsoft mouse running in Windows. That is all Microsoft.

 

Microsoft you mean?

I've never been a fan of MS peripherals... I always go Logitech for a mouse or trackball, but everyone has their own favorites.

 

Sorry, I did mean Microsoft. I was a bit annoyed that I will have to drive back and return the thing. I was thinking of just keeping it and using it but why spend a decent chunk of change on something that doesn't work all that well?

I've never liked the Logitech stuff.

Apple's tried at mice a few times with mixed results. Their BlueTooth KB is very good and I often pack it in my backpack. My favorite keyboards are from Dell.