I use the Apple Mouse on a daily basis. This criticism is blown way out of proportion.
I agree that it's a very ridiculous placement, but do you have a better idea where it should be placed? IMO, this is the best option given the constraints.
The usual ridicule is that you can't use it when it's charging. To me, it's a non-issue at all:
- When the battery drops to a low level (4% I think?), you will see a notification on your device reminding you that the charge is low. So have never been caught in a situation where I needed to charge the mouse while using it.
- The battery lasts a long time. Apple claims that it lasts 2 months per full charge. Based on anecdotal evidence from myself and a friend, it lasts 3 months per full charge. So this 2 months claim isn't based on some super unrealistic assumption that Apple makes. So why is this important? Because at 4% when you receive the warning notification, the mouse can still run for another 2 days! (Assuming constant usage everyday and one full charge lasts 60 days, then 4% = 60 / 100 * 4 = 2.4.)
- Finally, it charges super fast, too. A couple of minutes of charges can run a full day. So if you come to the office to find your mouse out of charge (because you forgot to charge it for the past 2 days despite the notifications), then plug it in before you get your coffee and you're good to go.
My point is that, yes, the charging port placement is ridiculous, but 1) I don't think there are better options and 2) it's really not that big of a deal because it is extremely unlikely that you'd need to charge while you're using it.
> but do you have a better idea where it should be placed?
How about having a small notch at the front of the mouse, like every other mouse I've used? It can then be simultaneously wired, and usable. Maybe you're right that it's usually not frustrating, but I was trying to use this mouse at my office once and it wasn't charged, and it seemed pointless to wait before using it.
> then plug it in before you get your coffee and you're good to go
What if I don't want to test my mouse before coffee? What if I have urgent emails to answer?
I understand that it isn't a world-breaking choice, but I don't understand why they would choose to change this. I love Apple, but this seems like one of those situations where a company changes something just to change it, claiming it's new and innovative, but actually reduces usability.
Yeah, I thought it was a huge, stupid mistake when I heard about it, until I was handed one at work. The charge lasts weeks, it's not like it runs down in a day or two. It's not a major problem.
The point isn’t that there are solutions to keeping it charged. The point is it’s a needless concession for Apple to make when other wireless mouses have found elegant ways to achieve simultaneous use and charging. This wasn’t an instance of Apple reinventing something that will later seem so obvious.
It is obvious. People will leave wireless mice plugged in all the time out of superstition or worry. Apple’s way elegantly eliminates that possibility. Anybody who wants to plug in their wireless mouse may purchase another.
I agree it's an edge case, but it's got to be infuriating if it used up its last bit of power before a presentation and you just have to wait there because they couldn't bear to make it look a tad less pretty.
Is there any other context in which Apple would tolerate an avoidable two minutes of wait time? Definitely not for their web pages!
I use this mouse with my desktop PC. It's got a port in the front to connect via USB to charge while allowing the user to use the mouse. Furthermore it supports wireless charging.
I'm shocked Apple thought putting it at the bottom was a good design decision.
I agree that it's a very ridiculous placement, but do you have a better idea where it should be placed? IMO, this is the best option given the constraints.
The usual ridicule is that you can't use it when it's charging. To me, it's a non-issue at all:
- When the battery drops to a low level (4% I think?), you will see a notification on your device reminding you that the charge is low. So have never been caught in a situation where I needed to charge the mouse while using it. - The battery lasts a long time. Apple claims that it lasts 2 months per full charge. Based on anecdotal evidence from myself and a friend, it lasts 3 months per full charge. So this 2 months claim isn't based on some super unrealistic assumption that Apple makes. So why is this important? Because at 4% when you receive the warning notification, the mouse can still run for another 2 days! (Assuming constant usage everyday and one full charge lasts 60 days, then 4% = 60 / 100 * 4 = 2.4.) - Finally, it charges super fast, too. A couple of minutes of charges can run a full day. So if you come to the office to find your mouse out of charge (because you forgot to charge it for the past 2 days despite the notifications), then plug it in before you get your coffee and you're good to go.
My point is that, yes, the charging port placement is ridiculous, but 1) I don't think there are better options and 2) it's really not that big of a deal because it is extremely unlikely that you'd need to charge while you're using it.
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