The Mouse That Roared

Anyone who works in an office or is otherwise shackled to a computer all day should demand three accommodations from his or her employer: a good chair, a good monitor, and a good mouse. The first two can get very expensive very quickly, and short of a doctor's note – this works, by the way! – do not always meet with a stingy manager's approval.

But mouse devices are relatively inexpensive, and well worth the investment. (A good mouse is cheaper than a good carpal tunnel surgeon.)

But not all mice are created equal. If the choice is between a Logitech mouse and sawing off my own hand, my only real decision is Craftsman or Black and Decker.

Microsoft is the undisputed king of mouse technology. The Redmond company pioneered ergonomic design. They mainstreamed optical tracking (ridding the world of the lint magnet that was the mechanical ball mouse).

They introduced arguably the most impressive leap in human-computer interaction since the keyboard – the clickable scroll wheel. And most recently, they pioneered Blue Track technology, allowing their mice to be used on virtually any surface, from carpet to cardboard.

Whether one is a gamer or a spreadsheet jockey, Microsoft makes a mouse for you. Prices vary with features. The standard wireless workhorse – the Optical Mouse 3000 – can be found for as little as $15, a real bargain. Its collapsible (and gorgeously designed) Arc Mouse, for those frequently on the go, runs $30. And its flagship device, the Blue Track Explorer, runs $69.

Each mouse is compatible with both PC and Mac systems, and included software enables complete customization and button assignment. Microsoft has left little to chance, and with a bit of research (there are demonstration models in stores everywhere), the right model can be found for users of every type.

Apple, on the other hand, hasn't made a good mouse since 1984, when they popularized the peripheral with the original Macintosh computer. (The notorious technology curmudgeon John Dvorak guaranteed its popularity by declaring that nobody would ever want to use such things.)

Since then, however, it's been one failure after another, most notably the appalling "puck" mouse, released in conjunction with the otherwise game-changing iMac in 1998. (This is not even to mention the execrable Mighty Mouse in 2005.)

Last week, Steve Jobs unveiled the Magic Mouse, a device with a name only Billy Mays could love, but with features that may well turn the industry upside-down.

The Magic Mouse has no buttons. It has no scroll wheel or trackball or wires. And yet it may well be the most ambitious input device on the market. The entire mouse is a "multitouch" device. Users of the Apple iPhone will recognize that word – it's the feature that allows photos and websites to be enlarged and reduced. It enables swiping through contact lists and across music libraries. It fosters imaginative video games and facilitates touchscreen interaction.
And now it's come to the mouse.

The entire surface of the Magic Mouse is a button. The entire surface of the mouse is a scroll wheel for navigation both horizontal and vertical. It detects two-finger navigation and enables screen zooming and iTunes navigation. It supports right-clicking, and allows for ambidextrous customization. Its laser, while not so advanced as Microsoft's Blue Track, supports a broad array of surface tracking.

The Magic Mouse is powered by AA-batteries, and communicates with Macs and MacBooks by way of a Bluetooth connection, no USB dongles or base stations required. As of right now, it does not support PCs (though intrepid developers will no doubt remedy this oversight) and runs $69.

In the end, whether one settles on the sleek Apple device or the proven Microsoft brand, a well-chosen mouse can make computer work a little less frustrating, and maybe a little more enjoyable. But if the only choice is a Logitech, always go with a sharp blade, and find a leather strap to bite on. Better to go without a hand than to place a frustration in one.