Apple Pro Mouse (M8690G/A)

Apple fans can finally rejoice at the coming of optical mouse technology and the going of the old "hockey puck" mouse! The Apple Pro Mouse uses optical technology, which means that it uses a laser beam and a tiny digital camera to track your mouse movements, rather than the old mechanical method of a ball and socket. The entire surface of the mouse acts like a button, so you simply need to press down on the mouse and that will serve as a click.

The Good

The Apple Pro Mouse is definitely a beautiful product to look at and behold. It is quite a nice touch to give the mouse, a usually under appreciated, yet vastly important part of our computer lives. Thematically, it fits much better with the iMacs, G3 and G4s than the old hockey puck mouse. It's transparent case, coupled with the glow of the optical laser is really a perfect statement in style - one that you will definitely appreciate.

The other feature you will most definitely appreciate - and in the much longer run than the style, is its optical technology. If you've never used an optical mouse before, then be prepared to never go back to the old ball-in-socket design. Simply, the lack of the sensation of a mouse ball rolling beneath your hand makes it seem that the Apple Pro mouse is literally gliding over your mouse pad. If you're worried or skeptical about such technology, then let me assure you, the tracking and movement are smooth as silk.

The other advantage is innate to optical technology itself, which is the fact that you'll never have to clean this mouse out as you would a normal one! Because there are no moving parts, little or no dirt can accumulate and stagger your mouse movements. If you've ever opened up your traditional mouse, then you'll notice that gunk (for lack of a better term) tends to build up on the ball and the little rollers that control the cursor's movements. You will be eternally grateful for not having to constantly clean out your mouse to get "like-new" performance.

Finally, because the entire housing of the mouse is essentially a button, then there may be times when a person who applies pressure to the mouse may inadvertently cause a click. Apple foresaw this and allowed the tension to be adjusted, which allows the user to manually select how much force should be applied to the mouse to press it down.

There are other advantages worthy of brief mention, such as due to its symmetrical shape, it can be used comfortably by both right and left handers. Secondly, you can use it on almost any surface, with the exception of light colored mouse pads such as white or translucent colors.

The Bad

The bad is that, like all Apple mice, the Apple Pro Mouse has only one button. I realize that many users who have only used Macs may not find this a problem, but as a user of both PCs and Macs, I know that this is a definite disadvantage. Whether most people realize this or not, the addition of a 2nd button or a wheel can greatly improve productivity and decrease arm and wrist strain over the long run.

The other is that if you make rapid, jerk movements with your mouse, then a motion quick enough will confuse the tiny digital camera and your mouse will move erratically and unpredictably. This should not be a problem for the general Mac user, but if you play games such as Quake on your Mac, which does involve some rapid mouse movements, then it may not be the perfect gaming mouse.

And Finally..

To sum it all up, this is a must-have upgrade for most if not all users of the traditional ball-and-socket mouse. There are quite a few significant disadvantages, such as only having one mouse button, but for people who are already accustomed to such a one-button design, then the good definitely outweighs the bad. Because of my preference of at least having a 2nd button and a wheel, if you already have a 3rd party mouse from Logitech or some other that does have these features, then I'd recommend giving it a bit more thought. If you're one of those people, then the decision now boils down to decreased functionality with the Apple Pro Mouse, but with much less maintenance due to its optical technology.

Other than that, this is a great mouse simply due to its optical technology. You also can't go wrong with the design either!

Thank you for reading this review!