Apple Computer is introducing a new wireless mouse for the Mac.
On July 25, the Cupertino, Calif.-based company announced it would start selling the Mighty Mouse, a new version of its mouse that uses Bluetooth 2.0 wireless technology.
Apple has been using Bluetooth technology in its Macs for several years. The new mouse also fits with what several analysts have seen as Apple’s desire to market the Mac as part of a more mobile lifestyle.
“We cut the cord on our popular Mighty Mouse to give consumers even more flexibility when using a Mac,” David Moody, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Mac Product Marketing, said in a statement.
“A Bluetooth-enabled Mac desktop with an Apple Wireless Keyboard and Mighty Mouse is the ideal cable-free setup at home or in the office, and the wireless Mighty Mouse is the perfect travel companion for the MacBook user on the go,” Moody said.
Click here to read more about Apple’s networking improvements in Tiger.
Apple is touting a new laser feature, which it says allows the mouse to be 20 times more sensitive than a standard optical mouse.
The new Mighty Mouse is a two-button mouse, but it still can be used as either a single or multibutton mouse.
This wireless mouse also features a seamless enclosure with programmable touch sensors that can act as either primary or secondary buttons, according to the company.
With a click on the upper-right or left side of the mouse, users can access features such as contextual menus found in Mac OS X and other applications, according to the company.
The wireless Mighty Mouse’s two other buttons are activated by pressing its scroll ball and squeezing its sides and can be easily programmed to give users one-click access to a variety of Mac features.
The Mighty Mouse can switch to a low-power mode when it’s not in use, and it also includes an off switch to maintain battery life.
The Mighty Mouse, which costs $69, is available now through the Apple Store chain as well as Apple resellers.
The new wireless mouse works with Macs that have built-in Bluetooth technology.
Users must have Mac OS X “Tiger” version 10.4.6 or later to customize the mouse buttons for one-click access to apps such as Spotlight, the desktop search engine; Dashboard, which creates task-based “widgets”; Exposure, which can open windows with a keystroke; or other Mac applications.
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