More Bluetooth Accessory Confirmation?

[neutrino23]

I'd rather stay with the current pro-mouse and save some money. I only control-click perhaps a dozen times a day so this is not a problem for me.

If you have a BT mouse does that mean you can wander around the office with the mouse in your pocket and when you get close to someone else's computer you can play tricks on them? That might be fun.

 

[MarkCollette]

I agree with everyone thinking that a desktop doesn't need a mouse, but just think how cool it would be for your notebook computer! You know when you're trying to have a docking station kind of setup at home or the office, but you sometimes want to bring the mouse and keyboard on the road, for whne you're in that presentation or meeting, but you just hate taking out all those cord, and unravelling them to hook them up.

Now imagine _that_, but all wireless. It'd even take up less room in your notebook's bag.

 

[NavyIntel007]

Originally posted by jbomber
Agreed,

i have a huge Wacom tablet, and the mouse is wireless. It's cool because you can switch hands like you said.

Can't imagine too many other uses for the peripherals to be wireless tho.

I think we have it... the ultimate accessory. A wide LED tablet with a mouse module and a pen. It has LEDs to light up a keyboard image that can be moved to the right or to the left or can be split in the middle. Special keys and keycodes can be entered with software on the computer and can be specified to light up where ever the user choses. So you don't have all these extra buttons you never use like on aftermarket keyboards but you still have customization options.

Hmm... I'm calling my patent lawyer.

 

[Apple][Forever]

what's with everyone's wet dreams about wireless keyboards and mice? I got one for free when Logitech was giving them away earlier this year, and I used it for about a week. It's 2 thin cables... not a huge deal, and not worth the extra weight and cost, not to mention powering them.

 

[solvs]

One minor problem with this theory... not all G5s come with BT. It's an optional add-on. So how could they be standard? I do think it would be cool to have a rechargable mouse. Plug it in through the USB port when you need to, cordless when charged.

But it ain't gonna happen this time. Sorry.

 

[Starflyer]

sit far away

these will be a nessesity when you need to sit far away from apples yet to be released new 54" HD Cinema Display

 

[NavyIntel007]

Originally posted by solvs
Plug it in through the USB port when you need to, cordless when charged.

But it ain't gonna happen this time. Sorry.

And that really defeats the point in the first place. If you have to plug it into the computer, than I think alot of people won't use it wirelessly because it's a hassle.

 

[GroundLoop]

Wireless keyboard

I guess nobody in here likes to sit with their feet on their desk typing with their keyboard on his/her lap. (fairly typical for programmers) Then he/she could just get up, plop the keyboard anywhere and run into the other room for a dew or a Jolt. They also come in handy when you have your Mac in a "media center" type setup. Just my thoughts.

Hickman

 

[NavyIntel007]

Re: Wireless keyboard

Originally posted by Brian Hickman
I guess nobody in here likes to sit with their feet on their desk typing with their keyboard on his/her lap. (fairly typical for programmers) Then he/she could just get up, plop the keyboard anywhere and run into the other room for a dew or a Jolt. They also come in handy when you have your Mac in a "media center" type setup. Just my thoughts.

Hickman

I do this, but it's not something you can't do with a cabled keyboard. For a media center it's a good idea but batteries....

 

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by NavyIntel007
The problem with the logic of having to plug the devices into the computer defeats the purpose of having wireless devices.

I'd prefer a "docking station" approach, personally. Have the dock sitting at the "back" edge of your desktop, set your keyboard and mouse on it when you're done using them, and the station keeps them charged.

Or, even better IMHO, would be "dual-mode" devices, with such a dock for the keyboard, though the keyboard continues to function while disconnected ... not sure about the mouse in such a device though (I don't like the idea of a USB or FireWire port on a mouse ... the mouse moves to much for those connections!)

Firewire to power: seems odd to me. Although, I can see using a wall-wart transformer-to-firewire device to power the keyboard physically far from the computer as well ... I would see this setup being used in a more "living room" approach ... that's the only place I can see any use whatsoever for a BT keyboard, where you have to be physically separated from the computer. In that situation, you'd want to charge the keyboard on the end table, not where the computer is.

 

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by NavyIntel007
I think we have it... the ultimate accessory. A wide LED tablet with a mouse module and a pen. It has LEDs to light up a keyboard image that can be moved to the right or to the left or can be split in the middle. Special keys and keycodes can be entered with software on the computer and can be specified to light up where ever the user choses. So you don't have all these extra buttons you never use like on aftermarket keyboards but you still have customization options.

Hmm... I'm calling my patent lawyer.

Sorry, already done. There is a semi-working laser keyboard ... draws the keyboard on any flat surface, and monitors said surface for "taps" on the keys.

The problem with any such system is that you lose all physical feedback from the keyboard. You have to be looking at your fingers while you are typing. Works great for hunt-and-peckers (beavis: hehe) but not for those of us who type even partially by touch.

 

[dietsoda]

why not just the keyboard

I don't see why both the mouse and keyboard should be wireless. Why not leave the keyboard wired, and put a bluetooth module in it so that the mouse can be wireless (although i guess then you might as well make the cable unpluggable at both ends, enabling a wireless keyboard). The mouse could then work based on being close to the computer, or close the keyboard. Also, unless they do something much more radical i don't see why they would need to make it firewire chargable, there are plenty of phone charger to USB adapters out there, so just use the usb.

Now for a real flight of fancy.... perhaps apple could find a way to allow the users hand movements to power/charge the mouse. How much energy is expended on moving your mouse around? Enough to charge the battery inside? Dynamo Mice?

 

[AppleMatt]

Lecturers like wireless keyboards and mice, regardless of the batteries.

I'm saying Apple will or won't, just some info for people who don't see a need for them.

AppleMatt

 

[jettredmont]

Re: Wireless keyboard

Originally posted by Brian Hickman
I guess nobody in here likes to sit with their feet on their desk typing with their keyboard on his/her lap. (fairly typical for programmers) Then he/she could just get up, plop the keyboard anywhere and run into the other room for a dew or a Jolt. They also come in handy when you have your Mac in a "media center" type setup. Just my thoughts.

Hickman

I (sometimes) work this way (despite the horrible ergonamics of it), but don't have a problem doing it while "tethered". Outside of programmers, I know no one who puts the keyboard in their lap.

I mean, yeah, a cordless keyboard would allow me to swivel around in my chair while typing ... hmmm, that would be fun ... but then, unless there is an elegant solution to the power issues, that's not really an option anyways ...

Then again, no matter what Apple does, my Macs all run through a KVM switch, which by definition won't switch a bluetooth keyboard, so my programming workspace isn't gonna change to BT any time soon ...

 

[rueyeet]

I'd like a wireless keyboard/mouse combo (not wireless keyboard and wireless mouse, but wireless keyboard/mouse) to try and set up a media center thing.

The real challenge is how to make the power situation just flat-out easy to deal with. I'd favor a recharging station solution: set up the Mac and TV/display on the one side of the room and the station with mouse/keyboard on the other, near the sofa. Just pick 'em up whenever you want to use the media Mac, then throw 'em back in to recharge when you're done.

Of course that's a fairly specialized circumstance. I can see wireless mice as standard just because the cord can get caught and restrict your mousing freedom on a cluttered desk, but a wireless keyboard doesn't seem as useful in the usual "sit in front of monitor and type" setup.

Most of the lure of it seems to just be that no wires looks better, really.

 

[panphage]

I don't think there's any point in saying wireless mice and keyboards are useless. Logitech and MS have been making wireless mice and KBs for years. There is a market. These peripherals have all the drawbacks I see complained about here, batteries and so on, PLUS you have to plug the damn reciever into your machine, thus you don't get the best benefit of wireless: reduction of cables. Some newer mice can cradle into their recievers and get a battery recharge so that's a nice touch, but you still have something plugged into your machine, taking up a port, cluttering the desk. Not as nice as plopping your PB/iBook down and the mouse/Kb just work.

Now there is a better tech to serve that market (bluetooth), which also serves pda/phone syncing purposes. Let's be happy bluetooth seems to finally be taking off, maybe people will take advantage of it. If bluetooth is accepted widely, wouldn't work be done to improve it with greater range, bandwidth, etc? And the more products there are to choose from, the better serve we are as customers.

Now if you are saying that YOU don't need wireless peripherals, that's cool, jack, don't buy them. Apple won't force it on you because as has been pointed out again and again, bluetooth is NOT standard for all machines. Just 12 and 17 PBs I think.

 

[jettredmont]

Originally posted by panphage
I don't think there's any point in saying wireless mice and keyboards are useless.

[...]

Now if you are saying that YOU don't need wireless peripherals, that's cool, jack, don't buy them. Apple won't force it on you because as has been pointed out again and again, bluetooth is NOT standard for all machines. Just 12 and 17 PBs I think.

It seems someone has misunderstood something here. First, I don't recall anyone saying that BT keyboards and mice are utterly useless for everyone, nor that they should all be taken out and melted down (along with the plastic injection molds that made them).

The problem I have with the various rumors that have been stating that the Pro mouse/keyboard will be replaced with BT models is exactly that: they are NOT for everybody (not even for most people), are too expensive to be a guilt-free throw-away item, and likely to be a hassle/turn-off to most computer users who couldn't figure out how to go out and buy their own BT keyboard/mouse.

Yes, BT is not standard across the board today, but that doesn't mean that BT won't be standard with the next upgrade (or in-stream were Apple to, as has been rumored but unlikely, just start shipping all G5's with wireless keyboards). The connections are all there, no matter which G5 you choose; it would just be a matter of popping the BT module in.

That having been said, no, I agree, it is about 0% likely that Apple will slipstream BT keyboard/mouse into the existing systems. I also agree that the smart move and likely move by Apple is to offer such as a BTO option (perhaps not even Apple-brand the BT keyboard/mouse ...) and keep the existing peripherals (Pro or not) as standard.

The problem in thinking here is that for the last good long while Apple really hasn't offered any kind of choice of input device on their order form. If you order a Pro machine, you get the Pro KB/Mouse. If you order a consumer machine, you get the consumer version. If you want something different, CompUSA is right down the street (or you can add in a third-party item to your order ... but you still get the Pro Mouse in the box too).

I think Apple will break that mold with the BT options, or will ship and sell the BT combos similarly to current third-party accessories (they don't replace the wired KB/mouse, but are in addition to).

 

[jbomber]

Re: Wireless keyboard

Originally posted by Brian Hickman
I guess nobody in here likes to sit with their feet on their desk typing with their keyboard on his/her lap. (fairly typical for programmers) Then he/she could just get up, plop the keyboard anywhere and run into the other room for a dew or a Jolt. They also come in handy when you have your Mac in a "media center" type setup. Just my thoughts.

Hickman

Bluetoth signals from the keyboard in your lap, while drinking mountain dew and wirelessly surfing the Net via radio waves....

Christ... our entire generation's gonna be sterile....

 

[panphage]

Originally posted by jettredmont
It seems someone has misunderstood something here. First, I don't recall anyone saying that BT keyboards and mice are utterly useless for everyone, nor that they should all be taken out and melted down (along with the plastic injection molds that made them).

No, I suppose you are right. Everyone was probably reacting to the idea of default bluetooth kb and mouse. This is not optimal, while I enjoy a wireless mouse and even sometimes a wireless kb, they are indeed boutique items until we can get power over a wireless connection.

 

[thebimbo]

>>>
2 - Multi-Button Mouse: OS X is a full fledged Unix-based OS. And ever since the days of yore, "Unix Machines" have shipped with a 3-button mouse. Sun did it, even NeXT did it.
>>>

I'm late to the thread... but again I have to correct this disinformation on yet another board: NeXT's all had a *two* button mouse and it was the same mouse thru all production hardware; from cube to slab and the turbo variants. A minor point in the scheme of things but a relevant point to those that keep stating 'Steve' does not approve of 2 button... he did at NeXT so maybe it's time to finally see Apple to follow this practice.

 

[avonterr]

Charging the wireless mouse

Why not have the wireless mouse charge with Firewire using the iPod dock? Now I don't need to have an extra accessory on the desk.

 

[u2mr2os2]

Keyboard ports?

I haven't seen anyone mention that a Bluetooth keyboard would not be able to have the USB ports the keyboards have now.

As long as you also have a BT mouse, then that's -1 free USB on the keyboard (mouse pluggs in the KB) and +1 USB on the computer (no KB plug anymore). So, you net the same number of free USB ports at least, but you lose one that was in "front" of the machine.

If the keyboard and mouse had rechargeable batteries, could they get enough to recharge from a powered USB port? I know I can recharge my PDA like this. If so, then maybe the keyboard could have a detachable USB cord (with retainer so it won't pull straight out) for when you want to go untethered. This would also allow a short cord option for less clutter if you have a front USB port or one on your monitor. The mouse would not have a detachable cord, but have a cradle on the keyboard to keep it when not in use to stay charged. Although, that assumes when you are done, you didn't turn off the computer.

Another possibility is that Apple could always build the wireless base into new displays. The displays have USB fed to them already. The displays could be made to have a keyboard and mouse docks for recharging since the displays also have power. This would keep the wireless connection closer to the KB and mouse, the tower wouldn't have a wireless box hanging off it, and maybe another free USB port?

 

[KuLTofCoWs]

Apple would probably deal with the battery issue the way other companies have...by having a dock for the mouse. Logitech has been doing this for a while. you just charge it when its not in use and u dont have to deal w/ plugging it into the computer each time either.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm?p...ID=3&CONTENTID=4999&countryid=19&languageid=1