Why I Returned My Magic Mouse

When I first heard the rumors that Apple was going to release a Multi-Touch mouse I was excited (probably more excited than I should have been). I've been using the Mighty Mouse for years but I've never loved it. It's not horrible but my clumsy fingers have a tough time finding the right click. I figured the new Apple mouse could be the solution to all of my problems

When the Magic Mouse was actually posted to the Apple website I excitedly read through all of the features and stared at all of the slick photos. It seemed perfect. I called the Apple Store every day until they finally had them in stock and went it and bought it.

First impression was awe, as it typically is for Apple products. I loved the clear plastic box that it came in, I loved not being tied to a cord, I loved the smooth surface. It paired up well with my MacBook Pro and I quickly got to work with my new mouse. I noticed right away that the right click worked every time and I loved the ability to scroll using the entire top surface of the mouse.

I loved my new mouse for about a day. The flaws quickly became apparent. Although I mostly liked the new mouse, there were a couple of things that kept me from loving it and unfortunately they were deal breakers

The first problem is that it's just too small to be used for extended periods of time. Initially I thought that I'd get used to it, that I just needed to learn to hold it properly. However, after a couple of days of design my hand and arm just started aching. This may not be a problem if you are only using your computer for an hour or two a day but for me, using it 8+ hours a day, it was a big problem (although I do know of at least one other designer that loves the mouse).

The second problem was that I'd accidentally swipe my finger across the top of the mouse while using InDesign or other design programs. It's incredibly frustrating to be working on a document and suddenly jump to a new place. I'm aware that this problem is my own fault, and that if I were a little more coordinated I would be able to get used to using the mouse without accidental scrolling. But that's not the case and it drove me crazy.

The Apple store gives you 14 days to return a product. I wanted to give the Magic Mouse a fair chance so I used my full 14 days but in the end I just couldn't get used to it. As much as I wanted to love my shiny new Apple mouse I just couldn't get used to it.

What do you think? Have you tried the Magic Mouse? Is it working for you?

Microsoft Has Found Apple's Achilles' Heel

It seems that Microsoft has found, and is exploiting Apple's weakness. It's long been argued that Apple computers are overpriced. I happen to disagree with that opinion, but that doesn't matter. What matters is the perceived imbalance in value and the Laptop Hunter ads exploit that perfectly.

In case you haven't seen the ads, they show someone looking for a new computer to fit a certain budget. The shopper glances at the Macs but deems them too expensive and settles on a PC. (View Ads) These ads seem to be quite effective. As a recent AdAge article points out, Apple's value perception has fallen while Microsoft's has risen.

The funny thing about all of this is that Apple seems to be afraid that the ads are working. Wired recently reported that Microsoft COO Kevin Turner recently said that he got a call from Apple telling them to stop running the ads. For now, Microsoft just seems to be emboldened by the response from Apple and doesn't plan to stop running the ads anytime soon. And whey should they? The ads seem to be working perfectly.

What can creative design do for you?

The June issue of Fast Company lists the 100 most creative people in business. I think it's a fascinating read for anyone but considering the creative requirements of a designer I find it particularly inspiring.

#1 on the list is Jonathan Ive, Senior Vice President of Industrial Design for Apple. Ive was responsible for the first iMac, which was the beginning of the creative design in Apple hardware. Take a look at this poster showing the evolution of Apple computers. There is a clear shift that begins in 1998 with the introduction of the iMac.

It's amazing to see the difference from the previous Apple products, as well as the other computers that were on the market at the time. By making design an important part of the Mac experience, Ive (and of course Steve Jobs) helped turn the struggling company around. Obviously there were other decisions that helped save Apple but product design was a very important part. They threw out the notion that a computer was just a boring beige box and turned it into something likable.

Take a look at the inspiring stories in the article and think about what creative thinking could do for your company? How can good design push you ahead of the competition?