The Haptic Braille is a mouse-like device that’s capable of translating ordinary text into braille on its surface. This means that the blind can read virtually anything the sighted can. The technology uses optical character recognition. Simply skim it over any text and wait for the haptic feedback. I like how you can pocket and carry it over to the library. Just imagine how many books literally become available at your fingertips. Splendid!

The Haptic Braille is a 2010 Red Dot Concept Design winning entry by Samsung Art & Design Institute student.

Designer: Baek Kil Hyun

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I’m all for taking care of one’s toys, but even I have to wonder if these MouseGuards from Moshi are a bit overkill. They’re a form-fitting thin film that not only protects the surface of the mouse from everyday wear and tear, but they also apparently have a bit more texture than the Magic Mouse’s glossy surface, providing more of a tactile feel. With a price tag of $69 Apple’s mouse is definitely something you don’t want to have to replace often, but I’ll leave it up to you to decide if you’re willing to spend an extra $15 for a MouseGuard to keep it looking as good as new.

[ Moshi MouseGuards ] VIA [ The Gadgeteer ]

Designer: Ahmet Bektes

Apple’s Mighty Mouse was one of the most loved and loathed rodents of all time. When it worked, it was a magnificent productivity booster for Mac users. Unfortunately, over time, even after hours and hours of vigorous rubbing, the top-mounted trackball would become so ensnared in hand-jam that owners were left with two options: delicately splay the mouse for a bit of X-acto home surgery… or smash it with a vengeance hammer until justice is served. So maybe now you can understand all the hopeful fuss made over its successor: the Magic Mouse. It’s now shipping to those of you who ordered it separately from its iMac bundle. Snow Leopard users can even download the software update now so that all those multi-touch and gestural features will be enabled once the bluetooth mouse arrives. Then we’ll see if this is the mouse that rights all those wrongs.

Read — Wireless Mouse Software Update 1.0
Read — Magic Mouse now shipping

Apple’s Magic Mouse now shipping: seeks mighty revenge originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No matter how bad the global economy gets, you can always rely on there being a select few people with (a lot) more money than sense. Exclusively for them, Dutch outfit Intelligent Design has put together this handcrafted Bluetooth laser mouse, which boasts a neodymium scroll wheel, high quality plastic resin and a grade 1 titanium body. We didn’t know you could handcraft titanium and we challenge anyone to explain what neodymium has to do with good input ergonomics, but then maybe that just shows how little we know about luxurious items like this. So, if you have $1,200 (or €800 in Old World money) to spare, why not add this unnamed mouse to your shopping list, just under the Mnemosyne USB drive? More snaps can be found after the break.

[Via HardOCP]

Continue reading Titanium Mouse by Intelligent Design costs $1,200, might be worth a little less

Filed under: Peripherals

Titanium Mouse by Intelligent Design costs $1,200, might be worth a little less originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Were you expecting unicorn tears or something? iFixit keeps working to finish its list of teardown to-dos, this time with Apple’s new Magic Mouse. It probably comes as no surprise, but just under the top surfaces lies a considerable number of capacitive sensors, and other than that, there really isn’t a lot to gaze upon. Then again, if you tend to fancy the ins and outs if gears and gizmos, this should be right up your alley.

Filed under: Peripherals

Magic Mouse post-teardown loses some of its dark arts charm originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Major findings (and we use the word major so loosely we might as well not have bothered): The Magic Mouse uses the Broadcom BCM2042 Bluetooth chip, it’s covered in capacitive sensors from the Apple logo on up, and it’s hard to break into. Science fails to beat magic once again. [iFixit]

By Chris Scott Barr

Remember that cool video I showed you not long ago from Microsoft? I’m referring to the one that showcased all of their ideas for a multi-touch mouse. Well in a completely unsurprising move, Apple has released their own such mouse, dubbed the Magic Mouse.

This new mouse is the first to incorporate multi-touch technology. It uses only a single button, much like every other mouse Apple has released. However, the surface of the mouse tracks exactly where your fingers are, and issues commands based on that. For instance, clicking on the right side will result in a right-click. You can also use some gestures (much like the trackpads on newer MacBooks), though they are limited to scrolling, zooming and navigation back-and-forth through web pages.

Apple hasn’t always delivered the best mice, so I wouldn’t be surprised to find that this one isn’t quite up to snuff. However, I’m curious to try one out myself. You’ll find these being sold along with the new iMacs, or you can purchase it separately for $69.

[ Apple ] VIA [ Gearlog ]

Ready for some more Apple news? Good. Say goodbye to the Mighty Mouse (for reasons beyond those legal entanglements) — the Magic Mouse has arrived. Hate buttons or moving parts? So does Apple, and nothing exemplifies the company’s march towards a buttonless future more than this “two button” laser mouse, which has one button and no scroll wheel — just a multitouch surface (a hard acrylic) across the top. With the Magic Mouse you’re able to do familiar gestures from the Mac trackpad playbook such as two-finger swipes, but you can also do single-finger horizontal and vertical scrolling, complete with a software-based inertia. Sorry kids, no pinch zoom. The wireless device boasts a four-month battery life, and will be available today for $69. Full press release is after the break.

Continue reading Apple’s Magic Mouse: one button, multitouch gestures, Bluetooth, four-month battery life

Filed under: Peripherals

Apple’s Magic Mouse: one button, multitouch gestures, Bluetooth, four-month battery life originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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And here we go: the Apple Store is down, presumably to update it with all the new gear we’re expecting today. New iMacs, plastic MacBooks, multitouch input peripherals, maybe a new Airport Express — we could get everything, we could get nothing. You’ll know as soon as we do.

Filed under: Desktops, Laptops, Peripherals, Software

Apple Store down for updates, new iMac and more on the way? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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