Bottoms were the problem with the old Magic Mouse. They kept falling off. Long-suffering users will therefore be glad to hear that the Magic Mouse 2 has left all that behind: Its derrière is a copper-bottomed triumph. No longer does the battery compartment flap keep falling off when you least expect it. And the good news doesn’t end there because the MM2 overcomes another of the original’s foibles when it comes to batteries.
Let’s face it, MM1 was a very fussy rodent when it came to batteries. The slightest variation in battery tolerance and you are plagued with frequent connection problems. In the end, I caved in and accepted that about the only batteries the Magic Mouse I was entirely happy with were Apple’s own rechargeable units.
Even then, the original mouse – in common with the Wireless Keyboard and trackpad – had a voracious appetite for batteries of any kind.
Smooth bottom
So a welded-shut bottom and non-replaceable rechargeable batteries must be a scamper in the right direction for this mouse. All the new magic devices, including the Magic Mouse 2, have a Lightning port which allows them to be charged from any USB outlet.
And, when connected to the computer, the devices can be used even without Bluetooth connection, in effect becoming wired. Yet while both the keyboard and trackpad can be used as wired devices, not so with the mouse unfortunately.
The Lightning port on the mouse is right there on the bottom, the bit that needs to sit on a flat surface to be able to work. It’s a pity the port couldn’t have been situated on one of the sides, thus allowing the mouse to be used without wireless connection in emergency (such as when the iMac boots and Bluetooth isn’t working).
The new mouse is a fraction longer than the old one but you won’t really notice this. In operation it is very much business as usual, with all the usual multi-touch capabilities. But this business is totally hassle free and is a welcome improvement on the old mouse. Pairing is ultra-simply, all you do is connect the Lightning cable and the mouse is up and running.
Of the three new input devices, the Magic Mouse is the one that is a definite upgrade must. If you are still struggling with the old Magic Mouse, feeding it with batteries and waiting for its bottom to fall off, then £65 is well spent on its successor.