Matty Benedetto makes delightfully silly things under the brand of unnecessary inventions, like standing keyboards instead of standing desks.All of them are equally quirky, but most have one thing in common: they do work.Sadly, that’s not the case with the latest UI projects…
Apple’s placement of the Magic Mouse’s charging port on the bottom of the accessory to prevent it from being used while charging has been one of the most ludicrous examples of what some see as the company’s obsession with form over function.
The problem isn’t as big as many of these complaints suggest.Apple claims a two-minute charge will get you through the rest of the day, and while that may not be true, charging the flat mouse battery while you’re drinking a cup of coffee will definitely get you through the day.Next.
We’ve looked at options that Apple could solve with a redesign before, but Benedetto decided to try and solve the problem with an existing design.
Like many other loyal Apple users, Benedetto loves most of the Mighty Mouse 2, except that when its rechargeable battery dies, it has to be flipped over and rendered unusable to charge.So, through determination, 3D printing, and YouTube hits, they devised what they thought was a clever solution to a problem.
Starting with a Lightning charging cable with a right-angle connector on the end, Benedetto designed and 3D printed a lifter for the back of the Magic Mouse 2 that rolls on a pair of metal ball bearings.The lift allows the mouse to still slide around the table while connected to a power source and charging.
The problem they discovered right away was a simple but puzzling one: When the Mighty Mouse 2 was connected to a power source, it stopped working.It charges just fine, but the rest of it just shuts down until the Lightning charging cable is disconnected.
It’s unclear why.Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpad can still function while charging.But the Magic Mouse, no.Sadly, this not entirely unnecessary invention also proved unsuccessful.Check out the video below.
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Ben Lovejoy is a UK tech writer and EU editor at 9to5Mac.Known for his columns and diaries, he explores his experience with Apple products over time for a more comprehensive review.He also writes novels, with two tech thrillers, several sci-fi shorts and a romantic comedy!
Post time: Jul-26-2022