Update: YouTuber DetroitBORG has now shared a video of Apple’s new Magic Keyboard, as well. You can view his review, hands-on, and unboxing below.
Update 2: Grand finale — Magic Trackpad 2 gets the same DetroitBORG treatment below.
Just as we expected, Apple unveiled a new family of Mac accessories yesterday including the new Magic Mouse 2 alongside updated 5K 27″ iMacs and the first 4K 21.5″ iMacs. YouTuber DetroitBORG managed to pick up Apple’s latest Bluetooth mouse on day one, giving it the full unboxing and review treatment.
Similar to Apple’s other accessories including iPhone cases, the packaging for the Magic Mouse 2 has changed since the last generation. A larger, mostly white box featuring Magic Mouse 2 graphics replaces the smaller, clear plastic packaging from the original Magic Mouse. Anyone who has ever opened the first Magic Mouse knows how tricky the old packaging could be to get through.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn6fz_6_fcw&feature=youtu.be]
The headlining change between the first Magic Mouse and Magic Mouse 2, of course, is the built-in rechargeable battery versus AA slots that needed replaced frequently. Magic Mouse 2 charges using the same Lightning cable as iPhones and iPads so Apple includes the cable in the box.
While the overall design and gestures are left mostly unchanged save for tweaked runners along the bottom, Magic Mouse 2 does feature a handy pairing method to Macs on OS X El Capitan. DetroitBORG demonstrates the new plug-and-pair feature in the video.
And while Magic Mouse 2 is said to charge up for 9 hours of use in about 2 minutes and about a month’s worth of use in just a couple hours, the Lightning port’s placement on the bottom does rule out using Magic Mouse 2 at all while charging. As demonstrated in the video, though, Apple’s new Lightning Dock intended for iPhones makes for a handy Magic Mouse 2 dock as well.
Magic Mouse 2 is available for $79, which is $10 more than the original Magic Mouse which didn’t include a Lightning cable and a built-in rechargeable battery. Magic Mouse 2 also comes standard with every new iMac (the $129 Magic Trackpad 2 is not an upgrade option; only a separate purchase).
[Oct 14]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAOJuyQ_W9Q&feature=youtu.be&a]
[Oct 16]
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hXayzj-wUY&feature=youtu.be]
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Where was the thinking behind this? So if my mouse dies I need to plug it in and find a wired mouse.
If you can’t stop work for two minutes in a day, there’s something wrong with your life.
It’s a nice justification behind Apple’s decision of putting the charger cable at the back, but could have been completely avoided if they like put it on the side front or rear. Then you could have even docked it standing upright with the iPhone dock – missed opportunities, Apple!
You’re totally missing the point. It’s an ugly sulation and I honestly expected something like this from Samsung.
Or you plug it in at night before it does. When your iPhone dies, do you find another iPhone to use?
It will have 9 hours of battery life in the time it takes you to find a wired mouse (2 minutes). Also, I’m sure OS X will inform you when the battery is getting low-ish so you can plan on charging it overnight.
While true, that’s not a problem until the battery stops working in a few years. Then you don’t have the option of using it as a wired mouse, you have to throw it away. Planned obsolescence through design is a pretty crappy thing to do.
“Magic Mouse 2 is said to charge up for 9 hours of use in about 2 minutes”
Compare this to the old Magic Mouse… if it died you would spend a lot more than 2 minutes finding and replacing your AA batteries.
I don’t understand your comment about finding a wired mouse.
Your argument is what exactly? If my current Magic Mouse dies and I have no more double AA’s in the house….I’m better off?
I cannot fathom the stupidity that fuels some people to even considering commenting.
It will charge while you refill your coffee and take a dump…
1 minute of charging gives you 1 hour of use – 2 hours gives u 1 month of use. This doesn’t sound bad, but the location is still a TERRIBLE design decision
The reason for the location is so that the overall shape and structure of the mouse didn’t have to change from its already great design.
Take a look at the mouse and you’ll see it would be impossible to keep the design and add a port where I know most people would imagine it should go.
Well it takes 2 mins to find and change batteries in a wirless mouse too like the Microsoft one i have. Of course would be great to use while charging but 2 mins for an entire day is hardly an issue.
While I’m glad that Apple is looking to redesign its peripherals from five years ago, I can’t imagine that a company that prides itself on intuitive design would release a mouse that couldn’t be used while charging. I have a $30 Logitech mouse I bought six years ago that charges via a MicroUSB cable. Not sure why Apple couldn’t implement something similar…or even investigate wireless charging.
They won’t use wireless charging until they find a way to make it proprietary! Then they can charge the earth (pun there somewhere), and you can’t legally use cheaper alternatives.
It’s the Apple way.
This x1000 – why did they not leave the lightning plug on the front of the mouse so it’d act/look like a wired mouse when charging?
I’d expected a better charging solution. This one just looks stupid.
2 minutes gets you 9 hours. 2 hours gets you 30+ days. You should probably focus on that instead of where the port is.
As I said, I’d expected a better charging solution because its Apple. I haven’t criticized the charging time, which is nice btw.
What would be better? You mean a better location for the port? Look at the mouse. There is no where else to put it. They would have to redesign the mouse (aka, compromise the ergonomic design) to make way for a port? Nope. THAT is not what you should expect from Apple.
Why is Apple still using Lightning now that USB-C is a (superbly conceived) global standard, even used to charge the MacBook 2015? I want one charger for all my devices, Apple or not. And the EU agrees, so Apple is breaking the law in Europe.
Seriously? You mean USB-C, the port that is on exactly 1 Apple product and only because it needs to be small and do power and all manner of peripherals….
…instead of Lightning, which is the most ubiquitous thing in Apple’s arsenal and will be until at least 2022, which has one primary purpose and that’s charging…..
Certainly won’t be on new iPhones beyond 2018, there’s simply no way. Here’s the thing with the lightning connector on an iPhone, and why they changed from the 30pin to it: it takes up substantial internal space, the absolute most important, valuable commodity. Believe me I’m in no way advocating wireless charging until it is truly wireless up to a meter, which won’t happen in smartphones for a decade at least, but Apple’s new two-way power and data conductive ‘Smart Connector’ has the unique ability to not take up near as much internal space, and it’s inherently waterproof.
Granted, the ‘Smart Connector’ has to be able to transfer power and data at the same speeds currently offered by the lightning connector though, and they have to have a magnet strong enough to stay connected reliably. Assuming it does though, it would obviously be the next step for iPhones. Water resistance, magnetic snap on connection to easily and quickly connect in the dark, and insanely important internal space savings.
Many folks already have a Lightning cable connected to their Mac for charging their iPhone.
If anything screams wireless charging pad, it’s this mouse. I know the whole WWSD ship has sailed, but this is just one of the ugliest devices (charging set-up) I’ve ever seen on an Apple product. Not quite as bad as charging the pencil via the iPad pro–but definitely in the same league of ‘no one wants to look at their gear like this’. Cmon, Apple.
The statement about the Magic Trackpad 2 not being an upgrade option is incorrect. When building an iMac at the Apple Online Store you can swap the Magic Mouse 2 for a Magic Trackpad 2 for a $50 charge, vs adding on the Magic Trackpad for $129.
Thanks that’s new from when it first went up. I’ll check it out.
Charging with style. Man that looks stupid.
Yeah, they really didn’t think this one through. I’ll stick with my current MM.
Really? How frequently would you be charging this thing? You all make it sound like this thing will be charging all the time. A 2 hour charge lasts a month. A 2 minute charge lasts 9 hours.
You can thank J, IVE
Oh yeah that’s Apple…always NOT thinking things through.
How about this…take 3 seconds to look at the mouse and tell me where else the port could have gone? Ok you done? So now that you realize that there is no where else for it to go…are you advocating they redesign the shape of the mouse simply to house the port that you need to use for 2 hours every month?
Right because most people will be spending all their time charging this thing. Sheesh. So you lay the mouse on its side for 2 minutes or at night while you’re sleeping. Big f’ng deal.
There are multiple reasons why this is a big deal… First off My AA wireless mouse last about 1 year before i have to replace the single AA Battery… 1 month is nothing… I rather buy 2 rechargeable batteries like I normally do and have the spare ready to go…. No waiting ;) The 2 minute wait isn’t bad in itself.. Almost seems like its a market idea to show this new charging method… Not sure.
Second once the lithium battery die… They do have a shelf life 2-3 years normally now you have a really expensive mouse that should of last longer but wont because of the charge port… In another situation you would plug the mouse in and turn it into a wired mouse…
Third Rechargeable battery has a shelf life!!!!!!!! Now you are making a purchase that will need to be replaced sooner then the average of the same product… Honestly I would never buy any mouse with a rechargeable battery… AA runs them sooo long and efficiently.
Fourth Apple prides them self on design… This is counter their design plain and simple… If you disagree you are just a fan boy.
@Chad Valentine,
Nope, not a single point you make has any validity.
1) The previous magic mouse chewed through AA’s like a bad habit
2) Rechargeable AA’s are shit.
3) “Lithiums don’t last” is a comment from the 90s.
4) Apple prides themselves on design…..which is why they didn’t compromise the design of the mouse for a fucking port.
Inductive charging (built in the iMacs foot stand for example) would have been smart…
I rather like that idea.
I agree it would look nicer. But you can’t use the mouse when it’s charging this way either. And would inductive charging give you 9 hours battery life in 2 minutes? Or 1 month in 2 hours?
The way I’d see it working is when I get up from my desk, I just habitually move the mouse to the monitor foot. Then it’s always charged.
I get the distinct feeling that Apple designed this charging scheme as a short-term solution to get them by until Magic Mouse 3 that will either be powered by fuel-cell or solar (from ambient light).
Fuel cell is a garbage power solution. Smart people don’t want to exchange or refuel fuel cells over recharging an internal rechargeable battery. Sorry, but I don’t care that a fuel cell could last a week if I have to replace or refill them, that is no solution that Apple will be employing I guarantee that. As for solar? No where near enough power for that to work yet.
Why does Apple say that 10.11 is required? Will this work with older systems such as 10.10? Do just need El Capitan to auto pair through the lightning connector?
So I’ve been watching Casey Neistat’s videos for quite some time. After seeing him do Mail Time or that one video when he unboxed his new MacBook Pro (here: https://youtu.be/9wYDphef_Zo?t=6m8s), I found the unboxing video in this article incredibly bland and boring.
ha ha ha… I stopped breathing for a moment when I saw that video!!!
I’d like to hear about the gesture use compared to the previous model.
Here is the thing. Many are presenting the charge time and saying it will take that long to find batteries. The problem with this line of logic is it presents a false choice. You shouldn’t need to choose between the speed of charging and usability while charging (because of port location). Why can’t you have the fast charging with a port location that makes it act like a wired mouse while charging?
Unsure I like the idea of an internal non-removable battery. I have sets of rechargeable batteries on stand-by, so whenever I need to replace them it takes seconds, not 2 hours. Plus I agree with other comments, the lightning connector is badly located.
The lightning port should have definitely been on the front so it can be used while charging if necessary. Major fail.
Also while plugged in it should have had the option to run as a wired mouse. Wired put devices are just better until someone proves me wrong…
For people saying it should have had the socket on the front so you can use it while charging, there’s obviously a reason why Apple thought this solution was better. To be candid, they’re better product designers than anyone here! I suspect the wire would get in the way, the mouse is small and low; your fingers drape all over it.
Maybe they don’t want people using it plugged in for other reasons. A socket on the front would spoil the aesthetics quite a bit.
And as others have mentioned, the quick charge makes the whole point moot
Sorry but not in the case of the mouse. They refuse to design based on a humans hand and refuse to separate buttons. These mice will continue to be stuck in a drawer collecting dust when I order my iMacs.
The placement of this port may not cause any problems but is still incredibly stupid. Also shy not go for an USB Type-C port and only use Lightning for the iPhone and iPad? This makes no sense at all.
does the glass panel of the mouse contain new anti-scratch tech? my old MM’s glass plate is scratched. would hate for a manufacturing decision to cause a class action lawsuit of tens of millions of mice worldwide having to be replaced/refunded due to avoidable scratches caused by Apple’s inability to put the cable port onto the side of the device. Sheesh.
Im sorry, but like 3rd picture clearly points out, you will be still using a Logitech mouse. Its made for human hands not someones hands who have been run over by a car and flattened.
Here’s my fun. Unboxed brand new retina iMac. Plugged in keyboard. Turned on Magic Mouse. Tried to do the setup… wouldn’t see the mouse. Are you Kidding me?! Digs in box for wired mouse. Grrr.
Lets put it this was. Steve Jobs would have NEVER put the charging port on the bottom of the mouse!