The multi-button Mighty Mouse has been a mixed bag. The sleek design that hides the impressive functionality of four zones of separate interaction is ultimately set back by the scroll ball at the top. Most professionals I know recommend a Logitech mouse that’d more customized for ergonomics and extended use. Unfortunately, even the average user is paying a premium for a MIghty Mouse, and it’s a rare Apple product that doesn’t lead its class.

Desktop Mac users know this all too well: the scrollball rolls and the window doesn’t scroll in response. It’s got some kind of little clog in there, and no, you can’t take it apart to self-clean. You occassionally turn the mouse over and roll it around on a clean surface (probably a piece of paper) until it works again… for a few weeks, then it inevitably fails again. Flip, roll, repeat, and then you ask where the hell the quality that you paid for went.

This solution sounds like a significant quality upgrade by replacing the problem area of most hardware: physical moving parts. Solid state drives (flash memory like SD cards vs. hard drive disks) are less prone to problems because they don’t have moving parts, and the scroll ball on the Mighty Mouse is another great example of something to replace for functionality and usability.

It’s a shame it took so long, but here’s hoping it’s a perfect solution. Average users have suffered for too long, and pros have spent a lot of money upgrading from a general disappointment.