I HATE THE MAGIC MOUSE! Any suggestions for a solid alternative for graphics use?

Check the various Wacom pen tablets. Make sure the drivers are compatible with your installed operating system, and don't upgrade until the drivers are also compatible.

I feel your pain. The "Magic Mouse" has too much stuff going on. If you can't eliminate enough features through System Preferences to get the level of control you need most any BlueTooth mouse will work with the iMac. I would steer away from the ones that have a proprietary reciever. Amazon has lots to choose from.

What is the problem with just using a good old fashioned WIRED mouse? When we spec computers for purchase for use by our graphic design, animation and digital photo student lab systems, we always go with a wired mouse.. Better control and more reliable operation are the reasons. The fact that they are less likely to "wander off" is another big plus for us.

We also go with wired, with numeric keypad, keyboards so we do not have to worry about batteries going down on either mouse or keyboard./ Yep, it is a step backward in technology but reliablity and ease of use trumps "bleeding edge" technology in this case.

If you want you can also have the Magic Mouse on the system but either shut off or stuck up in some corner of the desk where you won't hit it by accident. That way if you do decide you need the "touch pad" features, they are still available.

Message was edited by: Joe Pyrdek to add the paragraph about using both wireless and wired on the same system.

I second the suggestion for a wired mouse. I use a Logitech USB mouse with scroll wheel that bought for $10 eight years ago. It's the best mouse I've ever used. It just works. Never does it do anything unexpected, unlike the Magic Mouse, that's always doing something unexpected even if I look at it the wrong way.

With the wire you also don't have to worry about dropped connections or batteries to charge/replace. I'll happily take a wire on my desk if it means I never have to deal with AA batteries again.

Wireless infrared mice work and track pretty accurately, too!

I own and use an older Logitech MX1000 Laser mouse.

Works and tracks great and I use it for Photoshop and 3D/CG projects for years.

I agree, though that wired mice eliminate and potential for tracking issues or tracking accuracy.

The Magic Mouse is a piece of junk for any type of graphic, illustration or technical work require precision mouse tracking/accuracy.

The Logitech MX100 is a rechargeable mouse with a long life lithium battery cell.

The mouse also has an on/off switch to conserve battery life.

Works awesome with my all of my Macs!

I have to agree with you. I finally threw my MM in the trash. Got so tired of it not working. I'll never buy another one as a friend of mine had the exact same issue. The MM would just quit tracking. I tried every trick in the book. I just chalk it up to a defective product. Track pad will be fine and I may look in to getting a Logitech.

Why are you resurrecting a year and half old posting????

I also hate the Apple Magic Mouse so I use my Dell Wheel mouse and I never have any issues of any time.

I also suggest you use a wheel mouse. They are fantastic and wonderful. They attach with a usb cord.

Considering you are posting in a three year old thread, I'd assume that the OP might have found a product they can live with after all this time.

OMG I dislike immensely, to put it lightly, the apple magic mouse. What a production nightmare. I bought the new Imac 5k Retina with the core i7 Intel and 32 gigs of ram. I am excited with the exception of the piece of feces magic mouse. It has caused me to swear more in the past few weeks than I ever have. And you can not reduce it's functionality enough in the preferences to make it usable. So I am off to walmart to buy a cheap pos mouse that will be totally usable as opposed to the magic mouse which is NOT. Do not buy this mouse if you are a serious production artist. You will hate it. If you claim that you love this mouse, you are not a serious production artist in any discipline.

Apple has always done a fairly good job in balancing design with functionality, but Apple has a long history of totally bombing it with their mouse products.

Have you tried the Apple Trackpad? It's orders of magnitude better than any Apple mouse.

I am NOT a big fan of trackpads for design use.

Same sort of tracking issues. Usually not adequate accuracy for precision use.

Mice are still one of the best input devices for precision design work.

The trackpad's area isn't too conducive to large screen iMacs and other third party larger screen monitors, either.

I use a Wacom wired USB 9" x12" tablet with 3 different digital pens and Wacom's precision digitizer mouse.

I have used this type of setup for years and I have found it very ideal for ALL of the different graphic design work, digital drawing/painting work and precision technical drawing illustration work and CAD design/illustration work.

I'm glad I seen this post about the Magic Mouse. I'm having problems with tracking and the mouse making erratic behavior sometimes. I was thinking that the problem was Firefox or Safari Browsers. Looks like I'll be going to buy a new Non-Apple mouse this week to fix the problem on this New 27" Mac. 😉

Make sure to purchase a mouse that is made for Macs and OS X.

Not all are.

You may have to resort to purchasing a Mac compatible mouse online.

Out of box, they will do some basic mouse functions, but if you need more mouse controls when using your Mac, you need to find one that says Mac/OS X compatible somewhere on the packaging.

Logitech is down to one completely recent and OS X compatible mouse.

Microsoft isn't making mice for Macs, any longer.

Look at Kensington mice for Macs.

http://www.kensington.com/us/us/4487/mice#.V5XQ9Vj3ah8

Macally looks as if it's out of business in the U.S., but you msybe able to find their older Mac mice on amazon, as well.

OR

on Amazon.

Good Luck!