Touch this mouse

If you have an iPhone and Mac running OS X or Windows computer running XP, Vista or 7 then you really need to download Logitech's Touch Mouse (free) now. Yea I mean now. Go do it.

Now youll need to download the server to your computer from Logitecs website. But boy will you be glad you did.

See I have a Mac Mini (1.83 GHz C2D with 2 GB RAM) running Snow Leopard attached to a 46 Sony Bravia as the center of my home entertainment system. I had been using Apples wireless Magic Mouse and Wireless Alu Keyboard. But no more!

Don't get me wrong, their still needed, but for heavy typing, not when I'm doing DVD viewing, or watching Hulu, or TVU, anything which is controlled by my Mini. Now I have the perfect home media set up.

Heck, even my seven year old is able to use the Touch Mouse on the iPhone I rebuilt for him.

Heres what youll see once you have the app on your iPhone and the server on your computer. You'll get a screen that scans for your network (found mine as soon as the app opened), and then goes direct to the "pad" turning your iPhone into a trackpad with left, right and center clicks. And heres the kicker, you even have a keyboard! And the lag time and precision is basically the same as with my mouse and keyboard.

I do need to point out that the app will sense if theres another Touch Mouse running nearby controlling your particualr computer. If that's the case, you won't be able to use yours until the connected iPhone turns this app off.

Though if you're in a room with one, two or how ever many computers, each with the Touch Mouse Server loaded on it, you can controll each one with a corrosponding iPhone.

I also need to point out that it's wifi based, so it's not like you can remotely control a computer in Germany with this. At least I don't think so... You get my point, there are some limitiations. But if you have a Mac Mini or iMac or MacBook hooked up to your TV this pretty much nails down what you've been looking for, for a remote.

I've also paired my iPhone with my MacBook with server installed, and it works equally as well. What I really like about that set up is the obvious opportunities I now have to use my iPhone for remotely controlling my MacBook when I do a PowerPoint presentation.

So, do yourself a favor and get this app.

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John Painter

http://www.johnlpainter.com

Though I was born and raised in the mid coast region of Maine in the fishing village of Owls Head, I’ve traveled North America and Central Europe quite a bit. I've been married to Katalin Vecsey (a Professor at Bates College) since 1991, and in 2002 we had our first child, Kelen, we also have a Mini-Schnauzer named Spaulding.

Having grown up in rural Maine, I enjoy being outdoors, fly fishing, hunting, hiking, kayaking, snowboarding, you name it. Having been an undergraduate in Olympia Washington (just South of Seattle), and lived and worked in both Cologne, Germany and Budapest, Hungary I also have a love the metropolitan life.

Currently I’m a doctoral candidate for the Doctor of Arts degree in leadership studies at Franklin Pierce University, in Concord New Hampshire http://www.franklinpierce.edu/ my dissertation topic is on the Doctor of Arts degree itself, since it is a uniquely American degree with roots in the Great Depression as an alternative to the ubiquitous Ph.D.

My other interests include fine art and video, some of my artistic work in videography can be viewed on Vimeo at http://vimeo.com/johnpainter

You can follow along with what I’m up to on iPhone Life or Twitter http://twitter.com/johnlpainter

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Comments

Do I want the 32 bit or the

Submitted by BKatz on 2/19/10 11:15am

Do I want the 32 bit or the 64 bit server if I'm running Windows 7?

Not being a PC person, so I

Submitted by John Painter on 2/20/10 8:39am

Not being a PC person, so I may not have this down, I'd suggest you go into the Control Panel > System and look at System Type. It should specify whether you're running 32 or 64 bit OS. Good luck.

I'm finding that I have to have it running on my desktop for it to automatically turn on with OS X 10.6 on my Mac Mini. Otherwise I have to start with my mouse and click on the Touch Server to get it going. Not certain how you'll need to do it in Windows 7.

Keep me posted what you find out.

Hi John, Following your

Submitted by BKatz on 2/22/10 9:38am

Hi John, Following your suggestions I discovered that I am runniong a 32 bit system. I installed the driver and started the app but found that there was significant delay. Sometimes it even seemed that the accelerometer was getting involved as the cursor would take on a life of its own. I like the concept so I haven't deleted the app in hopes of some updates that will improve it, but for now I'll be sticking to my old mouse

Hmmm, sorry to hear that.

Submitted by John Painter on 2/22/10 3:41pm

Hmmm, sorry to hear that. Let me know though, have you looked at your setting on your iPhone and done a little experimentation? This is what my iPhone's settings look like, which is very sensitive for my Mac Mini and MacBook.

My son and I have been playing Spore with our iPhones as trackpads/keyboards, which has taken some getting used to but it's got a certain "free" feeling when I'm not on the regular keyboard and mouse even though they too are wireless.

I find that my tracking speed needs to be a tad higher than my scrolling speed, if you have some time it might be worth tinkering with your settings a little to see if you might need to dial it in.