From another list: CUPERTINO, CA, April 1, 2015 -- Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) today announces the ultimate refinement in pointer technology: the zero-button mouse. "We found that the button was confusing users," said Sir Jonathan Ive, Vice President of Design. The zero-button mouse uses a flexible antenna, which Apple calls the tail. In order to left click, the user grabs the mouse by the tail, and swings it to the left. Right clicking is similar, but swinging to the right. Scrolling is accomplished by swinging the mouse towards or away from the user. The zero-button mouse is available in three collections: Apple Zero Mouse Sport in aluminum, Apple Zero Mouse in stainless steel, and the Apple Zero Mouse Edition, 18-carat gold. A white rubber tail is standard, but optional tails are available in black and red leather, titanium mesh, and carbon fiber. Pricing and Availability: All models and tails are available for purchase starting today, April 1, 2015. Pricing for the Zero Mouse Sport is $34.95, the Zero Mouse is $49.95, and the Zero Mouse Edition is $995.00. The leather tails are $14.95 each, the titanium mesh tail $24.95, and the carbon fiber tail is $799.95. WATCH for this one!! With this innovation, the era of button-down mice seems to be ending (somewhat like shirts?), despite seemingly regressively replacing the one-button, two-button, and three-button mouse. It is rumored that Microsoft is planning a competing voice-operated no-button mouse, albeit possibly with a built-in optional keyboard for people with small fingers. Google is expected to compete with its own autonomouse, which can move (autonomousely) *without* user control -- or if a user is particularly gifted, with perceptive mind control -- in either case, proactively anticipating user intent, and automatically avoiding collisions and interference with any other user's mouse. The potential risks are left as an exercise to the reader. (PGN) ------------------------------ I note that one of my irritations with the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is that the battery-powered stylus has a tendency to activate items that are merely pointed to in passing, without actually being touched. I rather hope that this is not a taste of Things To Come. David Gillett PCSOFT's List Owners: Bob Wright<[log in to unmask]> Mark Rode<[log in to unmask]>