Apple Patents: Optical Touch Pad Mouse?

Sounds weird.

Any pictures? Why do you need a touch pad on a mouse?

cool, so basically a small ipod scroll wheel, but on a mouse

I think it would be neat to have a mouse without any push buttons. Apple has done a great job on the iPods with sensor buttons that I think if they came out with a wireless mouse like that I would have to buy one. Even cooler would be one with sensor pad inbetween the right and left sensor pads on the mouse that would allow u to scroll simply by sliding your finger up or down it like on laptop pads... :)

cool, so basically a small ipod scroll wheel, but on a mouse

Yes, which, incidentally, would be so much better for scrolling a document or web page. With today's scroll mice, you have to scroll the wheel, stop, move your finger back to the top of the wheel, and repeat. With something like the previous rotary mouse patent, you wouldn't have to do that. You could use your index or middle finger and scroll the page with one continuous motion.

Maybe a bit like the touch-sensitive scroll-wheel on that Kensington mouse that I can't think of the name of. Maybe it could scroll up, down, left, or right with the touch of a finger, like the iPod scroll wheel. Maybe it could be like the trackpad on the laptops, but with a hand rest.

With Apple, only two things are certain: there's no way to tell, but it's always fun to find out. :)

if it like an ipod scroll wheel ona mouse then it looks promising

If they do this right... it could be the evolution of the mouse as we know it. Think of the possibilities:

Gaming: use the mouse to control the direction of your movement, and the touchpad to move in that direction, or something like that!

Pro video/audio: built in shuttle jog in the mouse!

Web surfing: scroll up/down AND left/right with a flick of the finger!

The list goes on and on...

As long as it matches the aluminum G5, it's all good! ;)

Finally, we find out the true reason for the iPod, R&D for mice :P

but from looking at my friends laptops, which are all a few years old now, the part of the trackpad they use the most is discolored. i don't mind the laptop mouse but i use a usb one for my powerbook just to keep the trackpad looking new. and the one on the ipod you don't really use enough to wear out.