Not totally sure if this is the right place to post this…but recently, I was on the toilet, and had an epiphany. Perhaps Framework should create a mouse, also made of aluminum to match the colour of the corresponding laptop, that operates over Bluetooth. Unlike typical mice, which use USB dongles, this mouse would also use a USB dongle—except this one would come as an expansion card, perhaps with a built in USB port so one could use it as both a USB port and as a mouse dongle that doesn’t obnoxiously stick out. Thoughts?
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Hi and welcome to the forum and nice to know you were on the toilet.
As for the mouse, hmm! I think Framework have enough in their cage on their plate and . . .
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The toilet or bathroom, a classic place to have grand thoughts. 
My most recent mice and keyboards also support BlueTooth, although I haven’t connected my Framework to them.
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If your goal is just a mouse that operates over both bluetooth and a USB dongle, a lot of the logitech mice do this, as does the razer atheris. The razer atheris also uses AA batteries, so no planned obsolescence there. Their USB dongles wouldn’t be nicely integrated into an expansion card, but using bluetooth avoids the need for any dongle at all.
That all being said, I’m super pleased with the quality of all the hardware I’ve received from frame.work so if they make a mouse, regardless of its module-integration status, I’m going to seriously consider getting it. Keeping with the spirit of frame.work’s user-replaceable parts for longevity and such, it would make a lot of sense for them to have user-replaceable switches under the buttons. Perhaps standard cherry mx mechanical keyboard switches would work? If you get the clicky kind and start with them already partially depressed to reduce travel distance it might be close to a normal mouse.
Edit: also the steelseries rebel 3 is bluetooth + usb dongle + user replaceable batteries in standard form factor (AAA)
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So, I like the idea going here, but there are ~so~ many mice out there because so many people have very specific demands. Making a specific-to-framework mouse that people would actually be happy with would probably take a ton of work for a fairly minimal take rate.
That said, obviously the thing already has Bluetooth and USB-A ports which covers wired and some wireless mice, I think making a 2.4 radio/USB combo module that’s easily programmable would be really nice to cover the rest of the wireless mouse existing cornucopia.
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Those looking to hide their keyboard/mouse dongles might want to take a look at this thread: Dongle Hider
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While i’m sure Framework has a lot on their plate, there is something I wish a company would do with their products. While AA batteries are great and very common, giving the option to use them means a lot of users will use single-use alkaline batteries that are very wasteful. I wish that there was a way to have a standardized battery form factor that was explicitly rechargeable and optimized to get the most out of its space, that would be hot swappable, so you don’t have to fiddle around with swapping individual batteries and charging others. When one dies, you can slide it out, pop a full one in, and put the dead one on a charger. If Framework made a mouse, I hope they’d do this. I hate having mice and gamepads that die at the worst times and mess things up because of it.
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There are a number of rechargeable AA batteries, I had some for 16 years
Rechargeable AA Batteries AA Batteries are the most commonly used battery world-wide,
https://www.batterystation.co.uk/rechargeable-batteries/rechargeable-aa-batteries.html
As for voltage options see
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Wouldn’t 18650s qualify for that? I don’t think anyone has ever made disposable 18650s, and you get significantly better power density since its lithium instead of NiMH. Unfortunately, the only device that I own that takes raw 18650s is my flashlight (though many battery packs for larger devices like my robotic vacuum are made of multiple 18650s welded together with a battery management system attached). I’m just not sure we can trust the average consumer to not puncture them and start a fire.
As a (surprisingly) unpopular idea in this thread, I like the concept of a Framework mouse plus passthrough+dongle expansion card. The card would obviously need some sort of laser engraving on the outside (looks very nice on the framework cards, see the storage card decoration thread) to demarcate it from normal port cards, but even a little mouse glyph would suffice and not compromise the minimal look too much. I’d sacrifice the bandwidth to my USB-C dock in a heartbeat if I could multiplex it with a mouse dongle solely through an expansion card.
I’d love to have the mouse be primarily hardware with a cheaply made plastic body and open CAD files for users to design their own mouse bodies to suit their needs, which would fit the Framework ideology as well. I don’t think a metal body would look or feel that nice. Imagine one person creates an ergonomic tilted body, while another replicates the Apple mouse with a better charge port location, etc etc.
For some reason, the idea of a flexy plastic button stylized like the Framework logo (not unlike the VESA mount case’s power button with more branding) to hit the DPI switch is very attractive to me as well.
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@amoun Yeah you’re right, I’ve had rechargeable AAs and AAAs for years now. I think what I’m thinking of is some kind of case to put them in so they’re hot swappable. My annoyance with regular rechargeable batteries is that when they die it’s a bit of a hassle to take them out individually, swap them with charged ones, and put the dead ones on the charger. With my Xbox controller I’d often be in a time-sensitive moment in a game and my controller dies, causing disruptions and I’d lose the game. Maybe there’s a way to make hot swappable battery cases that can be switched quickly and charged with any standard charger…
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Haha,
I like this idea, a nice framework themed mouse (and/or Keyboard) to go with the laptop for use when it’s appropriate.
Of course, the receiver must be its own expansion card! Since a dongle will take up your usb-a port already, heck, why not keep your nice form factor without a little ni(pple)b sticking out!
Probably a ways off in terms of something licenced, but I’m sure some enthusiast out there will take their Logitech/Razer dongle and stick it in an expansion card.
Best Regards,
Varg
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The travel is too far, maybe the new Low Profile Cherry MX might work, I remember optical switches are better.
Y’know what would be cool? A battery expansion card that you pop in the FW laptop to charge with like LEDs on the side to indicate charge state and then you put that in the mouse as a power source.
Alternatively you can use the USB-C port where you put the battery card into as just a port you plug a cable into which then transforms it into a wired mouse.
Would love some feedback! Might make this into a little winter break project. 
Random Idea, what about something similar to what HP was doing back in the day with their Pop-Out Mouse:
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