Live data from Hacker News

Apple Magic Trackpad

apple.com

91–100 of 170 posts

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#91
Now that all macs can take advantage of gestures, I wonder when Apple will include some of the iOS inertial scrolling to OS X. It's such a simple change that (for me) makes a big difference in functionality. I was happy to see inertial scrolling added to Google Maps not too long ago.

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#92
post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

while in coding mode I hardly ever use the pointing device anyways, but control my environment using the keyboard alone. But while browsing or looking up documentation, I need the pointing device and then the accuracy and the gestures of the trackpad come in very handily.

I agree (using Vim or Vim bindings for all coding work), but have you used the standard wireless mouse that comes with the newer iMacs? It has some gesture support on its top surface (like momentum scrolling) that I couldn't live without. I'm just wondering if you think the trackpad is better than their mouse. I've only played around with it at the store. Worth the upgrade do you think?

I have a Magic Mouse for my work computer and use a MBP for personal stuff. Personally I actually preferred the Might Mouse over the Magic Mouse. While the multitouch is cool and I do use it a lot, it oftentimes takes a few tries for it to recognize the two finger swipe. I find the trackpad to be the best interaction device I've ever used. Your mileage may vary however. :)

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#93
post #4

Finally some of the stuff from fingerworks starts to surface as add-ons products for desktops. I've been wanting something to replace my long dead fingerworks keyboard, so I for one am happy. Now... if only there were drivers for something other than just OSX.

I would replace my mouse at work with this in a heartbeat, but I'm a .net developer by day and need those windows drivers. (I use an MBP at home) I think they're missing a huge opportunity here by not providing those drivers. Obviously an opportunity they have decided they don't care about, I just wish they did.

Windows drivers will probably be included in a future Boot Camp update.

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#94
post #4

Finally some of the stuff from fingerworks starts to surface as add-ons products for desktops. I've been wanting something to replace my long dead fingerworks keyboard, so I for one am happy. Now... if only there were drivers for something other than just OSX.

I would replace my mouse at work with this in a heartbeat, but I'm a .net developer by day and need those windows drivers. (I use an MBP at home) I think they're missing a huge opportunity here by not providing those drivers. Obviously an opportunity they have decided they don't care about, I just wish they did.

Drivers for the magic mouse were released so you could use it on bootcamp, maybe they're not that far in the pipeline.

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#95
post #77
post #41

Does anyone know if this will have some sort of way to trigger a "middle click", like when one clicks on the scroll wheel? As far as I've seen with Apple mice, they've never had support for middle click.

The Magic Mouse supports a three-finger click, which is interpreted as a middle click.

Uhh, no it doesn't. At least not without third party software.

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would replace my mouse at work with this in a heartbeat, but I'm a .net developer by day and need those windows drivers. (I use an MBP at home) I think they're missing a huge opportunity here by not providing those drivers. Obviously an opportunity they have decided they don't care about, I just wish they did.

Drivers for the magic mouse were released so you could use it on bootcamp, maybe they're not that far in the pipeline.

Are those "fully functional"? Do they allow gestures? Even just having two-finger horizontal (well, 360-degree) scrolling would be great.

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#97
post #36

Back in the days, I always preferred the Trackpoints the IBM ThinkPads used and I never quite liked the trackpads. I'm even going as far as to say that I'm quite the trackpad hater - they never felt precise to me and required way too frantic finger movement to be really comfortable for me. But when I moved to Apple hardware, I basically was stuck with the trackpads, but this time around, it was different. The bigger…

So, Apple trackpads are better in that they are more precise? Not being a Mac user, it's hard for me to understand what advantage a trackpad like this gives over any other third-party trackpad, other than the multitouch capability. Please help me understand why people are gushing over a $70 trackpad (even made by Apple), when most people mock similar input devices costing over $30.

I've got a $100 Wacom tablet that doubles as a multitouch trackpad. Even though it is far larger than any of Apple's trackpads, it is still much less useful as a trackpad because the lower accuracy makes the multitouch gestures too unreliable to become natural. On my MacBook Pro, I use jitouch to expand the repertoire of gestures to more than a dozen that I use regularly. On the Wacom Bamboo, I seldom bother with anything other than two-finger scrolling, and I doubt that it has the accuracy to support the range of gestures that jitouch has. (Although much of this could be due to the drivers.)

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#98
post #37
post #4

Finally some of the stuff from fingerworks starts to surface as add-ons products for desktops. I've been wanting something to replace my long dead fingerworks keyboard, so I for one am happy. Now... if only there were drivers for something other than just OSX.

Some of us still use our FingerWorks TouchStream keyboards :-) (and keep two spares, in case the main one ever breaks)

And some of us got to play in the original figerworks lab...

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#99
post #8

I'm amazed that Apple seems so set on the AA battery format for desk peripherals that it is releasing a AA battery charger with the trackpad. I don't find AA objectionable, but Apple's marketing regarding removable batteries centers around "we can pack more battery in by eliminating the packaging."

I actually think that they released an AA battery charger because of the retail stores. After the Apple staff ring up a person for a keyboard and mouse, they can easily make the suggestion to purchase their rechargeable batteries.

The performance for rechargeables vary quite a bit as well. Apple might be trying to control the all parts of the experience by providing good rechargeables.

Re: Apple Magic Trackpad

#100
post #36

Back in the days, I always preferred the Trackpoints the IBM ThinkPads used and I never quite liked the trackpads. I'm even going as far as to say that I'm quite the trackpad hater - they never felt precise to me and required way too frantic finger movement to be really comfortable for me. But when I moved to Apple hardware, I basically was stuck with the trackpads, but this time around, it was different. The bigger…

So, Apple trackpads are better in that they are more precise? Not being a Mac user, it's hard for me to understand what advantage a trackpad like this gives over any other third-party trackpad, other than the multitouch capability. Please help me understand why people are gushing over a $70 trackpad (even made by Apple), when most people mock similar input devices costing over $30.

For me the big advantage of Apple's trackpads is their size. More surface area equals less finger repositioning and more reasonable tracking/acceleration speeds. I bought a Waccom Bamboo, wired not wireless, for $99 so I don't think Apple's $70 price tag is unreasonable.
Post reply on HN