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Apple Magic Trackpad- What's the Point?

Jonathan Stevenson

Jonathan Stevenson

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Seriously... I just don't get it. I'll take a mouse over a trackpad any day of the week. Someone please explain this to me?
 
I dont like the current mac mouse, its just a pain in the ass and the mighty mouse was always breaking so maybe this will work....maybe.
 
I have a MBP so, I already have a multi-touch pad, though i use a Logitech mouse instead.

More buttons + scroll wheel + dedicated expose button + comfort = awesome!

Though if I was to get a desktop I would consider the multi-touch trackpad, though not on it's own.
 
But have you ever tried editing with a trackpad on a laptop? It's ridiculous. To me, trackpads have always been a handicap on a laptop, not an advantage. So why would you want to give your desktop a handicap??

Maybe I'd change my mind if I played with one of these in person but I just don't get it.
 
this is a much bigger pad so I am hoping it will be more comfortable, and more accurate than the poor excuse for a mouse apple now sells
 
Jonathan Stevenson said:
But have you ever tried editing with a trackpad on a laptop? It's ridiculous. To me, trackpads have always been a handicap on a laptop, not an advantage. So why would you want to give your desktop a handicap??

Maybe I'd change my mind if I played with one of these in person but I just don't get it.
Click to expand...

I have tried editing with the trackpad. Not something I care to repeat.
 
Jonathan Stevenson said:
Seriously... I just don't get it. I'll take a mouse over a trackpad any day of the week. Someone please explain this to me?
Click to expand...

Have you ever used the multitouch track pad that is on macbook/pros?

It's not that hard to understand, someone at apple decided there was enough people interested in this to sell it as an alternative option for the magic mouse, which I like BTW.

The trackpad is very pleasing for everyday use you just don't want to photoshop or game with it.
 
The one possible use would have been to replace Wacom tablets but it doesn't have a pressure sensor. Not super impressed.
 
it was time to change the style we use input devices
like it and will tell my kids that we used mice tooooo long - till 2010

like invention times ( RED is also iNvention and still iNventing )
 
I also like the magic mouse, don't see why everyone has a beef with it. I've just never found trackpads to be a pleasant experience. Maybe because they're too small? The bigger one could be better?
 
For everyone that has a iPhone / touch iPod, you can kinda test drive the multi-touchpad on your desktop using the logitech mouse app (for Free!) :

Download Touch Mouse in two-steps:
1) Get the Touch Mouse App for your iPhone or iPod touch from the App Store
2) Download Touch Mouse Server software and install it on your computer.

I am sure that it isn't quite the same as the Magic Trackpad, but I would wager its is pretty close.. I am undecided myself on the Home Theater PC front, but there is no way I would ever use it for editing.

.02

Edit: saw Mark said the same
 
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For me I want this for my home theatre mac mini. I actually wrote apple asking them to incorporate the track pad into their wireless keyboard. I am going to use a small long metal plate and some velcro to hook the two together as sitting on the couch, using a mouse doesn't work that well. And, all other keyboards I have tried, including ALL the Logitech versions, are really horrible for couch computing on my projection system.
 
@ Rick - I pretty much tried everything for my HTPC setup, but landed on this ::

http://www.frys.com/product/6159569?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Not ideal, but for the couch, its pretty small and out of the way. My only gripe is no light on the keyboard, but I mouse for almost everything

(the windows key doubles as the apple key)
 
Oh nice! I hadn't seen that one. I've been using the PS3 keyboard that Logitech made which is missing the windows button so I have to use some third party utility to get the command key.

Thanks for sharing!
 
For those wondering why people would want this, it's funny - when I bought my Macbook Pro in '07, I bought a mouse with it, because I hated trackpads and figured I'd never use one.

I think I've only ever used my mouse for Color - because of no middle-click on the trackpad.

I don't even have the larger, multitouch/gesture ones. But the size, smoothness, and the two-finger scrolling were enough for me to look into ways to break it out and make it a USB peripheral. I can do pretty much anything (including editing) faster and better with my trackpad.

Kinda wish they didn't call it "magical," and that they had a real middle-click solution, but if I get a desktop, I'm getting this trackpad.
 
Jonathan Stevenson said:
Seriously... I just don't get it. I'll take a mouse over a trackpad any day of the week. Someone please explain this to me?
Click to expand...

It's a forerunner to the replacing the iMac keyboard with a flat touch input device. Apple plans way ahead on getting people used to new UI paradigms.

-michael zaletel
 
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