Apple's new $69 Magic Trackpad allows multi-touch gestures on desktop
Apple has brought the multi-touch gestures available to MacBook users to the desktop with its new $69 Magic Trackpad, as well as a new battery charger for wireless devices like the Magic Trackpad, Apple keyboard, and Magic Mouse.
Magic Trackpad
The Magic Trackpad offers Apple's patented multi-touch technology through a smooth glass and aluminum design. It enables users to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with fingertips and swipe three fingers to flip through a collection of Web pages or photos.
The Magic Trackpad can be configured to support single button or two button commands and supports tap-to-click as well as a physical click.
Photos of Apple's Magic Trackpad first leaked earlier this summer, showing the multitouch desktop accessory before it was even announced. Earlier this month, the device received FCC approval, though at the time it was simply identified as a mysterious Bluetooth device.
Apple first brought multi-touch functionality to its desktops last year with the Magic Mouse, a Bluetooth wireless mouse that allows users to use their fingers to scroll and zoom via the surface of the hardware. Every iMac and Mac Pro comes with the Magic Mouse, though users can now order the new Magic Trackpad for $69 as an option.
Apple Battery Charger
Apple claims its new Battery Charger sets a new industry standard by having the lowest standby power usage value ? or "vampire draw" ? of any similar charger on the market. That's the energy most chargers continue to draw after their batteries are fully charged.
Instead, the Apple Battery Charger senses when its batteries are done charging and automatically reduces the amount of power it needs. In addition, the reusable batteries that come with each Apple Battery Charger are designed to maintain a high charge capacity for hundreds of charges, so you no longer have to buy new batteries or toss them every few months.
Each Apple Battery Charger comes with six AA NiMH batteries, intended to allow users to run their keyboard keyboard and mouse or trackpad, while allowing two more for spare charging.
"Unlike many other reusable batteries, these batteries have an incredibly long service life ? up to 10 years," Apple said. "Which means you can finally break the cycle of buying and disposing of those toxic, single-use alkaline batteries. The batteries that come with the Apple Battery Charger kit also have an extraordinarily low self-discharge rate. Even after a year of sitting in a drawer, they still retain 80 percent of their original charge. That way you always have backup power when you need it."
Magic Trackpad
The Magic Trackpad offers Apple's patented multi-touch technology through a smooth glass and aluminum design. It enables users to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with fingertips and swipe three fingers to flip through a collection of Web pages or photos.
The Magic Trackpad can be configured to support single button or two button commands and supports tap-to-click as well as a physical click.
Photos of Apple's Magic Trackpad first leaked earlier this summer, showing the multitouch desktop accessory before it was even announced. Earlier this month, the device received FCC approval, though at the time it was simply identified as a mysterious Bluetooth device.
Apple first brought multi-touch functionality to its desktops last year with the Magic Mouse, a Bluetooth wireless mouse that allows users to use their fingers to scroll and zoom via the surface of the hardware. Every iMac and Mac Pro comes with the Magic Mouse, though users can now order the new Magic Trackpad for $69 as an option.
Apple Battery Charger
Apple claims its new Battery Charger sets a new industry standard by having the lowest standby power usage value ? or "vampire draw" ? of any similar charger on the market. That's the energy most chargers continue to draw after their batteries are fully charged.
Instead, the Apple Battery Charger senses when its batteries are done charging and automatically reduces the amount of power it needs. In addition, the reusable batteries that come with each Apple Battery Charger are designed to maintain a high charge capacity for hundreds of charges, so you no longer have to buy new batteries or toss them every few months.
Each Apple Battery Charger comes with six AA NiMH batteries, intended to allow users to run their keyboard keyboard and mouse or trackpad, while allowing two more for spare charging.
"Unlike many other reusable batteries, these batteries have an incredibly long service life ? up to 10 years," Apple said. "Which means you can finally break the cycle of buying and disposing of those toxic, single-use alkaline batteries. The batteries that come with the Apple Battery Charger kit also have an extraordinarily low self-discharge rate. Even after a year of sitting in a drawer, they still retain 80 percent of their original charge. That way you always have backup power when you need it."
Comments
I wonder how popular this device will become. There will be some people who find it useful, but I can't help but think there are a lot more people who won't find a need for it.
That's what people said about te iPad
It enables users to scroll smoothly up and down a page with inertial scrolling, pinch to zoom in and out, rotate an image with fingertips and swipe three fingers to flip through a collection of Web pages or photos.
That's it? Fingerworks' iGesture pad from almost ten years ago did a heck of a lot more than that. Okay, the iGesture cost quite a bit more, but it was worth it. That had a whole ranges of gestures, each using one to five fingers, not just limited to three. I remember being able to control the mouse cursor, text cursor, click, double click, right click, center click, cut, copy, paste, zoom, open file/app, close window, quit application, scroll up/down/left/right, find, command-tab through applications, press "enter," and a bunch more functions that I can't recall now.
Unless they upgrade this, I'm not buying, especially at $70. How disappointing. In terms of "magic," this is like some kid's party prestidigitator compared to iGesture as Merlin. Damn you, Apple, how could you buy such a powerful portfolio of technology and water it down so much?
That's what people said about te iPad
But technically he's right. There are hundreds of millions or BILLIONS of people who find they don't have a need for one
Personally, I'm going to get one. 2-finger scrolling and 2D scrolling works great on my MacBook, and isn't quite as easy with a mouse. And this should be more kid-proof than my current mice.
Some people here said the want a Mac with a touchscreen. It has (rightly!) been pointed out that this is all but ergonomic. I think the Magic Trackpad is actually the touch Mac - in a real ergonomic way.
Exactly. Everyone wanting a touch-screen Mac missed the most fundamental point: this kind of technology is appropriate for small devices only. No way to do all kinds of UI manipulations from a sitting position by touching a 27" screen for hours.
It depends on if/when Apple will build onscreen keyboards that will work with this trackpad.
I think this could actually be the perfect remote for couch surfing/navigating of your mac or apple tv.
It depends on if/when Apple will build onscreen keyboards that will work with this trackpad.
You don't need them. The wireless Apple keyboard is more practical and it is probably conceived that small for that reason (using it in unusual positions like while on the couch).
If I had $70 burning a hole in my pocket, I might pick one up for work, though. But I think I'd pick up a SpaceNavigator first.
- Jasen.