Apple's new Magic Trackpad clicks, has unique three-finger gesture
Released Tuesday, Apple's Magic Trackpad acts just like a bigger version of the multi-touch trackpads found on the company's notebook computers, though it does include one new, unique gesture for moving windows.
The customizable device can have certain features enabled or disabled through software, including options such as tap-to-click. Like the trackpad on a current MacBook or MacBook Pro, the entire surface can be pushed for a physical click as well.
According to Engadget, the hardware also comes with one exclusive new feature: a three-finger gesture that allows users to drag windows around quickly.
Much like can already be done on a Mac desktop via the Magic Mouse, the Magic Trackpad offers standard multi-touch gestures, including two-finger scrolling, pinch to zoom, rotate, and three-finger swiping. Users can also invoke Expose or switch between applications by using four fingers, all capabilities previously found on the company's notebook multi-touch trackpads.
In the Magic Trackpad's software settings, users can enable or disable tap to click, dragging, drag lock, a localized secondary click (such as tapping in a specific corner of the trackpad). Other features include inertia-based scrolling, screen zoom, pinch to open and close, and the aforementioned new three-finger dragging.
"It's made with smooth, wear-resistant glass that feels great to the touch," Apple said. "And it?s nearly 80 percent larger than the built-in trackpad on the MacBook Pro, giving you plenty of room to perform gestures. Because the entire surface of Magic Trackpad is a button, you can click on objects just as you would using a traditional mouse. And Magic Trackpad sits at the same height and angle as the Apple Wireless Keyboard, so you can go from trackpad to keyboard in one seamless motion."
The $69 wireless device works with any Bluetooth-enabled Mac, and can be connected up to 33 feet away. The device also detects periods of inactivity to conserve battery life, and has a dedicated on-off switch. Apple has said that the device will operate for "months at a time" without the need to replace its AA batteries.
In addition to two AA batteries -- which are included, and which Apple now sells in a rechargeable form -- the new Magic Trackpad requires users to have a Bluetooth-enabled Mac running Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and the latest software update.
The customizable device can have certain features enabled or disabled through software, including options such as tap-to-click. Like the trackpad on a current MacBook or MacBook Pro, the entire surface can be pushed for a physical click as well.
According to Engadget, the hardware also comes with one exclusive new feature: a three-finger gesture that allows users to drag windows around quickly.
Much like can already be done on a Mac desktop via the Magic Mouse, the Magic Trackpad offers standard multi-touch gestures, including two-finger scrolling, pinch to zoom, rotate, and three-finger swiping. Users can also invoke Expose or switch between applications by using four fingers, all capabilities previously found on the company's notebook multi-touch trackpads.
In the Magic Trackpad's software settings, users can enable or disable tap to click, dragging, drag lock, a localized secondary click (such as tapping in a specific corner of the trackpad). Other features include inertia-based scrolling, screen zoom, pinch to open and close, and the aforementioned new three-finger dragging.
"It's made with smooth, wear-resistant glass that feels great to the touch," Apple said. "And it?s nearly 80 percent larger than the built-in trackpad on the MacBook Pro, giving you plenty of room to perform gestures. Because the entire surface of Magic Trackpad is a button, you can click on objects just as you would using a traditional mouse. And Magic Trackpad sits at the same height and angle as the Apple Wireless Keyboard, so you can go from trackpad to keyboard in one seamless motion."
The $69 wireless device works with any Bluetooth-enabled Mac, and can be connected up to 33 feet away. The device also detects periods of inactivity to conserve battery life, and has a dedicated on-off switch. Apple has said that the device will operate for "months at a time" without the need to replace its AA batteries.
In addition to two AA batteries -- which are included, and which Apple now sells in a rechargeable form -- the new Magic Trackpad requires users to have a Bluetooth-enabled Mac running Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and the latest software update.
Comments
According to Engadget, the hardware also comes with one exclusive new feature: a three-finger gesture that allows users to drag windows around quickly.
We won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????
we won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????
hey-o!
Released Tuesday, Apple's Magic Trackpad acts just like a bigger version of the multi-touch trackpads found on the company's notebook computers, though it does include one new, unique gesture for moving windows....
I would so have bought this *last* year when people were wondering why Apple didn't make anything like this.
Now that the Magic Mouse is out though I don't see the point (at least for me). Obviously this can be programmed with more complex gestures, but it's so rare that anyone needs anything more than left-click, right-click, and scroll.
This will keep all those multi-button mouse folks and the (shudder) laptop users happy I guess.
We won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????
The "Three-Finger Gesture" - the biggest breakthrough in personal computing since Microsoft introduced the "Three-Finger Salute" - Control-Alt-Delete - that made a useless Windows computer work again !!!
We won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????
We won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????
Maybe there's a Mac keyboard/trackPad combo slated for a later date...
I could never go back to a big clunky old keyboard...and I may give up my newly acquired magic mouse for this trackpad....
Best
... the new Magic Trackpad requires users to have a Bluetooth-enabled Mac running Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and the latest software update.
I was wondering what would be the application that finally forced me into upgrading to snowkitty. Turns out it wasn't an application at all, it's a trackpad!
(Yeah, yeah, I know, but I had to wait for Apogee and MOTU to update audio interface drivers, which they finally did a couple months ago.)
We won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????
That reply is a ... *shocker*
image: http://i31.tinypic.com/3539mpi.jpg
Damn you and my lack of impulse control. I just bought that shirt after seeing your pic, yet I haven’t worn a printed T-Shirt in a decade.
Damn you and my lack of impulse control. I just bought that shirt after seeing your pic, yet I haven?t worn a printed T-Shirt in a decade.
Haha, glad I could corrupt, err, I mean help
Apple really is trying to push touch into the OSX world, which could be interesting, but I just can't see a situation where I would need an external touch surface to manipulate the screen. Might as well just let me touch the screen itself.
Haha, glad I could corrupt, err, I mean help
I don't get it.
Unfortunately, the big bummer here is that the trackpad REQUIRES Mac hardware. You can use it in Boot Camp Windows, but not a PC - according to the Apple Chat representatives.
To be perfectly honest- they would say that though wouldn't they
I don't get it.
Look it up on Urban Dictionary.