Apple's new Magic Trackpad clicks, has unique three-finger gesture

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
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.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 60
    finetunesfinetunes Posts: 2,065member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    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????
  • Reply 2 of 60
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by finetunes View Post


    we won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????



    hey-o!
  • Reply 3 of 60
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    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.
  • Reply 4 of 60
    tardistardis Posts: 94member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FineTunes View Post


    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 !!!
  • Reply 5 of 60
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FineTunes View Post


    We won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????



  • Reply 6 of 60
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FineTunes View Post


    We won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????



  • Reply 7 of 60
    doorman.doorman. Posts: 159member
    I am pretty sure that with 4-5 fingers you can drag those nasty windows even faster
  • Reply 8 of 60
    daharderdaharder Posts: 1,580member
    It would have been nice to have designed this so that it could be easily affixed to the end of my (proportionally tiny) iMac 27 keyboard.



    Maybe there's a Mac keyboard/trackPad combo slated for a later date...
  • Reply 9 of 60
    I have to believe Apple has looked at the increase of laptops vs. Desktops, hence their similar keyboard designs...and now track pads for the desktop.



    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
  • Reply 10 of 60
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    ... 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.)
  • Reply 11 of 60
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by FineTunes View Post


    We won't ask what that "three-finger gesture " is--will we????



    That reply is a ... *shocker*
  • Reply 12 of 60
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Next up is the touch glass keyboard with software controls functionality. No more colored plastic bits for Avid users. I am sure Apple already have this in their labs just waiting for the market to get used to using touch surfaces.
  • Reply 13 of 60
    smiles77smiles77 Posts: 668member
    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.
  • Reply 14 of 60
    wplj42wplj42 Posts: 439member
    Seems odd for the AI article to claim it works with "any" bluetooth enabled Mac. Oh, but said Mac must be running 10.6.4. Does this mean everyone has upgraded to SL now?
  • Reply 15 of 60
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post


    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.
  • Reply 16 of 60
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solipsism View Post


    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
  • Reply 17 of 60
    sheffsheff Posts: 1,407member
    Gonna hit up the store on the way home. I prefer a mouse to a trackpad for desktop operation, so I doubt this will be very convenient for me, but those who grew up with laptops only might be a more familiar way to manipulate the computer.



    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.
  • Reply 18 of 60
    malaxmalax Posts: 1,598member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mazda 3s View Post


    Haha, glad I could corrupt, err, I mean help



    I don't get it. What's shocker?
  • Reply 19 of 60
    joe hsjoe hs Posts: 488member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Smiles77 View Post


    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
  • Reply 20 of 60
    solipsismsolipsism Posts: 25,726member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by malax View Post


    I don't get it. What's shocker?



    Look it up on Urban Dictionary.
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