[xtremekinetix]

I read about this feature this morning on Apple's website, and just saw a few posts regarding it in the below topic of the new PowerBooks. The feature is sweet. My question is this: couldn't this feature be enabled by some type of software, which would enable older PowerBook models to be retrofitted with it?

In the earlier post, someone mentioned that it appeared to be a hardware-enabled feature, but I don't see why any ordinary trackpad couldn't be enabled to do this with the right software underneath.

Any comments? Anyone interested in making a program that would do this on older PowerBooks/iBooks, etc.?

[Luca Rescigno]

The PowerBook trackpads obviously already had similar capabilities, which is evident from the success of hacks like SideTrack. What it really comes down to is whether Apple will bother to release a firmware update for current PowerBook owners. I seriously doubt they will - just because they can doesn't mean they will. Look at the iPods - you can't install the latest version of the iPod software on anything but the latest version of the iPod, even though there are a number of features that would easily translate over to even the 1G iPods. Why can't you play Parachute on a 5 GB iPod? There's nothing preventing it but Apple's stubbornness in this matter, and I doubt they'll change their position anytime soon.

[chabig]

I think it's more than software. The trackpad hardware is apparently different. Read the MacWorld article at www.macworld.com

"'The new TrackPad looks just like the old one, but it works differently,' said David Moody, Apple's vice president of worldwide Mac product marketing. 'If you touch two fingers to the pad when you reach the edge of the window, it will scroll horizontally or pan vertically within the window.'


For users who find the new scrolling feature unnecessary or unwieldy, Apple has added a a new Keyboard & Mouse System Preferences option to deactivate it. And this isn't just a software change, according to Moody -- it's a physical difference in how the TrackPad works."

Chris

[Luca Rescigno]

Oh come on, he's a marketing guy. Of course he'll say it looks the same but works differently. I bet he has no clue if the hardware has actually changed, just the firmware controlling the hardware. Besides, it's in Apple's best interest to give the impression that they are physically different to keep older PowerBook owners from whining. I have no idea if they actually are different or not, but this Moody guy doesn't give me any information I don't already know.

[ibook_steve]

The hardware has definitely changed. No current trackpads that Apple has can understand two fingers on at the same time. The technology would have to change to allow this. A simple firmware update would not do the trick.

Steve

[neps]

nm, miss read something

[xtremekinetix]

I have been trying out SideTrack on my PowerBook since I posted the initial message in this thread last night. It's a decent program...maybe not as good as the "two fingers" thing, but still OK. Better than nothing, at least...

[thickdrummer]

The 2finger scrolling addition is purely driver based. as long as you have the right trackpad installed you can run iScroll2 and use 2finger scrolling.
http://www-users.kawo2.rwth-aachen.de/~razzfazz/
works on 2004/5 powerbooks and ibooks i think.
i just installed it today and its awesome...i mean it!