MacNN Forums - Magic Trackpad

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mattyb

Jan 19, 2013 01:45 PM

Magic Trackpad

I'm going to be getting a Mac Mini and a site that I'd read a review on said to get the Magic Trackpad instead of the Magic Mouse. Now I'm not a fan of the pads on laptops, but maybe I'll like the latest and greatest from Apple. I've always used a non-Apple mouse with my iMac.

So, trackpad or mouse to go with the Mini?

Thorzdad

Jan 19, 2013 02:10 PM

Personally, I hate using trackpads, so I'd opt for the mouse. It really depends on what you're doing. I do a lot of detail work in Illustrator and Photoshop, and I can't imagine trying to do anything with a trackpad.

Spheric Harlot

Jan 19, 2013 05:16 PM

Never again a mouse if I can help it.

ibook_steve

Jan 20, 2013 12:12 AM

Logitech mouse. Accept no substitutes.

I can't imagine relying exclusively on a trackpad, despite what Apple would have you believe.

Steve

subego

Jan 20, 2013 01:38 AM

If you don't do detail work, trackpad, 100%. Why?

A) Gestures
B) Takes up less space
C) Two finger control-click
D) Gestures

It is still a trackpad, so you have to get in the trackpad frame of mind, but I highly recommend it.

raleur

Jan 20, 2013 08:21 AM

I love both, but the other commenters are right: it depends on what you do.

In my experience, the trackpad was surprisingly easy to get used to, but I still switch to mouse for design apps.

mattyb

Jan 20, 2013 11:44 AM

Since Mrs. Mattyb also has to use the computer, I have a feeling that a mouse will be better to keep the peace.

Cheers for the advice.

Spheric Harlot

Jan 20, 2013 11:59 AM

Have her try it if you can!

I've had casual newbies try a Magic Trackpad for the first time and *immediately* realize that it's just the thing for them. It's *far* more "organic" and "natural" (particularly with the Lion/Mountain Lion default settings) than a mouse.

Things like pinching to resize in Pages, or generally just zoom (in properly coded applications), or twisting to rotate stuff (like in Pages, again), are the icing: just *so* nice and much less easily done on a mouse. And that's before you get to gestures. :)

cgc

Jan 20, 2013 12:17 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by ibook_steve (Post 4212745)

Logitech mouse. Accept no substitutes.

I can't imagine relying exclusively on a trackpad, despite what Apple would have you believe.

Steve

I LOVE Logitech v450 laser notebook mice for my desktop (I use mice with fingertips only) but my wife has a Microsoft Wireless Mouse 6000 that is fantastic.

I too despise trackpads...

Thorzdad

Jan 20, 2013 12:30 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by subego (Post 4212746)

...
B) Takes up less space
...

How does a 5x5" trackpad take up less space than a 4.5 x 2.25" magic mouse?

raleur

Jan 20, 2013 12:34 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by Thorzdad (Post 4212805)

How does a 5x5" trackpad take up less space than a 4.5 x 2.25" magic mouse?

Really, really high acceleration settings?

Spheric Harlot

Jan 20, 2013 01:05 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by Thorzdad (Post 4212805)

How does a 5x5" trackpad take up less space than a 4.5 x 2.25" magic mouse?

You sure you've ever used a mouse before? You're supposed to move them on the desk.

Thorzdad

Jan 20, 2013 01:09 PM

Yeah, but I have the tracking set fairly high, so it's very minimal movement. It's not like I'm moving a foot in any direction.

Spheric Harlot

Jan 20, 2013 01:57 PM

.5" in one direction would be enough to render your previous post ~~dumb~~ disingenuous.

subego

Jan 20, 2013 04:54 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by Thorzdad (Post 4212810)

Yeah, but I have the tracking set fairly high, so it's very minimal movement. It's not like I'm moving a foot in any direction.

Most people mouse within an area about, let's see... carry the four...

By my calculations, about the size of a mousepad.

subego

Jan 20, 2013 05:06 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot (Post 4212811)

.5"

You misspelled ½. :P

Spheric Harlot

Jan 20, 2013 06:00 PM

You forgot the units.

subego

Jan 20, 2013 06:49 PM

You didn't misspell the units.

Spheric Harlot

Jan 20, 2013 07:01 PM

I spelt ".5" absolutely correctly — for Americans.

AFAIK, the rest of the world requires the leading zero.

If even pandering to your cultural deficits doesn't eliminate confusion, I really can't help you. ;)

subego

Jan 21, 2013 05:53 AM

Quote, Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot (Post 4212849)

I spelt

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...9D30D0DBDB.jpg

raleur

Jan 21, 2013 10:58 AM

Ouch.

mattyb

Jan 21, 2013 01:26 PM

Definition of spelt (British & World English)

Definition of spell (British & World English)

The Final Dakar

Jan 21, 2013 01:29 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot (Post 4212849)

"pandering to your cultural deficits"

Highbrow burn of the day.

Spheric Harlot

Jan 21, 2013 02:23 PM

I work hard at my Eurosnobbery. :)

mattyb

Jan 21, 2013 03:27 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot (Post 4212802)

How many apps, outside of Apple apps, actually make use of the Trackpad though?

Spheric Harlot

Jan 21, 2013 04:03 PM

Gestures work throughout the OS.

Come to think of it, the only non-Apple apps I use are various little utilities, and an older version of Ableton (rarely).

But I freely admit that at least part of the reason I use Apple's stuff over others is precisely *because* it supports the cool stuff Macintosh does. That's kind of the point of the platform.

subego

Jan 21, 2013 04:46 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by mattyb (Post 4212969)

How many apps, outside of Apple apps, actually make use of the Trackpad though?

The gesture you'll use the most (if you're like me) is the three-finger swipe between apps, so, any app which has a fullscreen mode.

mattyb

Jan 22, 2013 11:14 AM

Quote, Originally Posted by subego (Post 4212986)

The gesture you'll use the most (if you're like me) is the three-finger swipe between apps, so, any app which has a fullscreen mode.

Well, last time I used the "But it's the 21st century and telephones need the firmware updating sometimes." to Mrs. Mattyb, there were some choice words exchanged. I can't even imagine how to sell the trackpad.

The Final Dakar

Jan 22, 2013 11:46 AM

Quote, Originally Posted by mattyb (Post 4213106)

I can't even imagine how to sell the trackpad.

Comes with jewelry?

Spheric Harlot

Jan 22, 2013 12:00 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by mattyb (Post 4213106)

I can't even imagine how to sell the trackpad.

Again: I just showed some of the basic functionality (not even the gestures) to customers, and the response, especially from the newbies, was invariably "wow". Pages and Safari tend to be the clinchers.

If you're on Word and Firefox, you're not doing the wife a favor.

abbaZaba

Jan 22, 2013 12:55 PM

the Magic Trackpad has been one of the best purchases I have made. Thoroughly enjoy it and use it over a mouse for 98% of computer time.

cgc

Jan 22, 2013 04:52 PM

I don't buy anything with the word "magic" in it...

Spheric Harlot

Jan 22, 2013 05:20 PM

No Magic Markers for you!

subego

Jan 22, 2013 05:50 PM

More shrooms for me!

shifuimam

Jan 23, 2013 03:32 PM

I rather like my Magic Trackpad, and there are third-party Windows drivers available that make it pretty great in Win7, too.

I reallllly wish there were PPC drivers, though. I'd use it with my iMac G5 in a heartbeat.

jmiddel

Jan 23, 2013 11:27 PM

Quote, Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot (Post 4212709)

Never again a mouse if I can help it.

I totally agree. Been using a Magic Trackpad (MTP) since June/2011 and just love it. Going back to the mouse on my wife's Mini seems just so primitive anymore, especially with ML allowing us to use iOs gestures. I fully understand that folks who need the greatest precision, eg graphic artists, find an ultra-precise mouse preferable, but even working in InDesign, the MTP allows me to skate, rather than walk my cursor :)

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