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Magic Trackpad
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Addicted to MacNN
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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?
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Nobletucky
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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.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
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Never again a mouse if I can help it.
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Moderator
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: San Jose, CA
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Logitech mouse. Accept no substitutes.
I can't imagine relying exclusively on a trackpad, despite what Apple would have you believe.
Steve
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Celebrating 10 years and 4000 posts on MacNN!
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
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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.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2012
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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.
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Addicted to MacNN
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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.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
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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.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Down by the river
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Originally Posted by ibook_steve
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...
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"Like a midget at a urinal, I was going to have to stay on my toes." Frank Drebin, Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Nobletucky
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Originally Posted by subego
...
B) Takes up less space
...
How does a 5x5" trackpad take up less space than a 4.5 x 2.25" magic mouse?
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2012
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Originally Posted by Thorzdad
How does a 5x5" trackpad take up less space than a 4.5 x 2.25" magic mouse?
Really, really high acceleration settings?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
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Originally Posted by Thorzdad
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.
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Join Date: Aug 2001
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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.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
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.5" in one direction would be enough to render your previous post dumb disingenuous.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Originally Posted by Thorzdad
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.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
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Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot
.5"
You misspelled ½.
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Clinically Insane
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Clinically Insane
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You didn't misspell the units.
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Clinically Insane
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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.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Chicago, Bang! Bang!
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Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot
I spelt
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Dedicated MacNNer
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Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
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Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot
"pandering to your cultural deficits"
Highbrow burn of the day.
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
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I work hard at my Eurosnobbery.
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Addicted to MacNN
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Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot
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.
How many apps, outside of Apple apps, actually make use of the Trackpad though?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
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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.
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Clinically Insane
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Originally Posted by mattyb
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.
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Originally Posted by subego
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.
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Games Meister
Join Date: Aug 2009
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Originally Posted by mattyb
I can't even imagine how to sell the trackpad.
Comes with jewelry?
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
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Originally Posted by mattyb
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.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Pittsburgh
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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.
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Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Down by the river
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I don't buy anything with the word "magic" in it...
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"Like a midget at a urinal, I was going to have to stay on my toes." Frank Drebin, Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult
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Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
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No Magic Markers for you!
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Clinically Insane
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Addicted to MacNN
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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.
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Sell or send me your vintage Mac things if you don't want them.
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Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Land of Enchantment
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Originally Posted by Spheric Harlot
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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