I haven't used a Magic Trackpad but I did use a lot of laptops with them, and I hate them. It's just not a mouse replacement if you ask me. Now I'm hearing rumors of Apple could be discontinuing the Magic Mouse and pushing the trackpad as a replacement. What do you guys think? Anyone used both? What are your opinions, be sure to mention the type of usage you mostly have (text input, coding, design etc, as I think it's relevant.
Of course, I can always go with some other mouse, but I'm mainly interesting in hearing thoughts about the Magic Trackpad.
I've never used a Magic Trackpad, but the trackpads on current Mac laptops are incredible. The old ones (when they had actual buttons) were OK... nothing like the ones on the current machines though.
When I was using a 2007 MacBook (up until July or August last year), I was seriously considering buying a Magic Mouse, because I had the chance to use one daily for a while, and loved it. However, after getting my 2010 MacBook Pro with the current gen trackpad, I dropped that idea. The trackpad is so much more powerful and useful, with full gesture support and all that. If I were to buy an iMac (which I doubt I would), or start docking a Mac laptop to a big display (more likely, although probably not), I wouldn't go out and buy a Magic Mouse or any other mouse. I'd buy a Magic Trackpad.
My usage for the built-in trackpad is almost everything. Coding mostly, but also web browsing and general computer use. And it's perfect for interacting with Mac OS X, whether you are on Snow Leopard or Lion. The only thing I don't use it for is for doing anything with graphics editing. For that I hook up a Wacom Intuos 4 tablet.
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I think you'd be pleasantly surprised by the current trackpads, whether Magic Trackpad or MacBook line built in trackpads.
Worth dropping by your local Apple retailer to try one out for a bit, at least.
Although for certain tasks, definitely consider a proper graphics tablet; pens are just so much better for some tasks (especially any pixel-perfect type of work).
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I have both, and use both. I think it is extremely unlikely the MMouse with be discontinued as it is really popular and imo an excellent device. There is some great third party software that lets you configure the trackpad on the mouse to add custom gestures which really unlocks it's full potential.
Trackpad is also great. I always keep thinking it would be great to develop a game for the Mac solely for trackpads but I've never found time to fit it in.
What I suspect will happen, though, is that the trackpad will be sold with new iMac's instead of the MMouse because of the new iPad style OX Lion stuff.
Thought I'd add that I mostly do coding and graphics work aside general usage. As far as I'm away, the Magic Trackpad is exactly the same as the trackpad on the Macbook Pro (bough't it before I got the pro) apart from it is bigger. The gestures / multi-touch are the same etc.
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Last edited by Justinmichael; 08-09-2011 at 05:52 AM.
Well, I'm going to take the plunge and get it. Let's hope that it warrants the $70 price tag. I think the magic mouse is good too, but not $70 good.
While I'm still in "rant mode", why the hell don't they make a full sized wireless keyboard?! I like the wireless bit but I hate the cramped keys (especially arrow keys) and no numeric keypad... (a few more reasons why I don't like laptops).
Well, I'm going to take the plunge and get it. Let's hope that it warrants the $70 price tag. I think the magic mouse is good too, but not $70 good.
While I'm still in "rant mode", why the hell don't they make a full sized wireless keyboard?! I like the wireless bit but I hate the cramped keys (especially arrow keys) and no numeric keypad... (a few more reasons why I don't like laptops).
Hope you like the Magic Trackpad! Did you try one out yet?
As for full sized Apple Bluetooth keyboards, I've wondered the same thing myself. Not that I want one personally... I like not having numeric keypads to the side. Waste of desk space for me, plus they make me feel uncentered/offset when typing. But I can't imagine why they don't offer them without the hard wired connection.
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I had the chance to try out the track pad, it works great. At the same time checked out the latest Macbook Airs. They are pretty neat. The 11" is too small for my taste, especially if there's any development to be done, the bigger one is better, but I'm still not sure if I'd choose it over a Macbook Pro. Its small size is its greatest advantage, but also a flaw.
i have had my Magic Trackpad since christmas last year - i asked for it as a blind present - i.e. i hadnt even seen one in real life before i opened my box.
I will never go back to a mouse - not that i play any more - but i wouldn't even go back for World of Warcraft i was still playing for a month or so when i got it and after downloading Better Touch Tool (not tried it in Lion yet) and having around 50+ gestures that i could program in as keystrokes that i could then assign in WoW - the only tricky thing was moving but i could do absolutely everything else - i mean seriously an MMO with nothing but a trackpad and headset no need for a keyboard at all! (well not quite but close enough)
I find the trackpads awesome and would always advise getting one over a mouse - there is just so much more to them and they just work better, i have had Apple, Logitek, Razer and Microsoft Mice in the past and every one has either been badly designed (sorry Apple but that you the mouse ergonomics is just awe full even on the MMouse) both Logitek and Razer mice just fell apart or squeaked so badly i couldn't use them and the Microsoft ones? Well glitchy, poorly built flimsy need i go on. The trackpad is beautiful to lean on has a great surface, is easy to keep clean, works 99.9999999999999% of the time and id say the other 0.0000000000001 is when the batteries are low or someone else is setting up a MMouse or iMac around me that tries to steal my signal. I have used probably 6 batteries since Christmas 2 of which are still in at 91% so its good on the wallet in that aspect - only ever used a Logitek wireless mouse as i personally believe wireless Mice and Keyboards suck which lets be honest they do and that went through batteries pretty fast probably a set a month.
I mostly use it for web browsing and coding as my desktop is at work, but if i take it home ill use it for anything i can do on my Mac's - games, code, browsing etc. Im not a graphics designer so can't really say from that point of view, but after 8 months I'm pretty accurate with it, and now you can zoom in Lion its a bit easier to be more accurate.
As you can see I'm a bit of a fan of the trackpad, and wouldn't mind seeing the horrible MMouse disappear - the old pucks were more comfortable on the hands than the MMouse is.
As for the Wireless Keyboard i 100% agree with Baja. I can see the reason for a cut down wireless keyboard and commend the idea, as others have already said they don't like the num pad sometimes. But i do like it, and i work in an accountants, to take away their num pad would be nothing short of heresy, again something i agree on, inputting mass amounts of numbers is millions of times easier and faster on the num pad than the top numbers. So my thoughts here, since release, has been that they should offer both, but i suppose that would be cleaver - even for Apple.
What do you think of your Magic Trackpad? Are you using it now? I've had one for 2 days (was a gift). Not sure if I'm ready to replace the mouse. Graphics work seems a little bit fiddly and I seem to keep reaching for the mouse...
Quote:
Originally Posted by baja_yu
I had the chance to try out the track pad, it works great. At the same time checked out the latest Macbook Airs. They are pretty neat. The 11" is too small for my taste, especially if there's any development to be done, the bigger one is better, but I'm still not sure if I'd choose it over a Macbook Pro. Its small size is its greatest advantage, but also a flaw.
Trackpad, no mouse?!
Linear Mode
