To buy a Magic Trackpad or not.

[nerp]

I am tempted to get one for my iMac because I love the trackpad on my macbook pro. I'm interested to hear what y'all have to say about it. I'd keep my Logitech G5 handy for games and other things but for day to day use I like the idea of the trackpad. What are your thoughts?

 

[Tyranicus]

I bought one for my hackintosh last fall, and I love it. I switch back to Logitech Marathon M705 for gaming, but the Magic Trackpad is great for regular use.

 

[Ns1]

i laughed at the damn thing when it came out

then my gf bought me one for my birthday

i'd buy another one in an instant if my old one broke

Wouldn't use it for gaming/work but for HTPC use/general use it's awesome.

 

[alfa147x]

I have one too. I use it on my hackintosh and my MBP (when I have multiple monitors).

I don't game with it.

I fucking love it!

 

[Emulex]

love it! with osx. use it on my mac pro

hate it! with win7

 

[runawayprisoner]

On Mac OSX:
Drag two fingers on it to pan anything like you are scrolling on an iPhone. Move the mouse cursor over to any window and pan it without activating it, so you can type in your main window while panning another document at the same time.
Drag three fingers left to go back on a web browser or automagically click the back/cancel buttons in some apps. Also works as a fast previous page feature in Preview.
Drag three fingers right to do the reverse of the above. Forward in web browser, or next page, or next button.
Drag four fingers down to see a preview of all Windows (Expose)
Drag four fingers up to move all windows to the sides and see your desktop

In short: love it. Can't live without it. Slight exaggeration there, but I really can't move on to another OS due to being "exposed" (no pun intended) to this. It also made my workflow a lot better and faster.

 

[lokiju]

I use one all day mon - fri at work on my Mac Pro.

I love it.

Had the magic mouse before it and it sucked IMO compared to the magic trackpad.

Of course Better Touch Tool is a must for this and on my MBP.

 

[Kadarin]

For htpc and general usage, it's great. Using one right now.

 

[sourceninja]

The magic pad is the greatest thing apple ever created. Ever.

 

[dmw16]

I just bought a Magic Wand that links it to my wireless keyboard and it's great. I love having multitouch at my desk.

 

[aphex]

I need to go back to the apple store and try one again. I wonder how well it will work for me. I work from home 3 days a week and spend almost all day manipulating office docs (primarily work and excel) along with internet research. I connect remotely to a windows PC, so i won't be able to use the multitouch features when working, but for actual comfort, i wonder if it might feel better.

 

[Ns1]

I need to go back to the apple store and try one again. I wonder how well it will work for me. I work from home 3 days a week and spend almost all day manipulating office docs (primarily work and excel) along with internet research. I connect remotely to a windows PC, so i won't be able to use the multitouch features when working, but for actual comfort, i wonder if it might feel better.

I still think having both a mouse AND a trackpad is the best bet, cuz I really, really hate doing REAL excel work with the trackpad.

 

[runawayprisoner]

The trackpad actually makes real Excel or OpenOffice or any spreadsheet work easier because now you can pan all around the document without having to move your mouse cursor over to the scrolling bars.

Place your two fingers on the trackpad, and drag the document like you would on an iPad or iPhone.

In fact, the trackpad kind of makes the scroll bars obsolete since scrolling with the trackpad is a lot easier. Give it a try.

 

[Ns1]

The trackpad actually makes real Excel or OpenOffice or any spreadsheet work easier because now you can pan all around the document without having to move your mouse cursor over to the scrolling bars.

Place your two fingers on the trackpad, and drag the document like you would on an iPad or iPhone.

In fact, the trackpad kind of makes the scroll bars obsolete since scrolling with the trackpad is a lot easier. Give it a try.

You can press down on the mouse scroll wheel to achieve the same effect

 

[runawayprisoner]

Nope. Not really.

The mouse scroll wheel just grabs the document or do autoscroll. You can pan it around, but you have to move your mouse cursor during this time, and it doesn't work as smooth or as responsive with some apps in the background. Doesn't work at all with certain apps unless you install SmartScroll or something similar. Plus clicking is one extra step.

The scrolling on the trackpad is multitouch scrolling. Your mouse cursor stays where it is. The document moves as you move your fingers, and it works smoothly for everything. Even apps in the background. Plus there is none of that annoying "click" feel on some mice. And you don't have to click anything. Just put your fingers and scroll.

Beyond that, you still get the other multitouch gestures to access expose and manage your windows without having to touch the keyboard or move your mouse cursor over to the dock. And pinch to zoom, too... for cases where there are super small texts on certain web pages.

Edit: oh and it takes less space than the whole movement area of a mouse...

 

[TheStu]

Nope. Not really.

The mouse scroll wheel just grabs the document. You can pan it around, but you have to move your mouse cursor during this time, and it doesn't work as smooth or as responsive with some apps in the background. Plus clicking is one extra step.

The scrolling on the trackpad is multitouch scrolling. Your mouse cursor stays where it is. The document moves as you move your fingers, and it works smoothly for everything. Even apps in the background. Plus there is none of that annoying "click" feel on some mice. And you don't have to click anything. Just put your fingers and scroll.

Beyond that, you still get the other multitouch gestures to access expose and manage your windows without having to touch the keyboard or move your mouse cursor over to the dock. And pinch to zoom, too... for cases where there are super small texts on certain web pages.

For large spreadsheets and documents though, nothing tops the hyperscroll on a logitech mouse. Just switch that baby over to free-scroll and let it fly. Move through thousands of entries with one flick.

 

[runawayprisoner]

Yeah, that's true. Hyperscroll can go really fast.

The only close thing I've found is SmartScroll, which can help scroll through hundreds of lines in one flick, but it doesn't have really good compatibility for all apps. Thanksfully, it does work in certain apps.

For the most part, I switch to Command + Arrows if I need to go from end to end, or I do a search or filter. Just not enough time to go through each entry manually unless it's an audit job.

 

[Ns1]

Nope. Not really.

The mouse scroll wheel just grabs the document or do autoscroll. You can pan it around, but you have to move your mouse cursor during this time, and it doesn't work as smooth or as responsive with some apps in the background. Doesn't work at all with certain apps unless you install SmartScroll or something similar. Plus clicking is one extra step.

The scrolling on the trackpad is multitouch scrolling. Your mouse cursor stays where it is. The document moves as you move your fingers, and it works smoothly for everything. Even apps in the background. Plus there is none of that annoying "click" feel on some mice. And you don't have to click anything. Just put your fingers and scroll.

Beyond that, you still get the other multitouch gestures to access expose and manage your windows without having to touch the keyboard or move your mouse cursor over to the dock. And pinch to zoom, too... for cases where there are super small texts on certain web pages.

Edit: oh and it takes less space than the whole movement area of a mouse...

you are preaching to the choir as I have both devices.

I am still 100% faster in excel with a mouse.

 

[TheStu]

you are preaching to the choir as I have both devices.

I am still 100% faster in excel with a mouse.

Damn, I am only about 96.82% faster (meaning 196.82% of normal speed I guess)

 

[Ns1]

Damn, I am only about 96.82% faster (meaning 196.82% of normal speed I guess)

I rounded down to the nearest hundred percentile.

 

[Kadarin]

LOL I don't use Excel so those stats are meaningless to me However, this thread has made me think about getting one of these for my work iMac, and get one I did

 

[TheStu]

LOL I don't use Excel so those stats are meaningless to me However, this thread has made me think about getting one of these for my work iMac, and get one I did

It is very nice, shame that on top of the price of it, I would also have to get a BT transceiver for my desktop makes me hesitant.

 

[BentValve]

I use one all day mon - fri at work on my Mac Pro.

I love it.

Had the magic mouse before it and it sucked IMO compared to the magic trackpad.

Of course Better Touch Tool is a must for this and on my MBP.

Hmm guess I better go to my Apple Store or Best Buy and try one out because I absolutely love my Magic Mouse. Did you use MagicPrefs or any other software with your Magic Mouse to help tweak it out nicely?

 

[runawayprisoner]

you are preaching to the choir as I have both devices.

I am still 100% faster in excel with a mouse.

Only in Excel?

 

[Emulex]

definitely i use a mouse for doing work in sql server/excel/coding/xmlspy/edinotepad i can't get the copy paste resolution that i can with a mouse. but for surfing love it.

i paid $38 at cowboom for mine. there's about 3 or 4 of them around here. guess alot of folks returned them and they had a blowout on open box product. all were perfect minus 2 batteries. is there a place to get them cheaper?