Touchpad sensitivity on Macbook?

[boshuter]

Is there any way to adjust the sensitivity of the touchpad on a Macbook? All I can find are some very limited options/settings in system preferences.

 

[TheStu]

What exactly are you looking to change. What do you mean by sensitivity? Also, what model MacBook?

 

[boshuter]

I want to change how sensitive the touchpad is ( that means how much pressure it takes to make it do something). It's just a vanilla Macbook, I think it's an early 2007, white with the 2ghz c2d. (model A1181)

 

[CowZ]

what you're looking for is not possible boshuter because the trackpad is not pressure sensitive.

 

[boshuter]

what you're looking for is not possible boshuter because the trackpad is not pressure sensitive.

Thanks CowZ, I did some searching and had about found out it wasn't possible to set it, seems like there are a lot of things that you just to let Apple decide how they should work instead of being able to customize them to your preference. I'm sure not impressed with my journey into Macs so far, I'm about to the point where I've decided that if it doesn't improve when I install Windows 7 on it then I'm going to have to go back to a PC. I'm studying drafting and design and we use Autocad which doesn't support Macs, that and some other software I use regularly that isn't available for Mac has just about soured me on them altogether.

I really like the minimalist look and feel of the Macbook, but the drawbacks just don't make it worthwhile.

 

[TheStu]

What other problems are you having?

Also, to the best of my knowledge, there are 0 trackpads on the market, from any maker, that is actually pressure sensitive. They are all simple capacitive sensor that merely detect presence, not the force of said presence. Apple trackpads (at first just them, now others too) can detect multiple presences, up to (and I may have this wrong) 10 points of presence on the newest glass trackpad models (which admittedly is useless since the machine only has gestures for up to 4 fingers, and then if you use your thumb to tap-click, 5).

So, if you are having issues simply ask the question (just like you did here) and we will do our best to answer you.

I will say this much though, for drafting and design of that nature, since most of the software is on Windows, you might be best suited running that anyway, use the right tool for the job you know?

 

[boshuter]

Stu, I'm not having any real "issues", other than the software unavailability and that can be fixed with a Windows install.

I think if you look at a laptop with a synaptics touchpad you will find that it does have sensitivity adjustments and a lot of other settings that are not available on the Mac. My other laptop is an older IBM T43 and the touchpad on it just blows this one out of the water as far as being able to customize it and the way it performs.

Admittedly, a lot of the things I've found that I don't like may be possible once I learn more about how this Mac works. I'm just accustomed to being able to change almost anything I want on a Windows machine, even if it takes some creative registry editing.

I also think I was expecting a lot more from this Macbook. Other than the looks and an admittedly solid feel, it leaves a lot to be desired in adjustability, price/performance, and software availability over a comparably priced Windows laptop.

I'm not giving up on it yet, as I said, I'm sure there are some things I can do that I just haven't found yet. I picked this up VERY cheap, so I'm going to use it to see just what can and can't be done and to see if the hype about Macs is real or just an "I paid a fortune for this so I'm not about to admit it was a mistake" attitude.

 

[nitromullet]

Regrettably, in my experiences with Windows Vista and 7 on a Macbook Pro, the trackpad is one of the worst things about it. It's way too sensitive, and just as with OS X, Apple doesn't include adjustment capabilities with the boot camp drivers. Granted, Apple hasn't yet launched 'official' boot camp drivers for Win 7 (promised before the end of the year), so I'm hoping that they fix the sensitivity in the new drivers. Although, I doubt they will be user adjustable, as that just isn't the way Apple does things.

edit: To clarify, I have no issues with the trackpad under OS X. I personally think it's the best trackpad I've ever used, which makes the lack of similar feel under Windows that much more disappointing IMO.

 

[tnt666]

What other problems are you having?

Also, to the best of my knowledge, there are 0 trackpads on the market, from any maker, that is actually pressure sensitive. They are all simple capacitive sensor that merely detect presence, not the force of said presence. ...

Nearly every laptop I've had my hands on in the past few years HAS had customisable sensitivity. It is quite ridiculous that the mac trackpad does not! Even more amusing is how mac «names» it's trackpad preferences «sensitivity» when in fact «sensitivity» is the one preference blatantly missing!!! LOL how sad.

 

[Tyranicus]

Nearly every laptop I've had my hands on in the past few years HAS had customisable sensitivity. It is quite ridiculous that the mac trackpad does not! Even more amusing is how mac «names» it's trackpad preferences «sensitivity» when in fact «sensitivity» is the one preference blatantly missing!!! LOL how sad.

Nearly every laptop has tracking speed options, including Apple laptops. Pressure sensitivity, which is what the OP is talking about, is something else entirely


Here is the Trackpad section in System Preferences. Where is this setting named sensitivity to which you refer?

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

Why was this revived?

 

[boshuter]

Why was this revived?

Good question.

Nearly every laptop has tracking speed options, including Apple laptops. Pressure sensitivity, which is what the OP is talking about, is something else entirely


Here is the Trackpad section in System Preferences. Where is this setting named sensitivity to which you refer?

That setting is not there....... that is the whole point. There is no sensitivity setting on a Mac. Macs seem to be about the only laptop that do not have a sensitivity setting, it seems that Mac users think that because it isn't on a Mac that it just doesn't exist.