The Apple Magic Trackpad has divided opinion at Electricpig towers, with some of us scoffing at its potential to replace our much-loved mice, and others proclaiming it a masterstroke of innovation.
Now we’ve had a chance to slap our fingers on it, we can give you our first hands on photos and first impressions of the Apple Magic Trackpad. Read on, and see if it’s a touch of genius, or a limp-fingered let-down.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Magic Trackpad is it’s size. Roughly 80% larger than current MacBook and MacBook Pro trackpads, it’s a monster. We comfortably slapped our whole hand on it, although Apple’s default gestures max out at four fingers, so there’s plenty of room.
The angle it’s presented at is identical to the Apple Wireless Keyboard too, so pushed together they look beautifully matched. In practice, the Magic Trackpad is comfortable too. We’ll reserve judgement until we’ve spent a long period of time with one, but on first impressions, it’s every bit as comfortable as a standard mouse.
What is dramatically different is the experience of using gestures to whizz around Mac OS X. The two, three and four-finger flicks that’re handy on a MacBook or MacBook Pro become much easier to pull off, and more intuitive on the Magic Trackpad’s larger scale.
Clicking too seems easier on the Magic Trackpad. As with Apple’s MacBook trackpads, the entire glass surface is a button, with a tactile click when pressed downwards.
The Magic Trackpad’s base keeps everything steady, and unlike Apple’s laptop trackpads which are actually impossible to click in the top 1/5th, the entire Magic Trackpad surface responds to light pressure.
As with Apple’s other touch-sensitive devices, from the iPad to the iPod touch, the Magic Trackpad’s surface is glossy glass, and extremely slick to the touch. Best of all, OS X is ultra-responsive to gestures, with pinch to zoom, intertial scrolling and three-fingered swipes working beautifully.
Speaking of which, the Magic Trackpad offers users a new gesture to play with. Three-finger drag lets you move windows around the screen using three digits. However, while we’d hoped to be able to hold a window anywhere to move it, you’re still required to “drag” within the title bar.
After our first hands on with the Magic Trackpad we’re convinced Apple’s doing the right thing, and while Apple spokesman Cameron Rogers from the iMac product marketing group told us emphatically “we’re not replacing the mouse” it seems that’s exactly what Apple’s first foray into desktop touch will do.
Doubtless, designers, film and music editors, and even photo-retouchers will prefer the precise nature of a mouse for fine editing and absolute control, but when it comes to swiping through web pages, navigating photo libraries and doing all the “fun stuff” that’s at the core of most Apple marketing, the Magic Trackpad is hard to beat.
Out now | £59 | Apple
