Scrybe from Synaptics brings new life to your tired touchpad
By Tim Stevens 
posted January 4th 2010 10:21AM
posted January 4th 2010 10:21AM
Did your laptop maker not see fit to include any jazzy gesture support into your touchpad? Did you buy early and miss out on the multitouch revolution? Synaptics wants to fill the gap for those portables (and suitably-equipped desktops) with its Scrybe software. It augments Windows' existing touch functionality to add context-specific gestures and motions, and while jog-dial control for media has us most excited, you'll also be able to edit photos, look up word definitions, and plenty more -- even if you don't have a 10-finger capable device. The plan is for the company to make partnerships with various manufacturers so that this software becomes standard issue stuff, but you can get a taste of it today thanks to a roughly 10MB beta preview downloadable now at the read link. Do let us know what you think.
Right now I'm sad my ThinkPad died. I'd love to be trying this out.
Right now I'd say my ThinkPad died, I'd love to be trying this out.
@jawxx -- oops. Downrank that shiz
One day gestures will be big, like 3D TV, maybe, or not.
Anyway let's try to release apps for it every week and see people not use them, then try again.
anyone know if it would be a bad idea to install this on a multi-touch synaptics pad? like say would it kill off the pinch to zoom, etc? sounds like it would be cool for those of us who want to have the best of both worlds.
@Nexus I just installed it on my Synaptics touch pad and it works like a dream! V impressed actually, apart from the fact that it tries to push yahoo search and stuff onto you. V slick
@Nexus ps you DO get the best of both worlds as other functions are still there, however it will get rid of any settings you've made....
@tinytom
thanks!
ahhh... how boring, m thinking when the microsoft surface will release in India, thats something cool - http://bit.ly/6Qfwxv
Or, you could click the reply button
@Chief2
what about you, can i click
@prem double click
I must be one of the rare few that actually abhors touchpads.
@Yanguang Not the only one. Try a Wacom Bamboo Touch and you will develop a new hatred for them.
I wish my notebook had a Synaptics pad. Im used to two finger scrolling and middle click. Alps doesnt have that ish.
@zerito I have the same problem. I don't know why companies still use Alps when they are obviously really far behind Synaptics.
@Steve B
cuz only alps will make those hideous glossy trackpads for hp.
@WasAPasserBy
Synaptics made the hideous glossy trackpad for my HP.
Eh. Let me to use more than one finger, THAT would be useful. Far too laborious.
Think this will work on a Latitude E6400? The drivers from Dell are terrible compared to previous Latitudes. I can't even turn the eraser head into scroll-only.
Doh! I have some Dell touchpad, not compatible. Lame-sauce.
Watching the videos of use - I don't see how this is all that much better than keyboard shortcuts. It's a whole new set of commands to learn that really isn't that much faster than learning and using the keyboard.
Meh.
Didn't work for me...the touch activation anyway. I can get it to work using ctl+shift to activate but that's it. Hopefully as it goes thru beta it will get fixed. Bummer.