trackpad
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Apple files for Magic Trackpad trademark
This one slipped under our radar last week, but it's interesting nonetheless: Apple's filed for a "Magic Trackpad" trademark, which would seemingly indicate that there's a companion to the Magic Mouse in the works. That's all we know for now, but recall that John Gruber at Daring Fireball hinted that Apple was working on a "multi-touch trackpad gadget for desktop Macs" back in October just before the revised white MacBook was released. Obviously nothing's come of that yet, but it all seems to fit -- either that, or Apple's trademark attorneys are just trying to cover their bases. We'll see what happens.
Adesso rolls out WKB-4200UB wireless keyboard
Adesso sure isn't lacking for keyboards of all shapes and sizes (seriously, look at its website), but the company has nonetheless somehow found room for yet one more with its new KB-4200USB model, which packs boasts both a built-in trackpad and wireless connectivity. Thankfully, the trackpad (non-multitouch, it seems) on this one is a bit less awkwardly placed than on the last model, and the design is more along the lines of something like the diNovo Edge (not exactly a bad thing). Of course, this one also packs a similarly higher-end price tag -- $120, to be exact.
Inklet turns your trackpad into a Wacom-style tablet
Now here's a fascinating app -- Inklet is a new Mac app by Ten One Design that purports to turn your Macbook's trackpad into a tablet-style input. The program uses the multitouch trackpad interface to sense where and when you're touching the pad, and then translates that into "drawing" marks just like a Wacom pen tablet. Unfortunately, the trackpad doesn't have sensitivity built-in (it can only tell when you're touching, not how hard you're pushing), but with Ten One's Pogo Sketch stylus, which I presume sends pressure information back to your Macbook somehow, you can get that "line thickness" functionality -- press harder for a thicker line, or less for a thinner line. Pretty awesome. It's not as big or probably as sensitive as a commercial Wacom tablet, but just for doodling and messing around, it's a much cheaper solution. Inklet requires Snow Leopard to work, so if you're running anything pre-10.6, you're out of luck. The software is $24.95, and their website has been brought to its knees by recent press, so you can download it from Apple's site if you can't reach it the official way. The Pogo Sketch stylus is only required for pressure sensitivity, but it's a very reasonable $15. Like I said, if you're like me and want a Wacom but haven't had the cash or inclination to spend on it, Inklet could be the stepping stone you're looking for. We'll have a full TUAW review of Inkjet within the next few days.
Inklet trackpad tablet app for MacBook is Wacom's worst nightmare
Doodle much? Not us -- we just keep things in our heads which is probably for the best, but Ten One Design -- maker of Pogo Stylus and Pogo Sketch -- has just come up with a new solution for MacBook artists. The Inklet app essentially converts your multitouch trackpad into a drawing tablet by adding pressure sensitivity when using with a Pogo Sketch, as well as "advanced palm rejection" which lets you rest your hand while drawing or writing. As you can see in one of the videos after the break, you can also quickly adjust your canvas area at your convenience. $24.95 and it's yours, Picasso.
BetterTouchTool makes multi-touch infinitely more useful, for free
We recently covered a utility called MagicPrefs that adds a hatful of new and configurable multi-touch gestures to your Magic Mouse. Well, there's another free utility called BetterTouchTool that works with both trackpads and Magic Mice, providing a huge number of gestures and infinite possibilities for configuration. BetterTouchTool is a fork of the MultiClutch project, built for Snow Leopard and expanding the feature set greatly. It's the work of Andreas Hegenberg (also the author of SecondBar), and it's come a long way since the first alpha version I tested a while back. Aside from improved stability, the interface is one of the elements that's come the farthest. It's now quite easy to start adding gestures such as 'Three Finger Swipe Down' and 'Four Finger Click,' and assign them to predefined actions like 'Show Desktop' or 'Open Finder.' You can also assign any shortcut key you like, or assign a gesture to launch any application ... meaning you can make just about anything happen. BetterTouchTool also has actions available that control window sizing and movement, ala SizeUp, but with gestures. Groups of gestures can be assigned to specific applications, or made global. The latest version includes presets (which you can switch between), import, and export. Separate gestures are available for the trackpad and the Magic Mouse, and the new "Live View" feature makes it very easy to gain precise control over sensitivity settings and to test out gestures. BetterTouchTool is free, and is likely to remain that way, according to the author. It's still got the occasional glitch, but development is rapid and it's improving and expanding almost daily. If you've got a MacBook or MacBook Pro with a multi-touch trackpad, a Magic Mouse, or both, give it a shot!
Mac 101: AllThingsD delivers a video guide for Mac novices
If one of your loved ones has just switched to the Mac, or just got a Mac for the holidays, they might want some tips on how to get around and do the things they're used to doing in Windows. Katherine Boehret from AllThingsD has just posted a video and some tips showing many useful tips for switchers. The video shows hints about keyboard shortcuts (such as using the Command key on a Mac instead of the Control key on a PC), and using Command-Option-Escape on a Mac to force-quit an application, much like Control-Alt-Delete does on Windows. There's also tips on using the mouse on a Mac, and using the trackpad to perform gestures to get around your laptop. Switchers are also going to need help on controlling windows; closing and minimizing controls, of course, are on the top left of windows on a Mac, much like the buttons on the top right of a window on Windows. There's also tips on the differences and how to adjust to similar features and applications on a Mac, like the differences between Windows Explorer and the Finder on the Mac, and what parallels there are between other bundled applications. Finally, there's also tips on which web browser to use, how to eject a disc, and where to go for help. If you've got a friend or family member who's new to Mac OS X, it's something they should check out to help get used to using the Mac. Of course, right after that, the next step is to read through our library of Mac 101 tips and tricks for novice Mac users.
RIM's optical trackpads: they weren't joking about the 'optical' part
Thinking about how your phone's touchscreen operates, you might assume that the so-called optical pads that have been making appearances on recent BlackBerrys (among other devices) operate in a similar fashion -- but you'd be wrong. RIM's official BlackBerry blog is chiming in today to drop some knowledge on us dullards, and it turns out that "optical" isn't just a cute nickname -- the pads do actually operate in much the same way as modern desktop mice, using a low-res infrared camera to capture movement across the surface and translate it into movement. In practical terms, what this means is that you don't need a conductive surface to operate the pad -- you can use pretty much anything that the sensor can see, so a gloved hand (for instance) is theoretically good to go. That being said, don't expect to be snapping photos with your "camera" any time soon -- we're literally talking about a handful of grayscale pixels here, which should make it only marginally better than the Droid's cam.
Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch review
We've spent some time on Wacom's first-ever hybrid tablet -- the Bamboo Pen & Touch which, surprise, surprise, features independent stylus and multitouch finger inputs. Multitouch-equipped computer users may not be as stoked, but let's not forget those aspiring artists who are stuck with an old-school trackpad or a desktop sans touchscreen. Compared to previous pen-only models the $99 Pen & Touch should make life easier for tablet newbies, especially by eliminating the hassle of constantly switching between the stylus and the mouse. No, really: using the stylus as a mouse is just plain torture as the tablet's drawing area is mapped with the screen, which equates to extra hard work when you try to point your stylus at tiny buttons (you can switch to "Mouse mode" in preferences, but that's still extra donkey work). Do read on for some hands-on thoughts. %Gallery-79464%
Wireless USB keyboard / touchpad is more than the sum of its parts
A free PDA that came with a magazine subscription in 2002? An early Peek prototype? No, this is the humbly named USB Wireless Handheld Keyboard and Touchpad that's now available from USB Geek, and it just might be the sort of device you never knew you were looking for. As the folks at CrunchGear have noted, while the device is simply being marketed as an all-in-one wireless touchpad and keyboard, it actually has all the makings of an ideal HTPC controller -- not to mention an entirely reasonable price of $62. No multitouch, no LCD -- just a plain old trackpad, a wireless USB dongle, and a QWERTY keypad that should be adequate enough for tweeting your reaction to the TV show remake du jour. Video after the break. Update: And here comes a review!
Ask Engadget: Best wireless touchpad / trackpad?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Matt, who badly, badly needs to give his digits something to do on a trackpad whilst enjoying media from the couch. "I'm looking for a wireless trackpad to use with my older (2.5 or so years old) C2D MacBook that's perpetually docked to my home theater. Something sleek, thin, not too small, made of high quality materials. Ideally, it would natively support all of (Snow) Leopard's multitouch inputs, and even more ideally, it would have a charging dock / base. I'm not a fan of using a mouse on my sofa, and this would be just the thing I'm looking for. The only problem is that I'm not sure that such a thing even exists. Think you can throw me a bone?" Alright, so does such a thing really exist? Where can you procure one? Did Matt just give you the best DIY idea of all time?
Insignia's Little Buddy Child Tracker encourages kids to run away, disown parents
With a name like "Little Buddy Child Tracker," you know this thing has to be awful, right? Insignia, Best Buy's house brand, has just listed an incredibly invasive and humiliating new GPS tracker on its site, and rather than promoting it as just that, the marketing brains have decided it best to aim this at paranoid mums and dads who've done such a poor job raising their offspring that they can't even trust 'em to trek out on their own. All sensationalism aside, there's little Insignia can say or do to remedy the product labeling job, but if you're okay with shoving this extra-small stick into your youngster's lunch box, you can keep tabs on his / her exact location and have alerts sent to you via SMS if they leave a designated area. Just make sure they don't ever know that you were responsible for planting this thing on their person, else you can forget about junior footing those nursing home bills when the time comes. [Via Navigadget]
Apple Store down for updates, new iMac and more on the way? Update: part numbers!
And here we go: the Apple Store is down, presumably to update it with all the new gear we're expecting today. New iMacs, plastic MacBooks, multitouch input peripherals, maybe a new Airport Express -- we could get everything, we could get nothing. You'll know as soon as we do.Update: Kasper from AppleInsider just hit us up with some last-minute leaked part numbers, which reveal a new iMac with a 21.5-inch display, some new mini configs including a server with two hard drives and no optical drive, new AirPort gear, and yes, a new 60W MacBook power supply. See? Dreams do come true. Oh, and that's apparently just part of the list, so we'll see what else happens when all this stuff actually hits.MC207LL/A - K84 BEST BTR- USA MC238LL/A - MAC MINI 2.26/2x1GB/160/SD/AP/BT-USA MC239LL/A- MAC MINI 2.53/2x2GB/320GB/SD/AP/BT-USA MC340LL/A - AIRPORT EXTREME (SIM DUALBAND) - USA MC343LL/A - TIME CAPSULE 1TB (SIM DUALBAND) -USA MC344LL/A - TIME CAPSULE 2TB (SIM DUALBAND) - USA MC408LL/A - MAC MINI 2.53/2x2GB/1TB/NO ODD/AP-BT-USA MC413LL/A - IMAC 21.5"/3.06/2x2GB/1TB/4670-256MB-USA MC434LL/A - APPLE VESA MOUNT ADAPTER MC461LL/A - MACBOOK 60W MAGSAFE POWER ADAPTER - USA
New Macs, something else tomorrow?
Engadget is the latest to report a rumor that's been circulating for months: tomorrow may be the day that we finally see those new Macs we've been waiting on. John Gruber claims we're going to see new MacBooks and iMacs (which we'll rate as "expected"), updated Mac minis (wouldn't be a huge surprise, though we haven't heard that so much about that one, particularly not a mini bundled with Mac OS X Server -- a very nice idea, though), and something called a "Magic Mouse," as well as a multitouch trackpad accessory. I have to admit: those last two sound less likely than the iPod touch camera -- while the new MacBooks and iMacs definitely wouldn't be out of place before a holiday season, breaking out brand new accessories without an event to back them up isn't really Apple's style. But then again, ours is not to judge: the rumors say new mice and some sort of multitouch trackpad, so that's what we're passing on to you. Believe it or not, as you will. We'll of course be up and refreshing Apple's store constantly here at TUAW -- if anything new shows up there, you'll see it here ASAP.
Apple to introduce host of new machines, new multitouch input devices tomorrow?
We're not sure why John Gruber and Dan Lyons are having some sort of megalomaniacal Apple super-pundit standoff, but we'll sit here and take the spoils: Gruber's just one-upped Lyons's earlier vague tease of new Apple gear tomorrow with a pretty specific list of things he's apparently heard we'll see, including new iMacs and plastic MacBooks, revved Mac Minis (including one that runs OS X Server), a new multitouch "Magic Mouse" (ha!) and some sort of multitouch desktop trackpad accessory. That pretty much covers every rumor and vague whisper we've heard over the past few months, so it's actually a fairly conservative set of predictions, outside of that trackpad -- which itself may or may not be related to this multitouch input device patent from a couple weeks ago. We'll see what happens tomorrow morning -- at this point we're half expecting a tablet, a pony, and some sort of multitouch waffle maker as well.
Wacom Bamboo multitouch tablet found at Best Buy, unboxed on video
Need even more proof the Wacom Bamboo multitouch tablet is real? Apparently cued by one of our posts (or so he says), "weaksaucetwelve" ran out to his local Best Buy and picked up the device for the previously-heard price of $69 plus tax, and then proceeded to take it home and unbox it on camera. From his experience so far, it only seems to support up to two fingers at a time with OS X Leopard, but otherwise it works great. Video after the break.
Adesso's AKB-440 keyboard gets integrated trackpad
Look, we're not going to say that the famed keyboard-mouse tandem is going anywhere soon, but we will say that there are certainly occasions where having to use a separate critter is a real pain. For those times when having mousing abilities right on the keyboard just seem more "right," there's the Adesso AKB-440. Aimed directly at HTPC users and the like, this rather vanilla looking keyboard spruces things up with a GlidePoint-enabled pad that puts your standalone mouse out of work. If your imagination is running wild with how this thing could revolutionize your life (or at least improve the feasibility of a living room PC), feel free to snag one now for $59.99.[Via HotHardware]
TRKBRD surface touchpad puts your weekend DIY project to shame, probably
It may not seem like much from this video, but Malmö University graduate student Rob Nero has assembled himself a surface-based touchpad using all Arduino products and "simple Algebra." Dubbed TRKBRD, the device uses hyper-fast flashing LEDs and IR sensors to calculate the XY coordinates of the shadow, and subsequently the finger itself. We haven't seen it hooked up to a computer just yet, but we hope there's more to come. Videos of the successful trial run and some preliminary testing and wiring after the break. [Via Make: Online]
Econo-Keys EK-76-TP portable keyboard packs a touchpad on the flipside
It's not all that easy to make a keyboard that stands out these days, but the folks at Econo-Keys have managed to do just that with their new EK-76-TP model, even if they may not have gotten the whole "usefulness" thing down pat. As you can see above, this one's claim to fame is a trackpad on the underside of the keyboard, which the company says can be "conveniently" used if you flip over the keyboard, or "used from underneath while typing." The keyboard also looks like it'll hold up well to life on the road, with it conforming to IP67 standards for dirt, dust and water resistance, and able to hold up to hospital-grade cleaning agents. Just don't expect it to come cheap, as Econo-Keys is asking $146 for this little wonder.[Via OhGizmo!]
Weramouse V2 and V3 are a trackball / trackpad to have and to hold
Sometimes it's a bit refreshing to find a handheld mouse that doesn't track your motion, just in case you feel like waving your arms wildly and not having it screw up your apps. The Weramouse V2 handheld trackball mouse works wirelessly from up to about 26 feet away, using what we gather is a USB dongle to sync. Its Li-ion battery is claimed to be good for up to 28 hours and charges via USB. Cost is $99 NZD, which translates to $56 in US dollars. At one point the site listed a V3 model with a trackpad -- same specs otherwise, with a $199 NZD / $113 US price tag -- and while it's since been removed, the product page is still available via the great halls of the internet archives. [Via Technabob] Read - V2 with trackball Read - V3 with trackpad (cached)
Sharp Mebius NJ70A import now up for pre-order at Dynamism, LCD trackpad in tow
If the recent footage of Sharp's Mebius NJ70A and its LCD multitouch trackpad has gotten you hot, bothered, and reaching for your wallet, Dynamism is now taking pre-orders for the Japanese import netbook. The 4-inch touchscreen notwithstanding, you're looking at a 1.6GHz Intel Atom machine and the usual, ho-hum specs that go along with it -- not an easy pill to swallow when you're staring down a $999 price tag. Ship date is June 5th, and you might want to take that time to brush up on your skills with a Japanese International Layout keyboard if you're seriously considering the purchase.
