Apple introduced the much-anticipated Magic Trackpad at the Apple Store Tuesday, bringing the multi-touch gestures familiar to iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad users to the desktop. Rather than pointing and clicking, the Magic Trackpad lets you compute with gestures once you connect it via Bluetooth to your Mac. Some analysts say the Magic Trackpad is a gateway to the future of computer interfaces. Others say this rumor how the PC mouse is the latest victim of Apple industrial design is premature.
Apple industrial design comes out in Magic Trackpad
The Magic Trackpad conforms to the distinct Apple industrial design. The angle and height of the sleek, glass-covered aluminum device matches the Mac keyboard it is intended to compliment. CNNMoney.com reports how the multi-touch Magic Trackpad became accessible at the Apple Store Tuesday morning. When the online store went down soon before the Magic Trackpad was announced, the blogosphere erupted with speculation about what sort of game Apple was playing.
The desktop gets enhanced multi-touch
Apple says the Magic Trackpad supports a set of multi-touch gestures that include two-finger scrolling, pinching to zoom, rotating with your fingertips, three-finger swiping or switching between applications with four fingers . In its product explanation, Apple says, “Go from typing to gesturing in one motion, or do both at the same time,” and “Swiping through pages online feels just like flipping through pages in a book or magazine. And inertial scrolling makes moving up and down a page more natural than ever”.
Was the Magic Trackpad made for 3D computing?
Apple’s long-term strategy to introduce a 3D interface in the future could have something to do with the Magic Trackpad. Johnny Evans at Computerworld reports how the company owns several patents on a 3D user interface, and the Magic Trackpad could be a key step in Apple’s campaign to get its users accustomed to it. Evans hypothesizes about a multi-touch interface in 3D where you appear to reach right into your screen. He also visualizes the possibilities of using Apple’s iSight camera to detect motion and allow users to compute via head movement, arm movement or voice.
Magic Trackpad – is the mouse on its last legs
The Magic Trackpad may be the device of the moment, said Jared Newman at PC World, but the mouse isn’t dead quite yet. Newman said old habits die hard. The Magic Trackpad’s minimal ergonomics made his fingers tired. Being able to lift and click whenever you run out of dragging room on the mousepad was also frustrating. And because of the necessity of a mouse for games, people will always want them around .
Further reading
CNNMoney.com
cnn.com/2010/TECH/gaming.gadgets/07/27/apple.magic.track.pad/index.html?npt=NP1″
Computerworld
blogs.computerworld.com/16607/apples_magic_trackpad_is_more_than_you_think?source=rss_blogs”
PC World
pcworld.com/article/201978/4_reasons_apples_magic_trackpad_wont_kill_the_mouse.html?tk=hp_blg”
