New Apple Magic Trackpad Overview: End Of the Computer Mouse?

The new Magic Trackpad has been unveiled by Apple and by the looks, its here to change the way you interact with computers. This magical trackpad is larger than the one which ships with MacBooks. Not only that, but this is a standalone device, which you can also use with your desktop PC.

The fact is that more people use laptops than desktops and if you use an Apple notebook, you are probably accustomed to using the trackpad. So now, you can take the same experience to desktop computing as well.

This trackpad works perfectly with the wireless keyboard and you can enjoy features such as pinch-to-zoom, inertial scrolling, tap-to-click and a lot more. The Magic trackpad has 80% more surface area than the one supplied with the Macbook. It is yet to be revealed whether this larger trackpad includes some added multi-touch features.

The new trackpad is surely going to usher in changes to computing, by luring desktop users to ditch the mouse in its favor. Whether that will actually happen and more importantly: at what rate, remains a question, but the signs are not good for the traditional computer mouse.

A mouse cannot offer multi-touch gestures, something which a generation being fed on touch-enabled phones, tablets, and notebooks, is now habituated with. Moreover, the mouse represents 50 year old technology, which is a miracle in itself!

Apple, is however, quite circumspect while commenting on how the new trackpad will affect the future of the mouse. The company says that there are still some specific actions which are best completed with a mouse. And gamers will vouch for the fact that a touch pad is definitely not as effective in the heat of an intense match-up.

It the precision provided by a mouse which is still keeping it alive, despite touch being the new way to interact with all computing devices. In future you may well find the mouse being used solely by professionals such as designers for whom accuracy is everything.

Whatever happens to the mouse in future — don’t feel for it. Just remember that change is the essence of technology, so embrace it!

Written by Jay Shah on July 29th, 2010

Nurturing a lifelong love affair with machines, Jay simply loves any tech that can make life easier, better, faster and more enjoyable. And with hundreds if not thousands of Gadgets, Apps, Games being launched everyday, there's more than enough out there to keep this hardcore techie occupied and obsessed!