Touch pads have become all but ubiquitous on laptops, which now represent the majority of computers sold. But they’re still an afterthought when it comes to desktops.
Apple’s new Magic Trackpad may help change that.
The pointing device, which Apple released late last month, allows users to interact with Mac desktop computers with many of the same gestures they can use on a Mac notebook or an iPad. It’s much easier to use than the typical mouse and feels more natural and comfortable.
To be sure, I come to that conclusion from a somewhat unusual vantage point: I’m a longtime touch-pad user — even on my desktop — who has long been baffled by the mouse’s enduring popularity.
A mouse is unwieldy. Moving the pointer from one side of a screen to another often requires the user to pick up and move the mouse. That can be awkward or frustrating in a cramped work space.
And they can be painful to use, literally. I gave up using a mouse about 13 years ago after I suffered repetitive stress injuries to my hands. In searching for a solution to relieve the pain in my aching hands — and still allow me to do my job — I found a keyboard that had a built-in track pad. I’ve used a variation of that at work and at home ever since and have rarely felt a hint of pain.
Also, compared to track pads, most mice are fairly dumb devices. Yes, you can use them to click on a button or use a scroll wheel to page up and down. But few allow you the range of actions you can now do with gestures on a track pad, such as rotating pictures or minimizing windows on a screen.
Touch pads, particularly those on the notebook side, have been gaining usefulness…