Magic Trackpad for iMac

The iMac comes with a "magic mouse" but for me it's unusable. It's too small for my hand and the glassy surface takes too much effort to stroke. After ten minutes use my wrist aches. For the time being I've plugged a normal PC mouse into it but I'd really like to have the gestures. I'm thinking about getting the "magic trackpad". Can anyone tell me what kind of surface it has (i.e. is the friction on a par with a normal laptop trackpad or more like the magic mouse) and whether or not it has a physical button to press (not a fan of tap to click)?

It's the same trackpad feel as what is in the current Macbook Range - glass (though much bigger).

I've had one since they came out - superb bit of kit. Though takes a little getting used to, but once you used to the gestures it's great.

Edited by kebabselector (Tue 20-Aug-13 22:44:07)

The Magic Trackpad has a burnished aluminium surface which is similar to the surface of the upper side if the iMac stand, but slightly smoother. Personally I think that is is a brilliant device. It takes up a fairly small amount of space on the desk, less than you need for any mouse, and works with all of the gesture available on the Mac systems. The biggest problem is that it eats batteries, but for me that is a small price to pay for such a brilliant device.

I don't have any problems with the Magic Mouse and have been using it for the past 2 years,but after reading your thread the few answers i also decided to invest in one from ebay £40

the surface of the magic trackpad is glass. i know, i broke one

luckily i didn't like it anyway and love the magic mouse

I like the magic mouse too though, like Sark, I wouldn't mind it being a touch bigger.

But to this day I miss the configurability of the mouse under OS/2... rather than just a (small) preset list of options you could program left/right single/double/triple clicks to do almost anything you wanted. No "swipe" gestures of course in those days.

The one I really loved was "both click", ie depress left and right buttons simultaneously. I used it to bring up the (more or less) equivalent of Dashboard, which is what I'd use it for again if it were available!

Had mine turn up today ,what a wonderful piece of kit and I wish I had got it ages ago,magic mouse packed away as this device is so much better.

I know that feeling. I packed the magic Mouse away and eventually sold it! - the magic mouse is a great device, it's just I always wanted a trackpad - then Apple bought it out.

I did exchange my first one as it was going through batteries quick (was and still use the Apple rechargable batteries - which the apple store swapped at the same time). Normally get a few months out of the Magic Trackpad before changing them - the wireless keyboard last about 6 months between each change - I guess the mouse is used more!

I recently bought a new iMac and although I have a fairly new Matias Tactile Pro keyboard and Logitech mouse I thought I'd give the Apple wireless keyboard and touchpad a try. I am reasonably happy with the keyboard which is much better than any other Apple keyboard in recent years and I am gradually adapting to the touchpad.

Yes, it does take a lot of getting used to after decades of using a mouse, and I have installed Better Touch Tool to give me more application specific customisation but apart from remembering all the gestures and being careful where I put my fingers I am gradually falling in love with it. I do get frustrated when a moment of carelessness suddenly zooms a window or clicks a link, but I think given time it will become my preferred device.

As others have said the Magic Trackpad is a nice piece of kit. I also use a Logitech Anywhere mouse, which, as the name suggests works on practically any surface. Can be used either left or right handed.

Edited by deleted (Sun 25-Aug-13 06:54:02)