Magic Trackpads Goal: Replace the Mouse

Followed since before the introduction of the iPad, many people across the Internet have been wondering what the Magic Slate and Magic Trackpad name filing at the United States Patent and Trademark Office was for? Many thought that one of them was going to be the name of what we now know as the iPad. However, even after the iPads release, the name still lingered in the USPTO, sparking investigation across the Web on what Apple was cooking up for this name. Then this leaked image was released along with the blueprints for it that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) received from the people in Cupertino¦

After the FCC approved the application, rumors spurred the Net that Apple was on the verge of releasing the device. Hence, the Magic Trackpad was bestowed upon us this week. In laymans terms, it is essentially the Multi-Touch trackpad stripped from the MacBook, made bigger (80% bigger) and placed to sit by itself. However, it brings all the Multi-Touch trackpad goodness from the MacBook experience to the iMac, Mac Pro and Mac mini (as well as some Windows machines out there incorporating Bluetooth as it seems). This has possibly been the most examined product out of the flurry of technology that has been released this week from Apple. Already in Apple Stores ready fro customers to test out as well as purchase, it has already been speculated what the main objective is for the Magic Trackpad: Replace the point-and-click mouse. Douglas Engelbart, creator of the mouse, has provided a technology that has served as the longest-standing human input device (aside from the keyboard) for the personal computer for three decades now. In fact, it was Apple who ditched the rolling ball/pool ball pointing method and adopted the point-and-click mouse with the introduction of the Mac and its graphical user interface (GUI) in 1984, making both technologies widely and highly popular in computing and setting the standard for computers. Its pretty much guaranteed that Apples creation of GUI is laser-etched in steel and reinforce five times over (meaning that technology will never be obsolete), it seems that the mouse has taken a few blows in these past decades. Probably the heaviest one of all is the introduction of Multi-Touch technology. Made popular by the guys in Cupertino, Multi-Touch is spreading like wildfire among the industry. However, it was never, as some would say, properly introduced to the desktop machine. The Magic Trackpad looks like its out to give formal hello to the desktop computer.

The device incorporates all the functions of the Multi-Touch trackpad thats presented on the MacBook. In addition to that, a new gesture comes in to play on the Magic Trackpad  the ability to move your windows about the screen with a three-finger gesture. As of right now, this is only present on the Magic Trackpad and has proven quite useful from those who have been using the gesture. It isnt yet present in the MacBook, but over here at MacApper, we highly expect a software update for that feature to be present within a couple days. The device is wireless connecting by way of Bluetooth, which is standard on every Mac. Like all things Apple, it definitely complements and just looks like it belong with any Mac or Apple product for that matter, sitting flush next to the Wireless Apple Keyboard. Two AA batteries power this smooth-feeling device and like the Magic Mouse and Wireless Apple Keyboard, it detects when activity is idle and decreases use of power to preserve battery life. To operate it on your Mac, you will need  Mac OS 10.6.4 and the latest software update. Just like the MacBooks trackpad, it does in fact click when pressure is applied to initiate single and double clicking commands. AS far as design goes, its beautiful to look at and even more beautiful to feel. Cut from the same aluminum material as the Apple Keyboards and same anti-wear glass of the MacBooks trackpad.

Apple has been notoriously known to set the standard. The company has been the first for many things and watched as the industry adapts it while they move on to the next soon-to-be standard. They where the first to implement the mouse, graphical user interface, all-in-one computer design, floppy disks, optical discs, USB, FireWire, 802.11 wireless fidelity, mini HDD, Multi-Touch as well as a few others and the first to discontinue use of some of these technologies and replacing them with new ones that the industry hasnt done yet. Despite what Apples motives are with the Magic Trackpad, it seems it will unintentionally (or intentionally) make an attempt to replace the mouse human input device.

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