“I predict Steve Jobs will introduce a multitouch mousepad at WWDC… and that finger input will be one of the ‘top secret’ features of Leopard,” Leander Kahney blogs for Wired.
“The multitouch pad will look like a standard mousepad, but it’ll be finger sensitive, like the touchpads on most notebooks. But instead of one finger, it’ll be sensitive to multi-finger gestures and commands, like the iPhone,” Kahney predicts.
“The pad will completely replace the mouse, allowing users to control the Mac with their fingers — moving the cursor, selecting files and double clicking with a quick double tap of the index finger,” Kahney explains.
“The pad will also respond to a whole new vocabulary of gestures, like Mouse Gestures in Firefox, which execute common commands (backwards, forwards, reload) with a sweep of the mouse. Using your fingers, you’ll open files by twisting to the left, as though turning an imaginary dial. Twist your fingers to the right to close the file,” Kahney writes.
More in the full article here.
Who uses mouse pads anymore?
Man, I hope this is true…. I would love to lose the mouse!!!1
Sounds good to me!
Make it work with a stylus and it’ll be almost perfect, which means that I’ll probably still need my WACOM tablet for pressure sensitivity.
Actually, replacing the mouse completely would be pretty mind blowing. Add it to the list of ground breaking technologies that Apple introduced to the mainstream initially and replaced later on.
Sounds very interesting although I have my doubts that something like this will be introduced today.
Hello Carpal Tunnel!
man,we need more like we did with the iphone,more 8% market share,thats i call apple.
oh and one more thing,that look-a-like mousepad was used in the 20th anniversary mac.
And me just having ordered a new trackball.
What’s the difference with my MacBook touchpad?
I can tell you the truth from years of using mice
Apple’s Mighty Mouse absolutly s*cks.
1: Two buttons are not really two buttons.
2: The scroll ball is not really 360� but only goes left/right top/bottom. and it gets clogged and loses traction.
3: The side buttons get accidentially clicked when grabbing the mouse.
4: It’s default setup is hard to use for newbies.
Now Apple is going to introduce a NEW input interface?
Like they really have done anything good with the present input devices. 🙁
In the full article Leander says:
“Of course, this is pure speculation. I’ve no evidence whatsoever this is going to happen. I’ve no idea if it’s even realistic..”
In other words, don’t count on it.
@,
Nice observation, but the 20th Anniversary Mac didn’t have MultiTouch.
I think that fact may serve to be the BIG difference (if any of this mess is true).
@ OZZ,
This is just my imagination, but I picture the ability to rest a relaxed hand upon the device
and gesture freely with multiple digits, instead of “hook fingering” like on a trackpad? Hell, I don’t know
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I’ve been wanting Wacom to add technology like this to their tablets for years. Touch sensitive scrolling and zoom. And not those side keys they have. Those are poorly placed.
This is what I want… now!
I love the Mighty Mouse, though I am getting sore thumbs from squeezing it all the time.
If apple doesn’t release it someone should… maybe these guys:
http://www.jazzmutant.com/
I want one of these too!
What complete rubbish. Am I the only person here with common sense?
that “mousepad” would only work if it’s also a screen, if not it’s nothing more than an external trackpad (those have been multitouch for years)
by the way, maybe someone should write a hack to add more gestures to trackpads, like zooming (with universal access)
i wonder if that’s posible.
I would buy it today if it were available. The idea is much better than large vertical touchscreen monitors if you were to use them for extended periods of time.
@MickyMouse
If their current mouse is bad, why are you dissapointed that they’re replacing it?
(also, you can change the scoll ball’s settings to make is 360º
Magic: Hard, as in: That wan’t too hard, was it?)
@sapiens
Yes, I know it’s just wild speculation. Some wonder into what direction multitouch may take
us. It’s fun to guess I suppose (i.e. loosen up).
So basically this is gonna be a firmware update then seeing as my macbook trackpad is already multitouch?
@ Martin,
“those have been multitouch for years”
Yes, but has it been well implemented? I tend to agree with this:
“that “mousepad” would only work if it’s also a screen”
The software implementation though, would be of paramount importance.
I can tell you the truth from years of using mice
Apple’s Mighty Mouse absolutly s*cks.
––I totally disagree. I avoided one for a long time because of detractors. However, I had to work on another companies system and fell in love with it.
1: Two buttons are not really two buttons.
––Seems to work like two for me.
2: The scroll ball is not really 360� but only goes left/right top/bottom. and it gets clogged and loses traction.
––Mine has never clogged and works perfectly. The left/right is awesome for Final Cut.
3: The side buttons get accidentially clicked when grabbing the mouse.
––Never happens to me
4: It’s default setup is hard to use for newbies.
––Yeah, really hard. Much harder than configuring a Microsoft mouse.
Now Apple is going to introduce a NEW input interface?
––Actually they already have with gestures, the iPhone, etc.
Like they really have done anything good with the present input devices. 🙁
––Again, gestures, multi-touch, etc.
Sounds like something straight out of the movie Minority Report, though Tom Cruise had a special glove on to control the objects on his screen. I’ll be one of the first buyers if this were to come true.
“Am I the only person here with common sense?”
If you were the only one, could it be common?
Too early for logic?