Chris Foresman has updated Ars Technica’s article regarding their coverage of T3’s claim that MacBook Air’s multi-touch was 100% software based which would have meant that MacBook and MacBook Pro units could have be given extended multi-touch capabilities via a simple software update:
It appears as if the original article at T3 was likely taken down because it was incorrect. As we learned from the iFixit teardown of the MacBook Air, it makes use of the same dedicated multi-touch chip as the one found in the iPhone. We are unsure as to whether T3 misquoted an Apple spokesperson on this issue or whether PR was merely confused. Either way, we still believe that Apple plans to put larger multi-touch trackpads in its other Macs!
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Island Girl” for the heads up.]
That’s ok. Wasn’t fussed about having it in my Macbook anyway. I wouldn’t have paid the fee (if there was one), so I doubt I would have got it anyway.
damnit!!!
mdn word : would
would have been nice…
That sucks, I was really hoping for a “Multi-Touch Update”
Oh well.
Ars Technica’s style and substance of covering all things Mac is sloppy, unprofessional and with sophomoric commentary. A group of high school smart asses.
Bummer…
I wonder if the next Macbook Pro’s will have this?
So no multi-touch for my Pismo?
Probably wouldn’t have been feasible on the smaller trackpads anyway.
I believe it is still likely. There is a big picture here, though. Currently, there are various Apple devices, with various UIs and OSs (iPod Nano/Classic, AppleTV, iPod Touch/iPhone, Mac). Apple is making a strategic, long-term effort to converge these around the multi-touch paradigm (where applicable; obviously, not AppleTV), and OSs are slowly creeping towards greater similarity and consistency (coverflow, multi-touch gestures, etc). More than likely, Apple’s (i.e. SJ’s) vision is to eliminate keyboard/mouse interface on all devices. They have already patented pressure-sensitive keyboard with ‘force-feedback’ type of response. This could be useful for emulating QWERTY keyboards for typing on a touch-screen, when absolutely necessary. Other than typing, everything should be doable by (multi)touching.
Eventually, Apple will have everything work the same way: iPhone (multi-touch as we know it now, undoubtedly further refined), Macs with touch screens (from 13″ through 24″), as well as any further computing devices with screens. The concept of vertically positioned display will die. We will return to the way we had worked for centuries (millennia) – with our work laid out in front of us on a table/desk. Rather than using an interface where you press or move something (keyboard/mouse) in order to cause a change somewhere completely elsewhere (display), we will directly interact with our work, in a most intuitive way possible.
Multi-touch is surely coming to the rest of the Mac line. Watch for new MBPs with it anytime soon.
> We are unsure as to whether T3 misquoted an Apple spokesperson on this issue or whether PR was merely confused.
The Apple “spokesperson” was probably an Apple Store sales person trying to sell the T3 author a MacBook before they are updated with the new trackpad.
T3 guy at Apple Store >> You know… I need a new MacBook, but I want the multi-touch trackpad. Do you think Apple will release a software update for existing track pads?
Apple Store employee >> It’s possible, but we’re not allowed to speculate about future Apple products.
T3 guy >> So you, an Apple employee, think it’s possible. That’s good enough for me…
Rats. I want my multi-touch MacBook Pro!
So, on the MacBook Air, does multi-touch work in EVERY application, system-wide, or just in certain apps that support m-t directly?
Well, I’m sure a 3rd party will have a multitouch trackpad in no time, for all those who want to replace their mouse.
I tried the multi-touch MacBook Air and the feature didn’t seem like something that was necessary or useful.
It probably still COULD be done. The track pad currently recognizes having two fingers on it moving (scrolling). But if they had dedicated chips that managed the movement then it would be harder to implement it. I am willing to bet the trackpad is capable, but right now they just have the software managing it in another piece of hardware. No big deal though, I can life without rotating my photos in a cool fashion.
uh… My MacBook already has multi-touch input. I use the two finger scrolling and two finger right click all of the time. I don’t see how this is any different than what the Air has (besides the obvious that the Air can do more of the same things.)
poop!
-MPC Guy
“I tried the multi-touch MacBook Air and the feature didn’t seem like something that was necessary or useful.”
Oh yeah !!! that’s right, Apple are just a bunch of Plonkers, they purposely go out of their way to issue the stupid and the unnecessary … err … no hang on, that would be you MPC Guy, you the Plonker of Plonkers.
Aw-shucks, now I’ve gone n’ upset your lofty but one-sided ideals … AGAIN!
Please feel free to reply – coz, I’m up for a laugh.
That was exactly what I thought when I read it.
Picture this: BT keyboard + multi-touch trackpad
since the leopard update, my G4 PowerBook now has the ability to right click by tapping the trackpad with 2 fingers. It definitly did not have this feature before leopard, because I remember thinking how cool this feature is on my MacBook.