What is Digg?152 Comments
- fishbert, on 01/22/2008, -4/+51What I'd like to see is an update pushed out to current-gen MacBook and MacBook Pros that will give them the same multi-touch trackpad behavior. I would expect that the changes required would be purely software, so I don't see why it couldn't happen.
- randovaro, on 01/22/2008, -8/+40And Blu-ray too please!
- schallis, on 01/22/2008, -1/+30But aren't the current MBPs equipped with multi-touch trackpads? They have multi touch gestures like the two-finger right click etc. Unless this is just some clever software trickery with a standard single-touch trackpad.
- jonlarge, on 01/22/2008, -1/+27Yeah. The current MacBooks should be able to do this. They can perform the two-finger scrolling and if you try to put three fingers on it, it won't scroll. So obviously, it can detect three fingers as well.
The problem lies in Apple's history of never doing something like this. I'm an avid Mac user but when you look at the way Microsoft updated the old Zune software to incorporate new features, you wonder why Apple can't do this with iPods. I really like the new iPod interface with a focus on album art. Why can't Apple just update my 5G iPod to do that? - surrelmar, on 01/22/2008, -3/+20The important news in the article is that the Macbook Pro's are coming soon now. We had to wait for a littlebit. That piece of macbook air pushed it all back a for a while.
Victory for all those who endured the long long wait. - UnConeD, on 01/22/2008, -0/+16The old pads are definitely not just shape/area based. Putting e.g. your thumb flat on the pad correctly registers as cursor movement, while two finger tips smushed together in exactly the same area register as scrolling. In fact, it can distinguish three fingers from two, because it won't move or scroll with 3.
- sumsuni, on 01/22/2008, -0/+14ughh...shut up with the old Borat references
- BossKey, on 01/22/2008, -3/+152 drives, 1 laptop?
- borninda818, on 01/22/2008, -6/+18Not the normal macbook. That would eat at the sales of the Air. Really the only thing the Air has going for it are its ridiculously sexy looks and that touchpad.
- ispeakasian, on 01/22/2008, -5/+15Don't Macbook Pros already have multitouch track pads? Touching with one finger moves the mouse while using two (or more) fingers scrolls.
- vicarbo, on 01/22/2008, -1/+9I've been holding out for a new MBP, bring em on! I'm still on my 12" PB... I hope they come soon!
- sfinney180, on 01/22/2008, -1/+9wow never seen that coming
- saucedmike, on 01/22/2008, -4/+11Hi
- deadbaby, on 01/22/2008, -3/+10I agree. I don't think it's very useful . It's kinda like those stupid extra keys all PC keyboards seem to have these days. Do I really need a key for E-Mail or Web Browser when I can just click on the icon with my mouse instead?
- inactive, on 01/22/2008, -0/+7This is not multitouch! There's a difference between being able to *detect* that there are two (or three) touches and being able to track them all independently.
- ArmandoM, on 01/22/2008, -1/+7Yes please.. It can't possibly be that expensive for them to add a right-click.
I realize you can do it with the double finger+click thing, or plugging in a mouse... but why the resistance by Apple to add a 2nd button for those of us who are used to it? - Protoss, on 01/22/2008, -0/+6Not really. Macbook Air is ultra-portable, Macbook is your average laptop. The Macbook is also much cheaper and faster than the Air.
Apple usually does this, they release a new product with a 'feature' and then incorporate that feature into existing product lines. - smrekar, on 01/22/2008, -0/+6My friend has 2 drives in his MBP.
http://www.mcetech.com/optibay/ - SuperSunny, on 01/22/2008, -1/+6Uh, why are you in the Apple Section?
- SuperSunny, on 01/22/2008, -1/+6I guess you bought a 2000 Dollar laptop because you like to stretch and pull on some images with your finger. Go use it for what it's meant to do. Professional work in video, audio, and graphical department. This is not for you.
- SuperSunny, on 01/22/2008, -0/+5From the way Apple Products are currently priced and HAVE been priced, probably around 2000 dollars. Exactly how much it is now. They don't really adjust the pricing. After a year they adjust the specs.
If it works fine for you, no worries. - Dreyruugr, on 01/22/2008, -2/+7There's more to multitouch than you might think. Check out the following site; it's the company that Apple purchased and the origin of the iPhone and Air multitouch technology. There are numerous gesture guides for their mouse and keyboard products that demonstrate the full capability of the tech.
http://www.fingerworks.com/ - dagamer34, on 01/22/2008, -2/+6That's a 2nd gen MacBook? First gen notebooks only had Intel Core Duo chips.
- fluxboxuk, on 01/22/2008, -0/+4beg your pardon... bus since when is clicking the apple button and selecting "software update" been a challenge only a geek can rise to !
- MacParrot, on 01/22/2008, -0/+4awww poor baby! I've got a 933 GHz iBook that works great after almost 4 years. That's how you get value out of something. Hold onto it and use for as long as it performs. Not by buying the next model after the one you just bought comes out.
Oh, and by the way, digg is hardly the final arbitrator of what's right and wrong in the world...just thought you ought to know. Digg me down if you agree /sarc - surrelmar, on 01/22/2008, -1/+5that doesn't make any sense. I agree that it's useful to have more space. But the downside is more weight... they won't let that happen.
- Klarth, on 01/22/2008, -3/+7I'm pretty sure it detects two inputs as one oversized touch area and adjusts accordingly.
- fkr3, on 01/22/2008, -1/+5Actually HP's offered dual drives in their 17"ers for ... years. I believe Dell does too, and Alienware. 17" laptops are desktop replacements anyway... they're about as portable as most pieces of furniture, might as well shove the extra 100 grams of drive in all that space.
- ArmandoM, on 01/22/2008, -0/+4I'd like to introduce you to some of the users I do tech support for...
- jleems86, on 01/22/2008, -6/+10Actually, the hardware necessary for single-touch and multi-touch surfaces are quite different
- ERICwithanH, on 01/22/2008, -4/+8I'd be willing to give up the multi-touch trackpad for a second trackpad button.
- astrosmash, on 01/22/2008, -3/+7The current hardware can already detect between two and three finger gestures, as well as circular motions, and the latest software is obviously capable of receiving back, forward, zoom, and rotate events from the mouse/trackpad.
If Apple doesn't release an update then it's likely someone else will create a trackpad drive that supports it, similar to the iScroll2 driver that added two-finger scrolling to older iBooks. - HouseofEl, on 01/22/2008, -0/+4I'm starting to get a bit tired of these supposed earth shattering releases. I love Apple's products. If I could afford it, I'd probably have every line of computer they have. But, I'm starting to get a little annoyed at this stuff. You're a computer and technology company. There are more important things going on than what their next move is. I'm not saying "don't get excited" but Apple isn't the end all or be all of anything.
- Protoss, on 01/22/2008, -0/+3Thats how any technology works...Your Macbook was considered 'out of date' in May '07 when they bumped the specs, then again in October when they refreshed them with LED backlit screens.
- zoom1928, on 01/22/2008, -0/+3My four year-old iBook is multi-touch. Apple has been planning this for many years. I found a driver that lets you scroll with two fingers or simulate the second mouse button when you press the single button with two or more fingers on the pad. It works very well. I even prefer it to having a second mouse button that gets in the way 90% of the time.
- fluxboxuk, on 01/22/2008, -0/+3hey ill be happy to eat my words if it is actually physically impossible to get the hardware to do it... but i cant see the difference between using two fingers to scroll, right click and using three to scroll to the next page... the touchpad has the ability to reccognise the multiple touches (one finger or two), so isnt it just a case of telling the OS what to do if it detects 3.... and what their doing, aka moving apart, sweeping left and right etc !
- fluxboxuk, on 01/22/2008, -1/+4oh please... dont tag me as a tight money person, with the wonderful american exchage rate the way it is at the moment, it only like £8, like i care.... the point im making is that the touch should of come with this software streight off the production line, just cus now apple have realised everyone is Jailbreaking the dam thing to get the mail app, they figure 'hey, lets offer it to them for a tiny amount and make an extra billion !' well. u feel free and keep drinking the coolade mate, just dont presume to think im the only one whos not happy about a charged for software update !
- Alfurnguy, on 01/22/2008, -0/+3Well i knew this would happen. I just bought my macbook pro yesterday and now there are rumors about changed the current line. why couldn't of this hit front page yesterday!
- yabos, on 01/22/2008, -0/+3My MBP already has multi touch capabilities using 2 fingers to scroll documents. There's no reason to limit this to new MBP except for pure greed.
- AdmiralKarelia, on 01/22/2008, -0/+3But the same could be said of my PowerBook before I installed iScroll. It was incapable of doing anything but ignoring all movement when I used two fingers, and was even connected by an internal ADB (as in the old-ass Mac serial input) connection, whereas the scrolling PowerBooks and iBooks used a USB-based trackpad. Well, apparently that old trackpad can do more than we thought, because it's scrolling as we speak.
- inactive, on 01/22/2008, -5/+8How about two buttons? No, that would actually be useful.
- das7282, on 01/22/2008, -2/+4"Next-gen Apple MacBook Pros to gain multi-touch trackpad"
Gee... Howdya guess? - smrekar, on 01/22/2008, -0/+2if you run barefeats photoshop action and then flip it upside down. yes. it will.
- falafelkiosken, on 01/22/2008, -3/+5Damn, I want one (but having two MacBooks would be overkill)
- SuperSunny, on 01/22/2008, -0/+2I understand, just a general statement. I don't think anyone would buy a MacBook Pro to go play with some pictures with their fingers, though.
- pauldy, on 01/22/2008, -0/+2Ever been accused of missing the point? It's absurd for Apple to hold out on a second button for their machines. I'm not sure what the reason is but they have a second "virtual button" for the Mighty Mouse, not exactly sure how it works but they describe it as being able to sense which side of the mouse you are pushing on. Having a mencia moment here and thinking just put the freaking button on. I love my macs but none of my desktops are using their original Apple mice and my laptop can be annoying in some games where you are required to click the second mouse button and move around.
- themuffinman, on 01/22/2008, -0/+2Hate to break it to you, but it's not gonna happen. In apple's eyes, the macbook air has filled that void.
- eternalbuzz, on 01/22/2008, -2/+4Can someone please explain to me why they cant add multi-touch capability to current-gen MBPs through a software update (or something similar)? Is there any hardware difference that is stopping them? Or do they want to keep it exclusive to new iterations of the brand to promote sales of new hardware?
- PathDaemon, on 01/22/2008, -2/+4Congratulations, I witnessed it at Macworld as well. That didn't do ***** to convince me that MBPs aren't capable of it — just a software update away (or it could be).
- GeneralFailure0, on 01/22/2008, -2/+4I actually use those keys every day to open up my most commonly used programs. It lets me keep my desktop clean.
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