Apple is set to revolutionize the input device market next.

[Mizango]

I bet Apple could sell that cardboard right there with an apple logo printed on it for $150 and call it revolutionary.

Apple sellin that piece of cardboard at 300 is a steal

Correct.

[DAKPluto]

Revolutionize?!? My Gateway laptop already has a multi-touch pad on it.....

(And it's actually quite cool btw)

[Amastacia]

I actually like the multi-touch trackpad on the new Mac laptops a lot.

But that's an application where it makes sense.

Desktop spends too much time gaming, has too much screen real estate, and too little OS-X to get maximum benefit from any Apple trackpad.

[Kaisha]

'eh.

If I had to buy something track-pad like I'd just grab one of those Wacom Bamboo's that support both pen and touch. That way I could at least doodle with it if I ever get bored, and it's cost 3-4x less.

Anyways, there would have to be at least three things Apple would do that I'd need the product to have if I were to bother buying it:

1) USB-hookup for charging and wired use (do any of us actually own a BlueTooth dongle on our PCs?)
2) SDK for application integration
3) Drivers for an OS other than fucking OS X or bootcamped Windows.
4) MacWheel-style keyboard input just for the fucking lulz

Granted, it could be handy for niche purposes like software presentations. Walking about with the trackpad in your hands and still being able to operate the computer you're showing off crap with.

I'm guessing they're using that "the whole pad is the button" approach with that. I'm still not sure if I'm a fan of that or not as I really do like the trackpad on my '08 MB Pro with its physical button.

[Isiolia]

Eh, personally, I'm not big on touchpads or the like. However, I can sort of see their angle on this. Not all laptops, and likely very few desktops, have multi-touch input. Their Magic Mouse sorta has it in mouse form, but personally I lasted a day before swapping back to a $10 Logitech from that thing. The MBP touchpads, on the other hand, I've found very usable (though not everyone does).

For certain uses it'd likely be very nice, perhaps even preferable to a mouse. Either way, it'd simply be an option, and options aren't bad.

Wouldn't surprise me to see Apple start adding more multi-touch and gesture based input to justify having one of these (or similar) on your desk though.

[Julian]

Multi touch mouse pad or whatever the fuck it's called, is that the thing, where you can like, scroll by using two fingers, right click with three fingers, etc?

If that's all that it is, I have that on my laptop and I really like it. But like someone else has said, that's on a laptop. If I wanted to carry around a mouse with me everywhere I went, then I would probably still use a mouse with my laptop, but the trackpad is nice to just have integrated in it, and is way better than what laptops used to have.

(lulz were had when I tried to play counterstrike on my laptop)

But on a desktop, there's too much space, and I don't really see the point Unless you're using it for drawing or something, but I already have a bamboo thingy for that :D which was only like $40.

Anyway, I'm not going to just dismiss thing and go "lolapple," but I'll wait and see if it's anything more than just "laptop's multitouch for desktops!" or whatever. If that's all that it is, meh.

[kuronosan]

Seriously? Trackpad?

[Isiolia]

Multi touch mouse pad or whatever the fuck it's called, is that the thing, where you can like, scroll by using two fingers, right click with three fingers, etc?

Those are some of the uses for it, though technically you can also do the pinch/pull zooming, rotating, that sort of thing too. Basically just means the device can make sense of multiple input points, instead of spazzing out or choosing one or the other like some touch devices.

There were stand-alone trackpads way back in the day too. Some people still like trackballs as desktop input as well.

Half-surprised Apple isn't trying to market a different form-factor iPad type device as a keyboard/trackpad combo though, a la http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus-tactus/ ...though perhaps this is step 1.

[dejet]

I admit, I hate Apple comps and Macbooks with a hard passion. But I still buy their accessories simply because they look so clean compared to the crap everyone else sells.

I dont look down on apple for their items. They make very good laptops and desktops. The only thing is that for the price/normal things that people do its way overpriced.

Add to it that there are as many fanboys for apple as there are xbox fanboys; that is one thing that gets me so mad.

Them:"look what I got a macbook pro for $1400"
Me:"oh cool what you do with it?"
Them:"surf the web and a little school work"
Me:"ah, my 200 emachine does that; and for everything else theres my $1000 pc I build that you know can run anything I want/do whatever I want with"
me again: lulz

Macs have some cool stuff to them and some nice ass programs.

in closing
Overpriced for the average user, who for whatever reason buys them more then the pros who get the real use from them.

[Mayareira]

Them:"look what I got a macbook pro for $1400"
Me:"oh cool what you do with it?"
Them:"surf the web and a little school work"
Me:"ah, my 200 emachine does that; and for everything else theres my $1000 pc I build that you know can run anything I want/do whatever I want with"
me again: lulz

This is an example of a not-so-smart buyer here, it has nothing to do with Macs.

You could say the exact same crap for an Alienware buyer, or tards that bitch non stop about viruses and refuses to use an anti-virus software because "they slow the computer down".

[Correction]

If you hadn't used the word 'revolutionize' in the OP title I wouldn't be laughing real hard right now.

[Chicomagiko]

Why is op posting irrelevant news more than a month old?

[dejet]

This is an example of a not-so-smart buyer here, it has nothing to do with Macs.

You could say the exact same crap for an Alienware buyer, or tards that bitch non stop about viruses and refuses to use an anti-virus software because "they slow the computer down".

Thing is most alienware buyers get it for gaming, and although way overpriced; it does a decent job. I myself would never in my right mind buy one, but it still stands that most people who buy it are going to play some heavy games.

You can say that, and to a point you are right. There is that group who will buy a alienware PC for no reason outside web browsing. Its way more rare to see that then a mac person who uses it for itunes and web browning only.

~_~ if you want to talk more should prob take it to PMs before I derail a mac thread again with my hate talk.

[Zilong]

man, and here i thought it would be a USB vagina

[Kurokikaze]

With a trackball as a clitoris amirite?

[Takedown3]

i would pay 300$ for a usb vagina with a trackball clitoris for sure

i didnt read the OP but is that what this is about?

[shidobu]

You could say the exact same crap for an Alienware buyer.

ey... fuck you =(

My alienware is realy cool guy and isnt afraid of anything

[Seanr]

your alienware cant even grammar check properly.. it's 'doesn't afraid of anything'

[Mayareira]

My MBP gets the pussy though

[Krandor]

To be fair Alienware's laptops are fairly competitively priced now. I've owned the M11x for awhile now (launch day to be exact) and it was definitely worth every penny.

And I don't want the kind of a pussy a Macbook is gonna bring me since at last check I'm not into preppy bitches who have daddy pay for everything.