Why doesn't this exist already? [August 2010: now it does]

FakePad

Why doesn't this kind of device exist for a long time already?

Since I have a MacBook PRO which allows using multitouch gestures on the trackpad (especially scroll and zoom) I miss these a lot when I work on a desktop Mac.

The "photo" above is of course a very amateurish work of Photoshop editing my external keyboard and and the MacBook's trackpad together.

However, should I get access to a broken MacBook body with the trackpad still functional before Apple or someone else makes a real product like this, I'd probably try to create one myself.

As the internal trackpad is a regular USB device (only connected internally), all I'd have to do would be connecting it to a normal USB cable, cutting the Trackpad plus the needed frame material from the MB(P) body, and putting everything together in a decent housing, probably made from a thick sheet of aluminium. I guess I'll be better at doing that in the workshop than in photoshop…

Donations of broken MBP cover plates are welcome - pointers to external trackpad products that might already exist as well, of course! But remember, it's the multi-touch I look for, not just an external trackpad.

[Update: just saw this product - altough it is for PC only and looks ugly to me, it is a step into the right direction. Still, I guess Apple's rumoured multi-touch mouse is more likely to provide what I am looking for]

[Update2: Indeed, it looks like Apple just released (kind of) what I was looking for: The Magic Mouse.]

[Update3 - August 2010: The Magic Mouse was a first step, but apparently they have really listened (to me? ;-)) and thus created the Magic Trackpad. I already got one and yes, it's exactly that what I wanted]

3 thoughts on “Why doesn't this exist already? [August 2010: now it does]”

  1. Werf mal einen Blick auf das “Bamboo Touch” von Wacom, das ist Tablet zum Zeichnen und überdimensionales Touchpad in einem – inkl. Gestenunterstützung für den Mac :)

    1. @arne: Danke für den Tip – aber wo clickt man da? Tap-Click mochte ich noch nie, das clickt mir zu oft wenn ich nur den Finger etwas schnell ansetze, und doubletap-hold als drag&drop geht gar nicht. Die Tasten am Rand sind wohl zu klein als Haupt-Click-Tasten. Ich schau mir jedenfalls das Bamboo Touch UND die Magic Mouse mal an. Bei letzterer fehlen aber wie’s scheint die Zoom-Gesten. Vielleicht muss ich doch basteln…

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