Apple Launches Magic Trackpad, On Sale Now for $69

Added by Norman Chan on July 27, 2010

Surprise, the rumors were true. Tucked away among the many updates in the Mac line today was the official announcement of the Apple Magic Trackpad. We'd already speculated last week what this trackpad could mean for the future of Apple's business, and it looks like its ambitions are a little lower than predicted (ie. with no pressure detection, it's no Wacom killer).

Instead, this device is basically the multi-touch trackpad from a Macbook, enlarged for Desktop use. Here are all the important details, including its reasonable price.

The wireless Magic Trackpad is one large glass button, and supports all the same multi-touch gestures as its MacBook counterpart (eg. pinch to zoom, three-finger swiping, etc). The only big difference is its size -- Apple claims that it is nearly 80% larger (by area) than trackpad on a MacBook Pro, though they don't specify how many inches it actually is--nor did Apple specify which MacBook Pro trackpad they're using to make this comparison. We're going to assume the MBP 13".

For what it's worth, the Magic Trackpad is based on the same aluminum design as the Apple Wireless Keyboard, and is even angled to be flush with the keyboard when put side by side. (The Wireless Keyboard is 4.5" tall)

Apple lists the system requirements as a Bluetooth enabled Mac computer (Mac OS X), so we're unsure if this will work on PCs with Bluetooth support. It also runs on two AA batteries, which are included. Apple is also now offering a AA battery wall charger, so there's a chance that the included batteries will be rechargeable. It's range is 33 feet.

We're on our way over to the Apple store right now to pick up one of these trackpads, so expect a first look hands-on later today. All questions will be answered!

The Apple Magic Trackpad is available now at apple stores or online for $69. What are your thoughts on this product? Mac users, are you considering buying one?

27 Comments

Adam42 on July 27, 2010

Pretty sweet. Seems like it'd be a joy to use this with Photoshop or GIMP.

Aeshir on July 27, 2010

But why would I want a trackpad when I have a mouse? I dun unnerstan. You so seely Apple!

cspiffo on July 27, 2010

Wow! That thing seems utterly useless for a desktop PC. The first thing I do with a laptop when I'm at home is plug in a mouse. I hate using trackpads. And what's the deal with no pressure sensitivity?

Aeshir on July 27, 2010

@Adam42:
No, trackpads are awful for drawing. Single-pixel cursors are infinitely more accurate than fat human fingers. It just doesn't work.

Addfwyn on July 27, 2010

It seems kinda cool, but I actually really like trackpads. I feel like I'm in a minority here and the product won't be that successful, cause most people prefer mice for most home uses.

That said, I do miss a lot of the macbook trackpad gestures on my desktop, so being able to replicate that will be kinda nice. Also it'd sit in my lap a lot easier for using it as something of a media-remote for watching stuff on my iMac for a distance.

Killer product? I think not

viderian on July 27, 2010

Looks nice and all but what is this for anyways? I guess it looks nicer then a keyboard with a mouse next to it. With out pressure detection, what is the point of a large trackpad?

ChrisTilton on July 27, 2010

I can see this being somewhat useful to a limited audience if the trackpad was actually physically connected to the keyboard. That audience would be those who've connected their mac to their TV in the living room, such as the new Mac Mini. It would make using it on the couch a lot easier than dealing with a mouse. As a separate device, however, it seems largely useless.

nschwermann on July 27, 2010

I will pick on of these up if it will work with my pc, otherwise I'm happy with the smaller one on my macbook

AHR on July 27, 2010

What the hell? So does Apple think we're moving towards a mouseless future? Is this just because they make terrible, terrible mice?

Forte on July 27, 2010

I have a $50 mouse... I would rather use that than a laptop trackpad any day, no matter how big. It may be useful as a supliment for a mouse, but most of the gesture based inputs seem like they would be easier with a keyboard and scroll wheel. $69 is a lot of cash for something that only seems mildly useful.

samsaturday on July 27, 2010

Neat. I like my Macbook's trackpad but I tend to prefer using a mouse. I don't think I'd use one of these unless it actually came with a Mac.

Rehehelly on July 27, 2010

1) Why is it wireless? I hate wireless desktop devices.
2) Seriously? Do they REALLY think that a mouse is becoming obsolete? The multi touch is nice but it's still a track pad, it's imprecise and annoying to use. The multi touch is nice because you don't have a mouse, with a mouse it's pretty useless.

Stupid.

stevemanu on July 27, 2010

Hmmm I dont really see the point, I mean people buy mice for laptops and now there is a trackpad for desktops, it makes no sense.

will on July 27, 2010

I personally would be much more interested in this if it could be attached to a keyboard. I really like the touchpad on laptops when I'm working because it lets me move the cursor without lifting my keys from the keyboard. I just drop my thumb to the pad, swipe, and am back working without having to lift my hand from the home keys. Because of the damage I've done to my wrists over the years, the less I can use the mouse, the more comfortable I am.

But, making it that big so that it has to be off to the side means it's going to be much less interesting to me, I think.

BaskervilleManor on July 27, 2010

Why Apple just didn't do the trackpad alone to begin with is beyond me. This trackpad should have been out like 2 to 3 years ago anyway.. The Magic Mouse is highly annoying to use and horrible to hold and interact with, IMO. Now, if Apple would only get rid of their current ******* keyboards that look oh so cool yet are so damn small and horrible to type on.

Skip on July 27, 2010

I guess it depends on how much you like your mouse. I've always preferred a trackball for casual use, so I would be interested in a multi-touch pad. You are not going to game with it, but that’s not what it is for. A nice large surface that fits your whole hand seems about the right size for real multi-touch controls.

Will, maybe they'll make a full size keyboard, with the num pad under the touch glass. ;)

WEGGLES on July 27, 2010

I don't get it.

Track-pads always seemed like a less than stellar mouse replacement, that I only use because I don't want to lug a mouse...

Guess I'm not the target market for this then.

UrbanSunset on July 27, 2010

there isnt enough functionality with this piece of hardware to make it buy worthy.

MAGZine on July 27, 2010

I was reading the same story on Digg.com, and a lot of people seem to think that this is going to be a viable replacement for a mouse, but I, with you guys, agree that I don't really see a point in this. Perhaps if you're a big gesture person, but I prefer the precision and speed of my mouse any day of the week.

jasonefmonk on July 27, 2010

The rubber feet at the front bottom corners depress for a physical click. While this is useless for gaming or editing, day to day it would be handy. All of those gestures are very efficient.

Have a Facebook account?
User Name *:
Password *:
Email *:
Terms Of Service *:
Birthday *:
Notifications:

Type the words above including the space. Get new words?

Processing....

Popular News

best of
most viewed
most commented

How To Rip DVDs to Play on Any Device—For Free! Our ultimate DVD copying guide shows you how to use Handbrake to rip discs for playback on your laptop, Xbox, PS3, iPhone, Zune, netbook, iPad, PSP, iPod, and pretty much anything else
Video: How To Build the Best $1500 Gaming PC, Step-by-Step Do you like saving money? What about playing PC games? Have you ever considered building your own PC? We show you exactly what you need to know to build an awesome $1500 gaming PC.
How To Build an Awesome $500 Windows Home Server We pick the best parts to build a lean media backup and streaming machine.
Apple iPad Wi-Fi Review Apple's device isn't magical, but it is going to make the tablet a real category--for better or for worse
Nexus One vs HTC Desire vs HTC Incredible: What's the Difference? HTC is releasing more Android phones all the time, but is there a difference?
How To Steal Mac OS's Best Features for Windows Windows 7's Aero is a fine UI, but there are just a few things it's missing. Here's how to steal some of Mac OS's features.
How To Rip a Blu-Ray Movie with Just One Click The MakeMKV utility decrypts and rips a Blu-Ray disc with just one click, preserving the original video quality of the source file.
How To Stream All of Your Video Files to iPhone and iPad Get your DVD rips off your computer and play them on a mobile device, without having to convert them beforehand.

Apple Fall Event 2010 Discussion Thread: iPods and AppleTV Discuss Apple's Fall Event announcements here!
What Are You Playing This Weekend? The weekend's upon us, and like any good nerds, we're spending the last days of summer holed up in our houses playing board and video games. What are you playing this weekend?
iPod Nano 6G vs 5G: Everything You Need to Know The iPod nano is ready to go running. Are you?
Your Shiny New Xbox 360 Controller is Already Outdated Transforming d-pad makes it more than just a cosmetic update.
Everything You Should Know about Apple's New iPod Touch All views expressed in this deck are the sole property of the internet rumor machine.
Why the Obama Administration's Stance on Piracy Sidesteps Complicated Issues Addressing an audience of workers in the music industry, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke reaffirmed the Obama administration's commitment to cracking down on media piracy on the Internet.
Living with Technology: Two Mice for One Desktop PC What would drive a man to use two mice for one computer?
Android Market Roundup: 5 Apps to Put a Smile on Your Phone It's the weekly Android Market Roundup.

Apple Fall Event 2010 Discussion Thread: iPods and AppleTV Discuss Apple's Fall Event announcements here!
What Are You Playing This Weekend? The weekend's upon us, and like any good nerds, we're spending the last days of summer holed up in our houses playing board and video games. What are you playing this weekend?
Your Shiny New Xbox 360 Controller is Already Outdated Transforming d-pad makes it more than just a cosmetic update.
Never Give Up: Microsoft May Be Working on One More Zune Just in time for Apple's new iPod Touch announcement, a rumor is brewing indicating that Microsoft is going to give the Zune another go.
Why the Obama Administration's Stance on Piracy Sidesteps Complicated Issues Addressing an audience of workers in the music industry, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke reaffirmed the Obama administration's commitment to cracking down on media piracy on the Internet.
The New AppleTV: $99, No Apps, All About Streaming The original AppleTV was a device with an identity crisis. The latest update aims to fix that, and a whole lot more.
Living with Technology: Two Mice for One Desktop PC What would drive a man to use two mice for one computer?
Everything You Should Know about Apple's New iPod Touch All views expressed in this deck are the sole property of the internet rumor machine.

Recent User Blogs

simian This is not the Android Tablet You Are Looking For.
Forte A list of (future) complaints about the new iPods
fox01313 first blog post
Forte I would pay for OnLive if...
sorryawkward Making A Hack Pro Journal: 1st Entry
Scotty_Gun The Trials of Linux: LAMP Server with Ubuntu
lane I never realized how limited the iPhone was on 3G...
zyn Windows 7
brianmcdon College starts soon.
Forte College Students: Free Stuff Awaits You

help | terms and conditions | privacy | advertise