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Review: Apple Magic Trackpad
Apple's $69 Magic Trackpad is a standalone, Bluetooth trackpad that uses the same glass surface as the trackpad on Apple’s MacBook Pro laptops. If you're a Mac laptop user who has become comfortable with multi-touch trackpad gestures, the Magic Trackpad will have some serious appeal. But if you've got a large display, you may find that it's hard to cover that ground with just a trackpad.
Familiar design
Designed to complement Apple’s Wireless Keyboard, the Magic Trackpad uses the same aluminum-body design—and is almost the exact same height, depth, and inclination—as the Wireless Keyboard. (The trackpad is ever-so-slightly deeper from front to back.) As with the Wireless Keyboard, the back edge is raised about half an inch to accommodate a cylindrical battery compartment that holds two AA batteries. You’ll also find the same power button on the right-hand side and the same screw-shut cover for the battery compartment on the left-hand side. Rubber feet on the bottom of the trackpad keep it from sliding around your desk. (For a closer look, see our Magic Trackpad slideshow.)
Apple's Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, side by side
The Magic Trackpad is also a good match for Apple's current wired keyboards: The thicknesses and inclinations are nearly identical, so when you align the front edge of the trackpad with either of Apple’s wired keyboards, the top surfaces align almost perfectly, although the trackpad’s battery compartment of course extends beyond the rear edge of the wired keyboard.
Apple releases Safari 5.0.1, introduces Extensions Gallery
Extensions fans, rejoice! On Wednesday, Apple released Safari 5.0.1, which officially enables Safari Extensions by default, and introduced the Safari Extensions Gallery. The gallery, located on a page on Apple’s site, allows users to search for extensions, browse by category, and install them with just one click if the user is running Safari 5.0.1.
Apple began soliciting submissions for the Extensions Gallery earlier this month. Based on Web technologies like HTML, JavaScript, and CSS, Extensions allow developers to bring new features and functionality to Apple’s Web browser. Safari Extensions were introduced in Safari 5, released early last month, but the feature was turned off by default, requiring users to choose to enable Extensions.
Apple’s gallery exists to showcase top Extensions in a variety of categories, such as social networking, productivity, and shopping, but third-party developers can continue to develop and distribute Extensions via their own Websites. However, Extensions downloaded from third-party Websites must be installed via the Finder, rather than by the one-click method that Apple’s gallery utilizes. Regardless of the source, all Extensions are required to be signed with a digital certificate and run in a sandboxed fashion that insures the user’s security.
First look: Apple's Magic Trackpad
Early Tuesday, Apple announced the Magic Trackpad, the company’s new standalone, Bluetooth trackpad. Using the same glass surface as the trackpad on Apple’s current laptop line, the Magic Trackpad supports the same Multi-Touch gestures, bringing Apple’s Multi-Touch technology to any Mac running Mac OS X 10.6.4 or later. (Sorry, the Magic Trackpad doesn’t work with the iPad.) After taking some photos of the Magic Trackpad, we've spent the day using it, and here's our first in-depth look.
Designed to complement Apple’s Wireless Keyboard, the Magic Trackpad uses the same aluminum-body design—and is almost the exact same height, depth, and inclination—as the Wireless Keyboard. (The trackpad is ever-so-slightly deeper from front to back.) As with the Wireless Keyboard, the back edge is raised about half an inch to accommodate a cylindrical battery compartment that holds two AA batteries. You’ll also find the same power button (on the right-hand side) and screw-shut battery-compartment cover (on the left-hand side). Rubber feet on the bottom of the trackpad keep it from sliding around your desk.
The Magic Trackpad also fits well with non-wireless Apple Keyboards: The thicknesses and inclinations are nearly identical, so when you align the front edge of the trackpad with either of Apple’s wired keyboards, the top surfaces align almost perfectly (although the trackpad’s battery compartment extends beyond the rear edge of the wired keyboard).
Apple's Wireless Keyboard and Magic Trackpad, side by side
Remains of the Day: Jailbreak blues
It’s been a big day for Apple, what with the new iMacs, Mac Pros, and the Magic-est Trackpad ever to set foot on the Internet. But if you were immersed in specs, you might have missed out on an even bigger deal—Apple changing its boilerplate PR text. Then again, that might not be news given that the company caters to selfish elites. And a court judge hands down a second win against DRM this week, even as Apple maintains its stance on jailbreaking. The remainders for Tuesday July 27, 2010 are a heavy load—remember to lift with your knees.
A few folks noticed that Apple recently changed the boilerplate text about the company at the end of its press releases (it apparently started last month with the iPhone 4). The paragraph no longer starts by saying “Apple ignited the personal computer revolution with the Apple II.” Well, maybe that explains why the Genius Bar wouldn’t troubleshoot my glitching IIgs when I lugged it in the other day.
iPad Owners Are ‘Selfish Elites.’ Critics Are ‘Independent Geeks.’ Discuss. (Wired)
Apple releases OS X updates for new iMacs, Magic Trackpad
If you already rushed out to purchase a Magic Trackpad or one of the brand new iMacs Apple announced on Tuesday morning, then it’s time to do the Software Update dance. The company has rolled out a pair of updates for Mac OS X 10.6.4 and Mac OS X 10.6.4 Server installations running on the new desktop models, as well as software updates for those who want to use the Magic Trackpad with their existing Mac.
The Mac OS X 10.6.4 update for the mid-2010 iMac resolves compatibility and performance-related graphics issues, improves compatibility with large-format SDXC memory cards, and adds support for Apple’s new Bluetooth Magic Trackpad. It clocks in at 452.62MB and contains all the same fixes as the Mac OS X 10.6.4 update issued in June.
The server update, Mac OS X Server 10.6.4 for the mid-2010 iMac brings the same updates found in the Mac OS X Server 10.6.4 update also released last month. The download is 460.91MB and requires Mac OS X Server 10.6.3 or later.
Apple Battery Charger slays vampire draw
Editor’s Note: The following article is reprinted from PCWorld.com.
AA batteries are hardly headline grabbing products, but we need them to run a variety of electronic gizmos, including wireless mice and keyboards as well as dozens of analog devices such as flashlights, wall clocks, and portable cassette recorders. Now Apple is entering the rechargeable battery business, and it’s bringing its penchant for innovation to an industry that often seems to advance technologically at a glacial pace.
The new Apple Battery Charger charges two AA NiMH at a time, but Apple includes six AA batteries with the $29 device. Apple being Apple, of course, the charger has a few clever enhancements not found in most competing products.
Kensington announces Laptop Locking Station, Tether Kit
Laptops are everywhere these days: it’s hard to go to a library or coffee shop without tripping over half a dozen power cables. We all take precautions for security when we’re out and about, but what about where your laptop lives? Kensington on Tuesday announced its new Laptop Locking Station and optional Tether Kit, to help make sure that your laptop is always right where you left it: on your desk.
The $80 Laptop Locking Station, which attaches directly to a desk via several screws, is a bit like a vise: you put your laptop down, close the side arm and the laptop’s locked in place; to release your laptop, just insert the key in the high-security disk lock. The all-steel backbone and deflector plates on the Locking Station can hold up to attempts to cut, drill, or pry the laptop free. While the contraption keeps your portable safe and secure, you can still rotate, slide, and tilt it to access the ports or adjust the viewing angle. The Locking Station works with laptop sizes from 13.3-inch to 17-inch.
If you’re not necessarily about to drill into your desk, you can instead pick up the optional $30 Tether Kit, which provides a baseplate into which you can snap the Locking Station. The base plate itself attaches to your desk via a reinforced security cable.
Retrospect 8.2 gets 3x speed boost, 64-bit support
[Editor's note: Retrospect is currently having some Website issues, but you can download the final version of Retrospect 8.2 directly from this link.]
It feels weird to write about Retrospect without “Dantz” in front of it. But Roxio bought this backup and recovery software for small-to-medium businesses from EMC Corp. in May, and Tuesday brought its first major update since the purchase.
Roxio Retrospect 8.2’s network performance has been boosted by up to 300 percent, and new 64-bit support allows for backing up volumes containing tens of millions of files.
Apple introduces new 27-inch LED Cinema Display
Apple on Tuesday unveiled a new 27-inch LED Cinema Display, the latest offering in its line of integrated monitors for the Mac line.
The company says its new display features a resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels and 60 percent more screen real estate than its smaller 24-inch cousin. The design mirrors that of its predecessors, with a 16:9 edge-to-edge arsenic-free glass display on an aluminum stand, with an adjustable hinge to control the screen’s viewing angle. The display also uses the same IPS display technology found in the iMac and the iPad, to provide a 178 degree viewing angle.
Apple has also added an ambient light sensor to the automatically adjust the screen’s LED emitter brightness in response to environmental conditions. That joins the display’s other environmental qualifications, such as its toxin-free construction that eschews arsenic, mercury, PVC, and BFRs. It also uses highly recyclable aluminum and glass in building the enclosure. Like many of Apple’s other products, the display has earned EPEAT Gold status and meets the EPA’s Energy Star 5.0 qualifications.
Apple unveils multitouch Magic Trackpad
Apple on Tuesday unveiled its long-rumored Magic Trackpad, a multitouch input device for your Mac desktop. The wireless, Bluetooth-powered Trackpad behaves much like the multitouch trackpads on recent MacBook Pros, incorporating a host of swipes and gestures to better navigate your computer.
Apple’s Magic Mouse has been a big hit, according to the company. “We also recognize that the majority of our Mac users these days use the trackpad, because the majority of our users are notebook users,” Apple vice president of worldwide Mac hardware marketing David Moody told Macworld. “Our notebook users really love the MacBook trackpad.” So Apple decided to build a standalone trackpad to bring the same experience to its desktop users.
The Magic Trackpad is a single surface; the trackpad is the button—again, just like the trackpads on recent MacBook Pros. The device sits at the same level of incline as Apple’s Wireless Keyboard, meaning you should be able to move your hands back and forth between the keyboard and the trackpad with ease.
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