I have the new Mac mini and was looking to buy a new "mouse" since I'm using the one I took off of my old PC. I was wondering If the Apple trackpad makes your wrists uncomfortable after a long period of time, or if you think it would be safer to go with the Magic mouse. Thanks.
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Trackpad or Magic Mouse?
- Thread starter NayPaps
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If you're running Lion I'd recommend the trackpad only because it has more gestures. Not having one myself, I can't tell you if it's uncomfortable or not, but it looks like it wouldn't be at all. I have a MacBook Pro and I use the Magic Mouse with it and I do like it, but I don't like that I can't do the same gestures on it as I can with my trackpad.
Yeah. That's what I was thinking since Lion had all those new features. I would want to take full advantage of them. Thanks for your reply.
I have never used the mouse but the trackpad is fantastic once it gets rolling. It did take me a bit to get it to work the way I want under Lion and I had to use Better Touch Tool (which is free) to top things off, but now I love it.
I am using a Magic Trackpad and wireless keyboard, but I also have a regular wired mouse tucked on the side of my desk that I use several times a day. This works well for me, as I can even scroll with the trackpad and use the mouse to adjust the cursor.
I am using a Magic Trackpad and wireless keyboard, but I also have a regular wired mouse tucked on the side of my desk that I use several times a day. This works well for me, as I can even scroll with the trackpad and use the mouse to adjust the cursor.
Thanks! This really locks up what I think I'm going to get - Magic Trackpad! Thanks for your post.
Hi OP! I have the same question, so I hope you don’t mind tagging onto your post rather than starting a new one.
A lot of people say that the magic trackpad is a no-brainer for Lion and for people who use the macbook trackpads. What about people who just don't use trackpads normally? I have a macbook pro but I still didn't like using the trackpad. Every chance I got I would use a mouse.
Do you guys think that the larger size of the magic trackpad and the lion gestures can make me get used to a trackpad?
A lot of people say that the magic trackpad is a no-brainer for Lion and for people who use the macbook trackpads. What about people who just don't use trackpads normally? I have a macbook pro but I still didn't like using the trackpad. Every chance I got I would use a mouse.
Do you guys think that the larger size of the magic trackpad and the lion gestures can make me get used to a trackpad?
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Magic Trackpad vs Mouse
Regarding wrist soreness: I have a Magic Mouse, a Magic Trackpad, and a Macbook Pro with built-in trackpad, so I have firsthand and secondhand and thirdhand experience with your question.
Of the three, the most comfortable one for my wrists is the MacBook keyboard with integrated trackpad. I think it's because you can rest your palms on the Macbook's chassis in between typing or track padding. Those little microbreaks go a long way toward preventing wrist soreness. On the Magic Trackpad, my hands get tired from being held in the air just above the surface of the trackpad for long periods of time.
The most powerful for gesturing in Lion are the two trackpads, with a slight nod to the Magic Trackpad because its larger size makes it easier to do 4-finger gestures (also, your pointer finger can move further before your cursor runs out of real estate).
The Magic Mouse is quite limited in its gestures compared to the trackpad, but still more powerful than an ordinary mouse. You can enrich the mouse's gestures considerably with BetterTouchTool. The mouse is fairly comfortable if you lay your fingers on it rather than your palm (it's not a particularly ergonomic mouse such as the large curvy ones put out by Logitech and Microsoft).
Regarding wrist soreness: I have a Magic Mouse, a Magic Trackpad, and a Macbook Pro with built-in trackpad, so I have firsthand and secondhand and thirdhand experience with your question.
Of the three, the most comfortable one for my wrists is the MacBook keyboard with integrated trackpad. I think it's because you can rest your palms on the Macbook's chassis in between typing or track padding. Those little microbreaks go a long way toward preventing wrist soreness. On the Magic Trackpad, my hands get tired from being held in the air just above the surface of the trackpad for long periods of time.
The most powerful for gesturing in Lion are the two trackpads, with a slight nod to the Magic Trackpad because its larger size makes it easier to do 4-finger gestures (also, your pointer finger can move further before your cursor runs out of real estate).
The Magic Mouse is quite limited in its gestures compared to the trackpad, but still more powerful than an ordinary mouse. You can enrich the mouse's gestures considerably with BetterTouchTool. The mouse is fairly comfortable if you lay your fingers on it rather than your palm (it's not a particularly ergonomic mouse such as the large curvy ones put out by Logitech and Microsoft).
Magic Trackpad vs Macbook Pro trackpad
redryder, I don't think the Magic Trackpad is a very big difference from the Macbook Pro trackpad. I use them both, and while it's true that that the Magic Trackpad has a larger surface area, they both support the same gestures and have almost identical tracking properties. I admit that the Magic Trackpad *does* seem to perform a bit better in terms of accuracy and speed and multi-finger gestures.
I prefer track padding on the MBP because of the integration of the keyboard with the trackpad; when I'm docked in "desktop mode" and using an external keyboard with Magic Trackpad, I dislike the way my hand has to constantly move back-and-forth between keyboard and Magic Trackpad. Also, my trackpad hand gets sore after awhile on the Magic Trackpad because I have to hold my fingers in the air above the trackpad, unlike on the Macbook Pro which has a flat area below the keys where you can rest your palms.
redryder, I don't think the Magic Trackpad is a very big difference from the Macbook Pro trackpad. I use them both, and while it's true that that the Magic Trackpad has a larger surface area, they both support the same gestures and have almost identical tracking properties. I admit that the Magic Trackpad *does* seem to perform a bit better in terms of accuracy and speed and multi-finger gestures.
I prefer track padding on the MBP because of the integration of the keyboard with the trackpad; when I'm docked in "desktop mode" and using an external keyboard with Magic Trackpad, I dislike the way my hand has to constantly move back-and-forth between keyboard and Magic Trackpad. Also, my trackpad hand gets sore after awhile on the Magic Trackpad because I have to hold my fingers in the air above the trackpad, unlike on the Macbook Pro which has a flat area below the keys where you can rest your palms.
I recently went through all this decision making with help from the Mac Forums website. The general consensus there incidentally was buy both. The second most voted option was get the Magic Trackpad. I actually ended up getting a Magic Mouse. And I have no regrets.
I used to have the Apple Mighty Mouse. Which I thought was decent. But it used optical tracking-not so good for gaming. Also, the scroll ball thing broke recently. The Magic Mouse has less gestures, true. But it's way better for gaming purposes. Period. It has more gestures than did the Mighty Mouse (which had none). I've never had a Macbook of any sort. So I've never used any gestures on an Apple trackpad. I don't miss what I've never had. As far as I'm concerned, the Magic Mouse is a brilliant improvement on the Mighty Mouse.
If you've never used an apple laptop, you won't miss the gestures. You'll still love the new scrolling abilities, the 2 finger double tap to enter mission control, the 2 finger swiping to get between full screen apps. It's more than a mouse could ever do before, which ever way you look at it.
I used to have the Apple Mighty Mouse. Which I thought was decent. But it used optical tracking-not so good for gaming. Also, the scroll ball thing broke recently. The Magic Mouse has less gestures, true. But it's way better for gaming purposes. Period. It has more gestures than did the Mighty Mouse (which had none). I've never had a Macbook of any sort. So I've never used any gestures on an Apple trackpad. I don't miss what I've never had. As far as I'm concerned, the Magic Mouse is a brilliant improvement on the Mighty Mouse.
If you've never used an apple laptop, you won't miss the gestures. You'll still love the new scrolling abilities, the 2 finger double tap to enter mission control, the 2 finger swiping to get between full screen apps. It's more than a mouse could ever do before, which ever way you look at it.
The Trackpad does make you're wrist ache after a while but its a small price to pay for its awesomeness.
The Trackpad does make you're wrist ache after a while but its a small price to pay for its awesomeness.
Until it develops from soreness into Repetitive Strain Injury...
I tried the Magic Trackpad at a store here and it wasn't for me. I found selecting text for copy/paste, etc awkward and it isn't nearly as accurate as a mouse. I've been using the Magic Mouse with BetterTouchTool since I got my 27" iMac in November, 2009 and have about 14 gestures programmed.
I changed them slightly with the upgrade to Lion from Snow Leopard but otherwise it was a smooth transition.
I read a lot of complaints about the Magic Mouse not being ergonomically comfortable but I have very large hands and personally find it to be very comfortable. When not moving the mouse my wrist actually rests behind it on the desk leaving my fingers free for the gestures.
2-finger swipe up for Mission Control, 2-finger swipe down for App Exposé, 3-finger swipe right for Close Window (cmd-W), single tap left and right for volume down and up respectively. 3-finger swipe up for Dashboard, 4-finger swipe up for Launchpad.
Anyway, the point is there are more than enough available gestures for use with the Magic Mouse. I can't imagine going without it now.
I changed them slightly with the upgrade to Lion from Snow Leopard but otherwise it was a smooth transition.
I read a lot of complaints about the Magic Mouse not being ergonomically comfortable but I have very large hands and personally find it to be very comfortable. When not moving the mouse my wrist actually rests behind it on the desk leaving my fingers free for the gestures.
2-finger swipe up for Mission Control, 2-finger swipe down for App Exposé, 3-finger swipe right for Close Window (cmd-W), single tap left and right for volume down and up respectively. 3-finger swipe up for Dashboard, 4-finger swipe up for Launchpad.
Anyway, the point is there are more than enough available gestures for use with the Magic Mouse. I can't imagine going without it now.
True but i maybe spend a few hours in the evening on my iMac so not too bothered at the moment.
3 finger highlight is actually good feature for the trackpad on lion. Will take a bit of getting used to though.
Sounds good if you can get used to it.
I was able to emulate the cool new 3-finger double-tap for dictionary lookups of the Magic Trackpad by assigning a single 3-finger tap (cmd-ctl-D) on the Magic Mouse thanks to BetterTouchTool.
Without BetterTouchTool the Magic Mouse would be a LOT less useful.
When using the trackpad, my wrist is constantly resting on the table right in front of it. Why would my wrist ache?
do you rest your hand on the trackpad? I dont think you do as it will be a nightmare so your hand will be slightly elevated above it.
Don't think too much about it though as will we haunt you. lol