Am I using the magic trackpad incorrectly??

[yalag]

I just got the trackpad in preparation of Lion. However, within just 10 minutes my hard are SO tired. The design seems to make no sense to me. Unlike a laptop trackpad, your 3 4 5 fingers cannot be rested on the surface next to the trackpad. So the whole time using the magic trackpad, those 3 fingers need to be lifted in the air.

I tried to find a workaround by only using the lower right corner (that way my right most 3 fingers can rest on my desk). But then it gets clumsy when I wanted to do 2-3 fingers gestures. Not to mention it looking retarded to just use a tiny corner of a huge piece of surface.

So how am I suppose to use this thing? Any ideas?

 

[fireshot91]

I absolutely hate the idea of a trackpad without the whole chassis of a laptop.

It makes no sense to me. And apparently to you either. So..with that said...get a mouse?

 

[yalag]

I absolutely hate the idea of a trackpad without the whole chassis of a laptop.

It makes no sense to me. And apparently to you either. So..with that said...get a mouse?

I also have the magic mouse but geez I thought that's what Lion was going to be about....

 

[jbg232]

I use it for gesture based control applications like Reeder. I can browse about 500 RSS feeds in minutes using that puppy. Aside from that I need to use a mouse for most things. I do love my trackpad though for that application. I also have yet to own lion.

 

[Calvinator666]

I use it for gesture based control applications like Reeder. I can browse about 500 RSS feeds in minutes using that puppy. Aside from that I need to use a mouse for most things. I do love my trackpad though for that application. I also have yet to own lion.

Definitely agree with you. I use my Magic Trackpad for a lot of gesture-based controls (Expose, Spaces, Dashboard, etc), and it is positioned on the left side of my keyboard. The Magic Mouse still does about 95% of my day-to-day computing needs as I feel the mouse is still a more precision-based device compared to the Magic Trackpad.

 

[Herdfan]

Your hand will get used to it. My hand would get tired as well. But now, I don't even notice it.

 

[blevins321]

Try turning the trackpad about 45 degrees towards the keyboard. I find it feels a lot more natural at an angle than trying to hit it straight on.

 

[Abazigal]

I am not sure about you, but my 3, 4, 5 fingers just seem to naturally "hang" in the air as I move the cursor with my 2nd finger. I can use the trackpad for hours on end without feeling tired. It is the wrist that ends up feeling strained after a while though.

Of course, there is no rule saying you must use only your 2nd finger, alternate with other fingers from time to time to give them that much needed workout?

 

[Woody543]

I've really developed a natural rhythm for using the trackpad, to move the mouse right I use my second finger, and to move it left I use my 3rd, so I'm constantly switching between them - I don't by choice it just developed.

Also for scrolling I use my third and fourth finger as it feels most natural.

It also seems that I'm able to rest my thumb on the pad as I move the mouse with my first and second finger (haven't a clue how that works...)