I guess this is just from your finger making it smoother lol? This is normal right, not the problem that people were talking about a while ago with discolouring?
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Anyone elses trackpad going 'shiney'?
- Thread starter XP Defector
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My track pad did that on my old 12" iBook. I think it's just from all the rubbing wearing down the texture of the pad. I think it's normal and there's nothing you can do about it.
Look real hard and you'll see it, it was REALLY bad, almost too rubbed down to use, good thing my speakers crapped the bed soon after cuz then they replaced the top case.
They get shiny from a lot of use, rubbing, and wear so it's to be expected some time down the road.
Oh come on! I think you people need to get out more. It's called 'use' Of course it will get a bit shiny. Most things get shiny when you rub them a lot.
My black Macbook's trackpad has a shiny patch. So what? It is still the most beautiful and cool laptop I've ever owned. I expect bits of my black Nano2 to get shiny too though bits of my black 60gig iPod have done the opposite and got quite scratched. Who cares?
But here's a foolprof way to stop it happening. Buy a brand new laptop and NEVER take it out of the box.
My black Macbook's trackpad has a shiny patch. So what? It is still the most beautiful and cool laptop I've ever owned. I expect bits of my black Nano2 to get shiny too though bits of my black 60gig iPod have done the opposite and got quite scratched. Who cares?
But here's a foolprof way to stop it happening. Buy a brand new laptop and NEVER take it out of the box.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the shineyness from the oil in your fingers ... not the trackpad wearing down? Or is it a combination of both? Fingers are naturally oily after all ...
colinet said:
Actually there's a cheaper alternative to preventing the worn trackpad.
Whenever I buy a new Mac the first thing I do is get some of that PDA screen protector clear film (use any brand, even the ones for iPod screens will do fine) and stick that onto my trackpad. It doesn't interfere in any way with the normal operation of the trackpad, doesn't leave any sticky residue if you need to take it off for any reason (and I have never needed to take it off), you can clean over it too.
Your trackpad will never wear down or develop that shiny patch.
Over Achiever said:
It's a combination of both. The trackpad has a certain texture that wears off as you use it. It happens. There's nothing you can do to get around it.
My iBook is getting like that. My Pismo did that. It happens. I deal with it. I still love my iBook.
Bern said:
Hey, Australians are not supposed to be that anal which is one reason I went to live there. Next thing you'll be covering your car with Gladwrap to stop it getting scratched. I wish we'd had Gladwrap in the UK, my second mother-in-law was called Glad.
It has nothing to do with being anal.. so chill out. It's about protecting my investment so that it is worth more resale value in the future.
Besides if I spend money on something I like to take care of it. Doing this to my trackpad is a non-destructive way of giving it longevity.
Besides if I spend money on something I like to take care of it. Doing this to my trackpad is a non-destructive way of giving it longevity.
http://www.shieldzone.com/category/laptops/
Make the whole thing shiny -- and then when you need to have your machine "look like new", it'll be perfect.
Make the whole thing shiny -- and then when you need to have your machine "look like new", it'll be perfect.
I rarely use my trackpad, so mine has no shiny spot or discoloration. I have a Logitech trackball that I use, and a small mini-mouse that I use if I travel. But I think the PDA cover for the trackpad is a good idea if you insist on keeping it looking brand new.
Bern said:
Computers are, like cars, not an investment. Investments are supposed to be things you buy and sell for a profit. Computers and cars are things you buy to use (to possibly help you make a profit in your work) I stand by saying sticking little bits of plastic over a laptop trackpad is anal.
If the track pad gets shiny it no way shortens the life of the computer. It's not wearing out. It is, as others have pointed out, getting grease from your finger tips. How about protecting the investment of your hands which you will probably have a lot longer than a piece of disposable elctronics, by wearing rubber gloves? That would protect your delicate trackpad and stop you losing your valuable bodily excretions
This is boring now.
Bern said:
Too bad Colinet is right. Laptops aren't an investment. Just use it, and when it doesn't do the job anymore, it's done. Sell it.
People protect iPods and PowerBooks and all of these "investments." Why? My iPod is a scratched up POS, and I'll use it until the HD dies. That's not an investment to me. Same with my MB. It'll serve it's purpose until it dies. If I sell it, I might have to sell it for $430 instead of the $500 others can get for it on eBay, but I didn't spend any money to protect it from normal use, nor did I have to take anything into consideration. I just use it if I need to. So what if it costs me $80 resale value over 2-3 years? At least I didn't spend $100 protecting it with all sort of protecting films and keyboard covers and such.
The most I bought was a laptop sleeve so that I can carry it in my regular backpack and not even bother getting an expensive $120 laptop backpack. My backpack has a crummy laptop compartment with little padding for a grand total of $40. My STM sleeve offers way more protection than I need anyway. That way, if I drop it, I don't break it completely or bend the screen inwards and break the LCD.
Then again, there's never anything wrong with a bit of care or preventitive maintainence to get the most out of your purchase. I mean, I can treat my iBook like crap and it'd probably have lasted for like..a year and a half. But I treated it with care, and it's only crapping out now because of worn hardware.
But yes, protectors on trackpads is a bit anal. The Clamshell's trackpad around here still works perfectly, despite it being 6 years old and the rest of the computer not working.
But yes, protectors on trackpads is a bit anal. The Clamshell's trackpad around here still works perfectly, despite it being 6 years old and the rest of the computer not working.
Last time I'll offer any advise to you guys
Someone complains about a worn trackpad and I offer simple and effective advise as to how to avoid it. I'm not anal.
I'm an artist so yea my hands and my mind are valuable too, but the equipment I own I like to take care of it does cost significant money after all.
And you can bet if someone faced with 2 second hand MB's has to choose between one with a worn trackpad or one without, they'll go for the one without. Thus I've retained resale value to some extent. It's how I sold my 12" Powerbook which paid for my MB except for the extra ram.
According to Dictionary.com the word investment means :"Property or another possession acquired for future financial return or benefit."
My MB is certainly useful to me as a digital artist and is therefore a worthwhile investment providing a future financial return or benefit through the art I create from it.
Someone complains about a worn trackpad and I offer simple and effective advise as to how to avoid it. I'm not anal.
I'm an artist so yea my hands and my mind are valuable too, but the equipment I own I like to take care of it does cost significant money after all.
And you can bet if someone faced with 2 second hand MB's has to choose between one with a worn trackpad or one without, they'll go for the one without. Thus I've retained resale value to some extent. It's how I sold my 12" Powerbook which paid for my MB except for the extra ram.
According to Dictionary.com the word investment means :"Property or another possession acquired for future financial return or benefit."
My MB is certainly useful to me as a digital artist and is therefore a worthwhile investment providing a future financial return or benefit through the art I create from it.
Abstract said:
Too bad you're both wrong. The definition of the term isn't as rigid as you think it to be.
a thing that is worth buying because it may be profitable or useful in the future
Sort of like when a carpenter invests in a good saw in order to frame a nice house in a minimum amount of time, or a musician invests in a good bass guitar that she feels allows her to make the best music she can, or a videographer invests in a new Mac Pro or any number of other examples.
Oh, and thanks for the advice Bern. I'll keep it in mind next time I buy a new laptop.
