Powerbooks/Scrolling Trackpad = OS X 10.3.8?

[LeeTom]

Hey,
I'm wondering if the Powerbook updates with the Scrolling Trackpad means that 10.3.8 will be coming out in the next couple of days, and if so, will The previous generations get this functionality? I kind of doubt it, but at the same time, I could see the hardware being identical, and Apple could release the functionality in the next point release.
I guess the most likely situation is that they can, but won't, to get people to upgrade.

Lee Tom

 

[abhishekit]

I am hoping for the same. I guess the new line has plenty of other upgrades so that they can make this feature available to older pbs.

 

[edesignuk]

Say hello thar to SideTrack, pretty much the same thing as this new Apple "feature" for all PowerBooks/iBooks.

 

[munkle]

They'll probably want to keep it as an 'incentive' to upgrade but like e said, there's always SideTrack to help fill the void!

 

[virividox]

hey sidetrack how did u find that

 

[mkrishnan]

They'll probably want to keep it as an 'incentive' to upgrade but like e said, there's always SideTrack to help fill the void!

Yeah, like they haven't been releasing new iPod features to older iPods even though they are simple upgrades that almost certainly could be handled by the hardware and firmware....

Then again, I paid for Sidetrack like one or two months ago, so I almost don't want them to release it for free, so I don't feel ripped off.

But, erm, I guess I hope they do so that everyone else will benefit. I guess too that it might be slightly more stable if it's Apple's feature than if it's an add-on product.... But who knows.

 

[munkle]

hey sidetrack how did u find that

It was a pretty popular freeware app and recently became shareware in the last couple of months. Or more accurately it was in beta for a long time before reaching shareware status. Anyway it works well and the hotspots feature is cool, useful for ctrl-clicking and exposé.

 

[Makosuke]

I was thinking about the same thing, but I had two thoughts on this.

One, though I've never tried either as I understand it Sidetrack and this new PB feature are a bit different; Sidetrack reserves an area at the side of your trackpad to handle scrolling, while the PowerBooks scroll if you put two fingers on the trackpad instead of one. Both work, but they're significantly different implementations.

Which makes me wonder if this feature might actually need new hardware. Can the existing trackpads, mechanically speaking, detect contact at two different points at the same time? I know with Apple's current driver they behave eratically if you do somethng like that, but it could also be a hardware limitation.

 

[abhishekit]

Which makes me wonder if this feature might actually need new hardware. Can the existing trackpads, mechanically speaking, detect contact at two different points at the same time? I know with Apple's current driver they behave eratically if you do somethng like that, but it could also be a hardware limitation.

I agree that sidetrack and new trackpad are different, the latter being much nicer.
But with the current drivers, it doesn't behave erratically. Infact it does nothing when u use two fingers. So it can detect two different points and there is no motion at all. So I guess they can easily release a firmware update for the implementation(if they want to).

 

[Timelessblur]

I am honestly surpised apple has not gotten something out like the sidetrack and has taken this long to even get where they are right now with there track pads. Come on PCs have had the abliely to do all the stuff that side trick done for over 5 years or so now. mostly it looks like a software thing.

 

[aswitcher]

I too really hope Apple do this for us last gen PB owners. Its a neat feature that I would use quite a bit if I had it.

 

[brap]

mostly it looks like a software thing.

For once, I agree completely. All this should need is at most a firmware upgrade, if not just a new driver.

But I doubt very much we'll get it, since it's being touted as a new and exclusive "feature" of the powerbooks.