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Software Update Brings Inertial Scrolling and Three-Finger Drag Gesture to Recent Apple Notebooks

jongriff said:
I think that it is a mis-print. It says under devices that support both new functions:

MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2009)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2008)

If I remember correctly the 17-inch MacBook Pro wasn't updated in Late 2008, only the 15 inch went unibody (with the 17-inch following in early '09) so I can only assume that it is meant to say MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008). I have one and it is supported too, not that I would want to lose the 3-finger navigation anyway but feels nice that my computer hasn't already become a device that is losing compatibility with new features, that's never a nice day!
Click to expand...

Yes that sounds plausible - agree with you re the ageing devices. I have a MacBook(2006), MacBook Pro 2007 and my iMac 24"(2008) which are just about starting to get left behind - I don't have the income to replace these nowadays so I hope Apple keeps my late 2008 model supported for as long as possible with these new features.

Ah well.
 
max-bear said:
Hi GabooN,

I've just installed the update and I can still tap and drag. (I haven't changed or been into any of the settings...) Did you have much luck after a reboot? You could try to re-install the update... also do you have any 3rd party trackpad enhancers installed? Disable or uninstall them before applying the update.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks, got it working after 2 reboots. I do have bettertouchtools for mighty mouse gestures. Perhaps that played a role. I did go into it to confirm that some setting wasn't changed that wasn't allowing me to tap-drag.

So just as a heads up for anyone else moving between the 3 finger drag and 3 finger navigate, just make sure you check the one finger dragging box, and confirm that it does allow you to do it again and you regain the functionality you had before switching.
 
Ha! that's crazy. I wonder if that was an intended effect?
Click to expand...

Not sure, but it should be good for things like dragging audio and video events in timeline based apps. Should be able to just flick it to the other end of the timeline nice and fast, gonna install logic to try it out.
 
HommePomme said:
I'm curious as to how many people prefer to "Tap" to click their trackpad, or physically click it...

Personally, I'm a clicker, and have tap-to-click always disabled.
Click to expand...

I prefer tap to click to the physical click, it's faster and only requires one finger. Plus the new MacBook Pros have this horribly loud click and it just sounds awful! I used the clicker button to drag and drop until now, but with the 3 finger drag I might actually stop using the button altogether! I hate the loud metallic cling sound it makes!
 
joemolomo said:
Not sure, but it should be good for things like dragging audio and video events in timeline based apps. Should be able to just flick it to the other end of the timeline nice and fast, gonna install logic to try it out.
Click to expand...

Yeah it could be used just like inertial scrolling in cases where you would need a drag, not just a scroll. So grabbing an item and scrolling it to the other end or something.

Also, maybe for 'throwing' windows onto other displays? Maybe not as useful, but they do it in movies to look cool with touch displays :p
 
I wish we could get 4 finger navigation (just like 3 finger navigation), so that we could use 3 finger dragging and 4 fingers to go back/forward... I never ever use 4 finger swipes left and right for the app switcher, I don't even use the app switcher when there's Exposé! I wonder why Apple is so reluctant to do anything else with the 4 finger left/right swipe gestures? They're easy to do but not very precise, so navigation would be a great feature...
 
HommePomme said:
I'm curious as to how many people prefer to "Tap" to click their trackpad, or physically click it...

Personally, I'm a clicker, and have tap-to-click always disabled.
Click to expand...

I'm a clicker. I have tap-to-click disabled. Found it too sensitive for my needs. May try it out again some day.
 
baryon said:
I prefer tap to click to the physical click, it's faster and only requires one finger. Plus the new MacBook Pros have this horribly loud click and it just sounds awful! I used the clicker button to drag and drop until now, but with the 3 finger drag I might actually stop using the button altogether! I hate the loud metallic cling sound it makes!
Click to expand...

I thought it was just me with the sound - it just feels wrong having to click. Do I need help ??:eek:
 
GabooN said:
Sorry to quote myself, but can somebody who has installed the update confirm whether their trackpad displays the same behaviour as mine? I don't want my post to get lost since there are so many quick responses to the front page items.
Click to expand...

Check your settings again. When I first tried it out I changed 3-finger drag to 'dragging' and when I did, it automatically turned off the one finger tap-drag.

Then when I found out that it is an either-or type of thing, I went back and changed 3 finger back to 'Swipe to Navigate', but it didn't automatically turn back on the one-finger dragging.

So you have to turn it back on.
 
I got so used to inertial scrolling on my work i7 MBP... thanks Apple for throwing this in on my home MB (Early 2009).... Lovely!
 
baryon said:
I wish we could get 4 finger navigation (just like 3 finger navigation), so that we could use 3 finger dragging and 4 fingers to go back/forward... I never ever use 4 finger swipes left and right for the app switcher, I don't even use the app switcher when there's Exposé! I wonder why Apple is so reluctant to do anything else with the 4 finger left/right swipe gestures? They're easy to do but not very precise, so navigation would be a great feature...
Click to expand...

You can with BetterTouchTool
I have 4 finger swipe right set up to show all spaces.
On my mighty mouse I do the same with 3 finger swipe right, I don't like using hot corners.

I just checked in BTT and one of the predefined actions you can set is 3F Swipe Left (page back) and 3F Swipe Right (page forward). You can set 4 finger swipe left and right to these actions, and you should retain their global use (as opposed to having to set up gestures specifically for firefox, or for safari, and then finder, etc etc....)

And for what is is worth, the only time I 'move' windows really I set three finger tip-tap left to maximize window left, and three finger tip-tap right to maximize window right. So this would work like windows 7 snap left and right. Also two finger tip-tap middle restores the previous window size and position.

All this tip-tap talk might be confusing if you aren't familiar with BBT or magicprefs!
 
GabooN said:
Thanks, got it working after 2 reboots. I do have bettertouchtools for mighty mouse gestures. Perhaps that played a role. I did go into it to confirm that some setting wasn't changed that wasn't allowing me to tap-drag.

So just as a heads up for anyone else moving between the 3 finger drag and 3 finger navigate, just make sure you check the one finger dragging box, and confirm that it does allow you to do it again and you regain the functionality you had before switching.
Click to expand...

Glad it's working for you now!! That's good advice for other users.

HommePomme said:
I'm curious as to how many people prefer to "Tap" to click their trackpad, or physically click it...

Personally, I'm a clicker, and have tap-to-click always disabled.
Click to expand...

I used to be a clicker no question, but since using the new glass trackpads I found clicking too stiff and slow; so I am now a fully converted tapper! :cool:
 
Window moving with three fingers is a tad bit funky at times. It can jerk and I'm not sure what I think of it yet. Inertial scrolling on the other hand is excellent, but isn't 100% smooth in all apps. MacBook Pro from sig.

All and all, quite happy with this update.
 
markm49uk said:
Count me in the tap to click - much easier then a physical click surely ?
Click to expand...

Not really, with tap you need to lift your finger once you've moved the cursor. With click-to-click :)P) you can just push down...

On a side note: If they could make the three-finger drag just move whatever the active window is, it would actually be useful. Three finger text selection is useless.
 
everything

cambookpro said:
What support is there for MBP 15" Late 2008? It doesn't say.
Click to expand...

You'll get inertia scrolling and 3 finger dragging, but you already have one finder dragging, and you'll lose 3 finger navigation (great in Safari and iPhoto to go forward and back).

You get all the new features, but you'll probably just want the inertia scrolling.
 
GabooN said:
Now with this three finger drag gesture... I have 3 finger still set to "swipe to navigate" and I can no longer Tap + hold on a window to drag it. I have to physically click the trackpad in order to drag a window around or a file. I know it is a small detail but I rarely physically click my trackpad, and use taps instead.

Anyone else having this same problem? I DID however, enable the 3 finger drag briefly to try it out, but then switched back to swipe to navigate. I found it odd that the tap + hold didn't work while the 3 finger drag was enabled. Just because you can use 3 finger drag, why not still allow the other method?

So now I have to physically click in order to drag anything?

*edit* to clarify, what I mean by tap + hold is - 1 tap of the trackpack followed immediately by another tap that I do not release, then drag my finger around without lifting it. This worked prior to the update.
Perhaps I should try rebooting...
Click to expand...

Check your preferences. Mine was like that to, then rechecked the tap and hold box. It seems its not checked by default. That way you get the normal dragging, and can still use 3 to navigate, though the 3 to move windows is nice.
 
Just figured out that you can use the inertial scrolling with the window drag for a kinda cool "throw" type thing. Start dragging the window with three fingers, then flick one of them and the window gets "thrown"...

EDIT: Just realized that "tappers" with inertial scrolling already have probably figured this out already...
 
I Call For A Lawsuit.

I think It is time to Start a Class action lawsuit against Apple for their utter disregard in creating a properly functioning device for those of us who don't have the luxury of having 3-5 fingers. What about those of us with 3 missing fingers? How is a person with only 2 fingers on one hand supposed to drag objects around? I am OUTRAGED and I think Obama should be impeached for this.

-- End Sarcasm
 
Anyone know of a way to invert the scrolling? Like say per the iPhone. Since if you drag down on the iPhone your going up, but on the MBP you drag down to go down. Same thing with pics in iPhoto. Thats always kinda bugged me. If you swipe left in iPhone to go forward in pics, but in iPhoto it takes you backwards.

I've looked through BTT but can't find anything. I'd assume it wouldn't be that difficult.
 
Where's the love for the early 2009 15" MBP 2.53???? Its telling me my software is up to date and I'd love to try this stuff out but it doesn't have any downloads for me.
 
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