The perfect device for connecting your Apple wireless keyboard and magic trackpad
I have been looking for a solution to connect my Magic Trackpad and wireless keyboard since the Magic Trackpad came out last summer. These two devices were meant to be together and I still can't believe Apple didn't give us a way to connect them. Nevertheless, I have been actively looking for a device that would combine my keyboard and trackpad together into the perfectly unified multi-touch peripheral control device that I knew it could be. As a long time Mac user, I have grown accustomed to holding computer products to standards, so I wasn't about to pay for something I knew I was compromising on.
I had ten specific criteria that this type of device would have to meet in order for me to fork over my hard earned cash:
1) It cannot impair or restrict any of the functionality of my Apple devices. (I refuse to pay money for any device that doesn't allow me to use the "click" feature of my magic trackpad - without the click feature dragging and dropping is futile and I refuse to be forced to use "tap to click". Any impairment to the bluetooth signal range capabilities is also a deal breaker since I'm going to be using this thing from different rooms in my house to control my mac home theater setup. From my experience, metal shrouds and magnets in particular are not especially friendly to bluetooth transmitters.)
2) It cannot damage the finish of my aluminum Apple devices. (Any design that puts metal on metal is simply not an option. I paid too much for my Apple devices not to have them looking gorgeous.)
3) It cannot require any manual assembly like gluing, taping, etc. (I won't pay for someone else's DIY project and I'm not going to ruin my expensive Apple peripherals by gluing or sticking anything to them just to find out whether or not some half-baked product idea really works as advertised, thank you very much.)
4) It must be easy to assemble and disassemble. (I should be able to connect and disconnect my Apple devices in one easy step. No six-fingered Oompa Loompas or IKEA manuals necessary.)
5) It must be thin and lightweight. (My apple peripherals are thin and light - why would I want something that's heavy and cumbersome? I don't need to get a workout lugging it around with me. And if I'm going to use this on my lap I don't need it crushing my family jewels.)
6) It must have an "Apple-like" aesthetic - A.K.A., minimalistic, clean and beautiful. (If I'm going to have to look at this thing every day sitting at my desk, and if it's going to function as the command center for my home theater media setup it had better look awesome.)
7) It must be one solidly constructed piece and keep my peripherals securely in place. (I don't want to have to mess with and loose little bits and pieces of plastic or metal that I will almost certainly loose and that will undoubtedly cost me $20 to order replacements parts for. Also, since I'm going to be carrying this thing around my house, I don't want there to be any chance that my $70 Apple peripherals are going to fall out out of this thing and get damaged if I accidentally tilt the thing in the wrong direction. This device needs to be solid and secure.)
8) It cannot physically damage my Apple devices. (Again, you'd think this would be a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised. I've seen enough blind endorsements for half-baked products on forums like this one that I'm starting to wonder if people really have lost the ability for critical thinking. As food for thought for anyone that is still able to appreciate the laws of science, any product that attaches the edges of the trackpad and keyboard by binding their side edges together will inevitably cause the trackpad to warp over time with repeated use. If you apply a disproportionate amount of pressure to one corner of the trackpad surface while keeping the other three corners stationary, you will cause an equal amount of force stress to be exerted on the opposite side of the planar surface, which will result in the eventual deformation of the planar surface of the trackpad, eventually causing the trackpad to become warped and the glass coated surface to separate from the base of the trackpad. Remember that thing you learned in high school about for every force exerted on an object there is an equal and opposite force
it's just simple physics, not rocket science. Still, we shouldn't feel sorry for people like my naive friend Jerry who bought the magic wand - they should have done their homework.)
9) It must be minimalistic. (I don't want what I don't need. My desk workspace real-estate is precious and anything that significantly reduces that space is not welcome.)
10) It must be reasonably priced. (The device shouldn't cost much more than a well designed iPad case. If it's over $50, it had better come lined with Swarovksy crystals and gold-plated trim. This device shouldn't cost more than the keyboard or trackpad it holds together.)
I have looked seriously at every device discussed previously within this forum thread and all of them fell significantly short of satisfying my criteria.
After a year of searching, wanting and waiting, I am pleased to share that I have finally found a device that meets every one of my criteria.
: It works so well I ordered another one so I could have one to use at my office. After several weeks of using it, I am so pleased with my purchase decision (and so tired of my office mates asking me where I got it) I felt compelled to share my find with other mac users seeking the same type of solution. For those of you still trying to find the perfect accessory for uniting your Apple wireless keyboard and Magic Trackpad, the device you're looking for is called
bluefin and you can buy it online direct from the company that makes it at
meshwe.com.
