Wacom Bamboo track pad

[Greysquirrel]

Does anyone own or have used the Wacom Bamboo track pad as an alterative to a Magic Mouse or trackball?
I checked out the Magic Mouse and did not like it but could probably get used to it, the Apple keyboard I could never get used to and would keep my old clunky keyboard that I am used to using since forever.
Have been using a Kensington trackball for the last 10 years, not the same one , but it finially gave up the ghost and thought the new mouse could replace it but I don't think so. This Bamboo trackpad does look interesting though but is a little an the large side.
You can check it ut at. http://www.wacom.com/bamboo/bamboo_touch.php

 

[johnnj]

I got one about a week and a half ago. I thought it was great at first, but the more I used it, the more it annoyed me. I like the idea of it, but I think the implementation is a little off.

I don't think it's as refined as the unibody touchpad. Sometimes it registers false right clicks (two finger touch) and when it does, sometimes it gets stuck as right mouse button until I click elsewhere with one finger. I don't think the click drag is that great either. It has this "touch to the left" thing, where if you touch the pad with your thumb and then use your finger it'll act like click drag. With that mode enabled the touchpad exhibited some erratic behavior. With it off, you have to click the lift side button while touching around. For my hand it's a little awkward because I tend to touch around in the middle of the pad, but then when I want to click drag I have to re-orient my hand so my thumb can hit the button. Maybe I'm just a spaz, but it seems like I always miss the button.

Maybe these are all driver problems and eventually it'll be a great input device.

On the other hand, I also bought a Magic Mouse (can they please come out with a mouse with a name I'm not embarrassed to say in the store?) a few days ago. The first night I used it I HATED it. I couldn't get the touch inputs to move without moving the mouse itself. However, the last couple of nights I forced myself to work on a 700 shot photo project with it. It turns out that it just needs the slightest touch to register input. I think that in Lightroom, the fine control that the touch scroll seems to afford is better than I'd get on my old Logitech MX. I've also grown to like the flatness of the mouse. I've now disconnected the Wacom and am exclusively using the Apple mouse. I just wish they had a wired version so that I could use it with my USB switcher for multi-machine control.

John

 

[Greysquirrel]

I got one about a week and a half ago. I thought it was great at first, but the more I used it, the more it annoyed me. I like the idea of it, but I think the implementation is a little off.

I don't think it's as refined as the unibody touchpad. Sometimes it registers false right clicks (two finger touch) and when it does, sometimes it gets stuck as right mouse button until I click elsewhere with one finger. I don't think f you touch the pad with your thumb and then use your finger it'll act like click drag. With that mode enabled the touchpad exhibited some erratic behavior. With it off, you have to click the lift side button while touching around. For my hand it's a little awkward because I tend to touch around in the middle of the pad, but then when I want to click drag I have to re-orient my hand so my thumb can hit the button. Maybe I'm just a spaz, but it seems like I always miss the button.

Maybe these are all driver problems and eventually it'll be a great input device. the click drag is that great either. It has this "touch to the left" thing, where i

On the other hand, I also bought a Magic Mouse (can they please come out with a mouse with a name I'm not embarrassed to say in the store?) a few days ago. The first night I used it I HATED it. I couldn't get the touch inputs to move without moving the mouse itself. However, the last couple of nights I forced myself to work on a 700 shot photo project with it. It turns out that it just needs the slightest touch to register input. I think that in Lightroom, the fine control that the touch scroll seems to afford is better than I'd get on my old Logitech MX. I've also grown to like the flatness of the mouse. I've now disconnected the Wacom and am exclusively using the Apple mouse. I just wish they had a wired version so that I could use it with my USB switcher for multi-machine control.

John

Thanks for the reply, maybe I should go back and play with the mouse somemore or then again maybe just buy another Kensington trackball, tried and proven to work without any problems.

 

[johnnj]

No problem. You know, if the trackball has been working for you, then why fix what ain't broke?

John

 

[topmounter]

The Magic Mouse definitely grows on you, that and the BetterTouchTool adds a ton of useful functionality that Apple should have included.

 

[gwerhart0800]

There are other (previous) posts on the Bamboo products that will provide insights. I have the Pen & Touch. I committed myself to using it as the primary pointing device for 3 weeks to make sure that I gave it a fair shake ... I am now back to using my two button, wheel mouse and have the touchpad positioned above my keyboard. I do use it occasionally, but I could not commit to it full time because it was a serious PITA when I was writing code (which I do for a living). For casual use, it was fine, but if you do a lot of cut/pasting in text applications, it is less efficient. I have not yet had time to work with the "pen" component, but I am hoping to have a chance to play with that during my holiday break.