While it wasn't Apple's worst kept secret, the new Magic Trackpad has been the subject of a few leaks over the past couple of months. However, the desktop accessory is now official and available to buy from Apple's store.
Essentially, the Magic Trackpad is just a wireless version of the MacBook mousepad lifted out of the laptop's chassis. As simple as it seems, though, this is a pretty unique product. Of course, it means that now everyone can experience the joys of flicking through pages, pinch-to-zoom and inertial scrolling.
Other than being around 80 percent larger than the touchpad on a MacBook Pro, it should be very familiar to Apple users. The touch-area is a single piece of glass to allow for smooth movement and the entire surface area is a single large button.
As for connecting the device up, the Trackpad is battery powered and takes advantage of Bluetooth to enable clutter-free use. While this is all good and well on a desk, it seems to us like it could be the perfect accessory for navigating around a HTPC from a distance. The whole thing is powered by two AA batteries and Apple will be more than happy to sell you a set of its own rechargeables, complete with a charger, for £25.
For now, it seems like this device is only compatible with Mac's running OSX 10.6, though we're certain that, even if the manufacturer doesn't, it's only a matter of time until some intrepid programmer writes Windows drivers for it.
Do you feel like your desktop experience is missing out on multi-touch? If so, the Magic Trackpad is available now from the Apple Store for £59. At the very least, we're curious to get our hands on one to see how it handles, and to determine whether we would use it with or without a dedicated mouse. Let us know what you think in the HEXUS Community.
