Comments on: Ready to Scroll

By: Brian Behrend

Brian Behrend — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 20:30:36 +0000

I really like SideTrack too, works just like you’d think it would. My only issue is that it’s $15 to register. For $5 I’d definitely pony up, but at that price I’ll just deal with the annoying registration reminders.

By: cliche

cliche — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 19:02:39 +0000

Touchpad? What’s that? So that’s what that small square area was!

Seriously. The only time I actually use the touchpad is when my mouse runs out of battery.

By: Chris G.

Chris G. — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 16:07:37 +0000

I find it amazing that people thought dual-core G4’s or a Powerbook G5 would be released. Traditionally, Apple only releases minor product updates at times like these. The big announcements (which is what a dual-core G4 or G5 would be I assume) are saved for those conventions.

Why the hell would Apple release something as important as a PowerBook G5 in such a quite manner? It is very unlike Apple.

These rumor sites get way too greedy sometimes. It is a normal product refresh time for the PowerBook…let’s be realistic here.

By: Nick!

Nick! — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 14:49:48 +0000

Guys, you seem to be missing the point. The scrolling on the Powerbook ISN’T like those existing scroll systems (I use Sidetrack on my iBook), you can scroll anywhere as long as you switch to two fingers. This IS new — I have not seen anyone else doing this (the examples in the comments are not the same)

Frankly, I like this better than what I get out of Sidetrack. Having to align my finger with the edge of the trackpad doesn’t always work well for me and I hate sacrificing a large area of the trackpad just for some accuracy ( I have mine set reallllllll small, because otherwise I find myself hitting it doing normal scrolling )

All that said, I loathe having to use a trackpad anyhow.

By: Derek

Derek — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 14:31:13 +0000

This has also been available on Powerbooks for a long time with some add-on software like Sidetrack.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 07:11:34 +0000

oops… getting used to MT again

By: Dylan

Dylan — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 07:06:56 +0000

Everything is stricken out.

FG has always been at peace with Oceania. FG has always been at war with Eurasia.

By: Dylan

Dylan — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 06:56:46 +0000

That scrolling feature is by no means a new feature. As Jeff pointed out, this has been out there for years. My HP laptop I’m using right this second has it — it’s how I scrolled down to this comments box. :)

On my laptop I don’t need two fingers. The “scrolling area” is right on the left and bottom edges of the touchpad, exactly where you’d expect scrollbars to be on a window. Of course, it’s completely customizable where the scroll area is, but that’s the default.

Clicking both touchpad buttons together activates the scroll lock you get with a middle-click of a mouse wheel. Quite usable.

My touchpad and touchpad software are from Synaptics.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 06:41:19 +0000

Jeff, I just wanted to hear myself talk

By: Jeff Minard

Jeff Minard — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 06:38:40 +0000

The genius of Apple is coming out once again.

Please tell me that was sarcastic – or are you just daft? This has been around in hardware and software versions for PC’s for years and years.

Apple didn’t invent, innovate, or any other iWord here.

I love Apple too, but get a grip.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 05:31:22 +0000

there goes Scrivs flaunting his $xx,xxx again :-}

By: Scrivs

Scrivs — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 05:21:45 +0000

Forget testing, I think I will buy one next week. But yeah the scroll thing is such a simple thing, but changes the whole game.

By: Jeremy Flint

Jeremy Flint — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 04:48:46 +0000

To bad this is an actual hardware upgrade and not just a software upgrade that older powerbook users can get (like me).