Does anybody use the Magic Track Pad with Blocs? I am wondering how it compares to the Magic Mouse? This is for use alongside a desktop computer with a large display. No real problems of space on the table.
I often use the Trackpad on my Macbook Pro for Blocs. Especially if I am out on the road. Otherwise I try and use the Magic mouse. I think it comes down to what you are used too. But I switch between either no problems. I am assuming the Magic Trackpad wouldn’t be all that different in experience?
Blocs is optimised for trackpad so the transition should be pleasant, Blocs also supports haptic feedback too.
Hi @Flashman
I have never used anything other than the Magic Track Pad with my iMac and it works like charm with Blocs. Would never go back to using a mouse for any software.
MDS
OK that’s interesting to know. I actually bought a Teknet M012 last night on the advice of a friend and it was only £11, so worth a try. He reckons it is so much more comfortable than a traditional mouse due to the shape, which you hold more like a wine glass, but said to reduce RSI. I already work with a large gel pad in front of the keyboard for this reason.
I’ll give this Teknet a go and see how it works, then the Trackpad is always an option if it doesn’t work out. @Norm would you say Blocs works better on a Trackpad than the Magic mouse?
My current one is the original Magic mouse and the batteries need changing constantly, plus there is a tendency for the connection to keep dropping. I’ve been reluctant to try anything that wasn’t Apple, but I keep hearing people say there are more comfortable alternatives.
It’s probably personal preference to be honest. I have the latest Apple mouse, it’s good except when it occasionally dies and needs charging then it’s unusable. When this happens I reach for my trusty old Mighty Mouse while the other charges
I’ve heard the trackpad is a bit like using the pad on a laptop, so it may not be something I’d get on with naturally; at least initially. I am curious to see if this Tecknet is any good and it’s due here today. It is oddly shaped compared to more typical designs and I’ll have to see how I get on with the two button approach, which looks suspiciously Windows like.
Up in the loft I still have the pro mouse from my Apple G4 purchased back in 2000, then the mighty mouse that came with the old 2007 iMac.
Hi @Flashman
In my opinion the Magic Trackpad is far better than a laptop pad. To be honest I hate pads on laptops. I prefer the fact of a moving around a finger on the trackpad than moving a whole mouse all over. Feels more natural and precise. But that’s my feeling.
MDS
That certainly sounds better then. I very rarely use a laptop personally. There is a MacBook Pro and a Windows laptop here at the house, however I find it very hard to be enthusiastic about either of them when using the pad. They just seem very fiddly.
Like you I dislike the laptop touch pads, but can’t live without the Mac one. So much so the mouse has a layer of dust collecting on it, which reminds me the office needs a clean 
This Tecknet arrived a few minutes ago and it makes the Magic Mouse feel like a piece of medieval machinery. Those metal rails are gone and it glides across the desktop like silk. It feels good in the hand, however I’ll need a while with the two button setup, which is on the side, rather than the top. The acid test will be how it works in Blocs.
@Norm When using the Magic Mouse, I’ve frequently needed to click the add bric icon inside a bloc multiple times before the pop up window stays open for a few seconds and that hasn’t been an issue once so far with this new mouse, but I’ll keep an eye on it.
I wonder if others have seen this behaviour with the the bric pop up needing to be clicked 4-5 times before it stays open. In practice it flash open and closes immediately for several attempts before staying open.
With this new two button mouse, I suddenly found myself wanting a copy/paste option with the contextual menu when dealing with text related brics.
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TeckNet 2600DPI Bluetooth Wireless Mouse ?
I bought this one. It has three DPI options; 800, 1200 and 2000. 1200 seems about right. It seems to require much less wrist movement than the Magic Mouse.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TeckNet-Vertical-Wireless-Ergonomic-Optical/dp/B00JJEC31C/ref=sr_1_15
It could well be that the Magic Mouse 2 is a big improvement on the old one, but this certainly feels more usable and refined than the original Magic Mouse. Time will tell how it works over the longterm.
The only slight negatives I have found are no battery level indicator like you would have with an Apple mouse. Also there are two buttons for forwards and backwards on web pages, which do not work on a Mac.
I use a Kensington trackball with scroll wheel and it is fine. In my professional life (frequent deadlines!) I found that my arm was tensing up and this led to a frozen shoulder. I have tried the Trackpad but didn’t find it as good as the trackball. It all comes down to personal preference.
It took me a couple hours to adapt, however I now find the Tecknet notably better overall than the old Apple mouse for a fraction of the price. Previously I was reluctant to change but should have done this years ago. The only part I slightly miss is the side swipe, but that isn’t the end of the world.
Yesterday, I also added a gel pad wrist rest to reduce the pressure points from the hard table edge that have caused me frequent problems over the years. These small changes are relatively cheap and they can save an awful lot of stress. I also have a larger wrist pad that sits in front of the keyboard.
Over the last couple of months I’ve been working silly long hours, seven days a week, just to meet deadlines and hardly sleeping, so anything like this that reduces stress is a bonus. Last year I picked up a lumbar support attachment that slips over the chair and works wonders for reducing lower back pain.
