Magic Trackpad 2 - another stupid "improved" Apple product

[theluggage]

Astrorider,

I can't get my "three finger drag" to work. I think I have everything selected properly, but it's a no-go for me.

When I attempt to drag text, it looks like it works, but there's nothing in the e-mail where I drag it to.

I don't think this is a trackpad problem - some combinations of apps don't support dragging selected text, even with the mouse, and this seems to have changed somewhere between Mojave and Monterey.

E.g. On Mac Studio/Monterey 12.4

BBEdit -> Apple Mail (16.0) does work. (mouse or trackpad)
MS Word (16.61) -> Apple Mail not working - even with a mouse
MS Word -> Pages works.

On iMac/Mojave:

MS Word (16.54) -> Apple Mail (12.4) works fine on Mojave - with a Magic Trackpad 1

Apple apps don't seem to support dragging text out at all.

 

[theluggage]

There are folks that have difficulty with the complexity of touch gestures on devices built for touch. Better to leave it in “simple” mode for macOS and have the user make the switch.

Maybe not on by default, but the problem is that they've taken the option out of the main Trackpad preferences panel where it was originally easy to fine and buried it a couple of levels down under Accessibility (along with inertia scrolling).

(No problem with relevant options being duplicated under Accessibility if they wanted a one stop shop for accessibility-related options, but why remove it from the original, totally logical position? - there's not one option on the regular trackpad controls that wouldn't be relevant to someone with motor control issues).

 

[Ledgem]

I still have my old Magic Trackpad. I was excited for the Magic Trackpad 2. I never went back; I still prefer the look, feel, and performance of the Trackpad 2. For the environment I would prefer user-replaceable batteries but my current Magic Trackpad 2 is about seven years old and I probably charge it about once a month. For my desk setup, it honestly would not be a hassle to keep it plugged in all of the time; wireless mice were a big deal, trackpads don't really need to be wireless for most of us.

Why not make the thing a little bigger (to fit a larger battery), and also more ergonomic at the same time?

We'll never know for sure, but most people blame Jony Ive, who was Apple's lead product designer. It's generally felt that he had an obsession with thinness. I share your views and I would scratch my head when a new product came out and they said that the battery life was the same, but now it was even thinner. It seems like they could have kept the same thickness (which was already class-leading thin) and increased battery life, right?

Jony Ive is now formally out of Apple, leading his own company that provides guidance to Apple but probably isn't directing much anymore. We'll never really know how far his designs went - I'd like to think that the iPads becoming a bit chunkier now and not having tapered edges represents leaving his designs, as well as the Mac Studio being a chunkier Mac mini (the system could still have afforded to be larger, but the fact that Apple didn't try to make something even smaller is still a good sign), or the Mac Pro leaving the "trash can" design and becoming larger and more practical again... who knows? Maybe the next iteration of their keyboards and pointer peripherals will be a bit larger and more practical, too. I'm hopeful.

 

[astrorider]

Astrorider,

I can't get my "three finger drag" to work. I think I have everything selected properly, but it's a no-go for me.

When I attempt to drag text, it looks like it works, but there's nothing in the e-mail where I drag it to.

Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks!

PS: this is with my new iMac Pro. It used to work properly on my older Mac. It's frustrating and annoying. I now use cut & paste, but it's slower.

I don't recall ever seeing it look like dragged text is working, and then nothing appearing in the destination app. Overall I think it depends on the app, though, like @theluggage said. For example, in Safari I can drag text from a static webpage into the Mail app, but in this editable text area on Macrumors (also in Safari) I can't drag the text. This is irregardless of whether three-finger drag is enabled. On the other hand, in Apple Pages I can drag text into Mail even in an editable Pages document. Personally, I've always found ⌘-X to cut text and ⌘-V to paste more reliable than dragging, and only drag text when necessary, like dragging to create a text clipping.

 

[Yog]

TheLuggage and AstroRider,

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question/issue.

Specifically, I try to drag text from FireFox (Version 100.0.2) into Mail (Version 16.0) and it does NOT work. It never crossed my mind that it was a Monterey issue - I thought it was an error on my part. Thanks for clearing this up. At least "copy & paste" works, but it's not quite as quick.

Thanks again!

Yog

 

[Peter_M]

Thanks for the comments, both for and against. I appreciate a good discussion.

I ended up glueing thick felt pads under the Magic Trackpad, so it has a more raised profile. It's not as good as it could be, with a more slanted ergonomic design, but it's at least more comfortable to use now. Still has a crappy battery life though, for such an expensive (or rather overpriced) item.

 

[bluespark]

Three finger drag should be on by default. Along with tap to click. They are game changers, bizarrely turned off by Apple at default and/or relegated to accessibility options, when they alone are responsible for the fact that I never reach for a mouse anymore.

Agree with you on three-finger drag, but not tap-to-click. For me, tap-to-click registers nearly every touch as a click, and I'm told this is not uncommon. I would know to disable this, but some wouldn't. OTOH, a three-finger gesture isn't something one is likely to do accidentally, so an enabled-by-default approach makes more sense.

 

[Fravin]

so now I have to charge it about once a week or two, which is ridiculous.

You can adjust the level of feedback from it to reduce power consumption.

 

[MajorFubar]

Thanks for the comments, both for and against. I appreciate a good discussion.

I ended up glueing thick felt pads under the Magic Trackpad, so it has a more raised profile. It's not as good as it could be, with a more slanted ergonomic design, but it's at least more comfortable to use now. Still has a crappy battery life though, for such an expensive (or rather overpriced) item.

Stop punishing yourself and use the b*tard thing in tethered mode, like I do. Took me ten years before I finally realised that trying different BT keyboards/mice/trackpads on a Mac in the hope that one day their battery life won't be sh-t is like repeatedly smashing your bare head against a brick wall in the hope that one day your head will win.

 

[Fravin]

I ended up glueing thick felt pads under the Magic Trackpad

Have a look on this Amazon offering

 

[targa88]

You can adjust the level of feedback from it to reduce power consumption.

Care to expand on how that is changed and what it does?

 

[Lioness~]

I bought both the latest keyboard and trackpad to my Studio. They are definitely improved from earlier versions. More responsive, better design, and hold charge longer. Well worth the upgrade.

Charging them like every month or so, it's such a drag? Absolutely NOT!
I have a lightning cord connected to the display for charging. I also have 2 docks for my iPhone and iPad connected the same way. Sometimes however I use the cord, that serves as charging for keyboard/trackpad if I actively use my older i-devices longer times at my desk.
Love all of the USB-C connectors on the ASD 🥰

 

[generationfourth]

I'm not a "designer" myself, but I saw these issues a mile away before I bought it.

then why did you buy it?

 

[DMG35]

I don't mind the trackpad at all, and actually find it very enjoyable to use. The Magic Keyboard though...That thing sucks. Too little key travel and miserable to type on imo. MX Keys destroys it with the great key travel and backlit keyboard.

 

[Peter_M]

then why did you buy it?

Why did you dig up an old post, and make a disingenuous snarky comment?

So which other external touch pad model is Apple currently selling? Hmm...

 

[generationfourth]

Why did you dig up an old post, and make a disingenuous snarky comment?

So which other external touch pad model is Apple currently selling? Hmm...

I wasn’t the one that dug up the thread, sorry didn’t notice it was old.

But the question is still a valid one. If I know something isn’t going to work for me I don’t buy it. In your case I would’ve just found the older one that I liked.

 

[Retroworldnews]

Today I posted about my magic track pad 2 and it seem " dead " can't recharged anymore despite showing recharge.

I even do a NVRAM reset , remove and reconnect still the same. END up i go dig out the old apple wireless keyboard and apple magic track pad one yes both using AA batteries. to use.


Yes magic track pad 2 is somehow better to use as surface larger. The old very is smaller and yea angle tite a bit. The surface quite sensitive in the sense if you use for quite long like some area is hard to scroll. If you happen use the apple track pad 1 will know what I mean.

Nevertheless I not fussy as long I can get to work back using the iMac. is fine. Only thing now I have to standby spare AA batteries.

 

[Loi84]

Does anyone else have the impression that the surface of the newer Magic Trackpads feels coarser / less smooth than that of the original AA trackpads?

 

[fricotin]

Does anyone else have the impression that the surface of the newer Magic Trackpads feels coarser / less smooth than that of the original AA trackpads?

Not here, feels exactly the same.

 

[JaraCz]

Does anyone else have the impression that the surface of the newer Magic Trackpads feels coarser / less smooth than that of the original AA trackpads?

Same! Already made the new thread. I am thinking of returning

 

[Shazaam!]

My main issue with the trackpad 2 is that, if I use it on battery power there's a slight but noticeable delay whenever I activate it. This is likely because the pad sleeps to conserve battery power after a short period of non-use. Leave the trackpad connected to power — no annoying startup delay. I'm surprised others haven't noticed.

 

[baxlobs]

Does anyone else have the impression that the surface of the newer Magic Trackpads feels coarser / less smooth than that of the original AA trackpads?

Not mine, seems if anything slightly smoother, but the old one does have 10+ years of use. I hadn't noticed any delay on using, but will watch out now, I have only used on the internal battery so far.

 

[harriska2]

I had the trackpad 1. It ate batteries and was unusually hard to click. I gave it away. I now have a magic trackpad 2 and it is worlds better.

 

[judyg951]

I have a Trackpad ! and it won't connect to my Mini. Bluetooth sees it but when I try to connect it just drops. Any suggestions? If I can get it to connect there is no reason to buy a new one.

I ended up just ordering a new one. The old one works with my laptop, but not the newer Mini.

 

[xraydoc]

I have a Trackpad ! and it won't connect to my Mini. Bluetooth sees it but when I try to connect it just drops. Any suggestions? If I can get it to connect there is no reason to buy a new one.

I ended up just ordering a new one. The old one works with my laptop, but not the newer Mini.

Are you using the USB cable to connect/pair it to your mini? The pairing should be done by connecting the lightning cable. Then you can remove the cable.