I would like to think of myself as being an experienced Mac user. However, in the 7 years that I have been using a Mac, I have never found use of the TrackPad coming easily or naturally. So much so, that as I sit typing this on my MacBook, I am struggling to recall the last time that I used its TrackPad. It quite literally has to be months.
This truly puzzles me.
I frequently remind myself of what the TrackPad and TrackPad Commander can do. I always come away thinking that there is lots there that I should take advantage of; lots that would enhance my user experience and workflow. However, days, weeks and months then pass; during which muscle memory and habit continue to find my fingers reaching for keys rather than the Trackpad.
Part of the problem here is that because I don't routinely and regularly use the TrackPad, I simply forget what the various gestures and actions are, meaning that keyboard shortcuts continue to come more easily and naturally.
I suspect that another significant factor at play here, is the 30 years spent primarily using desktop computers. In relative terms, that makes a TrackPad new to me and leaves a lot of muscle memory and habit to get in the way.
So, to get me out of this state and to turn the TrackPad into something more than a frustration when an accidental bump with my palm causes it to do something unwanted, I would love to hear of the ways in which people use the TrackPad in interesting and productive ways.
For instance, does use of the TrackPad come natural to you; have you found ways in which it can add to or enhance the capabilities of the keyboard, how do you integrate it into your workflow as a VoiceOver user?
Comments
I hardly ever use the
I hardly ever use the trackpad, as I've not found anything I can do with it that I can't do with the keyboard. I find the keyboard easier to use as I learned the various keyboard shortcuts before Macs had multitouch trackpads. I think it is true what you said, it really boils down to what you're used to.
To avoid accidentally bumping the trackpad, I turn off trackpad commander by pressing the VO keys while rotating two fingers counterclockwise.
I bought one from 8 years
I Bought 1 from A long time to use with my mac mini, but i did not use it til now,
so, hope also to know what is the best way to use it
Hmmm, do not think it canβ¦
Hmmm, do not think it can add to my workflow. One simple issue here is that you can not use it efficiently without combining this without a keyboard modifier, so if I have to reach to the keyboard already then what is the point of using the trackpad?
I love my track pad usually
I use it all the time. For me it goes back to the days of old track pads on windows laptops which I could never use. so now I've had two macs, I find using it all the time. Yeah i bump it, but I feel more like a real user. Forget the keyboard. wanna go to the Dock? Two taps at the bottom. Shut up speech? touch two fingers. Swipe left on pages? Just like your phone. It's a little sensitive so I find sometimes it bugs me, but I don't see how anyone can't use it. I mean the keyboard's there, but you're reaching over something useful already so why not use what you have. I love flicking down pages and headings and other roter actions.
TrackPad + Braille Display
I find using a Braille Display much easier without speech output when I can use gestures with one hand and read with the other.
Better Touch Tool
Hi. If you want an app to greatly increase the usability of the track pad, I recommend Better Touch Tool. Here's a link to an article:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwj4lJbFv9z1AhWVJ0QIHYl4CyoQFnoECAsQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.macworld.com%2Farticle%2F551700%2Fmac-gems-bettertouchtool-review.html&usg=AOvVaw0m2fBQkOP9oKlpXBu3Rssg
P.S. If your trackpad is too sensative, you can adjust that in system preferences. If cursor movement is too extreme, you can adjust that, too.
How I Use The Trackpad
I started out only using an iPad and got an iPhone and MacBook from there. Since my first introduction to Apple devices was through multi-touch I acclimated myself to MacOS largely with touch gestures and navigated in a similar way to how I would on my iPad or phone (single flicks left and right, double-tapping items to click them, toggling screen curtain and speech, etc). I don't use trackpad commander much save for alternative shortcuts I programmed for going to the top and bottom of windows as I don't like having to press down more than 3 or 4 keys at once to do a single keyboard shortcut. I also find the trackpad useful for quickly navigating to the dock, menu bar, app chooser, or window chooser and prefer it if I want to be as quiet as possible when using my laptop. Hope this helps.
I second the comment aboutβ¦
I second the comment about using trackpad to be as quiet as possible. I have clients who ask me if I'm paying attention to them when they hear me use my keyboard but don't see me typing in our chat.