Logitech Rechargeable Trackpad For Mac



Logitech Rechargeable Trackpad for Mac The power of Mac OS multi-touch gestures, plus rechargeability This roomy Bluetooth trackpad for Mac computers makes it easy to navigate the web, documents and email by touch. Logitech Rechargeable Trackpad for Mac Logitech at iCon Prague 2013 February 22, 2013 5 Comments on Logitech at iCon Prague 2013. As some of you may know, iCon Prague – the only Czech conference for Apple fans – was held at + Logitech in the News.

Ever since I began using a MacBook Pro when the first models were released in 2006 (which, incidentally, was my very first Mac), I began to lose interest in mice as a pointing device. After using my MacBook Pro”s trackpad for several months, I began to despise mice for their lesser degree of accuracy (in my opinion), the annoying clicking sound they echoed through a room, and even the clunky shape of most mice.

Logitech rechargeable touchpad for mac

When Apple brought advanced multi-touch gestures to their trackpad (starting with the late-2008 MacBook Pro, my preference for trackpads over other pointing devices became even stronger. Never before had I experienced so much intuitive comfort and control in a pointing device. Apple’s trackpads changed the way I used a computer forever.

Once the Magic Trackpad was released, I transformed my MacBook Pro into a desktop setup, taking advantage of the larger surface that the new external trackpad offered. Apple’s trackpad, with its large 5-inch square surface, existed without direct competition (especially compared feature-to-feature, and in terms of pricing) for quite a while. It simply had no equal.

Logitech aims to change all that with their Rechargeable Trackpad for Mac.

Overview

Logitech’s T651 Rechargeable Trackpad toffers a trackpad of equivalent size to Apple’s Magic Trackpad, support for the same set of gestures, and one significant extra feature that Apple neglected to include in their own Magic Trackpad – a rechargeable battery. With a retail price of $69, it also costs the same amount of money as Apple’s Magic Trackpad. By all initial appearances, it appears to be an improved and updated take on the Mac trackpad that should give the Magic Trackpad a run for their money.

Te real question is whether the Logitech Rechargeable Trackpad is really as good as it seems. Can it really match Apple’s Magic Trackpad where it really matters – performance, precision, and ease and comfort in practical use? We put one through its paces to find out.

Design

At first glance, the Logitech T651 appears extremely similar to Apple’s Magic Trackpad, with the exception of a seamless top surface (by comparison, the Magic Trackpad shows a seam where the battery tube connects to the glass trackpad surface). The surface of the trackpad has a similar feel, being made from the same touch-sensitive matte glass as Apple’s own magic trackpad.

In terms of size, the Logitech Rechargeable Trackpad offers the same 5.25 x 5-inch surface as the Magic Trackpad, although it is not tilted at the same angle. In comparison to the Magic Trackpad’s slight incline, the Logitech T651 looks and feels virtually flat – and as a result, it feels somewhat different in everyday use.

Home medical equipment manual. Rather than using an aluminum frame, as Apple’s Magic Trackpad does, the Logitech T651 is built into a plastic frame – although it does feel every bit as sturdy and solid in actual use as the Magic Trackpad. The side of the device features a simple sliding switch to turn the power off and on, and a single button on the bottom to place the device in Bluetooth pairing mode in order to connect with your Mac.

Trackpad

The design reflects a simple elegance that feels very much at home next to an Apple product – it’s as beautiful and elegant to look at as it is useful. Finally, on the back of the device, you’ll find a single Micro-USB port used to recharge the device. The Logitech T651’s rechargable battery gives it a key advantage over Apple’s Magic Trackpad, and prevents you from having to waste time and resources constantly replacing AA batteries to keep the device in working order.

Features

To Logitech’s credit, the Rechargeable Trackpad for Mac supports all of the same gestures as Apple’s Magic Trackpad – although it requires you to download a driver and a Preference pane in order to take advantage of multi-touch and advanced gestures. Downloading and installing the software only takes a few short minutes, however, so it doesn’t affect the real-world experience of using the trackpad.

Also like the Magic Trackpad, the T651 allows for touch-based “clicking,” as well as tactile clicking if you press down on the device – a feature which many users prefer, and which Logitech was wise not to overlook. The ability to recharge the trackpad while it is in use is also a HUGE plus – Apple’s Magic Trackpad does not offer the same luxury, requiring you to physically replace the expired batteries with a fresh set before continuing. As such, the experience is essentially one in which you never run out of power, and never need to stop using the device due to battery drain.

While the T651 is just as comfortable to use as the Magic Trackpad once you get used to its somewhat flatter angle, in my experience, the physical click of the t651 wasn’t quite as definitive and satisfying as with the Magic Trackpad.

The Experience

Setting up the Magic Trackpad for the first time takes only a few moments, and is as simple as turning on the device, pressing the button on the bottom of the device, and selecting it from the Bluetooth pane in System Preferences. To enable the trackpad’s advanced gestures, you’ll also need to download a driver, which takes a few moments to download and install.

Customizing the trackpad’s gestures to meet your preferences is a nearly identical process to configuring a Magic Trackpad – the Logitech preference pane will be very familiar to users of the Magic Trackpad, allowing you to select which gestures you want to use, and how various actions – like tapping and dragging your finger – will affect the device.

The seamless surface of the T651 does come with one adverse affect, however – the touch sensitive portion of the device does NOT extend all the way to the top of the glass surface, stopping just below the level of Logitech’s logo. This left me frustrated more than once, as I occasionally lost traction while using the device because my finger got too close to the boundary.

Another downside to the T651 is that it is somewhat less precise and less sensitive than the Magic Trackpad. Logitech’s trackpad seems to have a more difficult time distinguishing between a single finger and multiple fingers. Further, the device is less precise than the Magic Trackpad when clicking and dragging. This was especially noticeable when using Adobe Photoshop – it was much more difficult to position a selection window precisely using the T651 than the Magic Trackpad. Zooming and scrolling also felt more sluggish on the Logitech trackpad as compared to Apple’s Magic Trackpad.

This lack of precision, more than anything else, hands back almost every advantage Logitech could have had right back to the Magic Trackpad. For doing serious design work, the Magic Trackpad just provides a cleaner, more precise, and thereby a simpler and less frustrating experience.

Verdict[rating:3.5]

The Logitech trackpad is every bit as attractive as Apple’s own trackpad, and offers all of the same gestures – and with the addition of a rechargeable battery (which can even be recharged while using with the device), Logitech had a real chance of taking on the Magic Trackpad in every way, offering a better overall feature set for the same price. Unfortunately, the Logitech T651’s lack of precise finger tracking (and precision in general) is its downfall.

If Logitech had employed just a little bit more attention to detail, they could have had a real Magic Trackpad competitor on their hands. Instead, the T651 fails in performing it’s most important task as a trackpad: precise gestures and precise cursor control. As a result, I have difficulty recommending it to anyone who plans to use it for anything more than office work and web browsing.

While I wasn’t all too impressed with the Logitech t651, I do look forward to experiencing their next trackpad. If Logitech can resolve the relatively minor issues plaguing the T651, I can see them producing a trackpad that is superior to the Magic Trackpad in every way in the not-so=distant future.

For more information, visit Logitech’s product page on the web. The Logitech T651 Rechargeable Trackpad for Mac is available now directly from Logitech. It can also be purchased for as little as $46.88 from Amazon.com.

Pros

  • Offers a rechargeable battery, and can be charged while in use.
  • Very “Apple-like” aesthetic design. Looks and feels fantastic.
  • Supports all the same gestures as the Magic Trackpad.
  • Very easy to pair with multiple Macs.
  • Very easy to set up and get started with.

Cons

  • The T651’s lower profile takes some getting used to.
  • Not as precise as the Magic Trackpad, and has difficulty telling between a single finger or multiple fingers.
  • Touchable area does NOT extend all the way to the top of the trackpad’s glass surface.

Your device isn't recognized by your Mac

Follow these steps if your mouse, keyboard, or trackpad isn't recognized by your Mac.

Make sure that your wireless mouse, keyboard, or trackpad is turned on

The Magic Mouse and Magic Mouse 2 have a slide switch on the bottom of the device. Slide the switch to turn on the device. On the Magic Mouse, the green LED briefly lights up. On the Magic Mouse 2, green coloring is visible beneath the switch.

The Magic Keyboard, Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, and Magic Trackpad 2 have a slide switch on the back edge of the device. Slide the switch to turn on the device (green coloring becomes visible). Earlier Apple Wireless Keyboard models have a power button on the right side of the device. Press the button and you see a green LED on the top of the device, near the button.

When you turn these devices on, they appear as connected in Bluetooth preferences and in the Bluetooth menu in your menu bar. If a device doesn't appear there, make sure it's charged or replace it batteries, and make sure it's been paired with your Mac.

Make sure that your device has been set up to work with your Mac

Learn how to pair your Magic Mouse 2, Magic Keyboard, Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, Magic Trackpad 2 and earlier models of Apple wireless devices with your Mac.

Make sure that Bluetooth is turned on

Use your Mac notebook's built-in trackpad or a USB mouse to choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Bluetooth. Make sure that Bluetooth is turned on.

Refer to the table below for more information on determining the Bluetooth status. If the Bluetooth icon doesn't appear, or if the menu bar status continues to indicate that Bluetooth is off, restart your computer and then try to turn Bluetooth on again.

Bluetooth menu iconBluetooth status
Bluetooth is on, but no wireless devices are connected to the Mac. See the Make sure that your wireless mouse, keyboard, or trackpad is turned on section of this article.
Bluetooth is on and at least one wireless device is connected.
When this icon flashes, at least one wireless device has a low battery. Click the Bluetooth icon to identify the affected device, then recharge the device or replace its batteries.
Bluetooth is off. Click the Bluetooth icon using a USB mouse or built-in trackpad and select Turn Bluetooth On.
Bluetooth is offline or unavailable. Restart your Mac. If the Bluetooth status doesn’t change, disconnect all USB devices and restart your Mac again.

Make sure that your devices are charged

Magic Mouse 2, Magic Keyboard, Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, and Magic Trackpad 2 have built-in rechargeable batteries. You can charge these devices by connecting them to a Mac or a USB power adapter using a Lightning to USB Cable. For the fastest battery charging performance, be sure your device is switched on when connected to the Lightning to USB Cable.

To check the battery level of these devices, click the Bluetooth icon in your Mac's menu bar, then select your device by name. If the battery level of any device is low, recharge the device. If the device isn’t showing, make sure the device is turned using the steps outlined above.

Turn the device off and on

If your Apple wireless mouse, keyboard, or trackpad isn't recognized by your Mac after following the tips above, try turning the wireless device off, waiting a few seconds, and then turning it back on.

Your mouse or keyboard intermittently stops responding

  • Click the mouse or trackpad or press a key on the keyboard to reconnect the device to the computer. It might take a moment for the device to respond.
  • Check for wireless interference.

Your mouse doesn't scroll up or down or side to side

If you can't use your mouse to scroll through a web page or document, make sure that you're using the correct Multi-Touch gestures and have set up your scrolling speed preferences correctly.

Your mouse or trackpad doesn't track as expected

Apple Wireless Mouse, Magic Mouse, and Magic Mouse 2 can be used on most smooth surfaces. If tracking issues occur, try these options:

  • Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Mouse. Set the ”Tracking speed” slider to adjust how fast the pointer moves as you move the mouse.
  • Try using a different surface to see if tracking improves.
  • Turn the mouse over and inspect the sensor window. Use compressed air to gently clean the sensor window if dust or debris is present.
  • If multiple Bluetooth wireless devices are in use nearby, try turning them off one at a time to see if the issue improves.

Learn more what to do if your trackpad isn't tracking correctly.

Your keyboard has one or more keys that don't respond

Use the Keyboard Viewer to test whether the keyboard keys are responding correctly when they are pressed.

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Keyboard.
  2. Click the Input Sources tab.
  3. Make sure that the keyboard language that you use is listed on the left side. If it's not, click the add button (+) and choose from the languages that appear.
  4. Select the ”Show Input menu in menu bar” checkbox.
  5. Click the Keyboard tab, then select ”Show keyboard and emoji viewers in menu bar” checkbox, if present.
  6. From the Input menu in the menu bar, choose Show Keyboard Viewer. The Keyboard Viewer showing the keyboard layout appears on your display.
  7. Type the key on the keyboard that doesn’t respond and see if the corresponding key highlights on the Keyboard Viewer. If it does, that key is functioning correctly.

Logitech Rechargeable Trackpad For Mac

I cant download java on mac. If you enable the Mouse Keys feature, many keys might not respond as you expect. To turn off Mouse keys, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click Accessibility. Choose Mouse & Trackpad from the list on the left side, then then deselect the Enable Mouse Keys checkbox.