What becomes of SideTrack
When I was going over the speed bumped PowerBook models, I noted that an app existed called SideTrack that already gave you much of the same functionality (and more).
The author (Alex Harper, nice guy, who also makes the most excellent MenuMeters) has some really interesting thoughts regarding the introduction of the new PowerBooks. Whether it is a new driver or new hardware, whether he can offer the same 'two-fingered' scrolling and more are covered.
Posted by drunkenbatmanJanuary 31, 2005, at 10:15 PM
Comments (8)
Posted by: Oliver at February 1, 2005 05:16 AM
Hector, i think he was referring to the new powerbooks. Is there new hardware under the trackpad hood, or has apple just updated the driver...
Posted by: Matt at February 1, 2005 08:33 AM
Good point Oliver,
I thought it's new Hardware. I have a first edition 15" AlBook without sidetrack. I used it for the 30 days but since I use a BT mouse, I really didn't need it. But sidetrack has some really cool feaures, every notebook user should give it a try.
I'll be looking out for this one. If it's just a driver it should work for everyone, but I doubt it very much.
Posted by: Shamyl Zakariya at February 1, 2005 10:01 AM
Personally, I think this is *fine*. SideTrack is better, in many ways -- not the least of which is corner-tapping -- and as such still fits the role of an inexpensive upgrade to the apple drivers.
Now, if apple's drivers did everything SideTrack does, there's be an issue here, but they don't. SideTrack is still the King.
That said, it's a Good Thing apple is providing a better default driver.
Posted by: wessup at February 1, 2005 10:55 AM
i can't believe apple is making people upgrade to new machines for a new driver and it is one of the biggest features in the 'new' models. what a waste.
Posted by: Roger at February 1, 2005 01:34 PM
This could actually help SideTrack. I had never known you could upgrade your trackpad drivers in OS X, after playing with SideTrack for about 15 seconds I sent in my $15 registration. Same thing happened with RSS, when Apple announced they would be supporting RSS feeds in Safari with Tiger, I hadn't ever heard of it, and now I own Pulp Fiction.
Posted by: Gibb at February 2, 2005 12:20 PM
I prefer a little preference pane called uControl:
http://gnufoo.org/ucontrol/
It provides trackpad/mouse scrolling and key remapping, among other things. Plus, it's free and open source.
Posted by: Cap'n Hector at February 19, 2005 01:15 AM
Now that I look it over a bit more, it does appear to be new HW for the trackpad.
It's a new driver…the Sidetrack just enables features that Apple's driver doesn't support.