Before I left Vermont I grabbed one of the new Magic Trackpad 2s. When I tried to use it back in Vermont it didn’t seem to be working right so I packed it away and figured that I would deal with it when I got down here. Well, it turns out that the developer’s beta version of El Capitan did not support the Magic Trackpad 2 so I ended up downgrading my operating system to the release version and that solved the problem. Before I figured that out, the Magic Trackpad 2 acted like a single button mouse and that is the icon that showed up when it was connected, but now I have all the new features.
Pairing is automatic. You simply connect the Magic Trackpad 2 to your Mac with the included USB/Lightning cable and it is paired. That is also the way that you charge the trackpad and it can be used in wired mode while it is charging, too. Force Touch is something you have to get used to when you are working. There are a few times when I have clicked a bit too hard and get the contextual menu or the definition of a word. On the other hand, the added benefits are worth the learning curve. You can set the click sensitivity from light to medium to firm and if you are longing for that old trackpad you can turn off Force Click entirely – but don’t do that. I find the medium setting good for my use although some may find that even a bit too firm.
Force Clicking is useful for a number of things right now but I am sure that Apple and 3rd-party developers will find more uses soon. Just like on the iPhone 6s you can use Force Click to:
- Force Click on an icon in the Dock to expose the app’s windows, a file icon to use Quick Look, or a file’s name to change it.
- Force Click on a word to look it up in Dictionary or Wikipedia, an address to get a Maps preview, or a location to drop a pin.
- Force Click on a date to add it to Calendar, an event to see details, and an invitee to preview their contact card.
- Force Click on a link to preview a web site, an image or PDF to invoke Markup, or an iMessage conversation to see details.
I really like the increased size of the trackpad and it has become easier to use as I become used to the new features. I have always been fond of alternative pointing devices. I don’t like mice much and have always used rollerballs or trackpads. Now with Force Click on the Magic Trackpad 2, I think I may have the ideal pointing device.