How do I get used to using a touchpad?

I've just bought my first laptop, and I'm pretty happy with it. However, I found that the touchpad is extremely difficult to use for me, almost to the point of being unusable. Are there any techniques to using it effectively?

 

Usually it just comes with habit and forcing yourself to use it. You can configure the sensitivity (how far cursor moves in regards to your finger). Personally I don't like using the touchpad at all and avoid any notebook that doesn't have a pointing stick. That's why I find my ThinkPad T40 is such a godsend, it's so easy to navigate the screen cursor anyway using the pointing stick and scroll pad.

 

I went from years of the eraser tip to a touchpad. At first it was a challange, but now I really don't mind it all. Like Andrew said, if you turn up the speed a little bit, you'll probably find it to be more usable.

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I'm a mouse man. I didn't even ever try with touchpad or pointer. Old habits are hard to break. GT

 

I like using the touchpad in small spaces and for simple tasks, but for games or photo editing I plug in my huge mx500 mouse.

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I am a Mouse man. For my Sony 360ZG, I got a Targus retractable mini-mouse(for travel) and a cordless Logitech mouse for office/home use. Both work great.
Touchpad was a hindrance to me.

Love and Peace

 

I'm a thumb-stick or external mouse person myself. Touchpads are way too finnicky and not good for highly detailed work. One of my biggest issues is with the way I type, I usually end up touching it by accident and either moving the cursor someplace I didn't want it or causing some other wierd happening on my machines. Atek mini-optical mouse.....portable and precise. I can deal with thumb sticks too, but they always get dirty.

 

I can't get used to the touchpad on my notebook either. I bought a usb Logitech Minimouse for it, but that thing just DEVOURS the battery! I got an Acer with a P-M Centrino setup, spend the extra money for pentium-m for extended battery, only to have this happen.

Running a resource meter, with the mouse plugged in my computer runs constantly at it's maximum speed (1402 mhz), when I yank it out the usb port though, with no windows open, my processor speed will drop to around 60mhz.

If any of you are knowledgeable on this issue, could ya please recommend a good energy saving mouse? Is there such a thing? USB is preferable, but PS/2 if necessary, I just dont like plugging/unplugging ps2 devices while the computer is on. I'm afraid I'd fry it.

 

I think touchpads are great for people with dry hands, i.e. if you have sweaty hands, avoid touchpads at all costs. Trying to move the cursor with sweaty hands on a touchpad is as hard as hell.
But, if your hands are not sweaty, try playing a game like Battlefield or Medal of Honour...it will force you to get used to the touchpad, otherwise you get "killed". Even if you find it impossible to play the game with a touchpad (I play it using a touchpad on my HP nx7010 and I finished the game in a couple of days!), tiny improvements during the game are huge leaps forward when surfing the net or just using the machine "normally".
In other words, using the touchpad is just a matter of habit.


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<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by javyn

 

Since I want to carry as small number of pieces as much as possible on the go. I told myself to get use to touchpad as best as I can.

To keep myself in shape,

I do a touchpad drill 5 min. in the morning and again 5 min. in the evening, every day before workout on a treadmill. [ ]

The hardest part for me is the dragging operation, using two thumps, while keeping another 8 fingers in touch-typing position, hard for small hand. That is why I like IBM style touch-point better.

 

Try uping the response time via the "Advanced Settings" tab under the touchpads profile in the device manager.

You can also increase the touchpads buffer. Which will also increase it's response time.

I have mine set to the max., 200 updates a second.

The standard default setting is 100 updates/sec.

 

It makes a HUGE difference in taking the time to explore all the touchpad settings/sensitivity options. My Acer 300 Synaptics touchpad driver has a dazzling number of settings to bring control back to the user's preferences and help make finger mousing become second nature. I even retouch photos in Photoshop using the touchpad.

Also, the finger tip and pad surface kept free of moisture, oils and lotions is essential. An alcohol wipe used occasionally maintains the pad response accuracy.

Rarely, all my custom settings spontaneously seem to get lost and the trackpad then acts as if possessed. Reapplying the lost preferences again returns normal functioning. With all the options possible, a written down list makes the restoring easier.

 

The touch pad does take time to adjust to. I only use it in tight spots, such as planes and trains, etc. I use a mouse for the majority of the time.

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* Apple 17" PowerBook G4 * 14" Toshiba Tecra 8000 * Apple 14" iBook G4 *

 

i agree wiht andy, i avoid using my touchpad at all costs, but for gaming, the touchpad is unacceptable a gotta have a mouse

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no doubt, touchpads are put in laptops because they work and are cheap for manufacturers to install. a pointing stick is much more expensive for a manufacturer to include, but it is a much superior navigation mechanism for on screen control. in the end, since mfrs are going to keep including touchpads, it's best to look to finding a mouse...a wireless mouse preferably!

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