Unboxing Porn: Logitech TouchPad

Boxed

Still in the box

I have just recieved a Logitech Wireless Touchpad for my desktop at work. I've been thinking about trying one for a while, but hadn't decided to make the jump until just recently. Honestly, I didn't need the wireless aspect, and if a wired variant was available, I probably would've jumped much sooner. Alas, there isn't.

Unboxed with USB interface

 The unit is roughly 5"x5 and glossy black, and it behaves how laptops have taught us to expect touchpads to behave, with tap-and-hold mapping to click-and-hold, etc. I work with two computers on my desk, sharing desktops between Linux and Windows via Synergy, with Linux being my primary desktop. I use an IOGear KVM to allow me to switch to the Windows machine for logging in. Linux accepted the TouchPad immediately, but when I switched to Windows, it took a little while for it to install the drivers.

It is good that those drivers come in, though, because one finger moves and two scrolls, but three fingers moves back and forward through your web browser history and four fingers switches between windows. That is, if you run it on Windows. If you're running it on Linux, or through Linux and Synergy to Windows, you only get one and two fingers. I think I'll live without, but that would be nice to have on Linux.

ETA: Some three and four finger swipes work, and I understand there are means to move newer kernels to allow more. Will have to try some.

I still have the Logitech TrackMan Wheel connected, via a USB hub, so I can mouse the way I'm used to, but so far, I'm finding it easy to do everything I need to with the TouchPad.  I like it.

With quarter for size comparison