Multi-touch gestures in Windows on MBA

I've read (but not experienced) that multi-touch gesture drivers in Windows on MBA is awful

macbook air windows gestures - Google Search

Can any bootcampers out there with the new MBA & Windows confirm or deny? - Thanks

 

I wouldn't say it's awful, but it's certainly lacking. When you get used to a certain level of responsiveness and fluidity in OS X, it's quite jarring when you go into Windows. It's nothing that can't be worked around or you can't get used to or anything that.

 

Is there pinch-zoom in Windows, any gestures beyond two-finger scroll?

-Thanks

 

it's pretty bad.

no, there is no pinch to zoom. two-finger scroll technically is a function, but the sensitivity is all messed up and it isn't usable.\

you may be able to find third party software to resolve some of this, i don't know for sure

 

Have you tried any of the plug-ins mentioned in the article you linked?

I think it's amazingly transparent as to why Bootcamp's drivers are so lame. It's distressing, but impossible not to conclude that Apple wants the Windows experience on a Mac to be unrewarding to the user - not only worse than the same hardware in OSX, but worse than virtually identical hardware performs in a Windows native machine. For those who invested in the purchase of a Mac planning to run it in Bootcamp a sizable percentage of the time, Apple's designs are clearly at forcing the user to use OSX whenever possible, and thus suck them into not only what we now call OSX, but more importantly into the OSX/ios/itunes "ecosphere," where they plan to make the majority of their profits going forward selling content and "apps," - with a 30% surcharge, you realize, right?

Though I detest closed architectures in general, I find it especially galling when almost everything sold by/through Apple costs much more than the same item purchased via Android or direct from the broader market. I predict that Apple will increasingly lower the "Apple tax" to buy their devices (as they effectively have on the iPhone and MBA and are almost sure to do with the iPad as more excellent Android and even Windows 8 rivals emerge) so that they will gain market share and,thus, an 'installed base" of Apple ecosphere captive buyers. I fervently hope Amazon will provide them a run for their money with the tablet - and their far, far more vast inventory of products already sold at reasonable prices - and that Google will do the same for Android and Windows users alike. Can't wait for Apple to try and file a patent on the "process" of sucking customers in with one product so that they can soak them on the sale of a host of complimentary products! (Hint: I think Kodak and Gillette figured that out a long time ago!)

 

If you were a Mac user you'd feel the same way about how Microsoft treats Mac users. Mac Office will never be 100% of what the Windows version is. Microsoft has purposely dumbed down Mac Office so it's treated as a toy for home users and to reduce the chances of the Mac OS from ever entering the business world. Heck, it was barely decent until Office 2011. One example, One Note, they refuse to make it for Macs, yet we are paying the same money for Mac Office as the Windows version. You're not paying for Bootcamp. Macs are cheaper today then they were before they had the ability to run Windows. Being able to run Windows is an option, it's not the OS that's installed and designed for the Apple hardware.

Not true, most reviews and users say running Windows on a Mac is a better experience than running it on a physical PC with equal specs.

Apple is in business so you'll use their product so they will make money. What's wrong with Apple building an ecosystem of all their products being married together for a great user experience? This is exactly what every sane company does, they are not your friend. You don't have to invest in anything Apple makes, it's not a law requirement. They don't have to give you all the gestures in OS X on Windows or make it run as smoothly either. It's your choice to install Windows. Also this shows that other PC companies still have a place in the market, you don't have to buy an Apple computer.

You do realize that a Macintosh computer is designed to run it's own OS right? Apple's computers don't come with an empty hard drive giving you the option to install whatever OS you want on them. If that were the case then you'd have a point.
One could argue that Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft are "forcing" you to run their OS for the gaming machines. Oh why can't I run my PS3 OS on my Wii? My Wii has a nicer small form factor, I'm being "forced".

I find your use of the word "forcing" quite disturbing as Apple only holds 5% of the worldwide market in computers. Most of the world is "forced" to be in Microsoft's ecosystem of Windows, Office and Exchange Server and on some levels Internet Explorer. Do you see many competitors? Not many because MS has monopolized. You have many many many choices in the PC world to get a Windows machine. You're picking on one company that makes a type of computer for the rest of us and you want them to give you the same experience as every other Windows machine, even though a Mac is not a Windows machine.

I thought your thread was about Multi-touch gestures on a Mac while running Windows? Looks like you came here just to do the usual tired ranting and taking it further than necessary and going a bit OT from your own OP. Why waste your breath when nobody here can control what any company does?

 

It isn't as good as OSX but its better then my friend's Vaio Z, at least that is what I've found and better then a lot of sub $1K laptops at the very least.

I have an MBP though, so I don't know if its a different experience. To me it was much better then most Windows laptops I've used. I don't know if people just think its worse because they've felt how good the same touchpad is in OSX, i think people rate it lower in Windows because of this.

Its like if you never drink good beer you don't really know what your missing, but if you do you can't really go back anymore. If you start drinking microbrew and go back to Keystone Light you will think you are drinking toilet water. Or if you use a gaming mouse, once you use the gaming mouse every other mouse feels unresponsive. I think this may be why people think its so bad. In OSX I give the touchpad a 10/10 and I use the touchpad over my G700 for web browsing and stuff like that. Every Windows computer I've used I have to use a mouse, but I haven't used any newer nicer ones other then the Vaio Z. In Windows I give the touchpad a 7/10, unlike many Windows machines I feel like its usable for web browsing and I don't have to my gaming mouse, but I might as well if I can. But because I'm so used to the OSX glass touchpad experience it feels bad because my standards for "normal" have been raised.

 

I disagree, but if you find this to be the case, you should take it up with the developers. They are the ones that set the prices for their products. Let's not turn this into a bash-apple on all fronts thread. You had a relatively straightforward comment / question about the track pad gestures and windows. No, they do not mix out of the box. There is probably third party software to help, but I don't know about it personally. Unless someone else has guidance, that seems like the end afaik.

 

I've found that the iOS store has a ton of great sales on apps on labor day and stuff. I've also found more apps on it like infinity blade and stuff.

At least this is my experience with iPod touch apps. If you shop right you can get a lot of good deals. I do know that some apps are free on android because developers feel that they can make more money in the Android ecosystem that way because pirating is much, much easier. I don't know if that is what you are talking about.

However this is massively off topic anyways. It isn't just Apple's fault that they make the drivers for the touchpad worse in windows. Apple has way more control on the OS in OSX (I know its obvious) so they can perfectly integrate the touchpad. This is why the OSX touchpad is so much better, its support is directly built into the OS core. Also every single company would rather you use their ecosystem this is just common sense. Ecosystems are integrated so you get features from using products in that same ecosystem.

 

The Mac OS X touch interface goes beyond the driver. For example, I think the gestures are all implemented at the OS and/or application level, which is why they're not always consistent from app to app. Similarly, I suspect the OS handles things like ignoring touch input while typing.

When it comes to touch input, Windows is behind OS X. So I don't think it's fair to lay all the blame for substandard Windows touchpad behavior on Apple's driver. It would be nice if Apple offered some driver options for fine tuning, but for the most part the touchpad works like any other laptop in Windows, minus a dedicated right button of course. And installing Trackpad++ fixes most of the fine tuning issues.

 

Agreed. As I said in my post above, the Windows experience on my MBP in general is very good. The trackpad is usable and "OK" for a trackpad, as is the par in general with most Windows laptops.

I just think the transition of how well it's implemented in OS X -> Windows is jarring more than anything. Going from amazing to decent is quite a change.

 

I don't expect it to be as great as in Lion but it would be nice if it was at least good. I have had a Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch hooked up to my notebook even desktops since they became available almost 2 years ago & love them. I'm a big fan of multi-touch. I'll probably try Trackpad++ at some point.

Another thing I wanted to bring up that I noticed first on my dad's iPhone 3GS glass multi-touch screen is if your fingers are a bit sweaty (I am not abnormally sweaty guy at all) they won't slide easily across glass. When I installed a Power-Support-Anti-Glare-Film they slide without the finger print or sweat or glare issue of glass.

When I was trying out the MBA with its huge great glass trackpad once out of the several times I think I noticed reduced sensitivity when fingers became a bit sweatier, is this an issue in everyday use? (My EVO's glass screen is naked however & I rarely if ever notice the issue anymore but is even more rare on plastic Wacom multi-touch tablet..)

 

If there is sweat pouring off your fingers, your probably using your machine in way too hot of an environment as well.

 

people sweat for all sorts of reasons. i'm not making this connection. i would say there is a small chance he is using the machine in way too hot of an environment, but almost certainly, he is not. the max operating temperature is listed as 35 degrees C (95 F) on the spec sheet from apple. I would say, based on his description, that this person is basically at room temperature. Average build people start to sweat without physical exertion in the high 70 F range. There's a huge variance in the amount that people sweat. You could also sweat if you are nervous, or you could sweat just in your fingers if you are using them heavily (to type).

also, yes, if there is oil or liquid between your finger and the trackpad, it will behave erratically. The trackpad works on the conductive properties of your finger. Anything that interferes with that could cause it to function improperly.

In fact, a high humidity environment could do precisely the same thing (heat or not).

 

Yeah I'm definitely not referring to sweat pouring off just some minor moisture and I do think humidity (which also decreases your body's evaporative cooling efficacy as the air is more saturated hence why you feel the heat more if humidity is higher) is a factor but bottomline has it been an issue in everyday use? (I might need to explain this to others if they find the glass touchpad less responsive)

 

It's not an issue for me personally. I also don't sweat a lot. I know that a lot of people are sweat fiends. That would be an issue for any trackpad use that relies on capacitance (all the good ones).

Dip your finger in water and try to use the trackpad. It will be completely useless until you wipe it off. Simple experiment.

 

I do notice that over time an oily film starts to build up that makes my fingertips stick a little bit instead of smoothly gliding. So every once in a while I clean it. Same thing happens with my phone but a lot faster.