It seems Apple cannot let a month go by these days without some sort of update or announcement to keep the company in the news. Today's upgraded iMacs, Mac Pros and the bigger Cinema Display are all very welcome, but it is the little Magic Trackpad (£59) that is gaining most of the coverage. On the face of it, this is just another Apple gadget that the fanboys will rush out to buy and that the rest of the world will ignore.
In reality, though, it will meet a demand that most non-laptop users have had unconsciously at the back of their minds for years. We're all so used to the trackpad on MacBooks and MB Pros that many a time we've wanted to pinch or zoom or do many of the useful things you can do on a trackpad – only to realise there isn't one.
When my MacBook Pro is docked at home – on its Griffin stand next to the 24-in Cinema Display – many's the time I've been forced to reach up and feather the laptop's trackpad. Now I can add one to the set up and enjoy all the same utility that you get when using the notebook. So, despite lots of naysaying as usual, I think this little product will be a great success.
Another newcomer, the battery charger, is tacit acknowledgement of the cost of running all these bluetooth devices. Keyboards, mice and now trackpads all have a voracious appetite for Duracells, so I expect the new charger to be falling off the shelves at the local Apple Store.
With a price tag of £25, including six "high performance" rechargeable NiMH AAs, I predict this will also be a popular seller
Now what will Apple have for us next month? Maybe iOS4 for the iPad?