Waiting for and/or enjoying my M1 Pro/Max MBP thread…

[Cmaier]

For those experiencing issues with external displays, this interview is helpful. Even if you’re not, it explains why these issues occur.

This is why your external monitor looks awful on an M1 Mac

Q&A with the developer of BetterDummy: from macOS secrets to his motivations

www.theregister.com

My employer handed me a 27” 4k samsung monitor today and i plugged my m1 max MBP into it. Seemed fine, though it took me a few minutes to figure out i had to use the monitor’s port 2 to get 60Hz. First time I’ll be regularly using an external monitor. Seems fun.

 

[chengengaun]

You should very carefully unpack it and set it up so that when she first starts it up, the desktop picture will be you staring intently out at her, then repack it so that it looks unopened.

I can imagine the snow leopard wallpaper slowly morphing into the face…

 

[Yoused]

My employer handed me a 27” 4k samsung monitor today and i plugged my m1 max MBP into it. Seemed fine, though it took me a few minutes to figure out i had to use the monitor’s port 2 to get 60Hz. First time I’ll be regularly using an external monitor. Seems fun.

Is a trackpad good enough for 27"? I recently bought a Kensington SlimBlade trackball, and man is that a sweet thing. It would be ideal for a big monitor.

 

[Agent47]

Got shipping confirmation on monday. It’s been sitting in Eindhoven/Netherlands for 2 days now…

 

[User.45]

Is a trackpad good enough for 27"? I recently bought a Kensington SlimBlade trackball, and man is that a sweet thing. It would be ideal for a big monitor.

I think the trackpad is one of the best features of macs, but it's also because how fine-tuned they are with screen size and I can get the arrow from one corner to the other corner with a single stroke. I only use mice for external screen but for those, exclusively.

 

[throAU]

I use a trackpad with multiple displays, including a 27" 4k external display.

Its no better/worse than using a mouse with it.

 

[User.45]

I use a trackpad with multiple displays, including a 27" 4k external display.

Its no better/worse than using a mouse with it.

Are you able to get the cursor from one corner to the other in a single stroke?
At least for me, a good mouse is way better.

But different folks, different strokes.

 

[throAU]

Are you able to get the cursor from one corner to the other in a single stroke?
At least for me, a good mouse is way better.

But different folks, different strokes.

Yup, you need to flick faster. the faster you move your finger, the further the cursor goes for the distance you move it.

Additionally (I haven't done this though) you can also adjust the trackpad tracking speed in preferences.

 

[SuperMatt]

Is a trackpad good enough for 27"? I recently bought a Kensington SlimBlade trackball, and man is that a sweet thing. It would be ideal for a big monitor.

I was thinking of getting one of those. How do you like it?

 

[Cmaier]

Is a trackpad good enough for 27"? I recently bought a Kensington SlimBlade trackball, and man is that a sweet thing. It would be ideal for a big monitor.

Trackpad works fine. I’ve never liked trackballs.

 

[throAU]

Trackpad works fine. I’ve never liked trackballs.

same here, they feel weird to use with my thumb. I did/do like the idea, to basically have a mouse that you don't need a heap of desk area for to move it around, but just could never gel with them.

 

[Yoused]

they feel weird to use with my thumb

Yeah, I do not like thumb trackballs. The Kensingtons I have used have a large fingertip ball. But even when I had a PB140 all those years ago and the ball was under my thumb, I still moved my hand down to use a finger on it.

 

[SuperMatt]

Yeah, I do not like thumb trackballs. The Kensingtons I have used have a large fingertip ball. But even when I had a PB140 all those years ago and the ball was under my thumb, I still moved my hand down to use a finger on it.

I used to like the Turbo Mouse - with the big trackball you used with fingers, not thumb. Kind of like the old Centipede or Missile Command games.

 

[Nycturne]

I tried trackballs years ago with stuff similar to the Turbo Mouse. Never could quite get the precision I wanted from it compared to a mouse. Probably something to do with mostly playing games at that age too. Liked the ergonomics of it though.

 

[User.45]

Yup, you need to flick faster. the faster you move your finger, the further the cursor goes for the distance you move it.

Additionally (I haven't done this though) you can also adjust the trackpad tracking speed in preferences.

Yeah I did that too in the past, but my experience was that since you had to accelerate the movement and use the longer travel, the accuracy decreased in the arm movements required increased. So to me, it came with unnecessary and fatigue and sometimes joint pain, Are you a significant compromise in ergonomics.

That said My work Monitor is a 34 inch uptra wide screen, And most of the radiology softwares are optimize for mice.

I tried trackballs years ago with stuff similar to the Turbo Mouse. Never could quite get the precision I wanted from it compared to a mouse. Probably something to do with mostly playing games at that age too. Liked the ergonomics of it though.

The most fascinating pointing devices I’ve ever seen are the vertical mice which are designed to avoid placing any pressure on the carpal ligament. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a bitch and its really common, just underdiagnosed.

 

[Cmaier]

Yeah I did that too in the past, but my experience was that since you had to accelerate the movement and use the longer travel, the accuracy decreased in the arm movements required increased. So to me, it came with unnecessary and fatigue and sometimes joint pain, Are you a significant compromise in ergonomics.

That said My work Monitor is a 34 inch uptra wide screen, And most of the radiology softwares are optimize for mice.


The most fascinating pointing devices I’ve ever seen are the vertical mice which are designed to avoid placing any pressure on the carpal ligament. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a bitch and its really common, just underdiagnosed.

I’ve got carpal. Best thing I found for it was a Wacom pen/tablet as a mouse. But trackpad works almost as well for me.

 

[Cmaier]

I just ordered the Magic Keyboard with touchID - I use a Magic Keyboard at work, and now that I have repositioned my MBP because of the new monitor they gave me, I am getting sick of having to reach out to unlock the machine constantly. Unlock with Apple Watch also makes me reach out - says my signal is too weak otherwise.

 

[Yoused]

I have heard that everyone's gluteus maximus is unique – perhaps Apple could develop a Bluetooth seat cushion that would identify a person's buttprint and unlock your device automatically when you sit down. With, of course, the flexibility to account for stuff in your hip pockets.

 

[throAU]

I have heard that everyone's gluteus maximus is unique – perhaps Apple could develop a Bluetooth seat cushion that would identify a person's buttprint and unlock your device automatically when you sit down. With, of course, the flexibility to account for stuff in your hip pockets.

We're sort of getting there, but I want multi-factor transparent auth.

e.g.,

any two (or more) of:

touchid, faceid, presence of watch, necklace, ring, rfid thing, voiceprint.

 

[chengengaun]

I have heard that everyone's gluteus maximus is unique – perhaps Apple could develop a Bluetooth seat cushion that would identify a person's buttprint and unlock your device automatically when you sit down. With, of course, the flexibility to account for stuff in your hip pockets.

I guess the cushion might even ask us to wiggle a bit for good measure...

Meanwhile, I just set up a CCC backup solution on an SSD (SanDisk Extreme Pro). At first I felt that I was being profligate in using SSD as a backup drive, but oh my the initial backup was fast - 850GB in 16 minutes. The CPU did run at 550% which warmed up the Mac a little. I might start to back up more frequently and while on the move (the latter was what prompted me to get the SSD) which I guess is a good thing.