First Click: Thanks Apple, now I can’t stop Force clicking things

September 24th, 2015

11

Hello, my name is Thomas Ricker and I’m a Force Touch addict.

I’ve been using a MacBook for about a month now. You know, the tiny one with a single USB-C jack and the Force Touch trackpad. As my primary writing device, this heavily compromised laptop is perfect for my modest needs. But I didn't expect it to change my expectations of how a touchpad should work.

With the new MacBook I Force click images and files to see larger previews. I Force click words to get definitions and synonyms. I Force click to quickly rename files or to fast forward and rewind videos with pressure-sensitive control. And I especially enjoy Force clicking links to get a preview of a web page without opening a new tab. It’s pretty magical, really, when you consider the whole thing is accomplished with electromechanical vibrations. Which reminds me: where’s the Apple Magic Forcepad?

Each time I sit down at my iMac I find myself trying to Force click on the Magic Trackpad. Same goes with the Logitech Touchpad T650 I use for my Windows 10 machine. Same goes for the touchpad on my wife’s laptop. I can’t stop Force clicking things.

I imagine Apple Watch users experience this too, but it’ll have an even greater effect on iPhone 6S and 6S Plus owners. After getting hooked on 3D Touch as we did in our reviews, new iPhone users will expect all smartphones to operate the same, just as any smartphone is expected to support multitouch today. Going by last year’s iPhone sales trajectory, there could be 150 million people trying to deep press on rigid glass displays by the time Christmas and the Chinese New Year are through.

Now that’s influence, or "justified bias" if you prefer.

Five stories to start your day



  1. Which US tech CEO is missing from this meeting with the Chinese president?

    Chinese president Xi Jinping is touring the US for the first time this week, meeting with officials from the government but also, just as importantly, with leaders of the tech industry. The group photo above is proof of the importance of Xi's visit, with some of the most powerful men in tech from China and the US (and yes, it's mostly men, unfortunately) assembled for high-level talks with the Chinese president. But the CEO of one of the most powerful tech companies in the world is notably missing.

  2. US is falling behind the world on LTE speeds

    Meanwhile, some countries which introduced LTE relatively early on (including the US, Japan, Sweden, and Germany) are starting to see their data speeds suffer by comparison. The US, for example, despite impressive coverage for such a large nation, only recorded average download speeds of 10Mbps — taking a spot towards the bottom of OpenSignal's table, sandwiched between India and Indonesia.

  3. Medical journal’s bogus investigation could derail better dietary guidelines

    Every five years, the US government issues new dietary guidelines for Americans. These guidelines have a big impact on food labeling and scientific research, as well as on the way Americans eat. The formulation of guidelines starts with a report written by a group of experts — this year’s committee consisted of 14 scientists convened by agricultural and health regulators — who review the latest evidence and come up with suggestions regarding food that consists "a healthy diet" and reduce the risk of chronic disease.

  4. The $17,000 Apple Watch will help sell this $26,000 Vertu phone

    If you wish to purchase a gold model, for example, you’ll have to pay nearly £17,000 (about $26,000). While those prices are premium, Vertu says its product is no longer exclusive to the super rich. "You do not have to be a millionaire to own a Vertu," chief executive Max Pogliani told the Financial Times. Pogliani credits Apple with expanding the luxury technology market by giving it more exposure with the marketing of the Watch Edition. As a result, Vertu says its sales are growing in the Middle East, Europe, and the US, and it’s reaching out to a female audience and younger crowd to gain new customers.

  5. This is the testing rig that caught Volkswagen riding dirty

    Volkswagen is embroiled in one of the worst auto industry scandals to date — and it's all thanks to a team of researchers at West Virginia University that have been waiting more than a year for the revelations to go global. The group published their findings in spring 2014 detailing how Volkswagen diesel-powered vehicles were emitting far higher emissions levels in standard driving conditions than during testing cycles required and regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The team only discovered this by creating a method for testing the emissions levels of a car while it drove down the highway.

Forced touch of the day

bono cook touch

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