Trackpads, Magic Mouses, Battery Usage, New Macbook Owner

So I've been using windows for the last how ever many years of my life, had a few minor experiences with macs, but nothing to let me get too comfortable..

So as well as using my Macbook Pro as a laptop, I will be plugging it into a display when at home, I've read a few write ups on various products, but with Lion coming out does it make more sense to get a trackpad over a magic mouse?

Also whilst using my Macbook as more of a desktop system can I use it plugged in with the battery removed? Is that best practice?

Absolutely do not remove the battery. When it's removed the processor power is throttled back. This is done to prevent the system from pulling more juice than the charger alone can provide (there's a KBS entry on apples site about this, I'm just too lazy this morning to go find it). Personally, I prefer the trackpad to a mouse at this point, and pretty much use either my trackpad or a wacom tablet exclusively (and really dislike having to use a mouse when I'm forced to).

Leave the battery and charger in. Drain the battery every 3 days or so if you never remove it before then.

I don't think it's at all necessary to drain the battery "every three days or so" as Young Spade says. Using a Mac is not meant to be a chore.

Apple itself recommends cycling the battery every month or so, and this seems much more realistic with normal usage. I've had my battery for four years now and don't always perform this "calibration" (more like every three months or so) but I'm still getting most of the same performance out of the battery that I did when it was new (and I have an upgraded Blackbook just like YS).

In fact, Coconut Battery tells me I still have 93 percent of my original capacity, and I leave my battery plugged in and my laptop attached to a larger monitor nearly all the time (132 loadcycles over four years = I rarely fully discharge my battery). So your mileage may vary, but I'd say stick to Apple's guidelines as a best practice.

As for getting a trackpad, we're in that awkward transition phase on this front. Given that today's MBP's in essence have a Magic Trackpad built-in, I'm not yet convinced one can give up the mouse (especially if the mouse in question is a Magic Mouse, which also does gestures). People who are new to the whole platform may be able to get along without a mouse much more easily than I, however.

Seen a Dev of Lion installed and running on the Devs machine. The Magic Mouse has more Gestures than with 10.6 but no where near as many as the Magic Trackpad under 10.7. Could not test much bit did manage to check that part out before I left.

I love a good mouse and love the Magic Mouse, but the Trackpad sure grows on you after a few weeks use. I am glad I bought my Magic Trackpad.

PS, I even like the Mighty Mouse which might get rotten tomatoes thrown at me, but what can I say. I like it. (When the ball works!).

Rusty789 said:

So I've been using windows for the last how ever many years of my life, had a few minor experiences with macs, but nothing to let me get too comfortable..

So as well as using my Macbook Pro as a laptop, I will be plugging it into a display when at home, I've read a few write ups on various products, but with Lion coming out does it make more sense to get a trackpad over a magic mouse?

Also whilst using my Macbook as more of a desktop system can I use it plugged in with the battery removed? Is that best practice?

Click to expand...

I use my MBP connected to the same NEC monitor as my Windows 7 photo porcessing workstation.

The NEC allows for source switching wiht a front panel button switch.

I keep the MBP in a Henge Dock to keep it off the desk and away from harm.

Henge Docks

A nice product and the customer service was great.

It can be a bit of a hassle since you must remove the MPB to power it up. I've found that using the scheduling service in the MBP that I can set it to wake or turn on at a set time each day. Mine is set for 6 am and its on when I get out of bed. Mostly I just put it to sleep and wake it with the keyboard or mouse.

I got both the Trackpad and the Mouse with my new iMac a couple of months ago.
1. I use the mouse much more than the TP. It's more precise I find.
2. Apple's Magic Mouse is not as comfortable in my large hands as Microsoft's taller mouse, which actually seems to track better on my 27" screen, and the wheel is more precise than gestures on the MM. At least in my hands.
3. The TP is handy when my hand tires on the mouse, and I like it better for browsing Safari.
YMMV

Demapples said:

I got both the Trackpad and the Mouse with my new iMac a couple of months ago.
1. I use the mouse much more than the TP. It's more precise I find.
2. Apple's Magic Mouse is not as comfortable in my large hands as Microsoft's taller mouse, which actually seems to track better on my 27" screen, and the wheel is more precise than gestures on the MM. At least in my hands.
3. The TP is handy when my hand tires on the mouse, and I like it better for browsing Safari.
YMMV

Click to expand...

I agree that he Magic mouse is not a great fit for my hand, but its nice for web use. Hate it for photo retouching.

I tried a Logitech on he MBP but did not like how it responded. Even tried it with steermouse. Better but still not the Microsoft mouse under windows. I'll try a MS mouse sometime soon.

infocusinc: great setup.

chas_m said:

I don't think it's at all necessary to drain the battery "every three days or so" as Young Spade says. Using a Mac is not meant to be a chore.

Apple itself recommends cycling the battery every month or so, and this seems much more realistic with normal usage. I've had my battery for four years now and don't always perform this "calibration" (more like every three months or so) but I'm still getting most of the same performance out of the battery that I did when it was new (and I have an upgraded Blackbook just like YS).

In fact, Coconut Battery tells me I still have 93 percent of my original capacity, and I leave my battery plugged in and my laptop attached to a larger monitor nearly all the time (132 loadcycles over four years = I rarely fully discharge my battery). So your mileage may vary, but I'd say stick to Apple's guidelines as a best practice.

Click to expand...

As you can see from our posts (referring to mine and yours) we have drastic uses of the battery. I have 598 full cycles on mine (4 year battery) and still come in at 90 percent health.

There are a plethora of guides out there that tell you how to keep your battery in great shape; read a lot of different guides, take the best from all of them, and then try to fit it into your schedule.

All batteries are created differently.

chas_m said:

infocusinc: great setup.

Click to expand...

Thanks, and thanks for the tip for coconut.