Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

15 points

Trackpad doesn't work

I got my new macbook. Bought the $1299 model. Got it home and noticed that at times when I clicked on the mouse nothing happened. There was a noticable "click" when depressing but nothing happening on the screen. At times this will happen basically anywhere on the trackpad. Once it does I have to press very hard in the center of the trackpad and then it "clicks" on the screen and works for about another 5 to 10 clicks anywhere on the trackpad. After that the same thing seems to happen.

The trackpad click noise is VERY loud compared to other computers I've had and used. Guess I'll be stopping back at the apple store tomorrow to see about a replacement.

macbook aluminum, Mac OS X (10.5.5)

Posted on Oct 15, 2008 12:21 PM

60 replies

David.

Level 4

2,145 points

Oct 17, 2008 1:32 PM in response to James Veitch

I'm curious to see if the replacement unit exhibits a problem in the next few days. Could you post again in a few days, seeing as someone had a unit that was "ok" for a day, and then became problematic?

Oct 17, 2008 1:38 PM in response to David.

I second the request. If it's a soft/firmware issue, it should come back, in which case I don't want to bother exchanging mine. But if it's definitely a hardware issue, I want to go and get a replacement while that window is still open (as opposed to getting a repair).

matt kelly1 Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 17, 2008 2:18 PM in response to matt kelly1

I'm on my second one and still have the issue. I'm waiting to see how many others report the issue over the next few days. I'll probably run over to a different apple store next week and see what they say.

Oct 17, 2008 2:22 PM in response to matt kelly1

Yeah. I have a feeling it's a soft/firmware issue, because as I said above, when it doesn't register a click, it won't register it no matter how hard you press on the pad.

In the mean time, I tried putting a little piece of paper folded up between the battery and the track pad (this helped with the previous version Macbook, which had track pad click problems, although in that case, the problem was clearly mechanical). I'll see if this improves things at all.

David.

Level 4

2,145 points

Oct 17, 2008 4:21 PM in response to Satoru Murata

How does a "piece of paper folded up..." square with the notion of Apple products being so "elegantly" designed?

Oct 17, 2008 4:38 PM in response to David.

Very simple, really. You design something really elegantly; then you skimp on the execution (i.e., the manufacture); you get a poorly fabricated product.

matt kelly1 Author

Level 1

15 points

Oct 17, 2008 4:42 PM in response to matt kelly1

Or the manufacturer of the part did a poor job. In either case it appears to be a somewhat wide spread problem.

Mamesy

Level 1

0 points

Oct 17, 2008 4:44 PM in response to James Veitch

Mine is pretty clicky. I don't have to slam on it to get it to work, but I'm still used to pressing harder.

In any case, I've been using taps and gestures instead and they work wonderfully. So well that I wonder why the click button was necessary.

Oct 17, 2008 4:49 PM in response to Mamesy

Mamesy wrote:
In any case, I've been using taps and gestures instead and they work wonderfully. So well that I wonder why the click button was necessary.

I usually do that, too, so it's not a constant problem. But then there are times when you want to firmly press the button to be sure that you're only going to click an object (say, a "Send" form button) once and only once, and that's when I would use the button. And that's why it bothers me more when the click isn't registered.

David.

Level 4

2,145 points

Oct 17, 2008 4:50 PM in response to Satoru Murata

Yep, you hit the aluminum "nail" on the head!

Oct 18, 2008 1:20 AM in response to matt kelly1

With new products there are always manufacture refinements that need to be made. These refinements can only be done with widespread testing and feedback, and unfortunately there's no real way to do this kind of widespread testing in-house, so companies rely on the first-run machines to do this. This is why Apple readily accepts flaws back in exchange for new machines. They inspect them and refine the manufacturing based on the flaws that come back.

Oct 18, 2008 1:50 AM in response to Satoru Murata

I share your hope but it could still be mechanical with something loosening up and getting out of alignment....

lewisg12

Level 1

55 points

Oct 18, 2008 2:49 AM in response to Michael Blake

mine works fine, it is quite a loud click, but i dont think i ever use it, use tapping all the time.

il let you know if i have any problems, guess i got lucky because there seems to be a few problems with the trackpads....

aka_me

Level 1

0 points

Oct 18, 2008 9:38 AM in response to lewisg12

similar discussion going on here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1756859&tstart=15
check 2nd comment.

(my click is definitely louder than the previous Macbook...)

Oct 18, 2008 8:26 PM in response to Topher Kessler

I'm having this problem as well. I returned the macbook I bought yesterday for a 2nd one but am still having the same issue so I would guess it's software.

I'm left handed and use my left thumb to click. I was wondering if that had something to do with it. A brief test of clicking with the right thumb seemed to produce better results, but then sometimes the thing works perfectly well left handed as well for a period of time before going back into the mode of dropping clicks.

I'm wondering also if it's a use issue. Perhaps I'm trying to click while still resting my index finger on the pad and that's confusing it?

Trackpad doesn't work