I generally think MG Siegler is one of the better TechCrunch writers but this article is exactly why the site has developed the reputation it has. Pure sensati

I generally think MG Siegler is one of the better TechCrunch writers but this article is exactly why the site has developed the reputation it has. Pure sensationalism based on a weak understanding of both the facts and the history of the computing industry. The truth is there is not a Magic Trackpad for the PC. Trackpads on the PC tend to suck. Microsoft is pushing touchscreens and touchscreens on PCs do create ergonomic problems (In tests people's shoulders literally ache after a day of use) Beyond that while the iPad is fantastic it works because the interface is designed around touch. Meaning everything has to be a lot bigger (since a mouse can click on a single pixel while a finger is far less precise). That leaves less screen space (which is why you have to pinch and zoom a lot when you use the iPad on the web). That's fine for the limited scenarios but not practical if you're doing serious computing work like a balance sheet in Excel. Finally anyone who has watched the technology industry for any length of time knows inferior solutions win out if all parties don't agree on the way forward. Or in other words if Apple backs the Magic Trackpad and Microsoft backs the touchscreen then the Mouse will likely stick around because it's the common denominator. At least based on how history has unfolded in the past.