


This can be a bit worrisome if the user disables the menu icon without first installing the preference pane shortcut. Unlike MagicPrefs, though, the BetterTouchTool preferences are located within the application itself as opposed to in a standard preference pane, and are initially only accessible through the utilitys menu item. Users will need to set this manually in the preferences, which, also like MagicPrefs, is the element of the utility most visible to users. It lives in the menu bar, but doesnt presume to start up automatically with OS X.

These extra options are useful, but some (like inverse scrolling) are currently bound to both the mouse and trackpad gestures, meaning if the user changes the setting for the mouse, it also changes for the trackpad. The biggest difference in features between the two utilities is BetterTouchTools inclusion of multitouch trackpad gestures support. The utility is free, though not open source, but there has been some pressure from the user community to release the source code. Since the end of December, Hegenberg has been on a role, updating alpha versions of the utility with new features and bug fixes at least once daily.Īnd the user community has been responsive, providing bug reports and other information in the comments thread for each versions posting. Pull-down lists for gesture actions include icons and keep more advanced features tucked away in a submenu at the bottom where they wont bother users who dont care about them. MagicPrefs eschews listing the many variables used to calculate gestures in favor of a single touch sensitivity control slider. Users can also tap the location just above the Apple logo on the Magic Mouse for an additional action. It provides users with a standard OS X preference pane to manage all of the utilitys settings.įrom this familiar screen, users can enable up to four finger gestures such as clicking, swiping and pinching. MagicPrefs, with its polished and simple preference pane, will likely appeal to beginner and novice users.īetterTouchTool, with its multitude of fine-tunable options, will appeal to more advanced users.Īlso, while MagicPrefs source code has not yet been released, Alexa writes on his site that he is a believer in open source. Magic Mouse Utilities Software Developers Picked.
