

In 2010, we made an update in our system to filter out certain types of mouse gestures, which has improved the issue, and we're continually tweaking zoom sensitivity and speeds to improve the user experience across all devices.Ĭlearly it's a complicated matter, especially given the increasing use of trackpads and multitouch interfaces, too. Mouse inputs in browsers are limited, so it's difficult to detect the type of mouse device or the strength of the gesture someone might be using. Google's aware of the situation and has been trying to adjust its software. But I don't use Bing Maps much, and it's not built into any of my software. The problem for me is even worse on Microsoft's Bing Maps, which seems to perpetually recede when I use it with the Magic Mouse. The Map Maker problem led me to abandon my idea to add a local trail to the Google's database. The Lightroom problem was annoying, since I spend a lot of time taking photos. The second development - which also directly led to this commentary - was the arrival this week of Google Map Maker in France, where I live.Īdobe's Lightroom 4 uses Google Maps for its geotagging interface, as does Apple's competing Aperture. The first development that pushed me over the edge was the arrival of geotagging in Lightroom 4, which lets you assign location data to photos by dragging them to a version of Google Maps that appears in the Adobe photo software. It's a step down from the Magic Mouse, a wireless mouse that responds to multitouch gestures.
#Magic maps for mac windows
But two recent developments led me to more audible cursing and, eventually, the decision to yank my lowly Logitech USB mouse out of my Windows machine and plug it into my iMac. I've endured the issue for months, issuing occasional grumbles. The problem appears to be, though, that Google's mechanism views the Apple mouse as particularly twitchy. The issue stems from the fact that sliding your finger forward or backward along the Magic Mouse is equivalent to using the scroll wheel on an ordinary mouse, and that motion triggers the zoom action on Google Maps. Instead of feeling the magic, I felt hexed. But when it comes to Google Maps, boy, do I wish the two got along better.įor months now, I've suffered from a problem using the mouse on Google Maps: when I'd click and drag to pan the map using the Magic Mouse, the view would zoom out when I released the button. I have tremendous respect for two groups of engineers: Apple's hardware designers and Google's Web programmers.
