Options for Using The BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform with a Windows PC

Options for Using 

The BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform

With a Windows PC

A customer wrote in recently and asked if the BulletTrain Keyboard Platform worked with a PC running Windows. They asked:

"I have one of your products for Mac keyboard and trackpad which I love. However I may have to go and work in an office with PCs and don't want to do myself damage with a desk-based keyboard and click-mouse. Is there any way to adapt one of these for PC? Do you make one for PC - or know how I might get one?"

The short answer is 'Yes', and here are some things to consider:

Basic PC Compatibility

Since the Apple Magic Trackpad 2 and Magic Keyboard are Bluetooth you can use them with a PC. Just pair them using Bluetooth and they will work. The only drawback with this approach is that it would lack the gesture features that allow you to useful things like scroll with two fingers to go up and down a page as well as using gestures to swipe back and forth in a browser window.

Boot Camp Compatibility

From what I understand if you run the Mac OS on an Intel based Mac using the available Apple Boot Camp drivers, everything should work like a Mac.

Install Apple Magic Trackpad

with Windows Precision Drivers

I discovered a few videos that offer insight on how to use Windows Precision Drivers to get the Apple Trackpad gestures to work perfectly and you can learn more in the following video.

Paid Drivers

There is a company named Magic Utilities that offers a product named Magic Trackpad Utilities. The only drawback is that they charge a yearly subscription fee to use their product, but as you see in the image below it looks well designed and easy to use. Since it is Software As a Service the developer it incentives to keep it up to date. Also, they offer a free fully functional 28 day trial and they offer two versions which support Windows 7+8 & 10.

ChromeBook Compatibility

The video below shows how to use the Magic Trackpad 2 with a Chromebook including all the gestures:

iPad Compatibility

I wrote an article about how the BulletTrain eXpress Keyboard Platform is now 100% compatible with all iPads. You can learn much more by checking out my article about how the Apple Magic Trackpad 2 is now 100% compatible with Apple iPads iOS.

Windows Magazine Editor Becomes Apple Fanboy

Windows Magazine Editor Becomes Apple Fanboy

This is one of the most interesting, best write articles I have read in a long time. It was written by Mike Elgan, who is the Editor of Windows Magazine, and it is published on CultOfMac.com.

"The perfect out-of-box experience with the iPhone, the elegance of the whole experience of using an iPhone, re-set my expectations for how consumer electronics and computers should function. I started looking at the out-of-box experience of buying a Windows PC with a new contempt. The crapware. The stickers. The anti-virus software problem where the cure is worse than the disease. The flimsy hardware. It’s not so much that I despised Windows PCs, but that it felt like Microsoft and the PC makers despised them, like they all have no respect for their own platform."

–Mike Elgan (Editor of Windows Magazine)

Microsoft Previews Windows 8 Will Work Great with BulletTrain Express

Microsoft Previews Windows 8Windows 8 Will Run on the BulletTrain Express
Microsoft recently shared this video of their next operating system which is codenamed as Windows 8. The team at BulletTrain couldn't help but notice and comment that is almost looks like it was made to be used with a BulletTrain Express. Especially with all the gesturing and clicking and swiping, and yes, the Apple wireless keyboard and Magic Trackpad already work great with Windows 7 and Vista.

Using A BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platrfom with a PC

Using A BulletTrain Express Keyboard Platform with a PC

Apple Magic Trackpad with a PC

Many people have contacted us asking if they can use a BulletTrain Express with a PC, and the answer is yes!!! I put together this guide to share all the ways in which you can achieve this goal. As we experiment and learn more (often times from our customers) we will continue to update this guide.

I imagine the first question is why anybody would want to use a BulletTrain Express with a PC? There are a zillion reasons why a PC user would benefit from using a BulletTrain Express, and you can learn all about them on the microsite for the BulletTrain Express.

Recently a potential customer of ours named Amy wrote it and asked:

"I am a PC user and would love to have something like the BulletTrain Express for PC. Do you have anything in production?

Thank you!

Amy

As I mentioned, there are several ways to make this work and here they are:

Option #1: Standard Bluetooth Pairing On A PC

According to C-NET if you pair an Apple Magic Trackpad with PC, by default only single-touch and click function work. No multi-touch work.

Option #2: Loading Apple Drivers On A PC

The following video walks you through how to download and use the Apple drivers to pair your Magic Trackpad to a PC. As mentioned in the video you get to use the left and right-mouse clicking, as well as being able to scroll with two fingers.

Update on June 11, 2011: The drivers mentioned in the YouTube video below are available on the Apple Download site and here are the links:

32 bit Apple Magic Trackpad Drivers for Windows 32bit (x86) Update 1.0

64 bit Apple Magic Trackpad Drivers for Windows 64bit (x64) Update 1.0

Option #3: Magic Trackpad Control Panel for PC

There is a dedicated piece of software named Magic Trackpad Control Panel for PC which is produced by AnimGraph. A screenshot that of the PC Control Panel is located below and it shows all the options that are available. Magic Trackpad Control Panel for PC offers a free 28 day trial version and if you like it and want to maintain the benefit of its functionality after the trail it cost $7.90. I am pretty certain, if I understand it correctly, you can get all the benefits of this piece of software for free, but following the instructions in the video above.

Option #4: Trackpad++ Software

There is a piece of software named "Trackpad++" Apple has a thread on their discussion forum that discusses this topic named: A NEW TRACKPAD DRIVER IS OUT

I included a photo of the PC Trackpad++ Control Panel below. You can learn about and download Trackpad++ by Clicking Here.

If you have experience using a PC with the Trackpad++ and want to share your insight, please leave a comment or send us an email to info@BulletTrain.com

In the future, as time permits we will figure out everything we can and do a video showcase to share how this experience works...