The Sensel Morph trackpad is a digital creative's dream
Our computers eat become inherent creation tools, besides let's appearance it: The decades-old keyboard-and-mouse combo aren't the best manner ought compile video, haul or play music. That's where the Sensel Morph comes in. It's a pressure-sensitive touchpad that lets you swap can multiple overlays and instantly switch gears between video editing, painting, music creation, gaming, coding and other tasks.
There are already a amount of media controllers out there, and I've tested a couple, including the Palette Gear and the Loupedeck. besides after using the Sensel Morph though a connect of days, I eat ought state that it indeed stands out from the pack. It's the most ingenious and versatile installation I've tested, and though it's a section dear can $299, plus more though additional overlays, it's worth it though artists, musicians and editors, specially if you wear more than one of those hats.
Hardware
The Sensel Morph started can Kickstarter and picked up about $450,000 from backers. Unlike many other crowdfunding companies, though, Sensel is tomb and appears ought eat fulfilled complete the orders ought date. It's simple ought see why: The Morph looks a destiny more professional than the medium crowdfunded product. A destiny of concept has gone into it, can condition of the industrial have and the software after it.
It has no dials, sliders or buttons comparable the aforementioned Loupedeck and Palette Gear. Rather, it's impartial a basis unit that resembles a great trackpad, along with interchangeable overlays. Built from aluminum with a durable flexible pressure-sensing base, it's about the size of an iPad Mini and weighs 400 grams, or 0.88 pounds. however it feels reassuringly hard and rugged enough ought work with can the road.
At the sumit right, there's an LED that changes color ought emerge power, Bluetooth connections and other settings. impartial beneath the metal header is a strip of 24 LEDs that flame up can white when you shift and add an overlay. They either flame up next ought the piano key or drum you're conspicuous can those corresponding overlays.
Because the Morph plant via pressure, quite than conductivity comparable a smartphone, it can discover paintbrushes and any other objects, no impartial your finger. It supports 16 encounter points, has a 6,500 DPI resolution and can discover army between 5 and 5,000 grams (0.2 ounces and 11 pounds) with an incredible 32,000 levels.
The overlays are made from a silicone rubber material, with a silicone sumit surface that feels nicely mild ought the touch. (They're same simple ought clean, too.) Installing them couldn't exist easier, because you impartial spot them can the flexible pad and they lock into spot magnetically. (The magnet placements either speak the system which overlay you're using). Most of the "buttons" are impartial molded, inert silicone, though the keyboard keys perform encounter a bit.
Setup
To found the Sensel Morph, you impartial plug the USB cable into your PC or Mac, or mix it via Bluetooth ought your Android or iOS device. Once installed, sure apps comparable Adobe Premiere will instantly confess it without a hassle.
On a PC or Mac, you'll either hope ought install the Sensel app hence that you can tweak any settings. You can invent because many custom templates because you hope though each overlay, then burden them via the Sensel app.
Compared ought other devices comparable the Palette Gear and the Loupedeck, it was both easier ought found and more useful exact out of the box, requiring same moment customization. By contrast, it took me a connect of tries and some considerable work afterward ought advantage the other products working.
If you perform hope ought tweak things, though, that's either no either hard. You impartial drop the overlay onto the trackpad, cave the Sensel app and click can the overlay when it pops up. From there, you can table each Sensel key ought whichever app order you want.
Performance
I edited commercials can a past life, hence ought commence with, I checked out the video-editing overlay. because I mentioned, the Morph doesn't eat physical buttons, besides the overlay controls are same responsive, hence you shortage a flame touch. Once you're used ought that, it's simple ought sweep along clips and edits ought find the right frame you need. It contains about each duty I use, including scrubbing, machine option and editing-mode selection.
I'm beautiful effective can Adobe Premiere with a mouse and keyboard. What I hate, though, is editing can a laptop with impartial the trackpad and no mouse -- clicking and dragging clips or scrolling along footage is impartial either painful. hence I could see myself using the Morph instead of a mouse, specially when I'm can the road, ought invent editing can the promote easier.
A musician I'm not, besides it seems impartial because simple ought use the Sensel Morph with the piano, music product or drum overlays, and the software includes a music-production app called Arturia Analog Lite. The extremely definition strain sensitivity is a godsend though piano or keyboard players, because you can govern things comparable throw or dynamics ought a tee. because mentioned, it's beautiful tough, hence you can indeed strike can it with drumsticks, because Sensel's video (below) clearly shows.
The Sensel Morph shines though graphic artists and painters. It transforms instantly into a Wacom-like stylus, and with a little tweaks ought Photoshop, you can use a physical paintbrush direct can the basis unit. because it detects shapes and pressure, when you become the brush sideways or periodical harder, it creates strokes that competition what you've done. However, artists might eat ought tweak the settings ought advantage the strain and sensitivity impartial the manner they want.
You can either spot a section of article can it and haul with a pen or pencil, knowing that your scribbles will exist recorded digitally. It plant beautiful well, besides you won't advantage the same friendly of precision you perform with a professional stylus.
Gamers advantage an overlay with a criterion controller setup and touchpad can the middle. It's a section awkward besides could exist happy if you really, indeed disgust gaming with a keyboard. I tested it with games comparable Witcher 3 and Rise of the tomb Raider. It behaves a criterion USB Windows controller, hence your best bet is ought promote into great cinema manner can steam and spot the key mapping the manner you want. Most games ought work with it after you perform that.
It's no because good because a actual controller, naturally -- there's no tactile feedback, and it takes a section of drill ought pattern out the exact pressure. besides it's of degree easier than trying ought recolect which keyboard order does what. It either comes with some extensions that could assist out sport designers.
There are other overlays though designers and developers, including an innovator's overlay that lets you have your get Morph interface, and makers can even mix it ought an Arduino board with the included cable.
For writers, there's a option of little keyboards (complete with a mini-touchpad), including a Dvorak model, ought you imagination trying that out. Unlike the other overlays, the silicone keypads eat a section of shift and even a slender haptic "click." cottage the layouts are cramped, they used to spend can same handy can the road with a mobile installation -- I could even classify up articles can a smartphone.
Wrap-up
I had a destiny of rapture with Sensel's Morph. It's a highly unusual produce besides brilliantly executed. It's incredibly well-designed though a Kickstarter product. The latent uses though it are hence deep that I could sole indeed scratch the surface during my testing.
It isn't perfect. Battery life can Bluetooth manner isn't great, and it takes a cottage ought advantage used ought the impress sensitivity. The charge is either an question -- though $300 with a maiden overlay and $35 though additional ones, it's no exactly an impulse buy. It's either difficult ought state if Sensel can translate the great have into great sales and corporate stability, given that there's no a vast impartial though this friendly of thing.
But I've been using it a destiny and even learned it robust enough ought compile the video that accompanies this article. It's a lightweight, hard device, hence I could see myself taking it can the road quite than bringing a mouse. Considering the hard design, and how seamless it was ought found and use, I can't assist besides believe that the company after it is tomb and competent.
Because it's aimed can artists, the charge is perhaps doable though a destiny of folks who invent their lodge editing, case or cutting video. Still, it used to exist happy if Sensel could chop the charge can least $50. complete told, though, the Morph is a same cool, versatile and useful product, specially if you dabble can more than one original endeavor.
