Google built a machine to test the speediness of laptop trackpads
An unresponsive trackpad can ruin a laptop. But how do you test for that without having access to ready-made equipment? If you're Google, you build your own machine. The company's Chrome OS team has created the Quickstep, a USB add-on that uses a laser to gauge trackpad latency on Chromebooks. Whenever you break the laser's beam with your finger, Quickstep measures the delay between that and the registered touch input. The device only looks for drag activity, but it's simple -- you can even build it yourself, if you're handy with electronics. Whether or not you're that interested, Google's project should take some of the frustration out of future Chrome hardware.
