The mighty jumpy multi-touchpad?

[ruku]

I should start this post by first saying that i own a macbook and not a macbook air. However i do live 10 minutes away from an Apple store (Japan) and often play with other models.
I have used the trackpad on every one of the macbook air display models in the local store and if i run my finger down the touchpad in a straight line as i might on my computer the cursor jumps randomly from side to side. going a few millimetres down the line and then jumping up to a few centimetres to the right or left. if i do it a few times i can get it to work slightly better (by using the side of the trackpad instead of the middle) but its still well out of what id call a usable experience. i have tried at least 3 macbook airs and the behavior is the same in all of them while my friend has perfect control over the same machines (as youd expect). the best possible way i can make an absolutely straight line is buy using the back of my knuckle.
I have been to the store on different days, once wearing gloves (winter) and again recently when the weather is much more spring like. its behavior was the same.
im wondering what people around here think it might be. Ive worn different fabrics including wool and plain cotton so id be surprised if it were the effect of static electricity. i do have warm hands (cold heart?) compared to my friend but not unusually so. i do not wear jewelry or pick my nose and as is the custom in Japan i keep my hands relatively clean.
anyone out there keen to take a guess whats going on here?

 

[CaptainCannabis]

I had that problem on my MBA like 3 days ago... but it only lasted for a while. I didn't know what was going on, I even restarted my mine an it still happened. Then, frustrated I closed my MBA, left it there for 2 hours and when I cam back the mouse was working perfect again.

I don't know why it happened, but it was really weird.

 

[schixzotic]

I should start this post by first saying that i own a macbook and not a macbook air. However i do live 10 minutes away from an Apple store (Japan) and often play with other models.
I have used the trackpad on every one of the macbook air display models in the local store and if i run my finger down the touchpad in a straight line as i might on my computer the cursor jumps randomly from side to side. going a few millimetres down the line and then jumping up to a few centimetres to the right or left. if i do it a few times i can get it to work slightly better (by using the side of the trackpad instead of the middle) but its still well out of what id call a usable experience. i have tried at least 3 macbook airs and the behavior is the same in all of them while my friend has perfect control over the same machines (as youd expect). the best possible way i can make an absolutely straight line is buy using the back of my knuckle.
I have been to the store on different days, once wearing gloves (winter) and again recently when the weather is much more spring like. its behavior was the same.
im wondering what people around here think it might be. Ive worn different fabrics including wool and plain cotton so id be surprised if it were the effect of static electricity. i do have warm hands (cold heart?) compared to my friend but not unusually so. i do not wear jewelry or pick my nose and as is the custom in Japan i keep my hands relatively clean.
anyone out there keen to take a guess whats going on here?

Cool u're from Japan!!!!

I noticed that for the showroom model over here too - I'm from Singapore, we don't have seasons (unless u count sunny and rainy -.-) - so i don't think it's the seasonal clothing.
what i think happened - and this is pure speculation, really - is that another finger (probably the middle finger or the thumb) was close to the trackpad. The MBA's trackpad is SUPER sensitive and picks up even the slightest touch - maybe having an additional finger close to the trackpad makes it wonky?
Possibly also because it's a showroom model and has pretty much been manhandled quite a lot - the trackpad's probably wonky from all that banging around.

I never had that problem with mine; hopefully I never will

 

[dahcheet]

Cool u're from Japan!!!!

I noticed that for the showroom model over here too - I'm from Singapore, we don't have seasons (unless u count sunny and rainy -.-) - so i don't think it's the seasonal clothing.
what i think happened - and this is pure speculation, really - is that another finger (probably the middle finger or the thumb) was close to the trackpad. The MBA's trackpad is SUPER sensitive and picks up even the slightest touch - maybe having an additional finger close to the trackpad makes it wonky?
Possibly also because it's a showroom model and has pretty much been manhandled quite a lot - the trackpad's probably wonky from all that banging around.

I never had that problem with mine; hopefully I never will

I don't think it's the second finger being too close or accidentally touching the touchpad because that would cause it to go into scrolling mode and then the cursor would stop moving. That's my theory on that at least.

I've had a similar problem with mine and it scared the crap out of me. Mine would move erratically AND would have weird behavior (i.e. resizing the icons on my desktop). I was talking on my phone while it was charging at the same time. Turns out the problem had something to do with that. Not sure if it was talking on the phone, talking while the phone was charging, or if it was because the phone was charging but I guess it gave me an extra interference or something and caused my MBA to think there was something else going on. It hasn't happened since but I haven't been using my phone around it either, other than for tethering for internet.

 

[fredrickyoon]

Thankfully so far, no issues with me.