Driver/Fix for Better Tap Speed on 1545?

Just got my new 1545 and it's like having your long-awaited Ferrari arrive with a loose steering wheel. My issue is that the touchpad just can't keep up with rapid tapping when scrolling, and as i use this mostly for columnar newsreading it's annoying. Tap Speed is adjusted to Maximum but still delayed, resulting in sporadic scrolling when you try to do it fast and i end up just using the button but hate having to. I've never had any touchpad act this way.

any alternate/aftermarket drivers for this (Alps) touchpad? quick fixes? 

OH and the phone support people already had me reload the drivers, reformat the disk, and finally insisted i let them send me a new touchpad which was a total waste of time as it's obviously a software issue (i was right and the service guy agreed) - it's working as *designed* and that's the *problem*. not the end of the world but an inconvenience and something Dell should consider an embarassment given the 10-year-old laptop it replaced functioned flawlessly as has every other laptop i've ever owned.

anyway, any ideas would be appreciated, thanks!

susan