I was trying to edit the touchpad configuration, but synclient parameter changes didn't affect anything. I found this: ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php Like this post, I was seeing the following from xinput:

ken@Ken-XPS-13:~$ xinput
⎡ Virtual core pointer                    	id=2	[master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer              	id=4	[slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ ELAN Touchscreen                        	id=10	[slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ DLL075B:01 06CB:76AF Touchpad           	id=12	[slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad              	id=16	[slave  pointer  (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard                   	id=3	[master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard             	id=5	[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                            	id=6	[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                               	id=7	[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                            	id=8	[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Sleep Button                            	id=9	[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Integrated_Webcam_HD                    	id=11	[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Intel Virtual Button driver             	id=13	[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Intel HID events                        	id=14	[slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard            	id=15	[slave  keyboard (3)]

I used cat /proc/bus/input/devices to see which event handlers went with which touchpad entry mouse0,event6 was SynPS/2, mouse2,event14 was DLL075b:01 (mouse1 is the touchscreen) Then sudo cat /dev/input/event14 showed that the DLL075B touchpad interface was the active one. So, I edited /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/51-synaptics-quirks.conf and added this entry to disable the SynPS/2 device.

# Disable generic Synaptics device, as we're using
# "DLL075B:01 06CB:76AF Touchpad"
# Having multiple touchpad devices running confuses syndaemon
Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad"
        MatchProduct "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad"
        MatchIsTouchpad "on"
        MatchOS "Linux"
        MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
        Option "Ignore" "on"
EndSection

Sorry, some of my intended reply was omitted.

The text are simply the notes I made to myself when I fixed this on my new machine.  They are basically a rehash of the info at the linked forum thread, with a little extra detail on specific event numbers.

Once I removed the extra touchpad device, I was able to use synclient to tailor my settings the way I want.

I enabled PalmDetect, and reduced the values of VertScrollDelta, HorizScrollDelta, VertHysteresis, HorizHysteresis, and MaxTapMove.

I'm happy with the result.

I was wondering if you would be able to share your palmdetect and values of vert, horiz, and the other items in your xorg file.  I got my touchpad working OK, but I feel like there's still something missing from it...  Maybe if I try some configs with others that have similar issues I can come to a happy medium point.  

My issue is that even with palm detection enabled, my cursor would still jump around.  What I ended up doing is setting the arearightedge to 900, which ignores my right hand touching the touchpad.  It works OK, but like I said, I kind of feel like I can do better.

Here's what synclient returns for me now:

Parameter settings:

   LeftEdge                = 48

   RightEdge               = 1168

   TopEdge                 = 36

   BottomEdge              = 644

   FingerLow               = 25

   FingerHigh              = 30

   MaxTapTime              = 180

   MaxTapMove              = 61

   MaxDoubleTapTime        = 100

   SingleTapTimeout        = 180

   ClickTime               = 100

   EmulateMidButtonTime    = 0

   EmulateTwoFingerMinZ    = 282

   EmulateTwoFingerMinW    = 7

   VertScrollDelta         = -27

   HorizScrollDelta        = -27

   VertEdgeScroll          = 0

   HorizEdgeScroll         = 0

   CornerCoasting          = 0

   VertTwoFingerScroll     = 1

   HorizTwoFingerScroll    = 1

   MinSpeed                = 1

   MaxSpeed                = 1.75

   AccelFactor             = 0.143575

   TouchpadOff             = 2

   LockedDrags             = 0

   LockedDragTimeout       = 5000

   RTCornerButton          = 2

   RBCornerButton          = 3

   LTCornerButton          = 0

   LBCornerButton          = 0

   TapButton1              = 1

   TapButton2              = 3

   TapButton3              = 0

   ClickFinger1            = 1

   ClickFinger2            = 3

   ClickFinger3            = 0

   CircularScrolling       = 0

   CircScrollDelta         = 0.1

   CircScrollTrigger       = 0

   CircularPad             = 0

   PalmDetect              = 1

   PalmMinWidth            = 10

   PalmMinZ                = 200

   CoastingSpeed           = 20

   CoastingFriction        = 50

   PressureMotionMinZ      = 30

   PressureMotionMaxZ      = 160

   PressureMotionMinFactor = 1

   PressureMotionMaxFactor = 1

   ResolutionDetect        = 1

   GrabEventDevice         = 0

   TapAndDragGesture       = 1

   AreaLeftEdge            = 0

   AreaRightEdge           = 0

   AreaTopEdge             = 0

   AreaBottomEdge          = 0

   HorizHysteresis         = 10

   VertHysteresis          = 10

   ClickPad                = 1

   RightButtonAreaLeft     = 608

   RightButtonAreaRight    = 0

   RightButtonAreaTop      = 557

   RightButtonAreaBottom   = 0

   MiddleButtonAreaLeft    = 0

   MiddleButtonAreaRight   = 0

   MiddleButtonAreaTop     = 0

   MiddleButtonAreaBottom  = 0

I hope that's helpful.  It's now been long enough that I don't remember what all I tweaked.

Thanks!  I'll give that a shot and see what happens.  The touchpad is still a bit annoying so I'll give it a try.