Looking for advice on wireless input devices...

[kickaha]

USB in a pinch, BT/RF preferred.

I want a thin, light, but solid (yeah, I know) keyboard that doesn't require me to have it be seriously off center when in my lap. (See previous post regarding recliner chair in office for justification for laptitude.) I'm almost convinced this is the way to go (the one on the right), but it's lacking a mouse/trackpad solution. While it looks like it would be too light, I tried one of the USB versions out today and it was surprisingly solid. Definitely workable.

I also am curious about this, since it looks like it will provide better flexibility on the angles, but again, no pointer solution.

Considering an Adesso Easy Cat/Smart Cat trackpad that I can just secure to perhaps a small lapdesk, or a custom swing arm on the chair. Heck, I've done it before when we added a Wacom tablet to my arm brace way back when. :) (Considered that too, actually...)

Anyway - any ideas? Recommendations? Things to avoid? Danke.

Comments

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

I hate hate hate trackpads. I've found a trackball mouse to be a good solution, and easy to get used to. I use a mouse that puts the trackball under my thumb, leaving the mouse buttons under the normal fingers. The MIL has a mouse that puts the trackball under the forefinger, so no button is where you expect it to be.

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm not a huge trackball fan, but love trackpads. (And despise the clitoris mouse, er, TouchPoint...)

The unit needs to be usable in my lap, possible mounted at a strange angle. I figured a flat 4"x4" trackpad would be a good solution, but I'm willing to consider a small trackball - link?

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

Link below. Mine fits under the palm of my hand (granted, I have biggish hands, but not I think much or any bigger than yours), and I usually rsst it against my thigh when tracking.

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

That sounds about like the right use case. :D

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

Nice on airplanes, too, when there isn't really room on the tray table for the laptop *and* a pointing device.

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

That's when the trackpad is useful. ;)

Thanks for the pointer (har har) I hadn't thought seriously of a trackball. I was envisioning the old billiard-ball trackballs from a decade ago.

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

Great for Millipede, not so good for Age of Empires. :)

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my Atari 2600 joysticks had better responsiveness than the eraserheads.

[georgmi.livejournal.com]

FWIW, my mouse of choice is a Logitech.

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_pointers/trackballs/devices/159&cl=us,en

(I have the USB version of this one; cordless wasn't a viable option at the time.)

[dollraves.livejournal.com]

I have the Belkin media pilot, although I haven't had a chance to actually use it yet (got it right before I moved to CA). I like it because you can leave the usb base plugged in, then drop the wireless keyboard in and keep typing when the battery gets low. I got it off woot for $40, so the price was good, but I think it usually retails for $90 when you can find it.

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

Iiiiinteresting. I think having to use both hands to mouse would drive me nuts though. (How do you modifier-key-click on anything??)

[night-monkey.livejournal.com]

uhm, will it work with windows vista? :)

[kickaha.livejournal.com]

The real question is... who cares? :D