Despirately WTB: keyboard w/optical trackball @ thumb level (like old Dell XPi laptops)

24 Feb 2005 11:18 PM

see.my.sig.4.addr

I've been looking for this FOREVER and nobody seems to care these days
that those damn touchpads are total crap. I don't know anybody that likes
them, yet that's all you can get on laptops, or even built into external
keyboards (excepting a few horribly placed, small, mechanical trackballs
on some discontinued models - and one well place ball but poorly place
buttons, and still mechanical).

Ever since I had an old Dell Latitude XPi laptop with a wonderful well
placed optical one (below the space bar) with equally well placed buttons,
I've been sold on this idea. It's so far NEVER needed cleaning and has
worked flawlessly for years. Compare that to optical balls that I've had
that needed cleaning almost daily for 100% smooth rolling.

I've had ergonomic keyboards, slanted, split, and ergonomic full size
trackballs, but NOTHING is as comfortable to me as this simple setup.
I can't believe I can't find it and that nobody is smart enough to
continue making a good thing (including Dell), but I'm stumped.
Help! Anybody!

25 Feb 2005 1:34 AM

John Doe

see.my.sig.4.a***@nowhere.com.invalid wrote:

>I've been looking for this FOREVER and nobody seems to care these
>days that those damn touchpads are total crap. I don't know
>anybody that likes them, yet that's all you can get on laptops, or
>even built into external keyboards

I really liked my synaptics touchpad centered on my keyboard. Using
the fast refresh, it was very responsive. Could use it with either
left or right hand. Wish I could find a cordless touchpad.

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