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Will the Touchpad Keyboard Become Indispensable for Personal Computers?

Every new technology goes through a marketing life cycle. It’s new, it builds a niche, and if it’s lucky it becomes indispensable. That’s where the touchpad keyboard is heading. Soon a touchpad keyboard may be as essential as a computer mouse.

The touchpad keyboard came in big with the laptop computer. Now it is becoming a regular addition to desktop computers as well. There are even peripheral touchpad systems on the market that you can plug into USB ports. And these new products are coming out even though the touchpad keyboard has several blaring weaknesses.

What determines which technologies become indispensable, like the touchpad keyboard, and which get thrown off to the side? I think it has more to do with converging technology than the merits of individual technologies.

Just think of the computer mouse. When it first came out it was hard to control and hard to follow that little arrow across the screen. It took me weeks to get the double click down. And besides, I didn’t see anything wrong with my joystick.

What made the computer mouse such a hit was that you had to have it for Windows. There was no need with DOS. And my joystick was perfect for all my gaming needs. Then, someone decided a computer mouse would be easier to navigate a computer screen with than a joystick, so it caught on. And now that we’re all used to the computer mouse, it’s hard to think of using a computer without one. That three-inch square section of our desk has become a microcosm of our computer screen, and in fact the universe. You push it forward and the arrow goes up. Nothing could be more natural.

The touchpad keyboard started off on the right foot because it followed this world-as-a-plain formula. Not everything was so successful. Have you ever used a trackball? Have you ever heard of it? If not, I wouldn’t be surprised. The trackball is a wonderful invention, not much different from a computer mouse. It’s kind of like an upside down computer mouse that sits on you desk top. You push the ball around with your fingers to move the arrow. It’s actually quite comfortable and easy to use once you get used to it. In fact, because it takes up less desk space and it’s more ergonomic, I think it’s superior to a computer mouse.

But trackballs are hard to find anywhere because they don’t follow the formula. You push your finger and the ball just spins. Where is our 3-inch x 3-inch universe? It’s gone.

So the touchpad keyboard was primed and ready when the laptop computer came out. It was not only easy to figure out, because of its similar world view to the computer mouse, it was portable. It was perfect for the laptop. There were a few models of laptops that came with trackballs, but they didn’t last. Soon everyone got used to the idea of the universe as a touchpad keyboard. It doesn’t matter that the touchpad is easily scratched, sloppy with large fingers, and prone to false positive clicking. It’s what we have and we are used to it.

That’s why we are all so excited to use the new versions of the touchpad keyboard for desk top computers. It’s the natural next step. Could it be that the touchpad keyboard will eventually replace the computer mouse?

I don’t know about that, but the touchpad keyboard is definitely here to stay. And, as with all technology, the touchpad keyboard will get better as it goes. The computer mouse was a pain in the neck to use when its little wheels inside got dirty or the cord got tangled with stuff on your desk. Now technology has corrected those problems with light sensors and the cordless computer mouse.

I’m sure the touchpad keyboard will go through similar changes that will correct its problems. Maybe they will come with a finger puppet-like stylus for people like me with fat fingers to cut down on the slop. I know keys aren’t well suited for this. Maybe the newer touchpad keyboard products have already dealt with the common problems facing the first touchpad keyboards. I guess I’ll just have to try one and find out for myself.

About the Author

Mat Moniker is a writer for Innuity.com and a technology expert. To find out more about new touchpad keyboard products on the market and the touchpad computer mouse go to Cirque.com.

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If you do have a keyboard with the backlight feature, the article explains how to adjust the settings.

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