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We've seen a lot of different keyboards, but nothing quite like Lenovo's Mini Wireless plank with an integrated trackball. Designed for HTPC duties, the trackball isn't even its most unique feature.
That would belong to its paddle-shaped design, a first as far as we're aware, and a masochist's dream come true. It also comes with 69 keys, the exact number required to tickle your inner Billy Madison.
Essentially an oversized remote control, Lenovo's paddle-shaped plank sports a 2.4GHz wireless Nano dongle, giving you 10 meters of control distance, or just shy of 33 feet. It takes a pair of AAA batteries and works with Windows 7 / Vista / XP / 2000.
USB super site Brando.com has it available in pre-order form for $64, with an expected ship date of mid-March.
Image Credit: Lenovo
Comments are closed on this article
igoka
February 25, 2010 at 3:25pm
Given 65 bucks price point , all basic functionalities included this can be what we need for HTPC. I don't really understand why people complaining about no scroll wheel , no right mouse . This pad is not supposed to be used as desktop keyboard and mouse combo. If you need to scroll up or down use arrows up and down .
Trooper_One
February 25, 2010 at 1:13pm
Make the handle part a bit thinner and this pad be triple as a ping pong paddle!
Keith E. Whisman
February 25, 2010 at 11:42am
This isn't new. I bought one for my XBOX 360 game controller.
Man you would think they cured cancer or something like that.
techparadox
February 25, 2010 at 12:51pm
No way did you buy one of these for your 360 controller, considering it's not even released yet. You may have purchased an XBOX 360 Text Messaging kit that came with a chat pad that jacks into your controller, but it's pretty obvious that this unit won't attach to a 360 controller and is PC-only. Sure, chat pads are nothing new, but it's nice to see a new offering in the realm of HTPC controllers.
routine
February 25, 2010 at 9:04am
All this, and no scroll wheel?!?!?
Say it aint so!
Still in search for the perfect HTPC remote.
techparadox
February 25, 2010 at 1:01pm
No middle mouse button or mouse wheel in this day and age = FAIL. Even if there's hot-key functionality built in to turn the trackball into a quick-scroll, it's still a fail. Given the size of this thing, it wouldn't have killed them to stick one on in between the mouse buttons.
As for HTPC remotes, I've been eyeing the Logitech DiNovo Mini. It's small and has a full QWERTY keypad, but again the lack of a mousewheel (combined with the price!) is a bit of a deal-breaker.
