Smitrix Swiftpoint Triped Mouse For Tablet PCs: Forget Those Annoying Pens
You have already seen the Swiftpoint Slider Mouse, a device that effectively makes your keyboard into one giant mousepad, and now we learn that there is a similar device made primarily for tablet PCs and multi-touch tabletop surfaces. Besides being pointier and cooler looking than the Slider, the Triped aims to "remove barriers to the growth of the Tablet PC market" by eliminating one of its major drawbacks—the pen.
Basically, the Triped combines the mouse, the touchpad, and the digitizer pen into one ergonomic device. That having been said, its main advantage over the traditional pen is in the area of text entry. According to the product page, the combination of mouse and pen functions, with improved document navigation would make it a better choice. Unfortunately, we won't know if these claims hold water until the device is picked up by a manufacturer—but something tells me that will probably happen fairly soon. [Simtrix via Stuff.co.nz]
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I have a mouse, the touchpad, and digitizer pen combined in one ergonomic device; it's called a digitizer pen. I can't speak for other tablet users, but I hold my pen differently for different tasks, which makes it extremely comfortable to use. I suspect you can't do that with the Triped.
sumocat
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Theophilus P. Wildebeeste
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This thing does look like it could be useful. I hope it works with a regular wacom tablet too though.
I think I'd pay about $50 for it, which probably means it'll be about $150.
ParJoe
this might be cool, but as someone who uses a tablet for illustration work, the pen form factor is pretty important, who knows though, maybe if i grew up on this thing i wouldn't think anything of it.
pretty interesting.
micah-micah
huh, this is really interesting.
bobide
Seems like a great idea. I never really thought how a tablet 'pen' need not look like an actual pen.
Also, does the guy in the photo have a big toe for a thumb or is it just me?
sacred_hoops
It looks like a tiny, comic-book shark is eating that guy's thumb.
se7a7n7
I always thought that the pen was one of the major attractions of a Tablet PC...
Reilaos, Man of Destiny
Other than the shape, how is this not a 'pen'? I would understand the ergonomic advantage if it attached to a finger thus negating the need to actually hold it, but it seems it's just a regular pen with an ergonomic shape.
oyumurtaci