Laptops w/o Trackpads?

Leave Blank asks: "Are there any laptops out there anymore that -don't- have trackpads? I can't use them properly at all (for whatever reason - my current theory is that it's linked to my severe Raynaud's - some days I can activate a trackpad from a bit under a centimetre above it, other days it just doesn't work at all, so I always carry around an external trackball with my current laptop. Does anyone on Slashdot have recommendations I mightn't have managed to google?" "A trackpad is just pointlessly annoying for me, because I have to remember to turn it off or I'll 'hit' it accidentally while typing (sometimes just by waving my hand over it, remember), and even if it is off, I'm left with a nagging feeling it's wasting space, which annoys my tender european design sensibilities. So, what are my options? - I want a top-of-the-range in processor/gfx laptop, I quite like the little keyboard, um, nubbins, but I can't find a _new_ laptop with one but without a trackpad, and ultra-pricy tablet PCs typically actually come with a freaking trackpad too. Seems to me a laptop without a trackpad might even be smaller, and I'm quite prepared to live without one as outlined."

Comments

Shut off the missfire

[AtariAmarok]

For some reason, many of these pads have "tap for click" turned on. This causes nothing but problems: you'll get erroneous mouse-clicks registered just by dragging and moving stuff around the screen. "But I never intended to drag that to the trash can!" Turn this off to make things more bearable.

IBM

[Txiasaeia]

Get an IBM X-Series (just the pointer) or a T-Series and replace the wrist-rest with one that doesn't include a trackpad. It's extremely easy to do and costs $20 or so.

good question

[Naikrovek]

it seems that every late model laptop has a trackpad these days. which sucks because i can't stand trackpads.

thinkpads (and probably most laptops) let you disable the trackpad, in favor of the mouse button, which i greatly prefer, personally.

so while finding one without a trackpad might be difficult, getting a laptop with a mouse "nipple" and disabling the trackpad is definitely possible.

ibm thinkpad

[supersuckers]

i think all of them at least have that nubby thing if you turn the touchpad off, but this x series seem to not have the touchpad at all.

http://www-132.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/C ategoryDisplay?catalogId=-840&storeId=1&langId=-1& dualCurrId=73&categoryId=2072542
hope that link isn't cookie dependant.

Re:Duct tape- no joke

[RaboKrabekian]

Or you can just, you know, disable the trackpad in your OS. But that would be too simple - better use duct tape instead.

Re:Not alone in hating them

[KDan]

I don't have any problems with it registering without touching however, that one seems pretty unique.

Perhaps because you don't have Raynaud's.

Daniel

BIOS control

[MoogMan]

For the majority, you can disable the trackpad in the BIOS.