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Alienware Ordering Phantom Lapboards
Gamasutra reports that Dell-owned Alienware is going to be offering Phantom lapboards with their media center PC line. The product, which against all odds does appear to be shipping, is intended to offer a mouse and keyboard experience to someone not sitting at a desk. From the article: "The Lapboard includes wireless technology, ergonomic design, one-touch features, and a wireless high definition 1200 dpi laser mouse. In addition, the device also rotates for left and right handed users and inclines on a 22 degree angle with a hard surface support for the Phantom mouse. Other features include an interchangeable key-face that is designed for game-specific and business software applications on PC and Mac platforms."
Nothing for you to see here. Please move along.
So they are now selling overpriced wireless mice/keyboards with a horibly overpriced piece of plastic?
If you want to sell hometheater computers, then set them up to be easily navigated via remote (hint, look at apple), not via a keyboard/mouse set up.
Do Or Do Not, There Is No Spoon, There Is Only Zuul. Everything in the above post is probably opinion.
The lapboards were easily the best part of the Phantom system. Having tried it at E3, I can say that the system was woefully underpowered, but the lapboard was actually pretty cool. Nice to see this technology isn't going to just fade away into the patent vortex.
I'll believe it when I see it.
Obliteracy: Words with explosions
No one will know for sure since only shills get to review Alienware products.
"No doubt one may quote history to support any cause, as the devil quotes scripture." - Learned Hand
, then set them up to be easily navigated via remote
Try playing a MMO on a remote.
A media center computer is a powerful computer and is capable of playing any modern video games. A lot of games - MMO's in particular - are still bound to a keyboard. A solution like this allows MMO's to venture into the front room with the plasma screen and the comfy couch without having to juggle the keyboard on your knees and the mouse on whatever textbook you aren't using this semester. (Not me though, I like my office chair way more than my crappy futon... and no plasma yet).
The Phantom is finally shipping!?
Looks kind of like a lame kb/mouse combo, but kb/mouse are nice to have with a htpc.
For a remote control I use the windows MCE IR receiver and a universal remote.... But a remote control is only good for some things. I use a logitech mx1000 kb/mouse combo for most other things. (Though I do pull out the g5 and usb extension when gaming).
Everyone loves to bash Phantom and I expect a bunch of funny posts about "wow an actual product!"..
But to be fair, the idea of a download service for games is a good idea, Steam, EA, Xbox360 use game download services. Cut out the middle man and you can make a nice profit. Microsoft is pushing this with the media center PC, its not a wierd jump of logic you need games on there.
The idea was pretty good, just real piss poor managment. They should of worked on the content download piece and made it a software only solution. Then offered beige boxes for sale to at least get money rolling. Cant see how 64 million dollars and 2 years and no delivery system was setup.
Of course, Gametap is doing older games now and making a profit, too late now.
I think I missed the memo explaining how using a mouse underneath a keyboard that is tilted up at ~10 degrees, while it's sitting on your lap is in any way workable from a usability and ergonomics perspective. Does the keyboard crush your mouse hand if you press hard on the enter key (or any key on the right half of the keyboard)? Can you do any real typing on it? How much room do you have for mousing?
There's a reason people don't use keyboards and mice sitting on a couch. Tilting the keyboard to allow some dodgy new calisthenic alleviates nothing.
Like everything else about the Phantom, this seems like a really bad idea that was not thought through very thoroughly, just a bunch of people throwing venture capital at a problem and hoping the warts will magically disappear.