If you're the
type who rips new gadgets right out of the package and expects to toss aside the instructions and begin playing with
your toy right away, well, you might want to move along, because the
AlphaGrip AG-5
is definitely not a product for you. Self-proclaimed "obsessive power-user" Ryan Paul over at ArsTechnica put
the $100 alternative input device, which combines keyboard and pointing functions into a gamepad-like housing, through
extensive testing in a variety of computing environments and found it to be a good-to-great device overall- if you're a
geek like him (which is probably the majority of you who've read this far- as for us, we still need to look at our
fingers while we type). Although Paul claims to have achieved 45 words-per-minute after only a week of on-and-off use,
apparently most people take up to a month to reach those speeds on the unintuitive layout (which does have one major
benefit: unlike other alternaboards such as DVORAK and
Frogpad,
extensive use of the AG-5 does not deteriorate your QWERTY skills). Although the ergonomic benefits of the AlphaGrip
system are without question (no more hunching over and jumping from 'board to mouse), problems such as a sluggish
trackball, buggy Caps Lock button, and difficulty in executing multi-keystroke commands (along with the obviously-steep
learning curve) may convince interested users to wait on the next generation of this product (although it might be quite
a long wait: AlphaGrip already has the dubious distinction of having at least one Wired Vaporware Award under its belt).
posted March 16th 2006 8:00PM
eeewww thats fucking discusting it looks like someone shat in his hands
I was a tester for this product for the military through my school... The military is actually thinking of using this thing to drive tanks and stuff X_X
eh its ok once u get used to it, but QWERTY is better any day. the trackball is way to insensitive and it hurts your hands to use after about 15 minutes of constant keyboard/mouse switching on it.
save ur $100.
Thanks, but I'll stick with my keyboard for now.
Holy cow, it actually DOES work on Linux!!!
I liked Bruce Perens' idea to use the Nostromo but why this is so much more expensive?
Not to be too picky but for $100 I'd expect it to be RF wireless and have a docking station to recharge it. Tempting though...
Gearlive had this first.
I just got mine today. So far so good. It is actually pretty easy to use and comfortable. This was typed with it. :)
It's certainly interesting. I think it's funny how people have such a negative response to something because it's different from a keyboard, and seems strange and foreign to them.
If it works, it'd be pretty cool. If you can manage to get equal or almost equal WPM on it, all the more power!
This story isn't nearly as confusing and dismaying as the fact that the "story lead" consists of only four actual sentences. Your English teacher's head asplode.
word UP to Grant. I'm glad I'm not the only one cringing and suffering due to engadget's heavily hyphenized and parenthesized style. My brain often hits a stack overflow when trying to parse through the articles and remember every nested phrase's context.
We kid because we love, engadget.
So, I'm having trouble understanding this. The review, written by an obvious masochist who was crazy enough to try to learn to use that monstrosity, states that it isn't yet a viable alternative to the keyboard and mouse. Couple that with the fact that it's expensive, and that most users wouldn't even attempt to use it because of the wacky form factor, and I really don't see the point.
I'm all for innovation, but when a product has such a high learning curve as this one (to the point that nobody is even going to attempt to use it), the company really needs to question if it's worth while.
It's a great idea poorly implemented.
IF it looked sexy, had an xbox style analog joystick instead of a ball, was wireless, swtich for accessing many computers with the same controller, and had a system to re-map multi button combos on a perapplication basis, I'd say it had a very good chance.
The keyboard mosue combo always seemed like a workaround to me. There is too much switching and the like.
Until we get those nural implants working for interfacing, I'll keep looking for tools like this to speed up my work flow.
Hey, I like using odd input devices. Just look at the PSP, at first trying to type on it is extremely difficult. After a lot of practice, though, it becomes fairly quick. All it takes is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!
Check out the Youtube "commercial" for the Alpha Grip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-qSDdMfhVs
The inventor uses his daughter to demonstrate the product by instant messaging in bed. Pretty funny. I don't really see any advantages to using this other than the fact that you could...instant message in bed.