left-handed
Latest
IRL: Samsung's Galaxy Note Edge isn't great for lefties
I've been using my phone upside-down for the last two weeks. I didn't lose a bet, nor am I carrying out some weird social experiment. I'm doing it because I hold my phones left-handed, and that's the only way I can comfortably use the Samsung Galaxy Note Edge. With a screen that wraps around the right side of the phone, the Edge is the only smartphone I've used where being a righty or lefty has had a direct impact on my purchase decision; to a lefty, it's uncomfortable and inconvenient to use, and you're better off sticking with its close relative, the Galaxy Note 4. Here's why.
Google nabs design patent for left-eyed Google Glass, frees southpaws from tyranny
No more shall lefties wanting Google Glass toil under the oppression of right-handed overlords. Not if Google's newly granted design patent is an indication, at any rate. The filing simply puts the eyepiece on the other side for those who are either naturally left-inclined or just that much opposed to the optical status quo. There's no guarantee Google will be so accommodating when Glass reaches the general public, although we're hopeful: when early adopters are already paying a small fortune to leap in, it wouldn't hurt to produce a batch for left eye use and give the more committed southpaws among us the freedom they've craved since Google I/O.
Razer's Ouroboros gaming mouse outed by the FCC, transforms to fit lefties
Looking for a rodent to help you frag your way through the competition, southpaw style? The FCC may have just uncovered your new best friend: The Razer Ouroboros gaming mouse. Like the Cyborg RAT series, the Ouroboros features a sliding palm rest and swappable side panels to better fit your mitt. Unlike the RAT, however, Razer's rodent is completely symmetrical, and therefor, ambidextrous. While Ouroboros may not actually devour its tail, it can at least detach it, switching between wired and wireless modes with relative ease. The versatile vermin appears to pack nine buttons (the regular left and right triggers, three buttons on each side, plus the mouse wheel), a toggle for on-the-fly DPI adjustments, left / right trigger locks, compatibility for Windows 7 and MAC OS X and a charging stand. No word yet on the device's max DPI sensitivity or price point, but we'll let you know when Razer makes things official. In the meantime, feel free to browse the rodent's manual at the source link below.
Razer confirms plans to release left-handed Naga gaming mouse
It promised that it would do so if it received enough Likes on Facebook, and now Razer has confirmed that it is indeed proceeding with plans to release a left-handed version of its Naga gaming mouse. That comes after it received the required 10,000 Likes in less than a week -- a full three weeks ahead of its April 21st deadline. Unfortunately, there's no indication of a release date just yet, but you can rest assured that the MMO-focused mouse will be otherwise identical to its right-handed counterpart. The complete specs can be found in the press release after the break.
Qanba introduces line of ambidextrous arcade sticks
The raging battle between Southpaws and Righties wages ever onward, with each side continuing to produce products for their own kind in an attempt to eventually convert the global population to their way of doing things. Some companies, however, are trying to create peace between the warring factions by introducing products that either side can use.Take Qanba, for instance: The Chinese arcade stick manufacturer has announced a new line of ambidextrous sticks that can be flipped and reversed with the flick of a switch. Launching sometime next month, the "Q2-PRO Battle of Wits" can be oriented with the stick on the left or on the right, depending on how you were raised, and will be available in PS3/PC, 360/PC and PS3/360/PC flavors. No pricing information is available as of yet, but can you really put a price on world peace?
Kid Icarus: Uprising gets left-handed mode with Circle Pad Pro
The Circle Pad Pro is expanding its leftward reach to include Kid Icarus: Uprising on the 3DS. Without the Circle Pad Pro, Uprising players will use the stylus to aim and rotate the camera (generally with their right hands) and the 3DS' built-in circle pad to move Pit on land. The Circle Pad Pro will allow left-handed players to aim with their dominant hand, while moving Pit with their right. Producer Masahiro Sakurai didn't know the specs of the Circle Pad Pro before Monster Hunter Tri-G was announced, meaning he wasn't able "to do anything big with it in the time we had," he told Official Nintendo Magazine. Still, Sakurai said he probably wouldn't have used the Circle Pad Pro too much because it "would end up being just the same as controls on other platforms and I think the quick aiming possible with the touch panel suits the game best." Right, "other platforms." Don't worry -- we know what you mean there, Sakurai.
Left-handed Razer Naga in the works?
Let's face it -- the Razer Naga is sort of iconic now as the mouse of MMOs and WoW players alike. One of the biggest concerns about the Naga is that it is functionally only available to right-handed players, because the number pad interface on the mouse is controlled with the right thumb. Some lefties have come up with interesting ways of using a right-handed Naga, but the problem still exists. Razer has offered up a left-handed version of its Deathadder mouse, but MMO players have been without a left-handed option ever since the Naga released. As many people in the community (including myself) would tell you, the Naga is a powerful tool, much like the other MMO-centric mice out there. So why talk about this? It looks like Razer is entertaining the thought of creating a left-handed version of its popular MMO mouse. On its Facebook page, CEO Min-Liang Tan posted a faux propaganda poster and description soliciting comments from left-handed raiders to make this happen. The biggest downside to gaming mice is that they are not very good at being universally acceptable products for both righties and lefties. Inclusion is essential, and good tools for gaming are important, especially to WoW players. Let's hope this happens.
Razer trumpets leftie DeathAdder, southpaws raise the roof with just their left hand
Say it with us, southpaws: "finally!" Razer is finally taking a stand for the under-appreciated (and vastly underserved) left-hand gamer market, and while we would've given these guys even more credit for developing an all-new mouse for lefties, we'll take a redesigned DeathAdder any day of the week. In essence, the DeathAdder Left Hand Edition is the exact same mouse that debuted last September, but in left hand form. The best part? Razer's not charging a dime more for this version than the obviously more viable right handed model. Hey, guitar makers -- care to take a hint? %Gallery-88349%
A lack of left-handed WoW
Kaalis has a post on the forums about something that seems small, and yet is something I have never, ever, in all my years of playing this game, noticed before. Everyone (and I mean everyone) in Azeroth is right-handed. From the lowliest guard in Stormwind to the meanest boss in the Black Temple (probably not Illidan-- maybe Gorefiend), everyone who wields a weapon is right-handed. Even the Shivarra (those female demons with the six arms) wield their weapons in their top right hands. How incredibly strange.I should correct that: apparently Blizzard noticed this before they did Zul'Aman, and so there is one NPC in all of Azeroth (actually one character, because all players are right handed, too) that is left handed: Nalorakk, the bear boss. And you have to assume that after this, we'll see other bosses and NPCs that might mix things up a bit.But for players and old NPCs, Bornakk says not to hold your breath. Blizzard is working hard on new customization options for Wrath of the Lich King, but turning players southpaw isn't one of them.
Guitar Hero controller hacked for left-handed
Hendrix, McCarney, Cobain -- don't underestimate the power of lefty guitarists. Got a twitch to take your Guitar Hero licks southpaw? Check out Engadget reader Kevin M's handiwork; not really a how-to in the vein of our own Ben Heck, but it certainly proves those prepared to will a custom-flipped controller into being can do so with some light soldering, hot glue, and a weekend of labor. Prepare for faux-stardom, sinistral face-melters.
DS Daily: Gaucher
Are you left-handed? Despite the fact that many people are, gaming isn't always friendly to the left-handed among us. If you are, we're curious about your experience on the DS. If you are a long-time gamer, it's probably old hat by now; you're accustomed to a world, in gaming, that is built for the rest of us. But the DS brought forth a lot of people who weren't gamers, and who weren't used to the controls that were built for a right-handed person. We would guess that everything is alright with stylus-based games, but since we're not left-handed, we didn't want to assume. That's why we're asking: is the DS left-hand friendly?
Lefties pwn righties, determines Aussie study
New research conducted by Dr. Nick Cherbuin of the Australian National University suggests that left-handers could be superior at playing "fast computer games." Dr. Cherbuin has concluded that lefties' brains are wired more efficiently than their right-dominated counterparts, helping them to perform better at tasks that require processing in both hemispheres of the brain, including gaming.Unfortunately, the study stopped short of a right-handed vs. southpaw LAN deathmatch. We remain decidedly unconvinced...[Via Eurogamer]
Left-handed people, unite! We are the best.
You know it's true, oh right-handed fools of majority rule! You try to make us conform with your right-handed scissors, can openers, refridgerator doors, keyboards, coffee mugs, pencils, pens, paper, the written language of English (seriously! Lefties have to deal with all that smudging as we write), pillows, and Nintendo DS's (it's a joke... some games let you change controls, but seriously... come on), but now the joke's on you! We may die quite a few years sooner than you, historically, but at least we're better while we last. This article over at Howstuffworks talks about the quick-thinking lefties possess that righties may lack and it's ringing pretty true to my personal experiences. I am better at driving and talking on the phone at the same time than my right-handed buddies (even with a stick shift! Go figure). My jet piloting skills are top notch, last I checked (question: can the righties sense sarcasm as well as lefties?). Most of the legendary guitarists? Left-handed. Legendary geniuses? Lefty. I think the mythical David Hasselhoff is left-handed... but he did go to my elementary school, so perhaps I'm confused.Basically, left-handed people may be more prone to bi-hemisperhal processing abilities; that is, we can compute multiple stimuli faster than right-handed people, who tend to process in one hemisphere and then report to the other. The article does a much better job explaining, so check it out. It's an incredibly fascinating read, regardless of your handed-ness. What's this got to do with gaming? Simple: left-handed people will frag righties more often. Oh, you can't see my wry grin. But I'm grinning. And it's wry.
Elecom's left or right-handed mouse: deadly ambidexterity
Nobody cranks out quirkier mouse designs on such a regular basis than Japan's Elecom. This 800dpi mouse packs the somewhat useful novelty of being suitable for either left or right-handed people -- flick the switch to reverse the left and right-click functions. Just remember to leave the mouse on the correct side of the keyboard to avoid any confrontation with your partner. After all, that M-EKURDR moniker is just an anagram for "murder, k?" On sale in Japan this month for ¥2,520 or about $22.[Via Impress]
Miyamoto talks Zelda -- Link a lefty no more
If you didn't already know that Link, the hero in the Legend of Zelda series, was left-handed, we simply do not know what to do with you. In fact, we might ask that you get a CAT scan to help understand why you are a Nintendo fanboy who lacked this simple knowledge. In time, we could forgive you. Fact of the matter is, Twilight Princess has changed it up a bit under Miyamoto's command and Link is now right-handed. But, GameCube owners do not fear. Link will continue to be left-handed as tradition tells for you. Here is what Miyamoto himself said in his defense of making Link a righty: "Although Link is [traditionally] left-handed, at E3 we noticed people seemed to be using the right Wii controller to swing his sword. That's why we decided to make Link right-handed. The interesting this is, on the GameCube Link is still left-handed; because of the mirror mode the game map is reversed." All banter concerning the mirror mode must cease immediately. Sorry Leftorium lovers, you'll have to sit this one out.
