back to article Mobee Magic Numpad

Mobee has built a niche for itself building accessories for Apple’s Magic line of input devices. This one might just be the cleverest of the lot. The package consists of three film overlays, each printed with a different arrangement of buttons, which allow you to use the Magic Trackpad for tapping in digits. Mobee Magic Numpad …

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  1. Richard Crossley
    Pirate

    Two Words

    Concept Keyboard

    I wonder if they patented it?

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    When I were a lad.

    We had something like this for the BBC Micro, ok, it wasn't a touchpad, it was a matrix of buttons (bit like the zx81 keyboard), but you laid an acetate thing over it relevant to the "educational" program you were running.

    1. LinkOfHyrule

      Re: When I were a lad.

      I remember that badboy! They don't make 'em like they used to do they! I can't imagine a trackpad overlay with pictures of farmyard animals or some such on it though you never know... I am sure sheep enthusiasts use Macs, they're bound to really!

  3. Anonymous Coward
    Thumb Down

    Expensive sticker

    What a good idea but terribly thought out. A external USB numeric keypad can be had for less and we all know it would be alot better on those digits. My ZX81 keyboard has more travel than this thing - what more does one need to say.

  4. jake Silver badge

    But ...

    I already have a keyboard. L-keys, F-keys, ten-key, <ctrl>, <alt>, <shft>, misc. other meta-keys, etc. ... Why would I want this thingy?

    1. JDX Gold badge

      Re: But ...

      Data entry.

      1. Jim 48
        Thumb Down

        Re: But ...

        Imagine you have a large amount of numbers to input, now tap your desk for two hours. That's what using this for data entry would be like.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: But ...

          And Mac users do a lot of data entry, do they?

          1. LinkOfHyrule

            Re: But ...

            Yeah they gotta enter all those crayon coordinates apparently.

      2. jake Silver badge

        @JDX et al (was:Re: But ...)

        Did you see where I typed "ten-key". Why do you suppose I typed that?

        And who uses iFads for major data entry work, anyway?

  5. vic 4

    Not the first

    Frogpad do one, http://www.frogpad.com/magic-numberpad.php

  6. Dave 126 Silver badge
    Facepalm

    but why?!

    When a dedicated USB number pad is half the flipping price?!

    + More comfortable to tap digits into

    + Can be used at the same time as the trackpad

    + Half the price of this sticker + software

    Okay, price become less of an issue the more you use something, but the dedicated numpad would still be the the best solution if it were more expensive! Oh well... cheaper than an Art Lebedev Optimus Aux, I suppose... http://www.artlebedev.com/everything/optimus/aux/

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: but why?!

      Or indeed pretty much any usb keyboard without an apple logo on it.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: but why?!

        "Targus Numeric Keypad" - £8.25, delivered.

        Please amend my my above comment to "a third of of the flipping price [of this sticker]"

        I'm not against putting hardware to different uses in principal, though: http://createdigitalmusic.com/2011/07/track-master-makes-your-trackpad-a-midi-controller-a-must-download-for-mac/ seems to make better use of the Magic Trackpad's capacitive multitouch. In this case, equivalent dedicated hardware (Korg's Kaoscilator, for example) is the more expensive, rather than cheaper, option.

        Re the review: how accurate is it in use? Is it suitable for people with fat fingers? ('to order your special dialling wand, mash the keypad with your palm now')

      2. Coldred1983

        Re: but why?!

        Or this maybe?

        http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MB110DK/B

        It's what I'm using right now, and it has an apple logo on the back.

  7. Dave 126 Silver badge

    For the accountants with little laptops

    ... I propose a numpad that goes in the optical drive bay... it would pop out like the disc tray does. Their main keyboard would still be aligned centrally to the screen.

  8. Mike Flex
    WTF?

    £25 for a sticker - and it's copy protected! (Though I suppose it would have to be at that price.)

    If you have a decent volume of data entry to do you'll want a pad with real keys.

  9. IR

    And they don't even bother to give you a page of blank "keys" that you can customise?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      You've got a sharpee haven't you?

      Or, if you're posh, letroset.

  10. Eponymous Bastard
    FAIL

    Numbers

    Doesn't the fact that Apple has removed the number pad from its keyboards speak volumes about what it assumes about its target audience? Compare the fact that they ship iMacs with wireless keyboards which requires the end user to buy a cheap and nasty wired replacement, because in public places i.e. educational establishments, anything that is not connected or worthless will become the victim of a recidivist. Cheap keyboard and cheap mouse with over-priced iMac - quite funny really.

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