Touchpad Lid

I hate touchpads. Unfortunately, they seem to be on every single notebook PC produced these days except IBM Thinkpads. And even IBM is starting to integrate them.

I hate touchpads because I am a touch typist, and often look away from the screen when I'm writing. If I inadvertently make contact with the damn touchpad, it moves my cursor, and I can type several pages without realizing I'm inserting text in the middle of my document. Sometimes, this happens more than once, really screwing things up.

Normally, I use a USB mouse and disable the touchpad. But there are times when I can't hook up the mouse, and then I have to enable the touchpad again. Depending on which notebook I'm using, this involves either rebooting the machine, or manipulating windows without a mouse, both of which are a real PITA.

What I want is a simple cover for the touchpad--one that will stick on top of it without damaging it or interfering with closing the lid.

Admittedly, I've half-baked these, myself, using old credit cards cut to size, held in place with that rubbery adhesive sometimes found holding inserts in magazines and such, but they don't stay sticky for long, and they look rather crude stuck to a sleek, stylish machine. Also, they have my credit card numbers on them, and if they fall off somewhere, I've got to change the number. A few well-placed Post-It notes have also done the job before, but again, there's the style issue, and I don't always have them handy.

No, I think a professionally designed and implemented product would be better. Find a better adhesive, and manufacture well-fitting covers, and you've got a product that you can sell at a profit, not unlike those "Write Right" plastic sheets that some people buy to protect their PDA screens. As an added bonus, companies could print their logos on these and pass them out at conventions or in direct-mail advertising.