When you've just about given up on the trackpad and eraser-tip pointers that are supplied with laptops, it's time to get out the old standby... the mouse!
But, wait! You're not at home at your desk! You're not even at ANY desk! The laptop is working as its namesake, namely sitting on your lap!
Where is the mouse going to roll? There's no room. You can't roll it on the leg of the person next to you (without their permission), you can't slide it on the side of the seat, so... WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
Well, fret no more, because you've got MOUSEPAD PANTS!
Hidden in a Velcro® pouch on your thigh is a rigid, plastic tray that swings out from its fabric pocket. The tray is laminated with 3M Precision Mousing Surface®, and sturdied by an elastic and plastic form that strap around your leg.
Finally, you can mouse anywhere!-- Cedar Park, Jan 14 2003 I want some like this http://www.flatware.../Stationery%20Items [my face your, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] ThinkGeek http://www.thinkgeek.com<fights the urge to buy a fog gun> [madradish, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] The Register http://www.theregis...ntent/54/28245.htmlI hope those trousers are going to be insulated. [st3f, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004] Very like the kneeboards that pilots use to hold their approach plates and nav notes. Except this is integral with the trousers. And trackpads are useless things.
This would be cheap and simple to make, too.-- 8th of 7, Jan 14 2003 Why do I have the ominous feeling that these'll turn up at thinkgeek before the year is out?-- madradish, Jan 14 2003 How do you fold a rigid object into your pants without making things uncomfortable? (Yes, yes, snicker snicker.)-- egnor, Jan 14 2003 A fold-out tray at mid-thigh, I imagine, would be no more uncomfortable than storing a book in the thigh pocket of a pair of combats. If the tray folds in half to such a size for storage, it would mean a mousepad size of about 9"x7", easily large enough to use a mouse. The real problem, methinks, would lie in keeping the surface from moving about on the leg.
<Aside>I'm seeing quite a bit of (no doubt intentional) transatlantic pants/trousers confusion. Always amusing. If we can work in some "fanny" wordplay too, so much the better.</Aside>
Such a port-a-table would also be great for crosswords on trains, too.-- friendlyfire, Jan 14 2003 Or just buy an optical mouse in the first place, and you can move it against your regular pants, or the carpet, or any other convenient surface.-- krelnik, Jan 14 2003 <happy exclamation> Another place for a corporate logo! <end happy exclamation>-- 1kester, Jan 14 2003 My initial problem to solve was where to roll the (optical or ball) mouse, if your lap is already occupied with a laptop. Optical mice are really the way to go, but rolling/sliding them on an adjacent empty seat can be problematic and uncomfortable, especially if they are metallic with no descernable texture or pattern.-- Cedar Park, Jan 14 2003 Have you ever tried one of the current generation optical mice, Cedar Park? They can work on the blandest imaginable surfaces, amazingly enough.-- krelnik, Jan 14 2003 [krel] I work with a Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer. I have tried it on shiny, light coloured surfaces with no texture. It doesn't work too well.
The mouse pad swivels out from a pocket inside the pants, and sticks out beside the laptop. Both thighs are supporting the laptop.-- Cedar Park, Jan 15 2003 Not to detract from the idea at all, but I've always thought that the rubber tipped thingy in the middle of the keyboard *should* have been made to work properly. It was a good idea spoiled by the poor response of the software to inputs and the addition (for some BIZARRE reason) of a compliant, force-absorbing cover to the button itself! I'm already aware this opinion is unique in the world so no need for a flaming.-- egbert, Jan 15 2003 random, halfbakery