Beyond Keyboard and Mouse: Alternative Input Devices

The mouse is over 40 years old now... and boy is it looking tired. One of CES 2007's less blatant themes was the crush of alternate ways of getting data into your computer, especially if you're playing games.

I've finally gotten finished unpacking from CES and have a few moments to type up my impressions on a whole host of new input devices I saw there (and that UPS brought by), along with some new spins on old ones. Here's a rundown on some of the coolest stuff I saw.

Sandio's 3-D Mouse - Gamers know that the usual way to work through a level is to use the mouse as a directional camera (pointing the way you are looking) while using the W-A-S-D keys to move. The $80 Sandio Game O' (pictured) has three four-way toggle buttons attached to it, corresponding to X-, Y-, and Z-axis controls. Using these controls takes some patience and a lot of learning, but you'd be surprised how much more flexibility the system gives you. (In action!)

Novint Falcon - This you have to see to believe. It's basically an orb that extends from three motorized arms. Mainly for use with 3-D shooters, you grab the orb and move it in three dimensions as if it's your weapon. When you push a button to fire, the Falcon recoils. I tested it out with Half-Life 2, and Novint had programmed various strength recoils for various weapons, so a pistol packs a small kick, while a shotgun knocks you back further. At $189 it's more novelty than essential, but if you're a hardcore gamer you really need to check this thing out in the flesh. (In action!)

PCGamerBike - It's a stationary bicycle designed to let you control moving forward and backward based on your pedaling. Pedal faster to run in the game. Seems awkward (I didn't get a chance to ride it myself), but the $179 "Mini" version seems a better investment than the $1,099 full size bicycle.

Golf Launchpad - Electric~Spin's golf simulator lets you take whacks at an actual golf ball with an actual club. If your ceiling is high enough, you can make a full swing and have it replicated in Tiger Woods PGA Tour. You can even putt. A PS2 version is $199; PC and Mac runs $249. Pretty nifty and perfect for any duffer when he can't get out of the house. (In action!)

Mucho Mice - Razer showed me a boatload of gaming mice, including its new $60 DeathAdder, which has the best "inches per second" rating of any mouse ever, allowing you to move up to 95 inches in a second (further than you can with your hand, probably) without skipping. Per Razer, IPS is the new DPI, and upcoming mice will fight for the IPS crown since DPI levels have hit a point where further improvements don't actually matter. Also coming this year: A titanium-clad Boomslang, one of Razer's older and most popular products.

Killer Keyboards - Razer also gave me a peek at its new keyboards, including the $130 Tarantula, which includes a mini USB port for an overhead light or a webcam, and the Reclusa, being released in conjunction with Microsoft. The Reclusa's 12 programmable buttons and ultra-sensitive keys make it a great gaming keyboard... plus it has ambient backlighting. I also took a peek at Adesso's new Wireless Mini Trackball Keyboard, a pint-sized unit with a trackball built in, a decent solution for those of you who need a keyboard to use in a media center environment or when your computer is hooked up to an HDTV monitor.