Something for Alienware to include in their refresh:

I can't believe Alienware, the king of computer lights, hasn't thought of this yet. It would be pretty slick to add on if they used an oversized frosted glass multitouch capacitive touchpad with a light like this under it. Opinions? Gateway gets snazzy with glowing touchpads on EC39C and ID49C08u laptops -- Engadget

 

Light-up touchpads are ho-hum on the Interesting Meter.

Now if they'd replace the touchpad with a touchscreen, like you find on smartphones, I'd take notice.

 

I was hoping they would make it glass, meaning it would have to be capacitive making the quality of the touchpad superior to most others. Because it is glass, they could throw a light underneath and maybe even an alien head on the glass. Just brainstorming a little

 

I'd just like a working touchpad first -.-

 

Haha, hopefully a multitouch capacitive touchpad will be better than alienware's previous version of a touchpad.

 

I voted yes but let's be honest... Who really uses the touchpad??? After a few minutes it just bothers me, I need a mouse.

 

To be honest? I would use the touchpad more if it was a joy to use. I hate to say this but if it were more like apple's *just threw up in mouth* touchpad I'm sure it would be more enjoyable. Btw, you're the one that made the desk with the built-in cooling, right? I loved how you put the logo in the glass and that's what I mean when I say the alien head could go on the touchpad. It would look pretty sweet if you ask me. I don't think it's a necessity, but it's the sort of thing that separates an alienware from a dell or hp or clevo and so on.

 

And I have a logitech G9 mouse so I am picky about what I use...

 

Yeah and it's very easy to do in the manufacturing process. I, of course, did this in an amateur way by just printing the logo onto a clear sheet of paper for "old school" projectors and then put it over the glass and frosted it with a spray can bought for that purpose at home depot.

 

Nah wo needs that. It be sweet if they would make the touchpad OLED so you can switch interface and be able to use it for lets say choosing a colour in photoshop or change volume or special buttons when gaming. Most people dont use it anyway so why not give it a purpose.

You all understand what i mean?

 

Yeah that would be amazing...

 

I want that.

 

Agreed on the fact that a screen for a touchpad would be amazing. What if at the very least it showed live computer information such as fan speed, temperatures, etc...

 

Ok guys, AW was made to be a gamer's weapon. As such, we don't really use the touchpad when we play games...well for me atleast, I would prefer the mouse since it facilitates gaming. The only reason I bought my M15x was because of the portability and powerful gear inside. Don't really care much for the touchpad but hey, it's a great idea no doubt. Definitely would make it even more attractive!

 

Well the problem is this is a pricey laptop, and a decently working touchpad is a must at the minimum. Sure most use mouse for gaming, but in class I'm going to have to use a touchpad since mouse wont fit on the table along with a laptop. The current touchpad is just bad, the glowing touchpad in that vid dosn't look very good, although I'm sure AW would make a cool looking one.

 

A full capacitive touch screen mouse pad would be pretty sweet.

Click a button its a mouse pad, click it again its a touch screen that you can hot load with programs and widgets and apps. For that i vote yes!

 

I don't understand what people find so annoying about the touchpad. All the ones I used to use prior to the M17x had those gummy pieces of crap knobs that came off of onto your fingers.

 

I rarely use my touchpad, but leave it active for those times when the batteries die on the mouse & I'm gaming. It gives me time to keep gaming while I yell for one of the kids to bring me a charged set of batteries.
Just kidding. The battery charger is lying on the shelf under the end table beside the recliner I am usually sitting in when I'm gaming.



Seriously though, I did not vote because that backlit touchpad feature would not make or break my decision when the time comes to replace my current system. Hopefully by the time a replacement is needed, there will be a fully functional multi-touch screen, similar to the ones on an iphone/ipod touch/ipad/droid/etc instead. THAT could even convince me to upgrade earlier than planned.

 

I just hope that such a high end computer can have a usable touchpad. I was disappointed how unresponsive the touchpad on my friends M17x was. I just want it to work the way it should.

 

The only time I use a touchpad is when I'm traveling through airports/on aircraft. I'm just not a big fan of them...

 

+1000 I hate the mouse pad I just use my mouse.

 

back-light keyboard for night typing sure. What's the function of a back-light touch pad? Just seems like something else to break imo. Alienware already has a ring around the pad so you know where it is, and unless you forget which way is left and which way is right I can't see it being anything useful except annoying and to charge money for.

 

If they update the touch pad then YES. But it's already outlined in the LED light and to be honest, I think it looks pretty cool. But, if the lighted one was more functional then it would be a neat option.

 

On the second day of ownership, my true gave to me, a mouse and a wireless USB.

Touch pads on notebooks are used when you don't have a mouse.

 

agreed, It's good for productive work and web surfing but not gaming. So why put a flashy one on a gaming laptop?

 

1. because its alienware
2. If you give it advanced features like descived above it would be good for gaming, webdesign, photoshop, shortcuts, widgets, ...

 

it just seems like something else to break to me. I'd rather have a good looking unique case than something they've 'tacked on because someone else did it'

Also, touchscreen mouse pad sounds good at first.. but then again we're talking about a space that's *almost* 2.5-3"x 2.5", I can't see it being very usefull for such a small area, unless you have fingers the size of pencil heads. Then you'd have to look down at the pad presumably to see where you're going to click, and by that time, what's wrong with the 17" RGB screen you paid $200 for? Ultimately, theres no-one I know of that uses touchscreen anything for the applications you suggested it for. Primary because it's so clumsy and in-precise. Then you want to put that kind of functionality on a *tiny* screen that your oily fingers are going to be all over doing everything else? Bad idea imo. It would cost a fortune too.


OEM's like gateway need little tid-bits to distinguish them between the other 8 companies out-selling them. We don't need a 'social networking button' on our alienware because it's already an alienware. If you want advanced functionality in a powerful DTR, they have other, better, purpose built laptops for that (see precision M6500)

 

Ill give you some better examples: Optimus Tactus by art lebedev studio K3N’s bLOG

Something like that but then in small.

 

My biggest complaint is touchpad real estate. I mean look at all of that area under the keyboard. So much room for improvement. This would mean that if it were bigger, there would be more space for a screen and so on and so forth. All I ask is that alienware improves the size of the touchpad and whatever follows, follows.

 

@ Zswickliffe - I have wrists attached my hands so in practice you only have a small amount of area on a 12" wide notebook to have touch stuff.
I can txt with my thumb, but asking me to navigate a touch pad with my wrist is just to much for an old dog.

Any touch stuff could be no larger than the existing area.

Unless of course you have REALLY COOL alien fingers that are 8" long and can get to the numeric top of the keyboard without wrist contact on the touch pad.

I want to believe.

 

again.. unless we're talking substantially bigger than what the touch pad already is on the M17x, I don't see how usefull it's going to be. Widgets on the tracpad? Where are you going to have room for your finger to do the mouse pointing? How annoying is it going to be opening firefox when you ment to just left click on a link? *then* by the time it's big enough to be of use, you've added $100-300 to the cost of the laptop in an area that usually serves as a palm rest. The tactus works because it's big. There's just not enough real-estate there to make it functional and a time saver unless you're using a stylus.. and then why wouldn't you just get a *real* stylus pad? *Then* how are you going to market such features when most people that want those features are buying the precision laptops instead?

 

Your completely right that it wouldnt be much use. I think its the novelity of it that causes people to want it. Alienware likes pushing the bar (generally speaking) when it comes to things so while not exactly useful it certainly would be an interesting feature.

Thats why i would like it "keyed" so you can have it as basically a launcher for programs or files and then be "switched" to a traditional trackpad for actual usability.

Even if it only has space for like 9 icons on the "launcher" part thats still something that can be loaded by the user to be actually useful and then switched over to track pad function the rest of the time.

As to cost... well it would be an upgrade obviously as not everyone would want/need it so the cost would be a moot point. It only would effect those that want it.

So yeah its basically a useless feature, but its still a really neat idea

 

honestly alienware should go more toward an alienware tablet or a 3d capable laptop these are feature that could make me jump from my m17 cause for now it's the most powerfull computer (desktop included) in the area so no upgrading unless some one can pee farter than me

 

Haha I wish I had those fingers... However, I don't think I would EVER use a touchpad for gaming. Let's face it though, most people do more than just game on their computers. Surfing the web and trolling NBR forums would be much more enjoyable with a nice, big, responsive touchpad.

 

I think you could put 12 shortcuts like firefox on the touchpad...

But if you want to be innovative you have to be willing to explore all areas and see what works...you cant say its a bad idea but its a place to start where there is rome for improvement.

 

Exactly the idea I was going for when I created this thread and poll.

Perfectly put. This is a solid idea that may need work and innovation, but it's an idea nonetheless. I still think a good way to utilize a screen would be to include system stats like the old Alienwares used to. It was a quick and easy way to check your system and it was always cool to have it readily available. A mixture of system stats and shortcuts would be awesome. 3 icons on top, information in the middle and 3 more icons on the bottom. Might be cool

 

If they make the whole keyboard surface like that it would be really cool, not sure how well that would work with gaming though since the surface would be flat and you would have to see the keyboard to actually look at the keyboard.

 

The idea I was going with was more along the lines of a switch to change from a touchpad to a quick-launch. You know how on some notebooks (hp rings a bell) they have that button that disables the touchpad? There could be a button like that that switches the touchpad between info/quick-launch mode to regular touchpad mode. Now you have the full touchpad for regular use and quick info and shortcuts at the click of a button. Hmmmm. I think we're on to something here.

 

I posted all this way back one year in the refresh thread made by scythus

 

yeah and i think your a genius. I want that

 

^^ thx oooh 3VIL genius so beware

they could also change the form of the touchpad instead of a square make the lines more aggresive and make some extra room for some side buttons to give control over the touchpad features

 

I agree. Its a nice sized notebook. Why not have a more rectangular track pad.

Could even make it a 16:10 aspect ratio to match the screen

 

Yeah a track pad that also serves as a secondary touch screen for MMOs and other games...

 

Holy thread revival batman!

You know what i would LOVE to have in the next refresh? a fan below where your palm rests when using the WASD keys

 

best idea I have heard in a long time.....

 

that looks pretty sick! well anything is better then my M15x rirght now

 

AGREED! Sounds like a great idea.

 

Their touchpad needs to work, which the current ones do not do very well. That's a major problem for a machine at this cost level. On the touchpad level I'll take functionality over looks.