Author Topic: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?  (Read 2583 times)

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Offline caffo

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I've been using my HHKB for almost six years, and I love it. I also got an Atreus that I'm planning to use for traveling as soon I can tame the fn layers.

My plan is to put the keyboard on top of my macbook trackpad, but with that I can't reach the trackpad. I can use an external mouse, but I spend a lot of time in planes or small desks where operating a mouse is impractical.  Any ideas?

Offline CPTBadAss

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Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
« Reply #1 on: Thu, 29 January 2015, 11:42:47 »
Perhaps you can mod your Atreus to have the little trackpoint nub? Or use the Apple touchpad?

Offline caffo

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Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
« Reply #2 on: Thu, 29 January 2015, 11:55:11 »
Yes, the trackpad nub was the only think I was able to think about. Was hoping someone would come up with a clever organization idea here :)

Offline jdcarpe

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Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
« Reply #3 on: Thu, 29 January 2015, 11:58:00 »
Alumaplop.
KMAC :: LZ-GH :: WASD CODE :: WASD v2 :: GH60 :: Alps64 :: JD45 :: IBM Model M :: IBM 4704 "Pingmaster"

http://jd40.info :: http://jd45.info


in memoriam

"When I was a kid, I used to take things apart and never put them back together."

Offline Oobly

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Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
« Reply #4 on: Thu, 29 January 2015, 13:25:35 »
https://www.massdrop.com/buy/tex-yoda?mode=guest_open

It's not an HHKB, but it solves your problems.

It's also not quite as cool as lowpoly's original version: https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=4917.msg71011#msg71011

That's one of the most awesome DIY boards I've ever seen. Made from a Cherry G80. The aluminium sheet case is a work of art.

As is the entirety of kurplop's alumaplop :)

Or you could add a trackpoint module to the Atreus...

OR get a separate small trackball or trackpad module that you can put over the laptop keyboard area <-- This may be the simplest solution.
Buying more keycaps,
it really hacks my wallet,
but I must have them.

Offline caffo

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Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
« Reply #5 on: Thu, 29 January 2015, 13:57:02 »
Thanks for all the suggestions. The yoda is very tempting, but I ordered a jd40 this week so  not planning to buy anything else for now. Meanwhile, I found something very simple that may work for me. There's the app I use to customize keybindings  - it's called Karabiner - and I just found this flag on it:



With it, I was able to do this:



Now all I need is a 6" cable. Ordering one from pexon now.

 :thumb:

Offline Oobly

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Re: Tight space, laptop trackpad and a small board. How would you organize it?
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 30 January 2015, 01:00:27 »
Thanks for all the suggestions. The yoda is very tempting, but I ordered a jd40 this week so  not planning to buy anything else for now. Meanwhile, I found something very simple that may work for me. There's the app I use to customize keybindings  - it's called Karabiner - and I just found this flag on it:

Show Image


With it, I was able to do this:

Show Image


Now all I need is a 6" cable. Ordering one from pexon now.

 :thumb:

Nice :) I think he also has some of those little 90 degree MiniUSB adapters, so the cable doesn't have to scrunch up against the screen, but I can't recall which way they bend according to the HHKB plug orientation. I have a few of his cables and love them. Very nicely made with attention to detail.
Buying more keycaps,
it really hacks my wallet,
but I must have them.