What does it want to be? (iOne Scorpius N4)

Member Name: ben-lloyd

Product:	iOne Scorpius N4
Date:	09/07/09 (100 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: 2-in-1 optical mouse and numeric keypad

Disadvantages: Big, unergonomic, short USB lead, stiff scroll wheel

~~~ Overview & Appearance ~~~

The iOne Scorpius Keypad looks just like that weird cluster of numeric keys situated to the right of your PC keyboard, crossed with a pocket calculator and then interbred with an optical mouse. Made in black, silver and two shades of grey plastic, the Scorpius features 19 keys for numeric input, a right and left mouse button and a grey scroll wheel for vertical page navigation. The underside of the device is graced with a red laser to monitor movement and the whole device is supplied with a rather stingy 2.5' (75cm) silver(ish) USB lead for connection to your PC. The left hand side of the mouse also features a mysterious silver "Mode Switch" button which toggles the three tiny green LEDs mounted just above the numeric keypad.


~~~ Use ~~~

Like any modern USB optical mouse, connection of the Scorpius is simple; plug it into a USB port and Windows immediately recognises its presence and function, however I have not tried this on an Apple Mac.

The functioning of the mouse is as one would expect; simple and effective. The strange ergonomics of the device may lead to a few problems and as such I doubt the Scorpius is any good for fine detail graphic work nor gaming. The left and right mouse buttons are reasonable, but I personally prefer a bit more feedback when clicking; these buttons are ideally suited to those who treat their computer peripherals gently. The scroll wheel on the other hand is quite stiff in comparison to most other mice I have used and although it works well, more effort is required to spin the wheel than normal.

The surface mounted number keys are efficient for input although they are more like the keyboards found on laptops. If you like the minimal click and feedback of a laptop keyboard, you will probably like the keys of the Scorpius. Worthy of note for the more clumsy-fingered though is that the number keys are just slightly smaller than those found on the standard keyboard so mis-keys are quite common. Because the numeric keys are mounted on the top of the mouse, it is also quite possible to start placing numbers into your documents by accident if you forget to use the "Mode Switch" to disable the number keypad when not in use.


~~~ Observations ~~~

In addition to the notes on usage above, there are a few more quirks with the Scorpius which are of concern. Because of the dual-function of the Scorpius, it is slightly larger than a normal mouse, but also the keys are slightly smaller than a normal keyboard making one feel as though it is a poor amalgamation of two devices with which most users are already familiar and comfortable. And although the numeric keypad slopes gently downwards, the usual curved, ergonomic back of a standard mouse is lost and the device cannot nestle gently in the hand meaning that users are likely to tire of the device relatively quickly. The increased surface area of the mouse also means that use of the device actually needs more desk space than most alternative devices.

Added to this, the short length of USB cable and the grade of materials used in its manufacture mean that the cable itself is prone to accidental damage quite quickly. I have had several cords fray and separate as they have rubbed across desks or been stretched by impatient users.


~~~ Conclusion ~~~

The iOne Scorpius keypad seems to have been invented with laptop users in mind, being that most laptops do not have dedicated numeric keypads. And as most laptop users do not spend more than a few hours at a time on their machines, some of the ergonomics issues of the Scorpius can be over looked. The use with a laptop would also excuse the short USB lead supplied on the mouse.

However, the quality of the USB cable means that the Scorpius may not be as portable as intended. And the the issue of the large surface area required to operate the mouse raises portability questions again.

The Scorpius is a good attempt at a hybrid device, but the compromises made between the mouse and keypad it attempts to amalgamate mean that it is flawed in both functions. I would not suggest the Scorpius to anyone other than those who desperately need an additional numeric keypad and like the idea of what the Scorpius intends to be.




© ben-lloyd 2009. This review appears on other websites under the same user name.

Summary: Is it a mouse? Is it a keypad? Is it super? Errr.....no