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Gigabyte announces Aivia Xenon Dual-Mode Mouse

Published on 2nd July 2012 by Gareth Halfacree

Gigabyte's Aivia Xenon combines a trackpad with a mouse, but is it a solution looking for a problem?

Gigabyte's peripherals department has come up with a product it claims is a world first: the Aivia Xenon Dual Mode TouchPad Mouse.

As the name suggests, the Aivia Xenon is no ordinary mouse: while it can certainly act as such - complete with a laser-based 1,000dpi optical sensor and 125 reports per second sensing rate - the device can transform at the press of a button to something closer to Apple's Magic Trackpad device.

The surface of the strangely angular Aivia Xenon forms a touch-sensitive panel based on the same technology as a laptop touchpad. Pressing a button on the side flips the device from traditional mouse mode to multi-touch trackpad mode, complete with gesture support and annotation functionality though the bundled Aivia Painter software. Press the button again, and the device turns back to a mouse once more.

It's a clever concept, albeit one with a somewhat limited market appeal: the Aivia Xenon is, at 95mm by 55mm, markedly smaller than Apple's Magic Trackpad, while its angular design could make for an uncomfortable experience when using it in traditional mouse mode.

With that said, the device certainly has portability on its side: at 19mm tall, it's slim enough to be carried around with a laptop, netbook, or ultra-portable with ease, while its 68g weight - excluding the two AAA batteries required for operation, and the small USB receiver dongle for it 10-metre-range wireless connection - means it won't weigh you down.

UK pricing for the device has yet to be confirmed, with US pricing set at $40 (around £26 excluding taxes.)

12 Comments

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Guinevere 2nd July 2012, 11:29

I always wanted an ugly uncomfortable mouse plus I've always found it hard to find a trackpad that was both too small and sat high enough off my desk to be uncomfortable.

But thanks to gigabyte I can finally get the ergonomic car-crash I've been looking for, and I only have to buy one device.

Yippee! Where do I sign?

Gareth Halfacree 2nd July 2012, 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guinevere
But thanks to gigabyte I can finally get the ergonomic car-crash I've been looking for, and I only have to buy one device.

Yeah, I've been trying to work out what I'd use it for and coming up blank. The big problem I can see is that if it's a mouse, it's designed to glide across the worksurface - which is exactly what I *don't* want my trackpad doing when I'm prodding at it. Unless it lowers an anchor when you switch modes, I can't see it being much fun to use unless you use your other hand to hold it in place.

Silver51 2nd July 2012, 11:43

That's no ~~moon~~ mouse, from the picture it's obviously a hard drive enclosure.

Guinevere 2nd July 2012, 12:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silver51
That's no ~~moon~~ mouse, from the picture it's obviously a hard drive enclosure.

I love the fact that Gigabyte and Leap Motion have tried to solve a UI issue and come up with two devices that look almost identical...

http://live.leapmotion.com/about.html

...but are a million miles apart in functionality!

tad2008 2nd July 2012, 13:06

There was a company a few years back that did a "normal" shaped mouse with a trackball on the top where the scroll wheel is, flick a switch and you had a trackball mouse instead.

Since laptops come with their own touch pad that makes this somewhat redundant, not to mention the poor ergonomics to guarantee finger cramp from holding it as a mouse, not to mention keyboards can be bought that have a touchpad, etc, etc

Sadly, it is far from a solution for anything and can only be a problem and although innovation is usually a good thing, can these companies not come up with something real users actually want and will use?

tad2008 2nd July 2012, 13:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guinevere
Quote:
Originally Posted by Silver51
That's no ~~moon~~ mouse, from the picture it's obviously a hard drive enclosure.

I love the fact that Gigabyte and Leap Motion have tried to solve a UI issue and come up with two devices that look almost identical...

http://live.leapmotion.com/about.html

...but are a million miles apart in functionality!

Indeed :o) and the leap motion is definitely one device that does have real prospects.

Maki role 2nd July 2012, 13:50

My expression when I saw this device:
http://i.imgur.com/mNh4S.jpg

schmidtbag 2nd July 2012, 16:30

I feel like this mouse would actually be pretty practical for windows 8 based tablets. if you're sitting at a desk, use it as a regular mouse. if you're on a train or something, use it as a trackpad. however in the latter situation, you might as well use the touchscreen.

anyone who seriously cares about switching between the 2 modes could just simply buy an external trackpad, and not too many people desire those. most people who would desire those are laptop users, and we all know laptops have them built-in.

I feel a MUCH more practical idea for this mouse would have been the rubber knobby thing that some IBM, dell, and lenovo laptops have between the G and H keys (I forget what it's called). That way you can still have an ergonomic mouse that can still be controlled without moving the entire thing. something like this could actually be the mouse wheel but you have to press a button to change the mode of it to do that.

which brings me to another cool idea - why not replace the mouse wheel with a flat joystick like the PSP joystick? no more flicking your fingers to scroll a page.

MeddlE 2nd July 2012, 21:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by schmidtbag
I feel a MUCH more practical idea for this mouse would have been the rubber knobby thing that some IBM, dell, and lenovo laptops have between the G and H keys (I forget what it's called).

Many years ago (late 90's) while trying to order some replacement rubber caps I was reliably informed, and without a hint of a giggle, by a lady at IBM support that what I required was a pack of 3 nipples.

Guinevere 2nd July 2012, 21:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by schmidtbag
the rubber knobby thing that some IBM, dell, and lenovo laptops have between the G and H keys (I forget what it's called).

Officially TrackPoint or TouchStyk, but will answer to 'Pointy thing' 'Red nubbin' or 'That rubber nipple in the middle of the keyboard'

fluxtatic 3rd July 2012, 07:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guinevere

Officially TrackPoint or TouchStyk, but will answer to 'Pointy thing' 'Red nubbin' or 'That rubber nipple in the middle of the keyboard'

Let me just leave this here http://xkcd.com/243/

alpaca 3rd July 2012, 10:32

I see this used in a computer that changes regulary from normal computer to media-consume-device. As in, Usually, I sit in front of my computer, but if i'm with friends and we're going to watch a movie, we're in the couch on the other side of the room, and i see this trackpad coming in handy then, just to point and choose a movie, pause and play it, change the volume etc, without getting up...