Game controller/keyboard now in production

Slashdot links today to a product called the AlphaGrip, which is an ergonomic game controller with a fully-functional keyboard and mouse built in. I spent a little time this morning watching the demos for the device, in which a gentleman types in a word processor, opens and closes applications, and plays Doom III.

All in all, the AlphaGrip looks pretty neat. I’m thinking Sean and I should get one to try out; he likes to use his computer in bed, and this would really help him to relax. They’re $99 right now, which really isn’t that bad.

The gentleman in the video stated that he could type 40-50 wpm on the AlphaGrip. As I currently clock speeds of up to 114 on a regular keyboard, I’m wondering how fast my typing would be on the device. Part of why I type so fast, I believe, is because I learned to type while I was still a child. There’s a greater learning curve for pretty much everything once you get out of puberty, so as an adult I’m not sure I will be able to reach my peak speed on the AlphaGrip. It would be interesting to test that theory.