PS3 keypad officially coming first week of December
by Alexander Sliwinski 
on Nov 14th 2008 5:30PM
85
Reader Comments (85)
Posted: Nov 14th 2008 5:51PM (Unverified) said
Can't you just plug in a keyboard and use that instead?
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 6:59PM (Unverified) said
"Can't you just plug in a keyboard and use that instead?"
To use a keyboard would mean either putting the controller down or typing one handed.
To use this Sony thing, you can use your thumbs or hold in in one hand and type with the other.
Either way it's not ideal, but this has sofa appeal.
Reply
To use a keyboard would mean either putting the controller down or typing one handed.
To use this Sony thing, you can use your thumbs or hold in in one hand and type with the other.
Either way it's not ideal, but this has sofa appeal.
Posted: Nov 14th 2008 7:45PM spin cycle said
You can use any USB or Bluetooth keyboard on your PS3. I use an Apple Bluetooth keyboard.
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 5:35PM Esat Dedezade said
I concur.
Ergonomics just threw up glancing at this thing.
Comfort just fainted.
Value for money? Well... he just shot himself between the eyes.
Reply
Ergonomics just threw up glancing at this thing.
Comfort just fainted.
Value for money? Well... he just shot himself between the eyes.
Posted: Nov 14th 2008 6:14PM (Unverified) said
I suppose they didn't want to look like they were ripping off Microsoft, which isn't much of an excuse. Looks like you'll actually have to move your entire hands up on the controller to reach this thing with your thumbs, which pretty much defeats the purpose. And let's not start on the price.
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 6:21PM Esat Dedezade said
It looks like when you type on this thing, your palms are gonna be moving the analogue sticks...
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Posted: Nov 15th 2008 7:45PM (Unverified) said
Actually: Ergonomics, their doing it right.
Put a Playstation controller in your hand and put your thumbs in a position where you would type if you were using a keyboard at the bottom of the controller. Now put your thumbs in a position where you would type if you had the PS controller. Notice the difference in strain that bottom position puts on your thumbs?
Go ahead try it. If you don't have a PS controller, and are still saying that this is not ergonomic, maybe you should shut up, because you don't know what your talking about.
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Put a Playstation controller in your hand and put your thumbs in a position where you would type if you were using a keyboard at the bottom of the controller. Now put your thumbs in a position where you would type if you had the PS controller. Notice the difference in strain that bottom position puts on your thumbs?
Go ahead try it. If you don't have a PS controller, and are still saying that this is not ergonomic, maybe you should shut up, because you don't know what your talking about.
Posted: Nov 14th 2008 5:35PM (Unverified) said
I can't wait to comment on Joystiq with this new device!
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 5:37PM FernandoRocker said
The 360 one has a better design, backlight, and is way cheaper, comes with a headset, and I bet is way more comfortable...
Why did they have to design this keypad to be on top of the controller?
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Why did they have to design this keypad to be on top of the controller?
Posted: Nov 14th 2008 6:31PM (Unverified) said
Not commenting about the price, but have you ever grabbed a ps3 controller?
From what I can imagine from my imaginary texting, there's no ergonomic way to put a keyboard below the thumbsticks. The controllers are way different...
Reply
From what I can imagine from my imaginary texting, there's no ergonomic way to put a keyboard below the thumbsticks. The controllers are way different...
Posted: Nov 14th 2008 11:59PM BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam said
Bravo is correct. There's no good way to put a text pad under the PS3 controller... because it's the same design they've been using for over 10 years...
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Posted: Nov 15th 2008 5:45AM GenGrievous said
Sorry instead of some fanboys I trust the people who have actually tried it.
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Posted: Nov 15th 2008 7:55PM Johnnynumber5 is powered by cell said
No way!
Fernando thinks a MS product is better than a Sony product!
Im in disbelief ... Mad catz sells a similar chat pad for about $20.00 cheaper. The great thing about the PS3 (unlike the 360 & Wii) is you can just your computers keyboard. You can use any BT headset as well so no need to pay for Wii speak or a wireless headset.
PS3 FTW!
I'm not convinced this chat pad is as bas as everyone is making it out to be. I prefer to actually try things out before railing on them.
Reply
Fernando thinks a MS product is better than a Sony product!
Im in disbelief ... Mad catz sells a similar chat pad for about $20.00 cheaper. The great thing about the PS3 (unlike the 360 & Wii) is you can just your computers keyboard. You can use any BT headset as well so no need to pay for Wii speak or a wireless headset.
PS3 FTW!
I'm not convinced this chat pad is as bas as everyone is making it out to be. I prefer to actually try things out before railing on them.
Posted: Nov 16th 2008 3:36AM BPMOmega XBL PSN Steam said
You CAN use any USB keyboard with 360 and Wii...
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 5:41PM (Unverified) said
If you cant wrap it up in bacon then whats the point.
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 5:45PM illiteratePoet said
Sorry, that design looks aweful. I love my PS3, but I will not be getting this.
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 5:45PM Shagittarius said
Thank god now I can finally finish the registration process...
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 7:33PM (Unverified) said
The thing is, it will end up being something even more ridiculous like AU$90 down here where the world doesn't appreciate our currency :(
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 7:48PM spin cycle said
Oh yeah, making your left thumb go down low is completely unnatural. Everyone knows that the human body is shaped such that the left thumb is naturally designed to go high, while the right thumb is naturally designed to go low.
I personally don't see what's strange about having both sticks at the same height. You do have to adjust your hands to reach any of the 4 active zones on the controller, but once you do so, both work just fine. The 360 controller is the same way, you just adjust your hands a bit differently.
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I personally don't see what's strange about having both sticks at the same height. You do have to adjust your hands to reach any of the 4 active zones on the controller, but once you do so, both work just fine. The 360 controller is the same way, you just adjust your hands a bit differently.
Posted: Nov 15th 2008 3:49PM AUserName said
Go hold a 360 controller, then a PS1/2/3 controller. On the 360 controller, both your thumbs should be up, making almost a check-mark or V shape. On the PS3 controller, atleast for me, thumbs will be making a L or, if you can contort your hands enough, you can manage doing the PSP claw.
I hate how people say that the 360 controller is made for FPS and the PS3 controller is better for everything else. I can't play a PS3 game without my hands hurting. The dual-shock needs a redesign bad, even if it will end up looking like a mutated 360 controller. I'm sick of playing Playstation games and then my hands being stuck in the claw for hours.
On topic: This thing is going to be a load of junk. I can imagine it now... I'll be taping and the palm of my hand will it a button and screw it all up. This will end up overtaking the Wii control in the number of broken TVs and busted eyeballs.
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I hate how people say that the 360 controller is made for FPS and the PS3 controller is better for everything else. I can't play a PS3 game without my hands hurting. The dual-shock needs a redesign bad, even if it will end up looking like a mutated 360 controller. I'm sick of playing Playstation games and then my hands being stuck in the claw for hours.
On topic: This thing is going to be a load of junk. I can imagine it now... I'll be taping and the palm of my hand will it a button and screw it all up. This will end up overtaking the Wii control in the number of broken TVs and busted eyeballs.
Posted: Nov 15th 2008 5:00PM spin cycle said
I think your check mark stuff doesn't explain it. Because if you play an FPS on 360, your right thumb making an "L". Are you saying your right hand is in pain more quickly on a 360 controller?
It's really just which controller is comfortable for you. Luckily for me, I can use either of them without pain.
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It's really just which controller is comfortable for you. Luckily for me, I can use either of them without pain.
Posted: Nov 15th 2008 6:34PM AUserName said
I'm saying that my hands don't hurt at all on a 360 controller because my thumb isn't in an L shape. On the PS3 controller, thumb is almost always at an L because the controller likes to slid down which forces my fingers to fallow. Even when it is in the right posistion, my thumbs are REALLY close to an L. I can't stand that. Games that don't use both analog sticks aren't as bad as the ones that do like SOCOM. I can't play SOCOM at all. D: The controller always ends up moving so far down that it feels like it's going to pop out of my hands.
All that aside, the dual shock needs a redesign. I don't think anyone would argue that.
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All that aside, the dual shock needs a redesign. I don't think anyone would argue that.
Posted: Nov 14th 2008 10:25PM (Unverified) said
You're not reporting this properly. Amazon.com has the price listed at $50 but there is no confirmation that this is an accurate price. It makes sense for Amazon to overshoot the price because they need to have some asking price before they can accept preorders. However, their price is speculation and nothing more. If you don't report it as such you're leaving out the very basis of that part of the story. Literally every last piece of confirmed information regarding the chatpad has come directly from Sony. We're not going to know what the price is until they announce it to reporters and bloggers, or to retailers. Until that happens there is no point in making news out of Amazon's likely-overblown guess at the price. But by all means, enjoy the havoc this is stirring up among fanboys.
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 7:16PM FredFredrickson said
Oddly enough, you'd probably have an easier time typing on it if it were actually a codpiece.
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Posted: Nov 14th 2008 6:23PM CyberKnight said
It doesn't look like it plugs into the controller at all, just fits on it. Which would mean it has its own power supply and connection to the PS3. That would account for the added cost (compared to the 360's chatpad, which draws power & connection through the controller).
It's also supposed to work as a mouse, isn't it? I remember something about being able to slide your finger over the keys to use it like a touchpad?
(It also makes me think "added weight", which makes me think it's still going to be very uncomfortable.)
If it is self-contained like that, does that mean it could possibly be a generic BlueTooth mouse/keyboard for something other than the PS3?
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It's also supposed to work as a mouse, isn't it? I remember something about being able to slide your finger over the keys to use it like a touchpad?
(It also makes me think "added weight", which makes me think it's still going to be very uncomfortable.)
If it is self-contained like that, does that mean it could possibly be a generic BlueTooth mouse/keyboard for something other than the PS3?
Posted: Nov 14th 2008 7:50PM spin cycle said
I'm fairly certain it plugs into the USB port on the top of the PS3 controller and uses the PS3 battery. So I don't think you need to worry about that.
It's still ridiculously priced. I'm staying away.
Reply
It's still ridiculously priced. I'm staying away.
Posted: Nov 15th 2008 12:25AM kspraydad said
Yes...it has its own battery supply and can be used without the controller. If you DO snap it on and charge your controller it has a USB passthrough and both the keyboard and controller will get charged.
It has its own battery.
It has a built in touchsensitive 'mouse pad' by holding in one of the shoulder buttons on the keypad the keys turn into a 'mouse'.
Reply
It has its own battery.
It has a built in touchsensitive 'mouse pad' by holding in one of the shoulder buttons on the keypad the keys turn into a 'mouse'.
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