As much as operating systems have changed over the years, using calculator applications has remained relatively the same. Punching numbers on an actual calculator remains more efficient, especially if you have loads of number-crunching to do. If one of these old-school adding machines still exist in your day-to-day reality, the X Mark I could save some space from your desk by bundling an actual calculator right on a mouse’s body.
Made by Canon, the hybrid peripheral takes a mouse and a calculator, then just slaps them together into a single form. No fancy tricks or clever design: just a regular mouse with a calculator body that actually looks pretty functional.
The X Mark I is a mouse/calculator/number pad combo that connects wirelessly to your computer via Bluetooth. As a mouse, it sports the typical control set (three click buttons and a scroll wheel) and 1,200 dpi resolution. A ten-digit display sits right below the mouse buttons, allowing you to perform mechanical calculations without having to look at your monitor. Alternatively, you can also use the 23-button calculator keypad as a wireless number pad – great for typing inordinate amounts of numbers on an Excel sheet without taking your hand off the mouse.
According to Canon, they used plastics recycled from the company’s decommissioned photocopiers to help build the peripherals. If you don’t care about transparent treehugger marketing (since you hate hippies of all shapes and sizes), there’s probably enough here to entice a purchase: it works with both Windows and Mac computers, eliminates the need for a separate mechanical calculator and lets you saw off the number pad on your keyboard too.
So far, the X Mark I has only been announced for the UK. Price is £39.99 ($65) starting November.
[Canon]