Keyboard magazine calls the Nostromo SpeedPad n52 game controller from Belkin “the hottest new secret weapon at laptop gigs — on both sides of the Atlantic.” This gadget is just a video game controller — but a very fancy, programmable, ergonomic game controller. It has rows of keys, a few buttons, a joystick and a click wheel literally at your fingertips. (Your left fingertips, that is. If you want to wear it on your right hand then you’re out of luck.)

The programmability extends right through to a macro facility — you could probably use this device to control 90% of your computer use, even apart from your highly-acclaimed laptop music performances. You can program different key assignments to different computer applications. This could lead to Byzantine complexity if you’re not careful. But if you are careful it could open up new worlds of intuitiveness (intuitivity?).

Belkin’s own blurb from the Nostromo Speedpad website makes the device sound exciting — maybe a little too exciting. They say it “puts keyboard and gamepad functionality into one small and easy-to-use device, delivering more tools for customizing your game than ever. Using feedback from hundreds of gamers, our engineers designed the n52’s intuitive nature and stylish versatility to give you easy access to your arsenal of deadly maneuvers. So start programming up to 104 functions now-and watch how dangerous you become.”

Back to the review itself. It raves about the Nostromo Speedpad’s “sexy sci-fi design” and its “truly intuitive functionality”. It sprinkles around words like “brilliant”, “breathless”, “amazing”, and even “wow”. Yes, they love it: “Despite the lack of marketing outside the game universe, the n52 is so flexible that it’s making waves far beyond the gaming, music, and media scenes and breaking through into the medical and rehabilitation industries for use by differently-abled folks. Yeah, it’s that cool.”

Well, that’s enough from me. Time for a bit of shopping, I think.