Alex's Notes

For my first post on this shiny new site, why not tackle one of today’s most pressing problems: sticky laptop fingers. Hopefully this helps someone, somewhere.

Background

Touchpads used to always have that matte, Teflon-like surface to allow for easy finger-sliding action. On my HP Pavillion 6000 (great laptop in every other way), they simply painted it. With paint. When my fingers are completely dry, things are good. But often they’re moist (in the summer humidity), and when I’m in a rush they even get sweaty. The friction builds and the touchpad becomes useless.

Solution 1: finger sock

This didn’t work, so you should skip to the next solution. But if you’re curious: I found some very fine cotton cloth, and sewed it together in the same way as the finger of a glove. It even had a tiny tension strap. This covered my mouse finger  and if I could bear wearing it in public, let me navigate smoothly. But as proud as I was, my invention kept coming loose, and sometimes flew off during wild flurries of keyboard action. Regrettably the sock went AWOL before I could get a photo.

Solution 2: Chalk

The chalk is mostly covered with tape to keep my laptop bag from getting dusty

Gymnasts use chalk to help their hands slide and twist over the apparatus, and weight lifters and rock climbers use it to keep their hands dry. My situation was no less serious, so I borrowed a stick of chalk from my local university (they would just waste it anyway) and chalked-up my fingertip. This did a good job of keeping my finger dry, so I carried on this way for several months.  Two problems: during intense laptopping, I would need to re-apply every 5 or 10 minutes; second, the chalky residue had to be wiped from my touchpad every so often.

Solution 3: Oil

Here the oil is absorbed into two small sponges, and contained in a small pill case.

After sitting through five years of mechanical engineering lectures, it’s a little embarrassing that I actually built a finger sock before considering applying lubrication. Mineral oil is very inert and shouldn’t damage the laptop, and I understand it’s also safe on the skin (I’ll only know for sure in a few months). Once spread over the touchpad, the smallest dab of oil provides hours of blissful sliding.  Problem solved.