The problem with office chairs is that when you lean back in them at the store, it's not the same feeling as when you're hunched over a mouse and keyboard. So USB Fever had the stellar idea to build a mouse pad right into the armrest.
You really need to see the product to get an idea of its greatness, so here it is:
That's some serious ingenuity. I'm at a desk all day, and too often, my arm gets put in that weird position where it wants to relax on the armrest, but my wrist has to be on the desk. Even with a slide-out drawer for keyboard an mouse, it's not ideal because of the disconnect and height difference between chair and desk.
The Arm Rested Mouse Pad can be mounted on a chair's existing armrest or bolted to a desk, so that it sticks out from the table. A soft, mouse pad material lays on top, providing some nice cushion for the entire arm. The maker claims that the arm rest will help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, thoracic outlet syndrome and repetitive stress injuries.
And yet, I can't see myself buying one. I'm not sure why; maybe the prospect of an unbranded, $43 product from a random online gadget retailer doesn't fill me with much confidence. Or perhaps I'm concerned that if one arm gets to have ultimate comfort, it'll just make my other arm less comfortable -- and I can't imagine spending another $43 to restore balance. Really, though, someone should be making entire office chairs with this concept on board. Then, we'll see.
