It’s always nice to see sustainable designs make its way into the computing realm, but we’re torn between getting really excited and scar(r)ed for life with the new Oreé Touch Slab. It’s not that the gesture touchpad doesn’t look awesome – it does – but it’s made with a single piece of maple or walnut wood. Green and environmentally friendly? Yes. Asking for a splinter each time you play Angry Birds on the Web? Well, we’ll see.
The multitouch Touch Slab is compatible with any Mac OS or Windows 7 and 8 platform, and comes equipped with Bluetooth so you can control your screen wirelessly. Little details are revealed about how the sensors can detect human fingers and movements underneath a slab of wood – we’re guessing the top layer of wood is thin enough for the technology underneath to recognize various gestures. Perhaps the wood is coated in some sort of conductive chemical, then polished down to protect the users from possibly hurting themselves when aggressively gliding their fingers over what looks like a splinter minefield.
To take your mind off of that, now’s a good time to mention that the Touch Slab comes with a number pad to go on top of the device so it’s not all swipe-based. This accessory could be useful for those who prefer square arrangements of numbers instead of a keyboard’s horizontal alignment.
If you want to own this gorgeous touch pad and aren’t afraid of risking a few nicks here and there, Oreé is accepting pre-orders for the Touch Slab now at $200 apiece. The item is scheduled to ship on October 21st. While you’re at it, the company also offers other computing accessories made with wood, so if you want a wooden keyboard to go with that Touch Slab, go wild.
