There are two types of people in the world: those who never use keyboard number pads, and those who can’t live without one. Going ‘tenkeyless’ means you have more room on your desk for a big mouse pad and accessories, but it can quickly become annoying when you need to enter a bunch of figures into a spreadsheet in rapid succession.
Now you don’t have to choose, for Microsoft has created the $25, aptly-named Bluetooth Number Pad that you can add to any PC.
Okay, so Microsoft is far from the first to cook up a separate number pad. But despite the fact the device should work with any computer, I can’t help but feel like it was devised for Surface users missing those extra keys when inputting data into Excel. It looks pretty classy for a niche accessory, comes in both black and grey colorways, and even includes a button to launch a calculator app because, you know, numbers.
While for many people a number pad may be superfluous — and it just won’t fit on most laptops — I can imagine Microsoft’s accessory could be handy to keep at your desk for when you need to do a bunch of number crunching. Number pads are also preferred by some gamers for macros and the like.
That’s just one of the accessories Microsoft is announcing alongside the new Surface Laptop Go and Pro X. Others include:
- Microsoft Designer Keyboard ($70): A slim laptop-style keyboard with Bluetooth support for three devices and 2-year battery life.
- 4K Wireless Display Adapter($70): Lets you display your PC’s content on a projector or TV wirelessly at 4K resolution.
- Microsoft Bluetooth Ergonomic Mouse ($50): A mouse with a sculpted shape that’s supposed to be ergonomic and lightweight.
The new devices will be available soon from Microsoft’s online store.
Get the TNW newsletter
Get the most important tech news in your inbox each week.