As a game controller, the keyboard has a lot going for it, but it has some problems too. For one thing, it might give you an outrageous case of carpal tunnel, or at least exacerbate it.

That’s why we picked up a Nostromo for the house, a hand module for PC games made by Belkin. Not only has it eased the strain on an aching wrist, it’s actually proving to be an upgrade over the keyboard in its own right.

The problem is my roommate, Ian, who likes to play on a laptop sitting on a TV dinner tray in front of an easy chair. This is probably the world’s worst ergonomic situation, but he likes it. A long session on World of Warcraft will kill his wrist.

On a recommendation from a cousin of roommate #2, Dom, he bought a Belkin n52te, aka a Nostromo. This gadget replaces the left hand side of the keyboard, and comes with a hand rest and thumbstick to boot. Since he can put the module wherever he wants, the pain has subsided.

The biggest adjustment has been going from the using the regular WASD keys for movement to using the thumbpad. This leaves the keys under his fingertips open for other functions, a big advantage over the default mouse ‘n keyboard setup.

In fact, it worked so well that Dom bought one of his own, not for ergonomic reasons, but just to use as a better controller. He’s pretty pleased with it as well.

Ian’s only real complaint is about the little LED lights under the thumb. They show which of the three mappings the handset is toggled to at the moment, but they’re irritatingly bright. To get around this, he’s put a piece of red electrical tape over it. The lights are more than bright enough to shine through it, but they’re muted.

Of course, it is $70, so you’ve got to decide how much you want to spend on toys for your other toys.

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