[Thinkpad Tablet General] TheGiantHogweed:
It does seem an unusual thing to want with a tablet, but as I just can't get on with touch screen devices, a touchpad is essential for me. I looked around for information about this possible problem, but can't find any so I thought I may as well create a thread.

This is the keyboard/touchpad I have: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0176GEXC6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also have this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017Z6Q596/ref=twister_B017Z5RF64?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I've previously had loads of different tablets all work very responsively with the touchpad. Very quick to respond. No lag or delay. A list of tablets I've used: (some are from amazon so may not be known at all here) Fusion5 Q102, Dragon Touch X10, Original Tesco Hudl, Acer Inonia B1-7A0. These all worked find with the touchpad.

However, I bought a Huawei MediaPad M3 Lite 8 and the keyboard worked fine. But the touchpad was horrible and sluggish. You could go into setup and adjust the pointer speed, but that didn't solve the fact that it is sluggish and takes time for it to catch up to where it has been taken. I thought it could be the bluetooth version. The M3 had 4.0 and android 7.0. But I then went to Currys PC world to try out nearly 10 of their tablets with each of these keyboards. The keyboards always worked fine. But the touchpad worked fine with some of them but terribly with others. I could not find the reason as to why it worked with some an not others. Well, it always worked, but when it has the problem, the problem is always the same, just slow and unresponsive and keeps dropping off. I wanted to try the Lenovo Tab 4 8 Plus. But they didn't have that in stock. I tried the model below (just not the plus model) and that had the same unresponsive problem with both touchpads. But I went yet another model down (Tab E8) and that worked as flawlessly as my old Acer tablet which I've used for nearly a year. But that was to low specification for what I was wanting.

I then tried buying the Lenovo Tab4 8 Plus from amazon. This has suitable specification for what I want. But when I recieved it, the trackpad works but is very difficult to use again. This problem baffles me as I tried tablets in the store which had the same bluetooth and andorid version and some of them worked fine. Like the Amazon kindle fire and the 8 inch version of my acer tablet. I also tried a samsung tablet with android 8.1 and that worked fine with it but that was well above my price limit.

I've been using by Tab4 8 plus for a few days now and it is an excellent tablet so i want to stick with it. But I am really wanting a keyboard with a touchpad that works. Basically that can fold up into a case like in the first link. I asked the seller of the 2nd keyboard with a touchpad and they said that the touchpad should be compatible with all android devices. Well it is working, but not very usable for many tasks. I don't get on with windows either. I'm basically wanting a small laptop with android, but I don't think such a thing is made. I get on with Linux ok, but it is so difficult to find very small laptops these days. There are several touchpad keyboards for android out there. But I don't want to keep buying until i figure out what it is that makes it so unpredictable weather it will work properly with any tablets. If Lenovo made a case with a keyboard and trackpad, that would be so nice!

All my previous tablets were budget ones. It is just frustrating that I've only managed to get touchpads to work with my budget tablets. If I pay more, I expect a wider range of compatibility.

I would much appreciate some help with this. I don't have a smartphone and that is because of my difficulties with touchscreen. I've got on well with my Acer tablet in the last year, but could really do with an upgrade. I'm happy with the performance of my new Lenovo, but am so confused about what sort of touchpad it needs to work well with it. Given logitech make keyboards for android (too big in my case) it must be possible to get such a thing for android. I just don't know what to buy.

I've attached a screenshot to show what I use. A similar designed keyboard or entire new case with a keyboard and touchpad is what i'm after. Or a way around fixing what I have. If I'm getting a new one, a UK keyboard would be a big preference, but the touchpad is the priority so i could cope with an international layout.

Many thanks.