MBox’s DS21 challenges conventional pointing devices with a modular design that doubles as a handheld motion controller, touchpad, and presentation tool, aiming to streamline the tech gear carried between work and home.
MBox’s DS21 is an unusual attempt to make one pointing device cover several jobs. In its standard form, it is an ergonomic right-handed mouse with a contoured body, thumb rest and full palm support. But the central module can be removed and used as a handheld motion controller, presentation clicker and touchpad, turning the product into something closer to a compact control hub than a conventional mouse.
The detachable core weighs 35 grams, while the full mouse comes in at 85 grams. According to MBox’s campaign materials and product page, the module docks magnetically and uses a six-axis gyroscope to translate hand motion into cursor movement, much like the air remotes bundled with some smart televisions. That gives the device a use case beyond the desktop: users can advance slides, scroll documents, control media or operate a projector from as far as 15 metres away.
MBox says the thumb-side touch surface can handle clicking, dragging, scrolling and volume adjustment. The detached module is also designed to work with smart TVs, tablets and phones, including as a wireless camera shutter. Connectivity is split between a 2.4GHz USB receiver for lower latency on computers and Bluetooth 5.3 for mobile hardware, with support listed for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, iPadOS, smart TVs and projectors.
The idea is to reduce the number of gadgets people carry between home, office and meeting room. That places the DS21 in the same broad category as other modular pointing devices, including Lenovo’s AdaptX concept and the Pixelpaw Phase, though MBox’s product is pitched more as a productivity tool than a gaming accessory. The Kickstarter campaign has already passed its modest $2,000 target, with early-bird pledges set at $55, below the planned $79 retail price. MBox says mass production should start in September, with shipping due in November, although those dates remain subject to the usual risks attached to crowdfunded hardware.
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