Editing Phantom Entertainment (section)

==Lapboard==
[[Image:Lapboard Samples - Black 011.JPG|thumb|right|250px|alt=Black wireless keyboard with thumb drive and wireless mouse|Lapboard (black version)]]

The Phantom Lapboard is a [[wireless]] [[Computer keyboard|keyboard]] made by the company. It was released on June 23, 2008, two years after its originally planned release date. Designed as a component of the Phantom game console, it was ultimately sold for use with [[Internet TV]] and [[Personal computer|PC]] [[video games]] since the Phantom console was cancelled, and never made it to market.<ref name="gamespot1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6155882.html |title=Phantom transmogrifies – News at GameSpot<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=August 20, 2011 |archive-date=May 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524184107/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6155882.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010, a new model of the Lapboard was released to work with Internet TV, gaming and media centers.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.maximumpc.com/article/reviews/phantom_lapboard_review|title=Phantom Lapboard Review|last1=Castle|first1=Alex|date=September 7, 2010|newspaper=Pcgamer|access-date=November 29, 2013|archive-date=November 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131121115533/http://www.maximumpc.com/article/reviews/phantom_lapboard_review|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Announcement===
On January 3, 2006, Infinium Labs announced that the lapboard component of the console (a keyboard and mouse designed to be held on the lap, for example, seated on a couch in front of a television) was due to be released to online retailers by the second quarter of 2006.<ref>{{cite news|first=Brendan|last=Sinclair|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6141718.html|title=Phantom Lapboard coming to PCs|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|date=January 3, 2006|access-date=May 17, 2006|archive-date=March 10, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060310064056/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6141718.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On April 19 it announced that the keyboard would not be released in time for Q2 2006, but the device (manufactured by Itron Technology) would be released in North America and Europe "no later than October" 2006.<ref>{{cite news|first=James|last=Orry|url=http://www.videogamer.com/news/phantom_lapboard_delayed.html|title=Phantom Lapboard delayed|publisher=Pro-G|date=May 18, 2006|access-date=May 18, 2006|archive-date=December 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203010939/http://www.videogamer.com/news/phantom_lapboard_delayed.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On August 15 it was announced that the price for the Lapboard would be [[USD|$]]129.99, with customers who preordered receiving a $30 discount.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20080321071314/http://phantom.net/content/customerCare/index.html Phantom Entertainment<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> The keyboard was then delayed until November.<ref name="gamespot1" /> On August 22, 2007, Phantom Entertainment signed an agreement with ProGames Network to provide Lapboards and its game services content in hotels worldwide<ref name="businesswire" /> as well as with [[Alienware]] for their media center PCs (Alienware later pulled out of the agreement in December 2007 due to another delay in Lapboard's launch).<ref>{{cite web | url = https://techcrunch.com/2007/12/27/alienware-no-longer-carrying-phantom-lapboard/ | title = Alienware no longer carrying Phantom Lapboard | first = John | last = Biggs | work = CrunchGear | date = December 27, 2007 | access-date = October 1, 2008 | archive-date = June 28, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130628122234/http://techcrunch.com/2007/12/27/alienware-no-longer-carrying-phantom-lapboard/ | url-status = live }}</ref> The keyboard was finally released on June 23, 2008,<ref>{{cite web | url = https://gizmodo.com/gadgets/phantom-lapboard/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071218204012/http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/phantom-lapboard/| archive-date=December 18, 2007| title = Phantom Lapboard - Gizmodo | date = April 25, 2008 | access-date = August 18, 2008 }}</ref> two years after its originally planned release date.

===Reception===
[[Image:Lapboard Samples - White 002.JPG|thumb|right|250px|alt=White wireless keyboard, with thumb drive and wireless mouse|White Lapboard]]
In April 2008 ''[[Maximum PC]]'' published a preview of the lapboard, describing it as "extremely promising" although the supplied mouse "experienced signal dropouts at a distance of about 24 inches from the sensor". The author was able to use other wireless mice successfully. The preview states that the peripheral will be available in "June for $130 in limited quantities".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.maximumpc.com/article/first_look_the_phantom_lapboard|newspaper=Pcgamer|last1=Smith|first1=Will|title=First Look: The Phantom Lapboard|access-date=November 29, 2013|archive-date=December 6, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131206165818/http://www.maximumpc.com/article/first_look_the_phantom_lapboard|url-status=live}}</ref> In the actual review, however, ''Maximum PC'' gave the Lapboard a verdict of 4 out of 10 saying: "The bottom line is that this thing is bad. The mouse isn’t good for gaming, the angled keyboard is awful for typing, and for media playback you’d do much better with a slimmer wireless media keyboard with a built-in trackpad or ball, which are available for significantly less than the Lapboard’s $140 asking price." 
On July 20, 2009, a sample lapboard received a favorable review from the ''Hardware Heaven'' website.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/812/pg1/phantom-lapboard-keyboard-mouse-intro-keyboard.html|title=Phantom Lapboard (Keyboard & Mouse)|author=Zardon|date=July 20, 2009|website=HardwareHeaven.com|access-date=November 29, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203133912/http://www.hardwareheaven.com/reviews/812/pg1/phantom-lapboard-keyboard-mouse-intro-keyboard.html|archive-date=December 3, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite its lukewarm review, in May 2010 [[About.com]] included the Phantom Lapboard in its [[Father's Day]] gift guide.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://peripherals.about.com/od/pckeyboardsmice/fr/PhantomLapboard.htm|title=Phantom Lapboard Review|last=Johnston|first=Lisa|website=About.com|access-date=November 29, 2013|archive-date=December 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203050029/http://peripherals.about.com/od/pckeyboardsmice/fr/PhantomLapboard.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://peripherals.about.com/od/laptopbagsaccessories/tp/FathersDay.htm|title=Father's Day Gift Ideas|last=Johnston|first=Lisa|website=About.com|access-date=November 29, 2013|archive-date=December 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203045514/http://peripherals.about.com/od/laptopbagsaccessories/tp/FathersDay.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> On July 19, 2010, Michael Welter posted a generally positive review of the Phantom Lapboard on ''Missing Remote''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.missingremote.com/review/phantom-lapboard|title=The Phantom Lapboard|last=Welter|first=Michael|website=Missing Remote|date=July 19, 2010|access-date=November 29, 2013|archive-date=December 3, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203022943/http://missingremote.com/review/phantom-lapboard|url-status=live}}</ref>