Although I also have a "cheaper-end slimline laptop/netbook" with a non- working touchpad I don't think I'm having the same issue as you. I see that your device appears in your /proc/bus/input/devices list so I gather it was installed but not working. In my case, the touchpad isn't installed at all and does not appear in that list.
For my computer (a Direkt-Tek DTLAPY116-2), Ubuntu 18.04 detects my touchpad as a i2c_hid i2c-SYNA3602:00 but it is not installed because of an "unexpected HID descriptor." I'm still not sure but I think my issue is the one described here: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1526312 In case anyone still thinks it's relevant, Windows 10 reports the device in the Direkt-Tek with hardware ids of "ACPI\VEN_SYN\&DEV_3602" or "ACPI\SYNA3602" as being an I2C HID Device. ** Bug watch added: Red Hat Bugzilla #1526312 https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1526312 -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1776155 Title: Touchpad detected as SYNA3602, does not work at all. To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1776155/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs