I have Kubuntu 12.10 and kde 4.10 installed on a friends vario laptop.

All I want to do is disable while typing. This should be easy.

kde-config-touchpad vers 0.8.1-1ubuntu2 just won't start.
It is in the systray but right or left clicking show now action.

Running in konsole shows:
fintan@fintanws2:~$ synaptiks
QDBusConnection: session D-Bus connection created before QCoreApplication. Application may misbehave.
QDBusConnection: session D-Bus connection created before QCoreApplication. Application may misbehave.
fintan@fintanws2:~$

Any help greatly appreciated

Have you tried configuring it through the System Settings module instead? It should be at System Settings > Input Devices > Touchpad, if you have the software installed which I think you do..

Yes, I have tried that. There is no option to disable keyboard when typing.

On my own laptop (HP pavilion dv6) System Settings > Input Devices > Touchpad crashes sytem settings.

Is "synclient" installed, and does it produce valid output?

On my laptop:
xserver-xorg-input-synaptics vers. 1.6.99+git20130104.ce7565ea-0ubuntu0sarvatt~quantal

intan@fintanws2:~$ synclient
Parameter settings:
LeftEdge = 1771
RightEdge = 5457
TopEdge = 1650
BottomEdge = 4626
FingerLow = 25
FingerHigh = 30
MaxTapTime = 180
MaxTapMove = 242
MaxDoubleTapTime = 180
SingleTapTimeout = 180
ClickTime = 100
EmulateMidButtonTime = 75
EmulateTwoFingerMinZ = 282
EmulateTwoFingerMinW = 7
VertScrollDelta = 110
HorizScrollDelta = 110
VertEdgeScroll = 0
HorizEdgeScroll = 0
CornerCoasting = 0
VertTwoFingerScroll = 1
HorizTwoFingerScroll = 0
MinSpeed = 1
MaxSpeed = 1.75
AccelFactor = 0.036324
TouchpadOff = 1
LockedDrags = 0
LockedDragTimeout = 5000
RTCornerButton = 0
RBCornerButton = 0
LTCornerButton = 0
LBCornerButton = 0
TapButton1 = 0
TapButton2 = 0
TapButton3 = 0
ClickFinger1 = 1
ClickFinger2 = 1
ClickFinger3 = 1
CircularScrolling = 0
CircScrollDelta = 0.1
CircScrollTrigger = 0
PalmDetect = 0
PalmMinWidth = 10
PalmMinZ = 200
CoastingSpeed = 20
CoastingFriction = 50
PressureMotionMinZ = 30
PressureMotionMaxZ = 160
PressureMotionMinFactor = 1
PressureMotionMaxFactor = 1
GrabEventDevice = 1
TapAndDragGesture = 1
AreaLeftEdge = 0
AreaRightEdge = 0
AreaTopEdge = 0
AreaBottomEdge = 0
HorizHysteresis = 8
VertHysteresis = 8
ClickPad = 0
fintan@fintanws2:~$

Disabling touchpad while typing works on my laptop.

I will have to check the vario later as it is not in front of me just now.

Any status of the machine which is having the issue?

I can disable my touchpad via `synclient PalmDetect=1`

I can also confirm that there is NOT an option for this feature in synaptiks, or I'm not finding it.

If you would like to enable that on boot/login, you can place a executable script in ~/.config/autostart/ (with a .sh extension) and it will be executed by KDE as part of the general startup process.

On Mint 14 synclient 1.6.2 I used: synclient TouchpadOff=1

Just a note that the options available will depend on your precise touch pad, and the drivers which your distribution shipped.
And to clarify, TouchpadOff=1 will always disable the touch pad, while PalmDetect=1 will only disable it when it detects a palm (ie. when you are typing on the keyboard).