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Where have all the trackballs gone!
thecrumb:
FYI - I broke my collarbone this spring and had to change my mousing habits - ended up buying a Kensington Expert Mouse - I had been avoiding this model because they had not updated their software in awhile but recently they've updated it and it now runs on Windows 7 and allows you to edit all the buttons.
The new Logitech does look nice :)
Jim
f0dder:
I've been considering getting a trackball for a while, but there aren't a lot of options (at least not from standard shopping places, and I'm definitely not up for paying an insane amount for a premium device). A thing that has held me back for quite a while is that trackballs don't seem very suitable for gaming... but I don't game much these days, and it wouldn't be that bad digging out a standard mouse when I feel like gaming (especially not if the "Logitech Unifying technology" works and you don't have to plug in anything when adding a new device).
Avoiding carpal tunnel is much more of a concern now than whether the input device is good for gaming. A friend of mine got hit by this recently, and ended up buying a RollerMouse Pro 2. Seems like a pretty device (and insanely expensive!) nifty, although it takes a bit getting used to - different sensitivity than using a mouse, and you don't have your usual Mouse Muscle Memory. Bonus point for using optical sensors instead of being mechanical, probably also part of the reason why it's not exactly cheap.
The logitech M570 looks very nice, and is something I'll consider if they make a left-handed version, and ends up at a reasonable pricetag (the cheapest I can find it at here in .dk is ~USD100). A trackball still has the disadvantage that you have to move your hand between the trackball and the keyboard; might not be that bad wrt. CTS and strain in general, but it's still annoying. For the RollerMouse, the distance you have to move your hands is much shorter - I haven't used it enough to know whether you end up accidentally moving the mouse pointer around with your wrists, though :)
Josh:
I have been using the M570 for about a month now and I absolutely love it. It takes some getting used to for the left positioned thumb ball but it is a joy to use. I highly recommend it. I give it to deep fried baby cody wings up!
J-Mac:
Man o man, those Contour products look so nice! I have the Logitech Marble Mouse but I use it sparingly. Every time I get going with it the scrolling ends up throwing me back to my Logitech G9. I think that scrolling - or lack of it, actually - has always been my bane with track balls.
But I love the looks of the Contour Roller Mouse and the Kinesis Freestyle Keyboard made to fit it!
Thanks!
Jim
Perry Mowbray:
Avoiding carpal tunnel is much more of a concern now than whether the input device is good for gaming. A friend of mine got hit by this recently, and ended up buying a RollerMouse Pro 2. Seems like a pretty device (and insanely expensive!) nifty, although it takes a bit getting used to - different sensitivity than using a mouse, and you don't have your usual Mouse Muscle Memory. Bonus point for using optical sensors instead of being mechanical, probably also part of the reason why it's not exactly cheap.
-f0dder (November 02, 2010, 01:43 PM)
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Yes, that's what I've got, though it wasn't for carpel tunnel problems; mine was shoulder extension: having the mouse too far away from directly in front of my shoulder.
I've got one at home and work bought me one for the office as well (in fact, two other people at work now have them too).
Man o man, those Contour products look so nice! I have the Logitech Marble Mouse but I use it sparingly. Every time I get going with it the scrolling ends up throwing me back to my Logitech G9. I think that scrolling - or lack of it, actually - has always been my bane with track balls.
But I love the looks of the Contour Roller Mouse and the Kinesis Freestyle Keyboard made to fit it!
-J-Mac (November 03, 2010, 12:30 AM)
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That's been my exact set up for over 18 months now: it's saved my shoulder :Thmbsup:
For the RollerMouse, the distance you have to move your hands is much shorter - I haven't used it enough to know whether you end up accidentally moving the mouse pointer around with your wrists, though :)
-f0dder (November 02, 2010, 01:43 PM)
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In fact I keep my fingers on the keyboard and move the mouse with my thumbs (for simple things). You can click with the roller bit too, so simple button clicks are possible too. More complex mouse operations need a little more control than I have in my thumbs so I can use either hand...
It does need a little getting used to, but I don't accidentally move the mouse any more. Getting the relative heights right is important though: the contour comes with "lifters" to help align the height with the keyboard.
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