Logitech Cordless TrackMan Wheel
by Logitech
|
List Price: Our Price: $41.99 You Save: $7.96 (16%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: CE See more product details |
|---|
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Cordless TrackMan Wheel
Customer Review: Makes the "mouse" obsolete
Summary: 5 Stars
Back in the early 90s Logitech came out with their first trackball, and things have never stopped selling and for good reason. To be helpful, I'll go with a strengths vs. Weaknesses approach.
Mouse Strength Trackball Strength
Industry Standard-used by No Cords to impede movement
used by almost every company
No flat service needed
Compatible with just about
everything No mouse pad needed
Tremendous Variety of choices Very short learning curve
Optical, so rarely need cleaning
Mouse Weaknesses Trackball Weaknesses
Long learning curve Very intuitive, Short learning curve
non optical so they Optical so only needs cleaning 1 or
often collect dust and must 2 times a month
be cleaned often
Cord never stops you from moving
Cord CONSTANTLY gets stuck on cursor
something impeding you from doig
something quickly, esp. during EXTREMELY ergonomic and intuitive.
games.
Mouse wheel, if existent, breaks Mouse wheel has never broken in any
easily of the mouse wheels I've had since'91
Non-ergonomic fostering Very natural feeling with no fatigue
Carpal-Tunnel buildup even after 12 hours of playing
I will admit from the first day I ever used a mouse, I hated. I've always has problems with precision, despite years of use before the trackball came out. I always was frustrated I would lose a level because the mouse cord got caught on something, or the mouse ran out of room to keep moving in one direction. The mouse and I hated each other from first sight. The very first day I saw a Logitech Trackman for sale, I was joining the Army in 1990 and had to have one. In about 30 minutes I loved it. Since then they've even corrected all the problems, including sending me new trackballs, when the older ones malfunctioned, no questions asked. I introduced my 72 year old mother (who hates anything "new" to the trackball, and now she refuses to use a mouse after having used one for 16 years beforehand). It should be noted this trackball comes with or without cord. I buy the cordless version so again, I' not inundated with wires. If you haven't every tried one of these, do yourself a favor and borrow someones and give yourself a day, especially if you're a player. It'll seem weird at first, but once you get used to it, you'll never want to use a mouse again.
Customer Review: overall a great gadget
Summary: 5 Stars
This leftie with "piano fingers" is very satisfied with the Logitech Cordless Trackman Wheel. I use it right-handed (and think of it as left-brain crosstraining). Ergonomically I find it very comfortable - my hand rests easily over the unit with the forefinger on the left button, middle finger on the wheel, and ring finger on the right button. The cordless connection works flawlessly in both the PS/2 and USB ports. I've noticed no degradation in response at four feet of separation even when I rest the Trackman on my knee and the signal has to pass through an oak desk to get to the receiver. In terms of comfort, the lack of wrist and finger movement required by the design itself is greatly enhanced by the ability to place the Trackman at any angle, level, or orientation. My favorite is on my thigh beneath the desk.There is a bit of a learning curve if you've never used a Trackball device before. It's not unlike being used to driving a stick shift and then finding yourself in an automatic groping around for a non-existent clutch. For a while I caught myself instinctively sliding the Trackman in certain circumstances. But when you get it down, it is easier, more comfortable, and more efficient than mousework.
In terms of accuracy, I would say that with the proper configuration, it is just as accurate as a mouse. It takes some time to get used to the trackball and you may need to tweak the acceleration and speed settings until you find the right balance that works for you.
A couple things I'm not so crazy about:
The scroll wheel doubles as a programmable third button. It is so close in height to the left and right buttons and sandwiched so tightly between them that I find it difficult to use it as a button without inadvertently hitting the left or right click button (and I have long, skinny fingers).
And finally, if you're using this on a laptop with a built-in pointing device, you may not be able to fully tweak the Trackman settings if you run it through the PS/2 port. I got that warning when I set it up on my Thinkpad (with an integrated touchpad and trackpoint). Fortunately I had a free USB port I could dedicate to the remote receiver (the adapters you need for either the USB or PS/2 connection are included). So laptop users who don't have a free USB port may find that they are unable to fully configure the Trackman. This could be a problem because it's something you'll really want to get just right.
And skip the CD-ROM installation and just go to their website to register and download the latest version of the drivers and software
Customer Review: I Hate Meeses to Pieces
Summary: 5 Stars
OK...first things first: I hate mice. And trackpads. If waving your whole arm around just to move a cursor or scroll a page is your idea of a good time, this review is not for you. I've been using Logitech Trackballs since back in the pre-Windows Dark Ages when they were carved out of wood and powered by steam. I still have 'em all too...just in case they ever quit making them and I have to cannibalize the old ones for parts.
I currently have have 3 of the Cordless Trackmans (Trackmen?) on two desktops and my laptop. My wife uses a corded version on her laptop (she doesn't like dealing with the transmitter, I like being able to move the unit around without fighting the ferschlugginer cord.) We also use a corded version with the Asus Netbook at home although it's a bit too big to take on the road (we use one of those little one finger trackballs for that).
Cons:
It's probably a tad bigger and/or heavier than a regular mouse. If you aren't used to using one, you have to train your hand to use it intuitively (which takes about an hour for most people). And it ain't cheap compared to the mice you can buy for peanuts.
Pros: You don't have to move it. It stays in one place and all you need to move is a finger or thumb to do whatever you want. And it takes up less than a quarter of the desk space of that dopey mouse pad. You CAN move it if you need to. So if you are, for instance, displaying your digital photos, you can back off a few feet and not make people peep over your shoulder while still controlling the display.
Logitech's stuff is always well designed and bulletproof (I use their wireless keyboards too). I have to put a new battery in the cordless trackballs about every 3 or 4 months on the machines I use every day (the software will warn you when it's time). Maintenance is a snap: pop the ball out (there's a hole in the bottom to push a pencil thorough), wipe the mung off the inside and pop the ball back in. Takes 10 seconds. The software is easy to install and configure with lots of options. You can program the buttons and scroll wheel to do different tasks. You can also change cursors and cursor speed and set it to automatically set the cursor on the default button.
Oh yeah...they use 'em on "NCIS" so they must be good. :)
Customer Review: The best for graphic artists
Summary: 5 Stars
I've used just about every pointing device available. Trackpoints are the worst. Touchpads are pretty bad, difficult to control, and you keep scrolling in areas and clicking on things that you never intended. Mice are okay, except (among other things) that fairly often I have observed people (including myself) clicking and missing--the pointer was on the target, but when you released the left button, you twitched and so nothing happens. Also, mice will wear you out after a while; I find a lot of muscle tension at the end of a day. Trackballs avoid these problems. With these devices, when you've got the pointer exactly where you want it, take your thumb off the ball and then click--this is especially good for novices. Trackballs generally give greater control and, when it comes to moving the pointer across the screen, just a tiny thumb movement takes you from corner to corner (if you adjust the motion properly in the control panel). The Logitech Cordless Trackman Wheel is the best trackball I've seen, and I've owned a bunch of them. It has all the features mentioned above and is very ergonomic and relaxing to use. When I cruise the internet, I sit almost motionless, concentrating totally on the information being displayed. Oddly enough, I do recommend playing some solitaire to develop the unconscious feel for the device. One nice feature (a point of distinction): this device uses radio frequency communication and does not require line of sight. I have used it on a table in the middle of the room, the desk being against the wall, without problem (I have a fairly large monitor).
Could the Logitech be improved? Yes. There's room for another button under the ring finger. The scroll wheel could be a little smoother (sometimes you move it one notch and nothing happens, but it's not a big deal, just move it another notch). Something that probably could not be improved is its apparent indestructability; it fell from my hand as I was changing batteries and, trying to catch it, wound up slamming it into the hardwood floor. I was somewhat awed to find that it still worked.
All in all, I recommend this pointing device above all others.
Customer Review: I refuse to use any other mouse
Summary: 5 Stars
Usability:
I am an AutoCAD designer by profession, and this mouse is very easy to maneuver to within an exact pixel of where you want the pointer to go. Plus, you can click the mouse buttons without worrying about moving the cursor. Perfect mouse for graphic artists. I am not a gamer, but generally speaking, trackballs aren't good for gaming. That is just based on what I've been told.
Maintenence:
I use this mouse 8-12 hours a day, 7 days a week. It requires cleaning about once every 2 weeks, which only takes about 30 seconds. The single AA battery needs to be replaced about once a month, or less. The casual computer user won't need to perform cleaning or battery changes nearly as often.
Performance:
The mouse is Plug-and-play on XP computers. Press the button on the receiver, then on the bottom of the mouse, and they are synced up. Range depends on a number of factors. I use a metal desk, so my range is only about 4 feet. But I have also used the mouse in an open environment (wood table) and the range was closer to 12-15 feet.
Durability:
I have been using this mouse for 4 years now. I have one that is 4 years old, and one at home that is 3 years old. Both are still working great. Response from the optical sensors and the buttons/scroll-wheel are the same as they ever were.
Ergonomics:
This will vary dramatically between users, so I will review how the mouse feels in my own hand. I am an average sized male. If i hold my hand out straight and let my fingers go limp and form their natural curve, and then place my hand over the mouse, it fits exactly perfectly on the mouse. My fingers/wrists have NEVER felt sore or tired after using this mouse for up to 12 hours a day. Again, this will vary by person, but logitech did indeed come up with a design that feels perfect for atleast some people. I would suggest trying one out at your local computer store before purchasing.