Logitech Optical Marble Mouse (USB/PS2)
by Logitech
|
Our Price: $109.99 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $28.95 (click here) Category: CE See more product details |
|---|
Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Optical Marble Mouse (USB/PS2)
Customer Review: 15 years, and counting
Summary: 5 Stars
Yes, I have really been using this mouse for 15 years. There are several in my house, and in businesses I support...but I have personally been using this thing for 15 years, and my original Marble Mouse is still going strong.
It is my belief that this is truly the epitome of mouse design. The comfortably sized (but not gigantic) ball practically floats on air, and causes no stress in the hand or wrist, and the primary buttons are perfectly placed.
Unlike many who insist on using their thumb and ring finger to work the buttons, and complain about the uncomfortable right button, I take a different approach. Instead, I recommend that the middle 3 fingers be used to control the ball...the thumb and pinky finger handle the buttons. For me, this makes a much more comfortable arrangement, and prevents your hand from fully resting *on* the ball.
Ergonomics: The raised hump in the middle of the mouse holds your hand in a comfortable position, and actually relaxes your muscles/tendons. The ball is big, but not absurdly so, and is quite comfortable to use, and easy to control, especially when using 3 fingers.
Scroll Wheel: Yep, there is no scroll wheel. Logitech has included 2 extra buttons which can be programmed for scrolling, PgUp/PgDn, and a variety of other functions...but they are a poor substitute for a true scroll wheel. It is the single negative in this design.
Having said that, I do not find a scroll wheel useful for my purposes. A flick of my wrist takes me to the scroll bars on the side of every window, and the optical sensor allows me tremendous precision. If, for some reason (gaming) you require a scroll wheel, you might consider a different mouse. It pains me to say this...but it is an unfortunate omission in an almost perfect design.
Appearance: The gray/silver finish is attractive, but really doesn't match any computer on the market. Pure black, or putty beige would have been a better choice in my opinion, since that would match the towers. Having said that, it's a very attractive mouse, and frankly, looks like something that beamed down from the Enterprise.
Compatibility: It comes with a USB plug, and an adapter to use with PS/2. This means it will work with almost anything on the market, running Windows, Mac, or LINUX. And, all of those systems support it natively...no drivers needed for basic functionality. You'll have to install the Logitech software (find an old copy of MouseWare) to reprogram the buttons, and unlock the extended functionality.
Longevity: I still have my 15 year old original beige marble mouse, as well as several of the newer varieties. All still work...perfectly. Longevity should not be a problem, so long as you don't unduly abuse them.
Overall satisfaction: I've been using these for 15 years. That says it all, doesn't it? I've used other mouse designs from Logitech and other companies, at home and at customers' homes and offices...I have never found another design, even from Logitech, that would tempt me away from this mouse.
The only other one they ever sold that was comparable in comfort was the Marble FX...long discontinued, and judging from the prices on eBay, highly sought. Perhaps it's time for a reissue!
Customer Review: We have a winner!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and have had both hands surgically repaired within the last year. I do application design work and need to have very fine control over the position of the pointer. Not wanting to have a regression in symptoms, and looking for the most comfortable pointing device that allows me to work without moving my wrist, I've tried several different trackballs. I have bought the Kensington Expert Mouse Optical USB Trackball for PC or Mac 64325, the Logitech Trackman Wheel, and this Logitech Optical Marble Mouse. The Expert Mouse was very well built and included a nice wrist rest, but it was a bit too large even for my large hand. I still had to move my wrist around in order to move the ball and press the buttons. I used it for two weeks before giving up on it. The Logitech Trackman's ball is manipulated by using the thumb only, and I found myself straining in order to hold the ball steady while clicking the mouse buttons. The main issue here is my own limitations rather than a design flaw on the mouse. Due to the nerve damage I suffered in my right hand, I can't hold my thumb steady enough to use this mouse.
The Logitech Marble Mouse is perfect for my needs. The design is the most comfortable I have tried and I am able to move the ball using my index and middle fingers while letting my thumb and ring finger rest comfortably on the left and right buttons. An added bonus for me is that the buttons are not as sensitive as most others I have used. This allows me to relax my hand and let the fingers rest on the buttons without inadvertently clicking. I am able to comfortably work with this mouse without moving my wrist at all. There are two additional programmable buttons that are well-placed so that I don't accidentally click them, but they are handy when needed. The mouse is well built and has a nice heft to it. The rubberized areas underneath keep it from wandering across my desk.
I highly recommend this product to anyone who either suffers from CTS or wants to avoid developing it in the future.
I'm updating this review (1/14/2009) now that I have had this device for some time.
My CP did begin to flare up again, and I have finally settled on a solution. I removed the ball from this trackball, and use it with my right hand only to click. I then gutted a regular mouse to disable the buttons (so I could relax my hand and let it rest over the mouse) and use it with my left to move the cursor. Yes, mousing is now a two-handed operation, but it is the only way I can avoid the damage to my wrists. Ideally, I would love to have a flat touch pad for my left instead of the mouse, but I haven't found one yet.
Customer Review: Really like it
Summary: 5 Stars
I was going to give it 4 stars, but then realized I couldn't really advise a way to improve on this mouse. I think there is more a need for user improvement, as it takes a while to get used to trackball navigation after being used to gripping the mouse to move the whole thing. I have a bad habit of squeezing the mouse unecessarily, which causes me to accidentally right-click a lot of the time. I also have a bad habit of flexing my wrist to hold it above the mouse, which is unecessary too.
Ideally you place this mouse on a flat service in the perfect location so that your arm has support and your wrist can remain straight and supported. Then you fully rest your hand, mostly on the mouse, so that your index and middle fingers are resting on the trackball, your pinky is resting on the desk, and your thumb is resting on the left mouse button. It takes a little development of index finger dexterity, as well as breaking the habit of gripping the mouse, but once you get used to it this turns out to be a relaxed way to navigate, other than a little stress on the ring finger as it tries to avoid the right mouse button as you track towards the thumb. For me the perfect hand position for the middle and index finger to have maximum range on the trackball lands the ring finger right on the right mouse button some of the time. This is unavoidable if you want an ambidextrous mouse though. Some people, of course, are left handed and they should be able to buy this mouse too, so it's a small price to pay to have to sometimes lift up the side of your hand a litle instead of always leaving it resting on the desk. You can also page forward and back with the little silver buttons.
I really love this mouse, which is something I never imagined myself saying. A mouse never seemed that big a deal to me to bother having any real opinion on it, but then I got an HP laptop with a horrific touchscreen that was driving me nuts, so had to get an external mouse for my laptop. I use an old fashion mouse at work, and thought to get that, but on my laptop I often work in an environment where I don't have that kind of desk space, so a trackball seemed the better choice. Now I like this one so much I'm getting another one to use at work. On top of it, I love how it looks. It's a very stylish design and it gives me pleasure to see it sitting on my desk. I may be a grown-up, but I still like my shiny new toys, I suppose. Anyway, this is a cheap and extremely functional little gadget that I am so glad I came across.
Customer Review: The search for the ideal pointing device ends here.
Summary: 5 Stars
The Logitech Marble Mouse Trackball is possibly THE most intelligently designed pointing device for PCs and Macintosh personal computers. First of all, in spite of its name, it's a trackball, the superior successor to the computer mouse. Unlike a mouse, it sits in one place and your fingers guide the pointer. You click on menu selections, icons and such with your thumb. It takes mere minutes to get used to this method of moving around the screen but after you do, using a mouse will seem cumbersome and quaint (which it is). Beneath that black-dotted burgundy ball lies the secret of the Marble Mouse's responsiveness, longevity and reliability. An infrared emitter and optical pickup track the movement of the ball, not mechanical rollers which quickly become gunked up with skin oils and dust. You'd have to let a really thick layer of crud accumulate on the ball before you'll see an impact on the Marble Mouse's performance. Small enough to tuck into your notebook, laptop or PowerBook's carrying case, the Marble Mouse is pure computing bliss compared to jittery trackpads, wobbly finger sticks and erratic rollerballs.
PC users running Windows XP and earlier can simply install the PS/2 adapter and plug the Marble Mouse into the PS/2 mouse port without installing any software. With Windows 98 and later, you can pop off the PS/2 adapter and plug the Marble Mouse into a USB port. Macintosh owners running Mac OS 8.6 or higher will need to install MouseWare from the included CD-ROM and disable the Macintosh Mouse control panel in the Mac OS Extension Manager.
Unlike its more expensive TrackMan siblings, the Marble Mouse is fully ambidextrous, with equal-sized buttons on both sides. The included Logitech MouseWare (also downloadable at www.logitech.com) makes the Marble Mouse behave like a 3-button mouse on PCs (you press BOTH buttons together to access the functions of a third button) while giving Macintosh users one-finger, one-click access to content menus (shades of Windows, eh? :) ). Windows users also benefit from the new page up/page down buttons located just above the main buttons.
Finally, though the price might seem steep compared to a $5 mouse you could pick up at Best Buy or CompUSA, recall how many of those cheap little rodents you've owned and thrown away in the course of a single year.
Customer Review: Great product, just one tweek!
Summary: 5 Stars
Allright, first the one negative...no scroll wheel! Sure it has buttons for up and down, but it would be really nice if there were a couple true scroll wheels/rings. Not every program understands the buttons. Please logitech, fix this and hype it up!!
Other than that one qualm, I really, really like this product. I bought it, played with it for a bit a number of years ago and decided "arrg, this really isnt easier than a mouse." A couple years ago I decided I was going to just sit down and get used to it. I was amazed! After accepting that it was going to feel odd at first, I realized how much better than a mouse it is. But be warned: Its like learning to drive on the left side of the road if you have driven on the right...you have to get used to it!! You will figure out what is most comfortable for your hand. One of the reasons I like this so much is because of the ergonomics: Left or right, one/two/three fingers, thumb (also a finger:-)), right side up, upside down,...whatever is best for you.
I honestly think this is superior to any mouse I have used. It is far more comfortable, I can point more precisely, it takes up much less space on my desk, and it doesnt matter what type of surface I put it on. On top of that, its cheaper than the alternatives, you can use both hands with it, and because of the ball placement, I use two fingers. I have played games and CAD with it and find it much easier to use and less stressful.
If you carry this along with you, be careful not to drop the ball...it will make small dents and become a bit irritating. Interestingly, it seems as though those dents have "worked themselves out" with use and I no longer notice them.
So, in summary, I think it is a nice clean design that caters to all sorts of hand placements and styles. It is easy to use and maintain, takes up little space, it takes much less work to use than a mouse. Remember you will need to get used to it thought...this could take weeks, but your hands will thank you.