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: Works very nice with linux, does vertical & horizontal scrolling
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a very comfy trackball, with the buttons well placed.
Here's how I'm using the 2 smaller buttons:
I'm using the right small button as a paste button, and I've tied
the left small button to scrolling. When I keep it depressed,
the ball functions like an omnidirectional scroll wheel; I can scroll
vertically, horizontally, and every diagonal angle in between.
Great for browsing large web pages!
Here the relevant Xorg settings for xorg 6.8 on an older linux box:
Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
Option "Buttons" "5"
Option "YAxisMapping" "4 2"
Option "XAxisMapping" "6 7"
Option "EmulateWheel" "yes"
Option "EmulateWheelButton" "4"
You'll also need this xmodmap:
pointer = 1 5 3 4 2 6 7
With Xorg 7.2 on a newer linux box I had to remove
the YAxisMapping and Buttons options,
change EmulateWheelButton to:
Option "EmulateWheelButton" "8"
and change the xmodmap to:
pointer = 1 9 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 10 11
I'm connecting via USB but oddly I had to set Protocol "ExplorerPS/2"
in my xorg.conf to get all the buttons to work.
You also need this setting on firefox's about:config page
for horizontal scrolling to work:
mousewheel.horizscroll.withnokey.action 0
I think older firefoxes had a different action number by default
(doing font size or page forward/backward, I don't remember which)
tied to the horizontal scrolling by default.
Customer Review: Overall, great!
Summary: 5 Stars
I tried one of these starting almost a year ago at work because I was getting pain in my wrist and hand from a traditional mouse after intense 'mousing' doing GIS work. When I first tried it, I was getting some cramping in my hand, although this was not anywhere near as uncomfortable as what the mouse had been causing, and it was difficult to do precision movements. After learning how to use it, playing with the settings and physically positioning it correctly (for me on a box on top of my cpu for now), I think that this thing is a nearly perfect replacement for a mouse; no more pain! I've used this for about 7+ hours at work and another couple hours at home and the worst side effect is that my hand feels a bit stiff. I bought another one to use with my laptop and am about to get another one for our desktop. That said: I'd like to see a cordless version, as the cord is stiff and is a pain and in the way. I also would like to see a lock of some sort on the trackball. It's nice to be able remove it so easily for cleaning, which it needs about once a day at work, but whenever the unit is moved and not kept upright, the ball falls out and 'that ain't no fun' when trying to use it with the laptop. Anyway, this is a great product and I would recommend it to anyone; especially anyone who is having the usual problems with a mouse and will have the patience to retrain themselves to the trackball. btw-I tried the thumb-driven version of this (trackman?) and, at least for me, it did not work well, although others have said the opposite. I hope that this helps someone.Customer Review: Trackballs FOR THE WIN!
Summary: 5 Stars
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THIS PRODUCT AND HOW TO DEEP-CLEAN
I've had my Marble Mouse for four years and I will never buy a regular mouse again. I bought it to replace my previous trackball from Logitech because the buttons had become stuck from years of grime. I swear by the logitech brand when it comes to pointing devices because of their intelligent design and durability, plus, all you have to do to clean it is pull out the trackball, or Marble, and brush it out with your finger, or if the little black sensor inside the trackball's enclosure is just filthy, you can wipe it off with a q-tip lightly dipped, NOT SOAKED!, in isopropyl alcohol.
Recently my Marble Mouse stopped working properly, like the sensor just couldn't figure out what I was doing with the trackball. Cleaning the sensor and the ball's enclosure worked some, but did not fix the tracking problem, so I decided to take my marble mouse apart. This will void your warranty, but since mine was already past the three year replacement period, I didn't care.
The first four screws were easy to see, but I had to look closely to locate the fifth and final screw underneath the model number sticker at the center of the underside. I took that screw out, disassembled the inside (which was just the USB cord and the entire one-peice electronic assembly), blew it out, marvelled at it for a bit, reassembled, and now I'm tracking away! I'm on my ocmputer 50+ hours a week, and rarely clean my mouse.
Logitech Trackballs for life, baby!
Customer Review: Outstanding Pointing Device
Summary: 5 Stars
I not only own one, but have purchased several as gifts for friends and family. This is the ideal pointing device.
Trackballs have always had a severe drawback in being high-maintenance items. Oil, dust, and dirt from your fingers clog up conventional trackball devices, rendering them useless until cleaned. Logitech solved this problem in the optical version of the trackball. I rarely need to clean this trackball, and never have had it fail for any reason, including dirt.
The symmetric design of this trackball makes it ideal for left-hand or right-hand use. There are four buttons, two large and two small, that are completely programmable. A small button, for instance, can be programmed to be a lock-button-down function, so that you can select large portions of text without having to hold the left button down: you press the small button, select your text (the cursor changes to a lock symbol), then press the small button again. This is an outstanding feature of this trackball.
The trackball is indespensible for small computer spaces. Its design keeps you hand in one place, allows precise pointer positioning, and is far more ergonomic than a conventional mouse. I have never experienced hand soreness using this device as I have experienced with conventional mouses.
This is indeed an investment worth making, and one that is quite inexpensive, too!
Customer Review: Best computer product (and company) I've ever used
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been using a Marble Mouse since 1999. I originally bought the white, two button version when it was first released. I wanted an external pointing device for my laptop, and I couldn't use a wheel mouse because the software conflicted with my laptop's touchpad software. I needed a no-frills, plug and play device, and the Marble Mouse was it. I haven't looked back since.
Being able to keep your wrist in one place and move across the entire screen is something you have to experience for yourself. Before, trackballs were sort of an oddball, but the Marble Mouse made them affordable, attractive, and reliable. The lack of a wheel will only bother you for a short period - before long, you won't even miss it.
After two or three years, the left button started to act sluggish on and off. I called Logitech support expecting to get the same service I get from other PC companies (poor), but to my surprise they were incredible. The man simply asked for the device's serial number, and could tell the model and approximate age. He then told me it was under warranty, and in two weeks, they sent me a completely new Marble Mouse, which had the updated grey/black color scheme! I am still using that Marble Mouse today.
Fantastic service for a fantastic product - all for $20. After that, I won't even consider buying a non-Logitech pointing device.