I'm kind of wondering what exactly they're good for.
Are they for gaming, stuff like auto-cad or just light browsing use?
Do you have one, and if you do, why?
Do you like it?
What do you use it for?
I've seen a few people use them for video editing/modeling, (freddiew for example).
I think they add more precision to scrolling.
I can imagine they lie somewhere between laptop touchpads/pointing sticks and proper mice in terms of usability.
I also don't see why anyone would use one over a real mouse unless they are used to the trackball.
One advantage I suppose would be no lifting, but one can just raise their sensitivity/dpi/cpi to take care of that.
I use a logitech trackball mouse with my netbook and I greatly prefer it over a touchpad but that is pretty much all I use it for, I suppose it could help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome a little. Tried playing a few games with it and that didn't go too well.
You can get pretty precise with it, plus you don't need to move it around which makes it nice if your desk is small.
Fantastic for repetitive office work, imo. I guess modellers could find them useful as well, but they have specialized mice for that kind of stuff so...
they're kind of a leftover relic of the 90's. they really don't have a place now (never really did tbh) and they only reason they're still made is to cater to the tiny niche crowd that still buys them and the few people that hear about trackballs and want to try them out. and from what i've heard a lot of the older mice are built and function a lot better than newer ones.
a friend of mine had one and got pretty good with first person shooters and surfing in counter strike, which is pretty fucking phenomenal. he hasn't done that in like 6 years though.
their main advantage is tiny desk space, you don't need to move your hand, just your thumb. if you're used to a mouse and are good with one then there's no reason to switch, kind of like qwerty/dvorak
I have a few people in my guild on WoW that refuse to use anything but a trackball mouse. I think it's lunacy.
trackballs are actually pretty nice, i've used a couple before and the only con is no scrollwheel, and that they don't make any ones with macro buttons
[editline]14th July 2011[/editline]
they make pretty nice laptop mice too..
step 1. plug it in
step 2. put it on your lap
step 3. use it
I think that I'm going to get one, and if I don't like it I'll give it to my parents as a birthday gift or something. :v:
[url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104407[/url]
I have a really early netbook. It was from before they were even called netbooks.
It doesn't even have a trackpad. It has a track-nub.
[QUOTE=Mr. Crabsworth;31107773]I use a logitech trackball mouse with my netbook and I greatly prefer it over a touchpad but that is pretty much all I use it for, I suppose it could help prevent carpal tunnel syndrome a little. Tried playing a few games with it and that didn't go too well.[/QUOTE]
You'll never get carpal tunnel through heavy mouse use, it's a genetic syndrome. Fun fact.
[QUOTE=chimitos;31117911]I think that I'm going to get one, and if I don't like it I'll give it to my parents as a birthday gift or something. :v:
[url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826104407[/url]
I have a really early netbook. It was from before they were even called netbooks.
It doesn't even have a trackpad. It has a track-nub.[/QUOTE]
Not that one.
[url]http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/trackballs/devices/4680[/url]
That is sex for your hand.
[QUOTE=Dr. Deeps;31119139]http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/trackballs/devices/4680[/QUOTE]
Is there a way to emulate a scroll wheel with a software button macro?
Possibly.
I've used a trackball but it was one where you use the index finger for the ball and the thumb/middle fingers were for the right and left mouse buttons.
It had its perks. Surfing the internet and whatnot was phenominal, I can't pinpoint why exactly I had so much more control while browsing, but everything was much smoother than when using a normal mouse. Flicking diagonally to close windows was great.
Gaming was a hit or miss. It helped out a lot in RTS games, but just didn't have the precision required for FPS games. Maybe it did and I just didn't devote enough time to it, but I had it for 8 months or so and was still just mediocre at best at FPS games.
The biggest perk was saving space and being able to use it anywhere. I was in a tiny ass college dorm and really didn't have the space for a whole computer setup, I barely had space for my laptop. The trackball fit in nice and snug on the desk and made things easy. I could also just toss it in my backpack and take it with my to class, keeping it on my leg and whatnot.
At the end of the day, I decided to buy a normal mouse. I just couldn't stand being bad at my favorite games, but I do miss how easy it made web browsing.
Also, mine had a button you push to activate the equivalent of using the scroll wheel with the trackball. For games, however, I had to mess with keys to find an alternate configuration that worked.
[QUOTE=Dr. Deeps;31119139]Not that one.
[url]http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-pointers/trackballs/devices/4680[/url]
That is sex for your hand.[/QUOTE]
No it's not, since it's shaped for both right handed and left handed use.
Such mouses, trackballs and so on always turn out mediocre, due to the lack of comfort from the "flexible" design.
[QUOTE=Van-man;31123142]No it's not, since it's shaped for both right handed and left handed use.
Such mouses, trackballs and so on always turn out mediocre, due to the lack of comfort from the "flexible" design.[/QUOTE]
There's one sitting next to me. It's the most comfortable mouse in my computer lifetime.
[QUOTE=Dr. Deeps;31123684]There's one sitting next to me. It's the most comfortable mouse in my computer lifetime.[/QUOTE]
That doesn't not count for everyone.
A mouse should be shaped for the hand using it, and not some horrible compromise so both hands can use it.
Granted the market for left handed computer accessory is really small.
[QUOTE=Van-man;31124274]That doesn't not count for everyone.
A mouse should be shaped for the hand using it, and not some horrible compromise so both hands can use it.
Granted the market for left handed computer accessory is really small.[/QUOTE]
I'm rocking out the left handed DeathAdder currently. Pretty nice.
They are sort of nice if you need a mouse on a laptop, but don't like the trackpad or nub, and a regular mouse isn't going to work so hot.
It was sort of nice on my old 486 laptop. It felt weird the first time, but I got used to it after awhile.
[img]http://image.aving.net/img/2006/10/30/200610301840121.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=Protocol7;31118894]You'll never get carpal tunnel through heavy mouse use, it's a genetic syndrome. Fun fact.[/QUOTE]
but you can definitely get [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Repetitive_strain_injury]rsi[/url]
Trackballs I find are awful for drawing but more fun for photo realistic games of the 90's.
There's a Kensington trackball which you can swap the ball out with any billiard ball because they are the same size
[QUOTE=MIPS;31145324]Trackballs I find are awful for drawing but more fun for photo realistic games of the 90's.
There's a Kensington trackball which you can swap the ball out with any billiard ball because they are the same size[/QUOTE]
That would look fucking amazing.
[QUOTE]Not that one.
[URL]http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice-p...s/devices/4680[/URL]
That is sex for your hand. [/QUOTE]
Funny, I just posted a link to this in another thread. This is what I use, and is by far the best thing I've ever used for FPS gaming. You have a lot more control over your movements, and can do certain stunts in vehicle-based games that would be hard to do with a regular mouse, and impossible to do with a controller. Trackball is something you have to get used to. It took about a week for me. Once I adjusted, I was never comfortable using any other mouse ever again. I use it for everything, gaming, model design, photoshop, everything.
Not to mention, the Logitech Trackman Marble never seems to die. I have two. One of them I've had for over 10 years, and it still works perfectly.
[QUOTE=Polykatana;31149787]Funny, I just posted a link to this in another thread. This is what I use, and is by far the best thing I've ever used for FPS gaming. You have a lot more control over your movements, and can do certain stunts in vehicle-based games that would be hard to do with a regular mouse, and impossible to do with a controller. Trackball is something you have to get used to. It took about a week for me. Once I adjusted, I was never comfortable using any other mouse ever again. I use it for everything, gaming, model design, photoshop, everything.
Not to mention, the Logitech Trackman Marble never seems to die. I have two. One of them I've had for over 10 years, and it still works perfectly.[/QUOTE]
My stepdad is currently using it, and I use a DeathAdder(lefty). Been considering ordering a trackball mouse to use over the DeathAdder.
Logitech Trackman is best tbh.
Sturdy, and very comfy. Just make sure you don't have wood that fucks up your wrist, cause it'll get pretty sticky.
[IMG]http://gyazo.com/9032d1ed5f266cb4f27452be176e3740.png[/IMG]
I've only used this one. It took a while to get used to it, but in the end it's quite easy and very comfortable.
[img]http://www.dansdata.com/images/ltcontrollers/tmw440.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=Skorpy;31186629]I've only used this one. It took a while to get used to it, but in the end it's quite easy and very comfortable.
[img]http://www.dansdata.com/images/ltcontrollers/tmw440.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]
I used one of those extensively, even for gaming and such. I don't regret it, but I wouldn't go back to it.
[QUOTE=demonguard;31187949]I used one of those extensively, even for gaming and such. I don't regret it, but I wouldn't go back to it.[/QUOTE]
I wouldn't use one for gaming, but I might get one for my laptop.
[QUOTE=Skorpy;31186629]I've only used this one. It took a while to get used to it, but in the end it's quite easy and very comfortable.
[img]http://www.dansdata.com/images/ltcontrollers/tmw440.jpg[/img][/QUOTE]
I have this too
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