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New York, 10:07 AM
Sat Nov 14
56 posts in the last 24 hours

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  • posts about #trackball more →

    This Is a Mouse

    Fingertip Mini Mini USB Trackball Is, Well...Mini

    Touchscreen, Trackball-Less BlackBerry Bold Leaked

    Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Built to Handle Digital Content

    The Blackberry Pearl Teaches Consoles a Thing or Two

    EZ Commander Media Center Remote Features Trackball, 1980s Beige Color Scheme

    Traveler 350 Adds More Trackball to Laptops

    Paradox Trackball PS2 Controller Now Available for Pre-order

    Golden Tee Home Game Means Less Bar Embarrassment

    Stealth Stainless Steel Keyboard: Looks Badass, Costs a Ton
  • Your version of Internet Explorer is not supported. Please upgrade to the most recent version in order to view comments.
    Dsmvwl  Admin  Promote to frontpage Approve user Ban user ×
    Image of Torley Torley
    04/16/09

    In reply to This Is a Mouse
    Re: Second Life, the SpaceNavigator PEs have quite a cult following for controlling the Flycam in machinima - cinematic shots FTW! More info.


    Not sure I'd do with all these extra buttons... yet.

     Reply
    Torley was starred Torley was unstarred
    Image of Rabid Penguin Rabid Penguin
    04/16/09

    In reply to This Is a Mouse
    It's the Phillips CDi controller of the 21st century.


     Reply
    Rabid Penguin was starred Rabid Penguin was unstarred
    Image of Serolf Divad Serolf Divad
    03/25/09

    In reply to Fingertip Mini Mini USB Trackball Is, Well...Mini
    I only want to know one thing: is it suitabel for Marble Madness on MAME?
     Reply
    Serolf Divad was starred Serolf Divad was unstarred
    Image of Software_Goddess Software_Goddess
    03/25/09

    In reply to Fingertip Mini Mini USB Trackball Is, Well...Mini
    I only clicked on this because I saw the word vibrator. I don't care about that tiny ball. In fact it would probably tick me off. The slightest little bump and you page would be flopping all over the place.
     Reply
    Software_Goddess was starred Software_Goddess was unstarred
    Image of f/1.4 is the new f/2.8 f/1.4 is the new f/2.8
    03/25/09

    @Software_Goddess: Vibrator, hehe tiny ball, hehe
     Reply
    f/1.4 is the new f/2.8 was starred f/1.4 is the new f/2.8 was unstarred
    Image of Gann Gann
    03/25/09

    @f/1.4 is the new f/2.8: Flopping, hehe.
     Reply
    Gann was starred Gann was unstarred
    Image of impliedsurprise impliedsurprise
    03/25/09

    In reply to Fingertip Mini Mini USB Trackball Is, Well...Mini
    i was just thinking that I need something like that for my netbook while i'm carrying it around in the subway...
     Reply
    impliedsurprise was starred impliedsurprise was unstarred
    Image of IN THE FACE! IN THE FACE!
    03/25/09

    @impliedsurprise: I was thinking this would be perfect for a car PC, just flush-mount it in the center console somewhere...
     Reply
    IN THE FACE! was starred IN THE FACE! was unstarred
    Image of JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2 JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2
    03/25/09

    In reply to Fingertip Mini Mini USB Trackball Is, Well...Mini
    WTF? it's not a standard USB HID device? If it were it should work with anything. XP and Vista only. Bah! Kinda looks cheesy anyway.
     Reply
    JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2 was starred JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2 was unstarred
    Image of JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2 JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2
    03/25/09

    @JawzX2 hearts Beer: device device redundancy...
     Reply
    JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2 was starred JawzX2: Hoon The Earth @ www.cafepress.com/jawzx2 was unstarred
    Image of TerryinSt.Paul TerryinSt.Paul
    03/25/09

    @JawzX2 hearts Beer:
    I can't stand it when people say PIN number.
     Reply
    TerryinSt.Paul was starred TerryinSt.Paul was unstarred
    Image of FredicvsMaximvs FredicvsMaximvs
    03/25/09

    @TerryinSt.Paul: Or SAT test...
     Reply
    FredicvsMaximvs was starred FredicvsMaximvs was unstarred
    Image of OMG! Ponies! OMG! Ponies!
    03/14/09

    In reply to Touchscreen, Trackball-Less BlackBerry Bold Leaked
    Ooooh. Just in time for me to upgrade. Somewhere, my iPhone 3G is panicking.
     Reply
    OMG! Ponies! was starred OMG! Ponies! was unstarred
    Image of Nick Nick
    03/14/09

    @OMG! Ponies!: your pocket. is it in your pocket?
     Reply
    Nick was starred Nick was unstarred
    Image of Pope John Peeps II Pope John Peeps II
    01/07/09

    In reply to Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Built to Handle Digital Content
    It is me, or is the phrase "the ball does it all" hilariously inappropriate?
     Reply
    Pope John Peeps II was starred Pope John Peeps II was unstarred
    Image of tinkertank tinkertank
    01/07/09

    In reply to Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Built to Handle Digital Content
    You can pry my Kensington Pro Trackball from my cold dead hands....
     Reply
    tinkertank was starred tinkertank was unstarred
    Image of diverguy diverguy
    01/07/09

    @tinkertank:


    LOL I feel the same way about my kensington expert mouse.


    I get a real kick out of seeing kensington trackballs on TV and movies. The IT guy on CSI:LV uses an expert mouse. I saw a kensington optical mouse (also a trackball but with just two buttons) on the desk of the guy that did the sound track for WALL-E.


    They show up all over the place.

     Reply
    diverguy was starred diverguy was unstarred
    Image of OMG! Ponies! OMG! Ponies!
    01/07/09

    @diverguy:


    No need to be grabby, friend. Honestly, you're almost as bad as a certain damned dirty ape I know. He couldn't keep his filthy paws off my stuff.

     Reply
    OMG! Ponies! was starred OMG! Ponies! was unstarred
    Image of Voyou_Charmant Voyou_Charmant
    01/07/09

    In reply to Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Built to Handle Digital Content
    I prefer trackballs to a regular mouse, but very few are very ergonomic. If they are, they are, like this one, rather expensive.
     Reply
    Voyou_Charmant was starred Voyou_Charmant was unstarred
    Image of UberJumper UberJumper
    01/07/09

    In reply to Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Built to Handle Digital Content
    I've been using a thumb operated trackballs continously since pretty well since the 90's.


    Here's someone else's shot of the Gen1 trackman marble. [www.flickr.com]


    At work right now I'm using a Microsoft Trackball Optical.

     Reply
    UberJumper was starred UberJumper was unstarred
    Image of qbrad qbrad
    01/07/09

    @UberJumper: Sorry about that image, it's not the first gen. First gen logitech trackmen had (hehe) blue balls.
     Reply
    qbrad was starred qbrad was unstarred
    Image of rip rip
    01/07/09

    In reply to Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Built to Handle Digital Content
    One word: Centipede!
     Reply
    rip was starred rip was unstarred
    Image of Monty Monty
    01/07/09

    @rip: Two words: Marble Madness
     Reply
    Monty was starred Monty was unstarred
    Image of OMG! Ponies! OMG! Ponies!
    01/07/09

    In reply to Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Built to Handle Digital Content
    Gunmetal grey? Check.

    No distinct logo? Check.

    Reputable manufacturer? Check.


    Name dangerously close to Sling Blade? You lost me.

     Reply
    OMG! Ponies! was starred OMG! Ponies! was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    01/07/09

    @OMG! Ponies!: Got me a pad with a ball in the middle. Mmm-hmm.
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of diverguy diverguy
    01/07/09

    In reply to Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Built to Handle Digital Content
    I've been using a Kensginton Expert mouse for years. Standard mice should be banned outright. Trackballs, and I mean real ones, not those dinky things microsoft and logitech put out once in a while, are simply the most effective pointing device out there.


    I used a standard mouse for years and I was left with so much pain in my wrist and shoulders doctors were considering surgery. I started using a trackball (the expert mouse specifically) and within two weeks the pain was gone. The rolling of the ball with the middle three fingers, and the 'clicking' with thumb and pinky is simply ergonomically better than how your hand is forced to contort around a mouse.


    The only thing I don't see on that mouse is the scroll wheel around the ball like the expert has.


    [us.kensington.com]


    I will never go back to a standard mouse.

     Reply
    diverguy was starred diverguy was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    01/07/09

    @diverguy: How is a trackball working out with drag-drop stuff? I imagine holding down the button while moving the ball would be tricky.
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of OMG! Ponies! OMG! Ponies!
    01/07/09

    @ripfire: It comes down to design. Microsoft's optical trackball is moved by thumb while your fingers comfortably rest on the left and right buttons.
     Reply
    OMG! Ponies! was starred OMG! Ponies! was unstarred
    Image of diverguy diverguy
    01/07/09

    @ripfire:


    Nope, very easy. Press the "left button" with your thumb, move the ball with your three middle fingers, release with your thumb. It takes about 5 seconds to get used to but after that, it's just obviously more natural.


    I build software systems and games for a living. I also create movies etc.. all with extensive drag/drop and I've never had any problem.

     Reply
    diverguy was starred diverguy was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    01/07/09

    @diverguy: Cool. I'm thinking of getting one for work. (Maybe something slightly affordable). This Dell mouse is killing me!
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
    Image of verythrax verythrax
    01/07/09

    In reply to Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Built to Handle Digital Content
    Trackball is fine... until you need to do multiple selections on screen.
     Reply
    verythrax was starred verythrax was unstarred
    Image of diverguy diverguy
    01/07/09

    @verythrax:


    Huh?? There's nothing you can do with your standard mouse I can't do with my trackball.

     Reply
    diverguy was starred diverguy was unstarred
    Image of verythrax verythrax
    01/07/09

    @diverguy: how about precise drag selection in strategy games?
     Reply
    verythrax was starred verythrax was unstarred
    Image of diverguy diverguy
    01/07/09

    @verythrax:


    Easy. A good trackball has a higher DPI than a standard mouse does. That means it's more precise. I use my expert mouse for everything from FPS games to RTS games. Heck I've even played PC Madden Football with it. And because it rolls, I can move from one side of the battle field of an RTS faster than a mouse can with the continued shuffle/pickup/shuffle/pickup motion a mouse needs.

     Reply
    diverguy was starred diverguy was unstarred
    Image of ripfire ripfire
    01/07/09

    @diverguy: Funny you mentioned that because I thought it would be nice if someone comes up with a xbox360 controller with a trackball for FPS games.
     Reply
    ripfire was starred ripfire was unstarred
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