Logitech Cordless TrackMan Wheel
by Logitech
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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 |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Cordless TrackMan Wheel
Customer Review: Very good/comfortable trackball but NOT FOR MAC and NOT FOR LAPTOPS
Summary: 4 Stars
I recently purchased two of the Logitech Cordless TrackMan Wheel trackballs. I needed/wanted one for my desktop Windows PC and one for my desktop Mac. I first hooked it up and installed it on the Windows PC and immediately loved it. Its ergonomic design makes it very comfortable (only for right handers) and the tracking is very responsive. I looked forward to installing it on my Mac.
I researched customer reviews, Logitech's Web site, PC World's Web site and Mac World. I could not find any support or even troubleshooting ideas for getting this product to work with my Mac. I was disappointed because I really do like the trackball. Additionally, the packaging claims that it is Mac compatible but if that's true, there's no help or Mac related instructions. Even the CD ROM that comes with the trackball does not have any MAC executables on it. So, I sent it (the second one) back. After doing some more research I bought, for my Mac, the Kensington Expert Mouse Trackball (model number 646325). Guess what? IT IS WAY BETTER than the Logitech. It is more expensive and it is NOT WIRELESS but in addition to being extrmely comfortable and responsive, it comes with a detachable wrist rest. I've priced comparable wrists rests and a comparable one is $15 - $20.
The Logitech is not suitable for laptops because a wired USB receiver needs to be plugged into your computer for the trackball to work. This would be very cumbersome in a laptop environment.
So, while the Logitech is a very good product, it is not, in my humble opinion, the best or most comfortable trackball out there. That, and the Mac non compatibility issue are the only reasons I gave this product 4 stars instead of 5. While some may argue that the price difference makes the Logitech a better "value" I disagree. These are items that I use 10 to 15 hours six days a week and having a comfortable solution that will prevent stress and/or carpal tunnel...well, an extra $15 or $20 for that is prevention I'm HAPPY to pay.
Buy this product for your Windows PC with confidence. If you buy the Logitech, for additional comfort, also buy the "Fellowes Gel Flex Transparent Mini Wrist Rest (Blue Crystal)" for $12.99 at Amazon.
Or, if you don't need a wireless solution buy the Kensington, which has a very comfortable padded wrist rest included.
Happy Computing!
Customer Review: Good and Bad
Summary: 2 Stars
The Good:
I really like the functionality and ergonomics of this pointing device. My wrist and arm stay much more relaxed. It did take a few days to train my thumb to be sensitive enough to place the cursor exactly where I wanted it. The optical ball operates smoothly and seems insensitive to dirt/oil build up. There are the usual left and right mouse buttons along with a scroll wheel. The scroll wheel also operates a third button. If you need more buttons, this device may not be for you. The supplied driver software allows the buttons to be programmed and the cursor speed, acceleration, etc, to be adjusted -- standard mouse stuff. I run a 1600x1200 21" monitor so have the acceleration set to High (max) and speed set to medium or just above. This allows me to move the cursor from corner to corner in just over a single thumb flick. However, I do experience a bit of difficulty placing the cursor accurately in close work. (See additional comments on this below.)
The Bad:
I bought my first Logitech Cordless TrackMan Wheel last fall to go with a new desk-side PC. Several months later it failed and rather than deal with the hassles of the Logitech warranty process over a $35 or so part, I just wrote it off as an early-life failure and bought another one. It failed yesterday (5/7/10). Now two failures in less than a year on a device which is claimed to have a 5 year warranty seems a bit much. Both of these were bought at a local electronics store, not Amazon -- arguably my bad. I read another review on this device where the reviewer had also experienced two failures.
So I bought yet another TrackMan Wheel yesterday, but this time the corded version since my desk set-up doesn't really require cordless. My initial observation is that with the same settings as indicated above, it is noticeably easier to accurately place the cursor -- cursor movement is smoother. Also, no battery is required though battery life in the cordless version is not an issue. BTW, I find the Minesweeper and Free Cell games to be readily available tools for checking out pointing devices.
Recommendations:
I would like to give this device a 5 star rating and recommend it highly. However, given the high failure rate I have experienced, I cannot do so.
Customer Review: Great ergonomic trackball with quirks
Summary: 4 Stars
I have had this trackball for over one year now. I've used the wired-USB version for my work laptop, so I wanted the wireless for my home laptop. The ergonomics are great. Like many others, this mouse fits your palm like a glove. Originally when I first started using trackballs, it took some getting used to, but once you get the feel for it, you'll be a trackball (more appropriately a "thumb-ball") pro.
The buttons are well-located, convenient, and comfortable. You really don't feel like you need to hyperextend or move any of your digits to perform functions. The only digit of your hand that is active is your thumb.
At its best, I have found the range on the trackball to be excellent. I have a desktop docking station for my laptop. I have the RF station hooked up to my dock. I can sit on my couch on the other side of my home office (6 - 7 ft away) with my laptop undocked and the trackball responsive at my side. Great responsiveness for a reasonable range.
Now the quirks (keep in mind I have had this for over one year): sometimes the mouse becomes unresponsive and sluggish; the mouse pointer slows down, clicking may not work, and sometimes entire sections of a page may highlight simply by moving the pointer over a page. If the mouse is acting up, I've also found that shaking it around kind of helps ;-) That is my first line of triage for the mouse. If that doesn't work, I've found myself replacing the battery maybe 3-4 times over the past year, "resetting" the RF signal (you simultaneously push these little buttons on both the RF station and on the actual mouse).
Another quirk/maintenance: mouse-lint builds up inside the trackball on the little nubs that hold the ball up. Also, its good to clean the optical sensor window now and then as that can accumulate dirt and oil as well.
Since I have both the wired and wireless versions of this trackball, I can say that the wireless one is not as crisp and responsive as the USB-wired one, but it is not noticeable when the wireless is working at its peak condition.
This is a great trackball for ergo-lovers. The quirks are tolerable. I'd love to see a bluetooth version and see what the performance difference would be!
Customer Review: Great
Summary: 2 Stars
I got this mouse in the office 30 mins ago. I'm a graphic designer and after suffering severe bicept, forearm, wrist and palm pains i thought it was the arc of my mouse. i had a thinner mouse previously that hurt those same areas PLUS my right ring and pinky finger. since im a designer i have to have very precise control sometimes so i would steady my hand for subtle movements by placing my ring and pinky on the desk and moving slowly causing the tips of my fingers to be sore. haha all in all as you can tell i was having serious problems with my job due to pain from a mouse and i grew up working construction. soreness from work was just part of the game but i litterally couldnt work for more than a few minutes at a time it was getting so bad.
I've had this mouse for 30 mins and all the pain is gone. id say just about immediately.
so if your suffering from pain on your mouse hand i would suggest getting a track ball of some kind.
there is a small learning curve but i assume you get used to it fast. i occasionally try to scroll the page with the ball instead of wheel for some reason and sometimes move the whole thing trying to mouse over. im getting it fairly fast though.
my ONLY complaint so far is that i dont have the steadiest of hands. i shake just a tiny bit. specifically my fingers in certain situations. the way this mouse is laid out it puts my thumb at an angle that causes it to shake just a little when moving the ball. if you have a similar problem i would suggest getting one of the track balls that has the ball at the index finger position instead of the thumb. i imagine the control is more accurate also as we use our index fingers in a more controlled manner than we do our thumbs.
so my complaint isnt on the mouse. its on my own hand bc i shake some. just an observation. i might get another one at some point with the ball under the index/middle. i chose this one bc i thought it was more natural under the thumb.
if youre suffering from arm pain..
get a trackball mouse now.
ill take my shakey thumb any day over the pain i was feeling all the way up to my shoulder.
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.