Logitech Optical Marble Mouse (USB/PS2)
by Logitech
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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 |
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Customers in the UK,
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Logitech Optical Marble Mouse (USB/PS2)
Customer Review: Works Well, Even in Mozilla
Summary: 4 Stars
I don't usually contribute reviews, but for this one I felt compelled. I was looking for a trackball to replace the large Microsoft Optical Trackball I've had for years. That one does work well, but it's just too wide for me, and was starting to hurt my hand during long periods of use.
The Logitech Marble Mouse looked ideal to me. However, I was worried about a review that A. Triolo wrote (see below) that the Marble Mouse does not scroll in Mozilla.
I use Mozilla Firefox, and the features do indeed work in it. In fact, they work quite well. However, installing the Mouseworks software did wreak some havoc on my laptop's touchpad, and my computer system. Persistence is the keyword here. I ended up having to install Mouseworks twice, and then I needed to un-install, and re-install my touchpad drivers. Now everything seems to work as I hoped.
The secondary buttons on Marble Mouse can be assigned functions that you choose. Some examples include scroll, cut/paste, act like the buttons on a web browser, etc. So far the trackball seems comfortable and easy to use.
I did subtract one star for the software troubles I had, but otherwise it seems to be a great product. I mentioned the features here b/c Logitech actually does not describe them well, nor do they mention you'll be unable to use them if your computer does not recognize the trackball at first. Once I re-installed the software, that's when I could finally program the buttons the way I wanted them. I'd recommend this inexpensive trackball, despite the problems I faced in setting it up.
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: Poor substitute for the old Marble Wheel!
Summary: 2 Stars
The Optical Marble works as designed, but unfortunately it's not designed very well. Many years ago I switched to a Logitech Marble Wheel because a traditional mouse was causing me hand pain. The Marble Wheel positions the hand so it rests naturally and the ball is manipulated by the thumb; it's very comfortable and quite accurate. I wanted another for my laptop and was shocked to find the Marble Wheel had been discontinued and now goes for $150+ on Ebay or used at Amazon. So I purchased the Marble Mouse (which of course isn't a mouse at all) instead. Bad choice: it's not only awkward to use but requires an even more unnatural hand position than a traditional mouse...it's painful to use because it requires you to hold your hand in an arched position and manipulate the ball with your index finger. This terrible design would ONLY be suited to those who have to share a PC with a lefty, and then only if both people were unable to use a regular mouse. Avoid it.
The best alternative right now is the Logitech Trackman Wheel, which replaced the old Marble Wheel. It's smaller, less comfortable, and requires you to use your middle finger rather than index finger to click. But it's still much better than a traditional mouse (or this Marble Mouse) because you can use your thumb to manipulate the ball. It will take a while for new users to grow accustomed to, but once you do you'll never want to use a regular mouse again.
Meanwhile, I'm going to put my Marble Mouse up on Ebay. You can avoid that hassle by buying something else in the first place.
Customer Review: Wish I'd gotten the thumb-ball one again
Summary: 1 Stars
I don't know what I was thinking... My previous mouse was the Logitech Optical Marble thumb mouse kind. It worked great up until it died (many years later). I saw this one and thought I'd give my hands a little change up or something, but I must have a stupid pointer finger that got used to using the rollie-scrollie wheel from the thumb trackball because I just cannot get used to this one (and I'm starting to hate it with a passion).
I use it on my Mac, and the only handy thing I've found--completely by accident--is that one of the buttons (the left tiny sliver one) works like the F9 key, reducing and showing all the windows on my desktop. I miss the scrollie wheel, I continually accidentally click the right buttons in some right-clicking fashion, stop, unclick, roll pointer back to what I was really doing, curse the mouse, go do something else. I'm sure I could program them all to do something else more useful, but the other one was SOOOOO easy and comfortable just like it was. I also find that I must have some ridiculously heavy thumb since I am always clicking on something that I don't want to select. I'm not sure why the track ball is much bigger on this one versus the thumb one--feels like my pointer finger is pushed up too high, waving around in space.
I've really given this a good try now and, I think I'm going to order the thumb version (and find someone who wants this one). I just don't like the way my hand "drapes" on this version--it's not comfortable, not as intuitive, and much harder to use.