Friday, July 31, 2009

To preface this short review, I am not a competitive gamer but I do play the occasional FPS. I have had this mouse for about a month now. I come from a Logitech MX1000, which is not a gaming mouse and a palm-grip mouse.

The mouse is very well built and intuitive to use. It moves very smoothly on a generic mousepad and the rubberized grip has a pleasant texture. Sensitivity buttons and profiles work flawlessly. Although the software is good, I did not have to install anything to get most of the major functionality. I did not have any difficulty switching from a palm grip to a claw grip (the mouse is a little small for me, however), and weight adjustments were quick and easy. All in all, this is a fantastic mouse.

The main issue is the scroll wheel.
1. The first problem is the smooth hyper scroll is much too "loose." Mere bumps can send the scroll wheel flying and it is very difficult to steady the wheel in one place without holding part of your scrolling finger against the top of the mouse. The clicky scroll has no issues.
2. The second problem is the scroll wheel click is a little hard to press. This may be intentional to prevent click accidents, but a little more "give" would be ideal.
3. Right side scroll requires too much force and the wheel doesn't feel like it is moving very much. Left side scroll has no issues, however. If the left sided scroll motion was not so easy to perform, there would be no way you could tell side scrolling was a capability of this mouse.

Buy it here now!

Thursday, July 23, 2009

15 LCD Tray 1U PS/2 Keyboard & Trackball Review

The 1U-high LCD15 single-rail rack console provides out-of-band access to KVM switches for convenient access and control of your PCs and PS/2 servers. Its compact design is well suited for the small to medium-size business environment, data centers and server rooms.The Avocent 1U-high LCD15 single-rail rack console provides out-of-band access to KVM switches in SMB, data centers and server rooms for convenient access and control of your PCs and PS/2 servers. Out-of-band access to your critical servers is non-intrusive to your network and reduces downtime. The LCD15 single-rail rack console includes an on-screen display (OSD) in multiple languages. The Grade A monitor, 15-inch TFT active-matrix supports 1024x768 resolution @ 60Hz. For the security-conscious user, a key lock controls access to the LCD console.

Buy it here now!

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

PS2 Keybaord In Black Review

1. The Lifetime Trackball keyboard is a 104-key Windows Compatible keyboard featuring a built-in trackball. Its the perfect solution for users looking to make the move to a trackball and reduce desktop clutter. 2. Like all Lifetime products, the Trackball keyboard is an example of innovative design and engineering. The trackball is ergonomically located below the spacebar for convenient operation - you can move your cursor without lifting your hands from the keyboard. Maintenance is a snap, since the retaining ring is easily removed for cleaning. 3. Other features include an oversized L-shaped Enter key and three Windows application keys. And of course, the Lifetime guarantee covers all parts and components of the keyboard and integrated trackball mechanism, which makes the Lifetime Trackball keyboard a superior choice.

Buy it here now!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

17 LCD Tray 1U PS/2 Keyboard & Trackball Review

The Avocent 1U-high LCD17 single-rail rack console provides out-of-band access to KVM switches in SMB, data centers and server rooms for convenient access and control of your PCs and PS/2 servers. Out-of-band access to your critical servers is non-intrusive to your network and reduces downtime. The LCD17 single-rail rack console includes an on-screen display (OSD) in multiple languages.

Buy it here now!

Monday, July 20, 2009

1U 17IN LCD Tray Single Rail USB Keyboard and Trackball Review

1U 17IN LCD TRAY SINGLE RAIL - USB KEYBOARD AND TRACKBALL

Buy it here now!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Infrared Wireless Mini PS/2 Keyboard with Trackball (white)) Review

ACK-573W is especially designed for Windows, it has built-in trackball for mouse emulation, wireless input with built-in infrared technology, 89 keys keyboard with embedded numeric keypad and 12 dedicated function keys. 400 transmitter battery hours with typical usage LED indicator - Num Lock, Caps, Scroll Lock, Power LED and active LED 250mm per seconds tracking speed IBM AT, PS/2 and DOSV Compatibility Keyboard Interface 5VCD250mA Receiver max, connected to host computer Dimension - Length 13.3 x Width 6.8 x Height 1.3 inch Weight - 1.9 pounds

Buy it here now!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Adesso Mini Black PS/2 Keyboard with Built-in Trackball ( ACK-5010PB ) Review

I needed a narrower keyboard to bring my mouse back into the correct ergonomic zone. Keyboards with the number pad and arrow keys on the right side would push my mouse too far to the right - causing neck strain. After only 2 days, I can tell a HUGE improvement in my pain, simply because this keyboard allows my mouse to be closer to my body!!!

It does take awhile to get used to the different layout and sizes for some keys. For example, the keys that are larger on a regular keyboard are a little smaller on this one (the Enter key). And the backspace key is in a different location. But these are small prices to pay for being more comfortable with my extended hours at the computer.

I don't use the built-in mouse - so can't rate that aspect.

Buy it here now!

Friday, July 17, 2009

Adesso Wireless IR 88-Key Mini Black PS/2 Keyboard with Built-in Trackball ( ACK-573PB ) Review

For the amount of money I paid, I believe the Taiwanese could have supplied a mouse that doesn't constantly get stuck. It's frustrating and annoying to rub the wheel back and forth until I finally manage to fit the cursor into the little square.

Furthermore the receiver doesn't always receive. The range is not what they say, it is much less and it is not reliable, you can be typing away and it all gets lost no matter how precisely you point the lights.

Buy it here now!

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Mini with Trackball USB 13.31"L Review

Built-in trackball for mouse emulation 88/89 keys keyboard with embedded numeric keypad & 12 dedicated function keys.

Buy it here now!

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

PS2 Cable Keyboard In Beige Review

This is a decent meat-and-potatoes keyboard but the trackball skips a bit even right out of the box. By that I mean I turn the trackball but the arrow on the screen doesn't always move with it.

Buy it here now!

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

3M Ergonomic Mouse EM500GPLLARGE Review

these definitely help for carpal. my problem--mouse clicking hurts the heck out of my wrist area.

of course, these give you "carpal" type pain in your elbow area although not too bad.

the main problem with these mice is they deteriorate typically after a year of use. things that happen:
--the cursor will suddenly shift to the far left of the screen.
--the mouse won't select correctly.
--clicking on something doesn't click--it either just doesn't work or it will do something else.

that said, these mice have been a HUGE help. you just have to replace them much more frequently than a regular mouse.

Buy it here now!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Solidtek Mini Keyboard with built- In Trackball. USB Black Color Review

I needed a compact keyboard to use in field operations on Windows XP based equipment. This keyboard works great and fits nicely into my tool bag. We have to type holding the keyboard so positioning the trackball and buttons in the corners works perfect. USB port and backlighting would be a nice touch for an enhanced model.

Joe

Buy it here now!

Sunday, July 12, 2009

CONTOUR DESIGN ShuttlePRO V.2 Review

It may be unfair to dock the hardware for what is essentially a software problem, but...

On the mac, at least, this acts as a keyboard wedge (is this the term I'm looking for?), meaning it sends a keystroke, a combination of keystrokes (through a nifty macro writer) or a few mouse functions (scroll wheel, click). So if you can do it on the keyboard, you can do it on the ShuttlePro.

This works great for the buttons, but can be problematic in the shuttle and jog functionality. I was hoping for a driver that would treat the shuttle ring as a unique piece of hardware; instead I need to assign keystrokes to 15 shuttle positions (-7 to 0 to 7) and potentially 28 transitions (-7 to -6, -6 to -5, ... 6 to 7, 7 to 6, ... -6 to -7). To be fair, I'm not certain how or if the transitions are ever used, the documentation is super vague on this.

You then assign the frequency of keypresses per position - from "hold down" to "ten times a second" to "once every thirty seconds". (Or, if simulating a mouse scroll, assign the frequency AND the number of lines/pages you want to scroll.)

Problem is, the effect of sending these keystrokes can overwhelm the software and make it unresponsive - you release the shuttle wheel, the ring snaps crisply back to zero, and the video keeps zooming forward or backward, making accuracy (in some software, at least) impossible.

The laborious nature of tweaking the settings (14 or more tweaks to, say, see what happens if I change the frequency from "Hold down" to "As fast as possible"). Thankfully, these tweaks do take effect instantly, no restarting.

This is likely an unfair gripe for something like final cut pro, which has well implemented keyboard equivalents for shuttling (which the shuttlepro can utilize) and so doesn't suffer from this bogging down. But in my case, it made me still need the mouse... It would be a five star product darn it all!

If I figure a way around this, I'll definitely update my review and give it the deserved bump.

Buy it here now!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Microsoft Natural Ergo Keyboard 4000 Review

This was purchased 06/02/09 and received within a week.

Minuses: The keyboard is overlagre so be sure of your space concerns ahead of time. I use a roll-top computer desk and was able to make a plywood panel 18"D X 22"W that protrudes 4.5" in front of the keyboard slide-out shelf. I cannot slide the keyboard into the desk without removing my home-made shelf but this is not much of a problem. Don't we all leave the keyboard in place anyway?

Pluses: This above 'fix' really made it very useful. My arthritis is bad and the keyboead layout is almost perfect for those that have any difficulty keying. It took a few days to become accostomed to the improved layout but once I retrained my fingers I really began to enjoy the ease of keyboarding.

Overall: A great improvement. If size is not a problem that cannot be remadied than this is the one to use. I highly recommend it and would buy it again without reservation.

Buy it here now!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Contour Designs ShuttleXpress Review

I was looking for a knob that I could use for a control of an analog function... like volume, or actuator movement. The numerical value of the inner knob increases as you move left or right... wierd... If you were using it to control an actuator, it would only be able to travel in one direction... volume would only get louder, no matter which way you turned the knob.

The outer knob is a jog style knob, but its numerical axis value is an interger from -7 to +7, only 15 steps, and the value sticks to the maximum value reached per jog.... it doesn't return to zero like the mechanical action would suggest.

Buy it here now!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse with Bluetooth Wireless (Graphite) K72281US Review

Bought this mouse as a travel trackball. Can't seem to get it to function as a true trackball, and can't seem to find a detailed owner's manual on the CD. Works great as a regular mouse, though. More time may allow me to figure out how to make it do its tricks. I haven't had it long enough to report on battery life.

Buy it here now!

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator PE (Personal Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700029 ) Review

3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator PE (Personal Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700029 )

I have never written a review about anything but I was so hurt and upset by this SpaceNavigator....

I bought this for my Dad for Fathers Day. I thought he would enjoy something fun to do. He is a computer geek and is always on the computer.

Well, he had, and is having, a lot of problems with it. First off there was no manual no instructions of any kind.

This is the e-mail I got from my Dad regarding his "gift"

"Hi Baby,

I don't know whether to hug you or STRANGLE YOU!!!!!

I just spent 3 hours installing, uninstalling, installing and trying again. I also had to update QuickTime before I could get a response (then uninstall and install it again#.

THERE'S NO COTTON-PICKIN' MANUAL WITH THE DAMN THING!!!!!

I only found out by accident that I had to have the MOUSE POINTER over the demo #the skiing picture) before it would work.

I can't figure out how to get it to work with ANY OTHER PICTURES, even though I let it default to all formats. AND, it doesn't always follow the guide in the control panel; "Pull Up", Push Down" and I found out accidently that the button on the right brings up the control panel. I still don't know what the left button does!

The major thing is the lack of a User Manual. The Quick-Start Guide is a JOKE!

I checked their web-site and they don't have any User manual for this. How can I get it to work with ALL THE STUFF THEY CLAIM??????"

The only thing I could think to do was to send him a page from Amozon that had the video in it so he could see what that said about it.

He looked at the video and says "It has instructions in the Help section but they're all over the place and it seems I have to create a "macro" for each application that I want to use it on.

Thank you anyway,"

Now my Dad is one of the sweetest persons you could ever meet he is not upset with me at all just the product. I wanted this to be something fun for him but it turned out a DESASTER!!!

I think the makers of this product should take a second look at it and, at least, add a manual.

Buy it here now!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Kensington Slimblade Trackball USB 2.0 for PC and Mac, K72327US Review

I've been using the Slimblade now for a week and the hardware compares favorably to prior devices, even if the missing functionality in the driver seems like a "New Coke" style marketing decision.

The good news is the device itself is mechanically and aesthetically everything a long-time Kensington trackball user could ask for. I'm at the computer most of the day, and have been using Kensington trackballs for at least three generations of the product line. The Expert Mouse has been a staple for me, and I even travel with one in my laptop bag when away from the desktop.

The Slimblade is simply much more comfortable than the Expert Mouse. The ball sits lower to the desk and the pitch of the device housing allows your hand to address the ball with less wrist tilt. My forearm now rests on my desk as opposed to hovering slight above it while using the Expert Mouse. My impression immediately was that the device simply "felt better" than the older device.

The fit and finish is also superior to earlier generation devices. Much attention has been paid to the ball well and an opening at the bottom seems to be intended to prevent build up of "gunk" that gets caught in the bearings and sensors over long term use. The sensors are located higher up in the well probably for similar reasons, and the bearing points appear to be designed better.

The housing itself has a more consistent design. The mix of colored plastics, textures and the confounded wrist pad are gratefully replaced with a consistent and elegant finish. It is a little bit of a finger-print magnet, but the plastic has enough subtle sparkle that it's not terribly noticeable. The nylon braided USB cable is a nice finishing touch.

The device doesn't have a scroll wheel, and you instead rotate the ball in the plane of your desk to simulate scroll wheel behavior. Some people have complained that the setup creates an unnatural hand motion, but you can turn the ball this way with one finger after a tiny bit of practice and it's not any more ergonomically challenging than a conventional scroll wheel. The simulated mechanical clicking noise it makes the device emits when doing scroll wheel activities wasn't any more offensive than a mouse click to me.

Some people have objected to the red ball, but it grows on you. Kensington indicated in their support forums that the ball's finish is used to track the movement so you have to use it in lieu of a billiard ball, but it is similar to the dark silver finish on the Expert Mouse ball and that ball works fine if you have an older device and want to go with a more sedate color scheme.

As others have commented here, the device itself is outstanding and the Kensington hardware folks should be proud of their efforts.

So, the bad news. Yeah, I know I'm not the target market for this device. I really thought I wouldn't miss the ability to program the buttons, but the reality is I've had "copy" and "paste" wired into the top two buttons of my trackball for eons and I simply didn't realize how extensively I used that until it was gone. In my case, I've traded improved comfort in my right hand for the return of "Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V cramp" in my left. I read the reviews here and kinda knew what I was getting into, but living through it now... Well, it's irritating to say the least.

It doesn't seem to me that any of the new "media" functionality the Slimblade provides couldn't have been implemented easily in the old MouseWorks software, perhaps as a default to appease the marketeers. That said, removing long established core functionality from a new generation product is simply stupid. It's like someone at BMW thinking cruise control was too complex for the masses, so they pulled it out of their 2010 models. Long time Kensington users are right to be appalled. It may well be that the company is targeting a different market segment with this device, but that also implies they're leaving their established customer base (and potential new "advanced users" or however you label them) out in the cold.

Here's hoping that Graye's review here is correct and that Kensington is soon releasing updated Slimblade software with programability restored. If they do, Kensington deserves praise for having listened to a loyal customer base and I'm sure this device will enjoy well deserved success in all segments of the market.

Buy it here now!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Logitech Optical Marble Mouse (USB/PS2) Review

I've been using one of these at work for the last month and it greatly reduces "mouse fatigue". It's amazing how adept and precise you can become with it.
Some have complained about the lack of a scroll wheel; go to http://simans.net/marble/ and download "Marble Mouse Scroll Wheel" then you will be able to scroll both horizontal and vertical when you hold one of the small buttons and roll the ball.
The only con I see with trackballs is that you need to clean them frequently because of our dirty hands.

Buy it here now!

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Kensington Orbit Optical Trackball Mouse 64327 Review

I ordered the Kensington "roller ball" mouse because I had used it extensively at my job. I wanted the same comfort and convenience at home. I enjoy the product and it has saved my elbow, lower right arm, and even shoulder from pain due to having to move the standard mouse around and the darn scroll 'thingy' in the middle of it which caused me pain. I would recommend it for anyone having problems using a regular mouse. If you need to do a lot of "mousing" and extensive typing, you may wish to consider having a roller ball type mouse for each hand so you can switch off and give your dominant hand a rest. It does take some getting used to, but after you have mastered it, you will feel like you are being more productive and with less stress and pain. I like the fact that this type of roller ball mouse isn't too elevated and your hand isn't perched up too high where your wrist is bent up too high either.

The only problem you might have is if you have severe trouble moving your thumb and/or fingers because they do the "walking and working" for you instead of your arm and elbow. So, keep your old mouse if you have thumb surgery, but otherwise give this mouse a try!

Buy it here now!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman (USB/PS/2) Review

The moral to this story is keep your receipt if you buy this mouse.
Usually, I wouldn't keep a receipt for such a low ticket item but I've owned 2 of these now and both have broken within a few months of buying them. I loved the mouse when it was working but for some reason after a few months windows stops recognizing the device as a mouse. It just shows up as an unknown device. I'm very computer savvy and I have gone through all the troubleshooting with Logitech to determine that it is defective but logitech won't honor the 3-5 year warranty unless you have the original purchase receipt.
So, don't be a me, if your going to buy this mouse, keep your receipt.

Buy it here now!

Friday, July 3, 2009

Logitech Trackman Marble Mouse Review

I got this for my in-laws several years ago and it finally gave out. I had to find this exact model because they loved it and it works well for my father-in-law's rheumatoid arthritic hands. I guess this is a discontinued model since I could not find anyone locally to carry it, so THANK GOODNESS I found it here on AMAZON.COM!! What a lifesaver! It works great and shipment was relatively fast! Thanks!!

Buy it here now!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Kensington Expert Mouse Optical USB Trackball for PC or Mac 64325 Review

PROS: Large ball, smooth ball movement, comfortable design, large programmable buttons with great software, scroll wheel great IDEA.

CONS: Tracking slightly jumpy at times. Scroll wheel is such a terrible design it feels and often acts 'broken'.

Reviews are correct about the scroll wheel. I can't understand how Kensington allowed and continues to allow this expesive trackball to ship this way. The scroll wheel feels so cheap, rough, has so much play, it literally feels broken. I know it is not after trying several others. Imagine writing a straight line on pavement with a pen: it is rough, loud and inaccurate. It feels the same with this scroll wheel.

If the tracking were as smooth and accurate as it is on my Mighty Mouse and the scroll wheel felt solid and smooth, I would be very happy with this device. Unfortunately, the scroll wheel is so bad I am considering returning it too.

It is a shame that people who like trackballs are left with such poor devices to choose from. Unfortunately, it seems this one is the 'lesser of the evils"' out there.

I thought the Kensington slimblade might fit my needs, but for some ridiculous reason, Kensington told me the Slimblade buttons "are not and will never be programmable". It makes no sense that this device has separate software than all their other mice and trackballs that use the great software "Mouseworks". Hopefully that Executive making these decisions will be fired soon and the next will work harder to make Kensington more successful

Buy it here now!

Logitech Trackman Wheel Optical (Silver) Review

Once I tried a trackball mouse, I was hooked. But the first one I had didn't have a scroll wheel, so I looked for this one. I've been very happy with it. I quickly got used to controlling the trackball with my thumb, and having the scroll makes navigating very easy.
It is much more ergonomically correct for my wrist, but you still have to pay attention to the way your hand rests on the mouse, as I've noticed that if I don't, my wrist still gets sore after a long time browsing.
Overall, a great product!

Buy it here now!