RollerMouse Aims to Replace the Traditional Mouse

ThinSkin writes "Over at ExtremeTech, we have reviewed the RollerMousePRO, an ergonomic input device that claims to reduce pain and discomfort associated with repetitive mouse use while also increasing productivity. The idea behind the product is to have a fully functional docking station for your keyboard that allows you to navigate a cursor without much hand movement. There is an interesting Flash demo that illustrates how this works." Using a roller-bar beneath the keyboard may remind some people of the Outbound Macintosh-based laptop.

Two fingered?

[Oen_Seneg]

Seriously, it looks as if it would only benefit touch typists, not the masses of two fingered typists out there. As for me, well, my keyboards so close to the edge of my desk I have no space for one. Plus, I wouldn't want to bend my thumbs that far back

What pain and discomfort?

[duckpoopy]

I sit at the computer no less than 40 hours per week, sometimes 12 hours in a day. I use the mouse very frequently and have never had any of these problems. Are they trying to create a market where none exists, or do some people really get a sore wrist from mousing?

Looks useless.

[GeorgeMcBay]

Looks like yet another high priced gadget to replace something that doesn't need replacing. Given people's various abilities (RSI, paralysis, whatever) I suppose there is a chance there is some population of users who might do better with this than a mouse, but just by looking at the thing and reading the review, I'll be damned if I see the usefulness to the vast majority of users. Especially given that it costs about 3 times as much as a really good mouse and 20 times more than the el cheapo ones.

Screw Keyboards and Mice

[Anonymous Coward]

Where's the voice recognition?

Festival could use some work too, like a total rewrite.

Re:What pain and discomfort?

[Tenebrious1]

I sit at the computer no less than 40 hours per week, sometimes 12 hours in a day. I use the mouse very frequently and have never had any of these problems. Are they trying to create a market where none exists, or do some people really get a sore wrist from mousing?

It really depends on the ergonomics of the desk. Me, I've got my seat adjusted low enough so my forearms just lay on the desk surface; with my elbows on the desk, the shoulders are comfortably at ease since there's no weight on them. When I move my mouse, the only thing that moves is my wrist so there's no shoulder strain.

I see others with their chairs really high or desks low so their arms are basically hanging all day, or those who use those retractable keyboard racks under their desks; they have to hold their arms at a certain level all day, I can see where they might develop strains and aches.

Obviously not for 3D gaming

[Alwin Henseler]

Looks like yet another high priced gadget to replace something that doesn't need replacing.

Had to read into the review to grasp how it actually works. The idea: for up & down, you roll a bar, and for left & right, you slide same bar left & right?

I can tell you right there why that won't work: for vertical and horizontal directions, you use different methods to move.

Maybe for some DTP applications or WWW browsing that some people find this handy, but imagine doing freehand drawing or better, 3D games with this. Can you imagine sliding AND rolling a bar at the same time, and make accurate headshots? No way.

And then it's a mechanical device. Okay, maybe it doesn't get dirty as quickly/easily, or uses optical sensors, but weren't optical mice invented to do away with moving parts? I sure know I'd never wanna go back to a ball mouse.

Oh yeah, and it's expensive. Very. 'nuff said.

Re:What pain and discomfort?

[the Dragonweaver]

I used to have a lot of wrist and shoulder strain from using a mouse. That strain was completely eliminated by doing two things:

1. Replacing the flat, single-level table with a computer desk, and
2. Buying a good chair with back support that actually cost more than the desk.

Seriously, folks, if you are hurting, figure out what you need to do to fix the problem. This product might well help you, but please look into getting better furniture. Sure, good furniture is expensive-- but it's almost certainly cheaper than your health.

And if you are having the problem at your company, and they refuse to improve the ergonomics, look into such simple things as support cushions.

Better than a touchpad keyboard?

[Tenebrious1]

The review and the website compare it to using a mouse. But keyboards with integrated touchpads that do exactly the same thing have been out for years. The question isn't whether the rollermouse better than a mouse, but is better than a touchpad? Especially if they're trying to say the movement of the arm from the keyboard to the mouse is causing stress, then they need to address how they are better than a product that already exists in that space, a product that costs 1/4 the price.

Advertisement

[crnbrdeater]

I think it is high time for an advertisement category.

For those of you considering using slashdot for your company's amazing new product's free advertizing, knoock it off. It is annoying.

~crnbrdeater

Re:What pain and discomfort?

[Anonymous Coward]

Much like whiplash though, it is barely a real problem that is 99% of the time used by unscrupulous lawyers and employees for their own gain.

Course the few peoples that actually DO have the condition are then margenalised becuase "everybody knows they are lying".

Give me a break

[wigle]

For each new so-called innovative input device, whether modifications to a mouse or an obscure headset, are any of them necessary or practical? First, what is this "awkward stretch required for using a mouse"? I've been at my computer for 10 years straight and I've never experienced this phenomenon. The last time I checked, productivity at a computer is mostly a mental state, so having a special mouse/keyboard won't help you at all. If you're really experiencing strain problems at your computer, you might want to change hobbies.

Re:Hmmmm

[the_mad_poster]

And for a tech site, they sure have a hard time advertising crap that's actually useful. I fail to see how this would work for anyone without slender, feminine hands. That thing is clearly too tight for me to use, for example (and, surprisingly enough, it's not because I'm a fatass, I just have disproportionatly large hands and have to suffer with a deformity that makes me look like a hairless ape.... I guess you can't visit slashdot if you're perfectly normal though).

Nifty or not, it's still crap.

Re:How is this better

[onetruedabe]

A better "JoyNub" [that sounds dirty] would be between the H,J,N keys -- actually put it where my pointer finger already *IS*, rather than make me have to travel way past the 'H'.

Of course, they'd have to make a version for Lefties where it's between the F,G,V, and I'm sure that they don't want to have to manufacture two separate models, which is why it's stuck where it is -- equally inconvenient for everyone. [See .sig]

Another innovation would be putting a scroll wheel between the U,I,J keys (or E,R,D if you're a southpaw).

Try it!

--
"A Good Compromise is when Both Sides are Dissatisfied." Hail Mediocrity!

Re:What pain and discomfort?

[rawg]

I can tell you this... The mouse is killing my wrists.

I starting having problems with my right wrist, so I switched the mouse to my left. Then I started having problems with my left wrist (years later). I switched back to my right, but it starts hurting after about 30 minutes. Now I have a Wacom tablet and that is working out well for now. The only problem is that it's so far away from the keyboard and you have to hold something. I can't stand touch pads, but they might be a bit better if they were bigger. I try not use use the mouse as much as I can, but in Mac OSX you have to use it much more than any other system (like paging down and the cursor doesn't follow you, thankfully I have VIM on the Mac).

I agree with the person that was talking about tracking where I'm looking. That would be the best. I'm waiting for that.

Re:Reinvent

[Attaturk]

This sort of thing [mousetrapper.co.uk] has been around since the early 90's.

They work well, i've been using one

[Splork]

I bought a Contour RollerMouse in mid-2004 and have been using it as my only pointing device at work since then. It works well. I use it combined with my old GoldTouch split keyboard sitting on an adjustable keyboard tray. I no longer have to reach for the mouse or trackball and my hands have been much happier.

Flaws?

I use a dual head display, going from one end to the other usually involves using the end-bumping buttons to shift the mouse pointer over a bit. I got over this annoyance quickly.

I wish they made a narrow version with the buttons and such centered. I use a split keyboard without the useless numeric keypad so that part sticks out to my right as I have it setup with the split centered around the roller.

The reviewers comment that "it better be good at that price" seems a bit misplaced. You buy these because you are trying to save your career future and avoid RSI issues. Not because you want to be the envy of your peers and killer of first person shooter twitchers. That said, I hate the high price. Pure profit for them.