"BlueTrack" Mouse More Advanced Than Laser, Optical 191
ThinSkin writes "Just when you thought laser and optical mice were enjoying their reign on mousepads worldwide, Microsoft has to come along and introduces their 'BlueTrack Technology,' a mouse tracking system that aims to work on virtually any terrain short of mirrored and reflective surfaces. ExtremeTech reviews the Explorer Mouse and Explorer Mini Mouse, both of which are powered by Microsoft's newest sensor, to see just how well this technology works. Testing on granite, carpet, marble, and other surfaces, the reviewers were impressed with the responsiveness of BlueTrack, but they also noted that laser mice were competitive on these surfaces as well. Even though the mice didn't get a recommendation from the reviewers (price being a major concern), they did admit that this BlueTrack is the best tracking system available today. MaximumPC has some pictures and a brief technical interview."
Yeah (Score:5, Funny)
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Indeed. Creating an optical mouse using a blue LED instead of a red one, and then having the marketing department come up with a fancy name like BlueTrack really is the pinnacle of American innovation.
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In 2011 we will see the "Ultra-Trak Quattro" - five ultraviolet lasers, three gyroscopes, a GPS, and a spring-loaded lubricating strip.
Warning for incredible retarded web design (Score:5, Interesting)
The linked review is one of those pages there the article uses at most 15% of the space but still had to be split amount 6 pages or so.
Anyone actually read the review? (Score:2)
I'm curious on how much better it really is.
e.g. latency, maximum tracking speed (many optical mice lose track if you move them really quick - and that sucks for many games).
As for not being able to work on reflective surfaces, there are already cheaper "laser" mice that work on reflective surfaces.
Maybe I should read the review - but I hate reviews that are split across tons of pages and turn out to be useless (e.g. PR/Ad company crap).
Re:Anyone actually read the review? (Score:5, Insightful)
the article suggests that the BlueTrack mouse only has around 800 dpi resolution/sensitivity. but considering that most laser mice have 2000-3200 dpi, BlueTrack doesn't seem more advanced than lasers. the only advantage i can see is that it works on more surfaces than laser mice can. but so do conventional optical mice, which can already go up to 1600 dpi.
the Explorer Mouse is not very impressive or groundbreaking. i'd rather get a hi-res laser or optical mouse by Logitech at a lower price.
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the only advantage i can see is that it works on more surfaces than laser mice can. but so do conventional optical mice, which can already go up to 1600 dpi.
Actually TFA says that optical was worse than laser on the tricky surfaces:
A very high-end Razer Boomslang CE optical mouse had trouble maintaining a smooth cursor. An Ideazon Reaper Edge laser mouse faired pretty well, but not perfectly. This just goes to show that laser mice and the Explorer are able to handle difficult surfaces more cleanly than optical mice.
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But that isn't the general knowledge and opinion of me and many others. A friends MX revolution or whatever it was called, MX 1000 maybe? Some early laser one anyway jumped around a lot, my MX 300 was way less picky. I got the DeathAdder (optical) but haven't liked that it can't track on white surfaces or say a surface with lines in some pattern because it seem to fuck up by that, so obviously at least that one have some issues but I doubt it's worse than the average laser one. Also laser mice are well know
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You buy all your processors based on the Mhz number too I suppose?
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no, but i do go by benchmark results.
as long as an optical/laser mouse is capable of functioning on conventional desktop surfaces, all that really matters is its sensitivity and resolution. i do a lot of graphic design work, and increased resolution/sensitivity was the reason i initially switched from a ball mouse to an optical mouse.
i don't need a mouse that works on carpet. but if you want to pay $50 extra to have a blue light instead of a red one then good for you. i'll take superior performance on conve
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As I've understood the technology behind it these mice should be taking clearer pictures less often so it wouldn't suprise me if they'll outperform the laster mice on any surface within a few generations.
Personally I wouldn't buy these first generation mice either, they cost about twice what I'm willing to pay for a mouse and their intended market is notebook productivity while I only use a mouse for gaming/desktop use.
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In addition my Logitech laser mouse also works on glass tables, carpet, and for fun I just tried it on a mirror and got very good tracking.
I've got a wireless one that I use for my living room media center. It works on every surface in the room. (Though some, like my leather couch don't make great mouse pads because they cause a lot of friction.) I carry one with my laptop and I can't remember the last time I've found a surface that I couldn't track on.
On the other hand my friend who uses the Apple mouse
Re:Yeah (Score:5, Funny)
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To be honest the parent is probably the target market, i.e. gamers. No-one else spends more than £10 on a mouse because there is no need to, the technology and usability of a £10 mouse is perfect.
Since anyone buying an expensive mouse probably also buys expensive mouse pads, this thing is doubly pointless.
Re:Yeah (Score:4, Insightful)
i bought a razer mouse. not for the blue lights (the only reason i installed the razer driver was to turn the lights off), the gaming gimmick angle, or the razer name, but because it was the only mouse in either of the stores i went to that had the buttons i needed (5) and was actually comfortable in my hand and on my skin. i felt like a chump shelling out 40 bucks for a mouse, but after 2 years with it, i'm VERY glad that i did - especially when i use someone else's computer and their $17 mouse.
without a comfortable, durable interface, a computer is pretty damn useless, imo.
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I've always been amazed by people willing to spend extra money (and significant amounts of it at that) on just a tad faster processor, GPU and whatnot, but then picking a cheapo monitor, keyboard and mouse.
Somehow, I'd rather work on a merely decent configuration with excellent peripherals than on a ultra-fast rig with a $5 keyboard and $2 mouse. Whatever I'm doing, my CPU is mostly idling; my hands on my keyboard are not.
I spent a bunch of money for a Unicomp SpaceSaver keyboard (Model M, for all practica
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I have had expensive mice too, but by far the best one has been a cheap Samsung mouse. It just fits my hand better than any other mouse. It's corded and optical, PS2 only which is a bit of a shame but otherwise perfect. I have had it for 10 years this year.
Comfort is really hard to buy, because it depends on you as much as the product. Keyboards are the same, I use a £10 Pacard Bell one which just happens to be really nice.
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To be honest the parent is probably the target market, i.e. gamers.
TFA mentions that is a wireless mouse, which gamers generally shun for lagginess and weight, and includes the quote "Explorer Mouse and Explorer Mini Mouse perform at 1000 dpi, which we find is the ideal speed for productivity mice."
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Because we all use carpet padded desktops.
I'm a librarian (on the web/systems end of library work), and at my library, we do have a patron who frequently comes in to use our wifi, and uses his mouse on a thick, crocheted wool doily. Clearly, this is the mouse for him.
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Tried a laser mouse?
Oh just stick a 2-axis accellerometer inside (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Oh just stick a 2-axis accellerometer inside (Score:4, Insightful)
Comment removed (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Oh just stick a 2-axis accellerometer inside (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:Oh just stick a 2-axis accellerometer inside (Score:5, Funny)
> Attach a bowling ball to your mouse, put it on a frictionless surface,
> and then move it with an elastic band,
I'll get right on that.
Re:Oh just stick a 2-axis accellerometer inside (Score:5, Funny)
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It's called "Butter" and it's available at any grocery store!
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That'd be one heavy mouse indeed.
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If you think that the Wii uses accelerometers for the pointer function, you are mistaken. It just uses the IR sensor bar as a technology that improves the old style light guns. It is actually not a great improvement though, as it works frustratingly bad on my 120" screen (it feels like it assumes I have a 40-50" TV, so I am still pointing to the middle of the screen when the pointer has already run off the top).
The same goes for the games that do not have a pointer - the sensor bar is useless for them, no "
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You might want to study accelerometers more. Despite the runaway success of the Wii and iPhone, they don't cure all ills.
What you would end up with is something that would both be as accurate as your average pedometer and still so sensitive that your pulse would screw up its tracking.
Yes, there are ways to mitigate both of those things but they would dramatically increase the price of the thing. And laser mice are really cheap.
where is jerry? (Score:2, Funny)
I expected at least a Seinfeld quote somewhere.
All the buttons in the world (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:All the buttons in the world (Score:5, Funny)
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The MX Revolution is a piece of junk. I absolutely hate it. I have my desktop wired up to my HDTV and use the MX revolution along with the diNovo Edge keyboard. The keyboard, which is bluetooth, works amazingly well. No signal loss, no lag between typing and text appearing on the screen. Even the touchpad works reasonably well, however it has some difficulties determining double clicks but it's not my main mouse so who cares?
The Revolution, on the other hand, has been nothing but headaches. Mind you,
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I've got one of these for my HTPC, stows well with the keyboard in a coffee table drawer for when the computer is not what's on screen. It works very well. I sit about 10' from my TV (under which the dongle sits) and it's fairly infrequent that I get missed connection with it. Though I did have it behind the TV for a while and it was extremely spotty then, so YMMV.
Also, they're not cheap, wait for them to go on sale online or at Fry's. Got mine for $60 for the mouse/kbd combo..
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I hate the idea of proprietary RF devices and most of them really suck past 6ft away, anyway.. and when you lose that do
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Mice (Score:3, Insightful)
The Explorer Mouse uses a proprietary, Microsoft-designed complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chip with advanced algorithms and pixel architecture for more precise tracking.
Get it through your heads, fellows: Proprietary is not an advantage. Patented is not an advantage. Don't go crowing about it! Proprietary is what brought us Windows. Are we supposed to be impressed and go "ooh, more of that"?
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What? Yes it is. Its an especially big advantage if the proprietary+patented new tech is actually better.
Of course some open source people might have a cry about "teh evils", but to me that sentance means "You must buy the cool new tracking from us."
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"Propriety" and "patented" are there to show you that they're the only game in town with this technology, and that you can feel secure in buying from them without having to do anything like compare to other vendors, or anything else the intelligent consumer is supposed to do.
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Proprietary is not an advantage. Patented is not an advantage.
That's not from the article per-se, it's from MS's press release [mshardwareguide.com] that the article quotes. The article tells you it's a quote and uses a different font even so it's pretty obvious.
Patented and proprietary are advantages to MS's investors. That's why they put it in the press release.
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Umm... what? The line you quote is talking about a custom piece of *internal hardware* -- an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). ASICs are very common in all kinds of devices and have nothing directly to do with software compatibility, hardware interfaces, or interoperability. All it means is that they made it a little cheaper (and possibly a little better) by using special-purpose hardware rather than a high-performance off-the-shelf microcontroller.
Just what we need... (Score:5, Insightful)
From the article:
We got some hands-on time with this handsome wireless mouse and were impressed by its tracking accuracy, stylish design, and mesmerizing blue glow.
Yeah, because we haven't got enough glowing gadgets. I'm not sure who considers "mesmerizing" as a positive aspect of consumer electronics. End the madness, people! Or are you too hypnotized by blue LEDs to move?
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Yes, it's totally non-functional, but it moves units. And if your product isn't selling, what's the point?
Just what we need...Nightlight. (Score:4, Informative)
Oh I don't know. I haven't needed a nightlight since I got into consumer electronics.
Weird (Score:3, Insightful)
I was very convinced that optical sensors was LESS picky than laser ones. Everyone I know have had issues with laser ones (ok, I may not have heard any complaints on the Logitech G5 but..)
Haven't read the article though, just woke up. (My mouse is an optical Razer DeathAdder and works good as long as there are no huge contrasts on the material or on my white melamine (?) desk or white paper. Brown table, piece of unbleached paper box, pants, all good.)
A solution without a problem (Score:5, Funny)
This is just another optical type of mouse. What we really need is an ACTUAL mouse that has been genetically modified with a USB cable for a tail that can transmit the information issued to its brain by the aggregate information provided by its belly hair as you push it across any surface. More advanced versions will do the same using mental telepathy to another mouse head that was severed and merged with a USB dongle.
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Specs better but Technology Point-Less (Score:3, Interesting)
Testing on granite, carpet, marble, and other surfaces, the reviewers were impressed with the responsiveness of BlueTrack, but they also noted that laser mice were competitive on these surfaces as well. Even though the mice didn't get a recommendation from the reviewers (price being a major concern), they did admit that this BlueTrack is the best tracking system available today.
I wonder if they realize that this is flat out saying "yeah its nice tech, but no one really noticed much of a difference and isnt worth the price". Slashvertisements are getting a little weird these days.
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I might be tempted to upgrade if there was a significant reason to do so, like for example, the inclusion of an analog thumb hat switch similar to what the Saitek Cyborg mouse has. Unfortunately, I've yet to see a
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Yeah I could care less about the tracking system myself, I still use an old MS Intellimouse ball mouse. No batteries to replace, no lag, and good enough tracking.
but you do need to de-gunk the internal rollers every few weeks. That's one thing I don't miss about ball mice.
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> The Cyborg has a intrusive shelf on the bottom...
Don't you own a Dremel tool?
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I've personally found wired optical mice to be a huge improvement over ball mice, ball mice at least in my experiance gunked up quite frequently (though not as often as old laptop trackballs, they were horrible for gunking up).
Wireless mice on the other hand i've found to be nothing but a pain in the arse.
Battery: 3 weeks !!! (Score:3, Informative)
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I get much more than that with a wireless Intellimouse. ~70-90 days, maybe, before it yells. And the Logitech trackball is almost as good.
And then, just swap in another pair of rechargeable AA's.
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Trackball (Score:5, Insightful)
I use a trackball, it works well on any surface at all - sand, carpet, wood, jello, etc.
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How about a trackball? (Score:5, Insightful)
It just fricking rocks. After fiddling around with sensitivity and getting used to in (one or two days) it's the best mouse I ever had.
Never again will I run out of space or need to lift my hand and reposition the mouse.
Of course people who use mice to draw stuff will be somewhat crippled by it, as I have a little more difficulty when using it in order to doodle something quick in paint, but what self-respecting artist uses a mouse as their main drawing interface?
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but what self-respecting artist uses a mouse as their main drawing interface?
Disney?
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My kingdom for mod points!
Oh wait, I don't have a kingdom either.
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Self-what?
Is there a gain for trackballs? (Score:2)
While this new technology may be great for mouse users, I'm not up in arms with joy. Would there be a gain for trackballs? I'm using the Logitech Marble Mouse(*), and as far as I can tell, the optics goes on between the ball itself and a camera below the ball; as a producer, you control the surface completely. Would there be anything gained by tolerating more diverse surfaces if you're never going to use them?
(*) I can recommend everyone to go out and buy one, it's great. You can put more clutter near y
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> Would there be anything gained by tolerating more diverse surfaces if you're never going
> to use them?
I can think of none.
> I can recommend everyone to go out and buy one, it's great.
I second that. I can't imagine why anyone who has ever tried a trackball would go back to a mouse.
No thanks, waiting for something better (Score:3, Funny)
As a Linux user (Score:3, Interesting)
I can also say that I've always enjoyed Microsoft's mice, especially their Intellimouse Explorer, and will probably continue to do so.
And this sounds like a nice step forward. But $100? I could get a secondary monitor for that price. Or enough ram to max out my 32-bit system. Or a new hard drive so I can raid my system. The list goes on. Also, I'd prefer to be rid of my mouse at this point. Unfortunately, hitting those slashdot preview/submit buttons is a pain in the ass without a mouse.
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I still use a "Microsoft Intellimouse Optical 1.1a" 7-button. It's older then I can remember and it rocks.
Bwa? (Score:2)
Short of mirrored and reflective surfaces? That's very interesting, considering I use a mirror as my 'mousepad' for my optical mouse and it's the best mousepad I've ever used.
OT cheap gaming mice? (Score:2)
I remember when optical mice first came out, they were actually worse in a sense than the old ball/roller based mice. For gaming if you would move the mouse quickly from side to side, your pointer would lose track sometimes and typically would go lower and lower instead of panning across the middle.
Long fixed with optical mice, but I've had for a few years a fairly nice logitech that needs replacing.
Is it still pretty much necessary for gaming to get a high end mouse? I believe when they made dual optical
Kudos to MS (Score:2)
Well I am by no means a Microsoft fan, and vastly prefer a thumb trackball over a mouse. But for once, MS has actually come up with something new and innovative that truly is new and innovate. I at least have not seen any tracking system like this before. It's not a huge improvement over current laser mice, that is true, but it is a definite improvement. Better DPI will come with time I am sure, as will lefty/ambi mice.
So give credit where it is due.
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Really? It's just an optical mouse with a few incremental improvements: Larger sensing area, blue light, better optics. Progress for sure, but it's not fundamentally different to existing optical mice.
I want one that works on mirrors--here's how (Score:5, Funny)
This continual failure of mouse makers to address mousing on mirrors annoys me. Hey, mouse makers, here's how you can address this.
Originally, your mice were based on a rolling ball. The mouse felt the ball rolling, and figured out the movement. In human sense terms, your mice were based on touch.
The current mice are based on sight. They look at the surface under the mouse and see the relative movement.
The sense you should be looking at is smell.
In the center of the bottom of the mouse, there should be an emitter that leaves a chemical trail on the mousing surface. The rest of the bottom of the mouse should be covered with odor sensors that can sense when they are near the chemical. By laying a pattern of odors, and sensing them as they move under the mouse's "noses", the mouse can determine position.
Think ants and the chemical trails they leave to find their way around.
Not only would this address the mirror problem, you could also use this technology to address a serious workplace health issue. You could make it so the tracking chemical has antibacterial properties. This would help keep shared computers sanitary during cold season, reducing sick days and boosting overall productivity.
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The rest of the bottom of the mouse should be covered with odor sensors that can sense when they are near the chemical.
Your idea is an interesting one, and while I am interested in subscribing to your news letter, I wonder whether you've considered the following:
"Oh, look! Cheese!"
My opinion is that if we go down this route, we should re-evalute the rodent model. Cats might work, but dogs would seem the better choice.
1 whiff of ball sweat... (Score:3, Funny)
and it opens up your favorite porn web site.
I've liked MS mice for a long time (Score:2)
When I went from PC to Mac, I bought a decent USB wireless mouse and it worked fine for a long time. Then I tried to use their "Mac" Bluetooth mouse: doesn't work worth **** with Macs, Best Buy said they get lots of returns on those. So I tried an Apple BT Mega-Mouse, was not impressed with that. Finally found one that was BT, had a decent feel, and good right click support, so I'm content.
But I am definitely troubled by this right-handedness. I can mouse with my right hand, but it's uncomfortable and I
TrackBall anyone? (Score:2)
Sorry for being off topic, but all I want from the pointing device business is to put some innovation into trackballs.
I use a Logitech Trackman wheel (left thumb operated optically read (red dotted) ball.
The device is great when new, then degrades when the rollers and the ball surface loses its "shine".
As for the original topic: a laser mouse works fine for me when I use one on most surfaces except glass. Plastics are the best as they are low friction, while glass "sticks".... I have an older explorer mou
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Can't stand those thumb-balls. I love the old Microsoft Trackball Explorer fingertip ball (I use it on my macs all the time, and with ControllerMate IV can program it however I wish). The ball NEVER dulls or scratches. It does, however, occasionally need lubrication (nose grease works perfectly). Pop out the ball, and blow it out occasionally, and flick the dust off of the three surface contacts. Going on 5 years on three of them. No problems.
I'll never understand how you thumb-ball guys get any control out
uh, any surface? (Score:2)
Re:Didn't you break a rule? (Score:5, Funny)
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Re:seriously... (Score:5, Insightful)
Uhm...
So you want to spend $120 a year on crap vs. $100 for something good?
Now that makes a whole lot of sense..
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My six (?) year old Microsoft Optical Intellimouse is still working fine, even though I've covered it in paint splashes and it's gone a rather nasty yellow colour.
I'm still using my Logitech Mouseman mechanical model as my main mouse, despite its 9th birthday being imminent, the plastic having gone a bit yellow and the logo rubbed off the top (and there being a gap from when I took it apart and couldn't quite snap it together again). I can't recall ever having to have made any serious repairs/fixes beyond cleaning.
'Course, I appreciate that there are probably many older mice in regular use...
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Well I keep hearing the 70's are making a comeback so... just an example of trying to be prepared for emerging markets?
No, the 70s revival happened during the 1990s, we're at the peak of the 80s revival now. Fortunately, when the 1990s revival comes around you can can revive the 1990s' 1970s revival...?!
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"There's apparently a problem with the ever-increasing popularity of granite and marble computer desks, complete with optional shag carpet mousepads"
That's why I use a Logitech Marble Mouse.
No RSI issues (for me anyway), no requirement to move the mouse itself, ambidexterous (I can switch sides while in my recliner or at my desk), and solidly built.
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Ooh the marble mouse!
I used one back in 2000 - 2001 and loved it! When I left the company I couldn't take one with and only recently saw them on the shelves again.
Now I am a laptop user though so the trackpad is my weapon of choice as far as work goes.
I live in South Africa and don't see many trackballs (like the marble mouse) for sale...
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If I need precision I'll just type where I need the mouse to go. You might be surprised how easy this gets. I had to be thrifty back before I even had an optical mouse and I used this application to type +x400 pixels and -y318 pixels.
I just wish I could remember what it was called. I can't seem to figure out the right words to google it.
Of course, I didn't use this for every little thing like I do with a mouse now, I became very familiar with every keystroke Win98 had to offer. I could have used the mouseke
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On Linux xdotool will do what you want.