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New Microsoft Mouse Scrolls Both Ways

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the yes-i-said-it dept.

Library Spoff writes "The BBC are reporting that Microsoft are bringing out a mouse that will use the scroll wheel to tilt as well as roll. The innovation means that users will be able to scroll vertically as well as horizontally without using on-screen navigation bars." How long before I get a trackball embedded in my mouse?

5 of 736 comments (clear)

  1. Apple had a similar idea! by avij · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Isn't this pretty much the same idea that Apple had some time ago?

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  2. I've been asking for a trackball in a mouse... by Demon-Xanth · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I've been asking for a trackball in a mouse for a long time. It'd make working with large OrCAD and AutoCAD files alot easier.

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  3. Re:/. parrotting Micro$oft product announcements? by Atario · · Score: 4, Interesting
    So now why do I want this mouse?
    Obviously, to make it easier to read poorly-designed websites. Err...

    Seriously, though, (folks,) I do find tend to find it useful for scrolling around wide program listings or for sites whose text column is narrow enough for my browser window, but is merely offset to the right for some vertical navigation bar or advertising column.
    How long before I get a trackball embedded in my mouse?
    I'm surprised it wasn't done years ago. I'm also surprised at the relative failure of the IBM TrackPoint (I think that's what they were called) mice -- a kind of sideways-saddle shaped version of the piezoelectric pencil-eraser-looking mice they like to put in their notebook keyboards, only where the wheel would otherwise be. I have one at work, and it's quite nice. Lots less *roll* *roll* *roll* *roll* when scrolling down a page; just pull it back a little and wait. Or pull it harder and wait less. (Did I just say that?) Anyway, it handles vertical and horizontal scrolling, which I find myself doing much more readily using that mouse. Oh, and there's a small button just past the TrackPoint thingy so you can do the equivalent of wheel-clicks.

    The shame of it is, my company has a lot of these mice around, but no one has the drivers installed, and so the TrackPoint becomes completely useless. *Sigh*
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  4. Mod parent up as CORRECT!!! by John+Harrison · · Score: 4, Interesting
    IBM has sold mice with a TrackPoint placed between the buttons. This allows for you to scroll up/down and side to side. I always thought that it was hard to use as you had to exert some force to press the pointer and at the same time oppose that force to keep the mouse from moving. A scroll wheel seems more natural to me.

    /.ers lucky enough to use IBM Thinkpads can use the third mouse button to activate scrolling capability for the keyboard mounted TrackPoint. Interestingly, this works better than mouse mounted TrackPoint because you don't have to work to keep the keyboard still as you scroll.

    As others have noted elsewhere in this discussion, there isn't nearly as much use for the side to side scrolling as the up/down. It is useful for navigating spreadsheets and large graphics files.

    PS I know there is no such mod as CORRECT. However, that doesn't mean that there shouldn't be.

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  5. Easier solution by Teppy · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Why not just program the existing scroll wheel so that when held down, it behaves like the "hand" tool in Photoshop. Press down the middle button, and then drag the document around the window.