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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.
How do I connect it to my VT-100?
Trolling is a art,
not catchy enough, how about a farm animal? the horse, yeah that's it.
And in other news, the makers of the roller ruler aim to replace the ruler.
G-Force music visualization
Until they have a screen that can figure out what i am looking at and want to "click". Small things like that are as bad as the "eraser" and touchpad mice.
Everyone is trying to reinvent the (mouse) wheel these days.
Thank thank you. I'll be here all week.
Life is not for the lazy.
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.
You've never heard of this?
Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
One way to tell it's time to change jobs: Increasing your mouse speed and accuracy noticeably improves your productivity.
Anatomy varies between individuals. Some people have an extra rib in the neck. Others have different clavicle widths than you do.
Depending on precisely where you mouse is, how you work, and how your body is built you can irritate the cushioning pads in the shoulder or compress the nerve bundle that controls the arm, leading to pain and numbness.
The conditions are startlingly serious. It's possible to completely lose the use of the arm. There's also a certain stigma, because externally the arm looks fine. People float somewhere between thinking the victim must be faking it to hoping they are because otherwise, you might be next.
The prognosis is pretty good if the victim takes it seriously right away. Unfortunately, the attitude tends to be "Oh, yeah, Sam. My arm gets tired too. Go home and ice it," rather than, "Hey Sam, I wonder if you might be doing permanent nerve damage. Do you think you should talk to a doctor about physical therapy?"
A related complaint that people often don't take seriously is ulnar nerve entrapment. Habitually leaning on one's elbow can incapacitate the ring and pinky fingers permanently, curling the hand into a half-useless claw. These nerve bundles are almost as crucial as the spine, but not so well protected.
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.
Actually I am a lab rat in an elaborate plot to take over the world.
Mouses. Mice is the plural of the rodent, mouses of the pointing device.
How many people can read hex if only you and dead people can read hex?
Does anybody know where I could find a standard layout keyboard with a touchpoint?
:-) ...
:-P
;-)
Yes. I know where to find one!
What's that? I'm overdoing the smartassitude?
Bah. Okay.
I'll be nice.
Unicomp sells a keyboard called "On the Stick", which is a 101-keyboard with trackpoint goodness. Here's a link to the catalogue page.
As an added bonus, it will give you buckling spring goodness, as previously seen on keyboards like the IBM Model M.
I haven't tried the keyboard myself (I hate trackpoints, I'm a touchpad person myself), nor have I tried their specific implementation of the buckling spring mechanism, but my PC does have an IBM Model M keyboard connected to it. Type hard or go home!
Hope this helps.