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ErgoSlider Offers a New Mouse Alternative

Posted by timothy on from the would-hate-to-draw-with-it dept.

Zothecula writes "First achieving widespread use with the release of the Apple Macintosh in 1984, the humble computer mouse has reigned supreme as the digital pointing device of choice for more than 20 years. During this time it has seen off countless pretenders to the throne, as well as undergoing some useful (and otherwise) redesigns such as Apple's Magic Mouse, Microsoft's Arc, the 3D-Spheric-Mouse, the AirMouse and the Orbita. The latest product to take a shot at the title is the Ergo-Slider Plus+, a device that looks like a padded wrist rest, but with a cylinder at the front that rolls and slides in a special groove to move the onscreen cursor." It reminds me of the Isopoint pointing device in the long-passed Apple-compatible Outbound Laptop.

16 of 118 comments (clear)

  1. isn't this old? by Picardo85 · · Score: 3

    i've seen something that looks exactly like that in offices across the country for many years ...

    1. Re:isn't this old? by Half-pint+HAL · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Ah, no. That thing is an "ErgoSlider", or possibly an "ErgoSlider Plus".

      As you can tell from the name, the "ErgoSlider Plus+" is something completely different and totally new.

      Anyway, on a more serious note, I have read several reviews complaining about the ErgoSlider causing cramps and pains. There's no easy way to carry out the rotating motion, for one thing. For another, wrist rests are bad for your wrists. Wrist rests should only be used while resting because you are supposed to keep your wrist straight and neutral while carrying out fine hand movements. The ErgoSlider has you dropping your wrist habitually, and it leads to increased movement of the wrist during operation, leading to strain on the tendons and nerves, particularly within the carpal tunnel.

      HAL

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    2. Re:isn't this old? by Half-pint+HAL · · Score: 3, Informative

      Oh, and if anyone wants to trust the reviewer's knowledge of ergonomics over mine, notice that in the photo he is using a laptop on a riser without an external keyboard. That's a massive, massive ergonomics no-no.

      HAL.

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    3. Re:isn't this old? by Picardo85 · · Score: 2

      that's a very good question! the device is designed so that you never have to move the "roll" more than a centimeter or two to get across the screen. So if you face yourself with having it at one end of the device you can move it to the middle, or the other end if you feel like it. This will "reset" it. It's actually a rather well thought through device.

    4. Re:isn't this old? by scdeimos · · Score: 4, Funny

      As you can tell from the name, the "ErgoSlider Plus+" is something completely different and totally new.

      Think I'll wait until the ErgoSlider Plus# is released.

    5. Re:isn't this old? by gl4ss · · Score: 2

      yeah, but gizmag lamers are not old enough to have been to real banks, post offices, tax office or anywhere. and actually it's not a real article even at that, just a short blurb. AND THERE'S A FRIGGIN SUBSCRIBE TO US time delayed pop-over

      not only that, but the product is named plus+. meaning it's already gotten a "plus" AND a plus sign!

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    6. Re:isn't this old? by Simon80 · · Score: 2

      To be fair, in the second picture, he has a keyboard off to the side that he may have temporarily replace with the gadget he was reviewing.

  2. A better mousetrap? by hairyfish · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The accuracy, efficiency, and robustness of the optical mouse is already the perfect HID. Why do people persist with the folly of trying to improve on this perfection?

    1. Re:A better mousetrap? by Nialin · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Perfect for what, RSS? The mouse needs to become ergonomic enough to help prevent injury. Change ain't bad.

    2. Re:A better mousetrap? by Smallpond · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Easy to use graphics tablets have been around since as early as 1969. The only reason mice are the standard is that they are cheap.

  3. WAY old! by FlyveHest · · Score: 4, Informative

    More than 10 years ago I had a coworker that suffered from RSS from mouse-use, and she got a piece of hardware that is more or less the spitting image of this device.

    Slashvertisement, anyone?

    1. Re:WAY old! by Gubbe · · Score: 2

      Just a hunch, but might they have been around 17 years?

      Rollermouse has been the only product of this type that I have come across so far. This is the first time I've heard of an "ErgoSlider." Perhaps Rollermouse's patent expired and the clones are starting to roll in.

  4. Basically an oversized trackpoint by loufoque · · Score: 2

    But not as good.

  5. Re:Touch or gesture is the future by Peeteriz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Both touch and gesture are extremely faulty from ergonomics/RSI viewpoint - they will not be and can not be 'the future', simply as the hands of homo sapiens simply won't tolerate handling touchscreens or gesturing 8 hours a day, 5 days a week - they'll get too tired much, much sooner; and if you *need* to use them still while tired, greet RSI and damage to your hands.

    Mouse+keyboard causes problems for some people in excessive use and can often be fixed with proper positioning. Full-day use of touchscreens and gestures will cause problems for everyone.

    Really, even a full day of having your hands touching but not resting on a touchscreen would be physically impossible. A full day of having your arms raised in whatever gesture would be physically impossible.

    Touch/gesture interfaces are suitable for occasional use, but not for replacing your main workday interface. Sorry, but you'll have to find something else that involves a rested position of your main muscles.

  6. Re:awkward by CastrTroy · · Score: 2

    Exactly. I've been a long time user of trackballs. The article specifically says "the device is clinically proven to reduce muscle strain by letting users move the onscreen pointer without overusing their wrists". Which is basically what I realized a long time ago with trackballs. They let you control the pointer with very good accuracy, while allowing you to leave your wrist in, and entire arm, in a single position. Only your fingers (or thumb depending on the trackball) have to move, and you leave the mouse in one spot, ensuring that you don't put your arm in some weird position.

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  7. Trackballs FTW! by DG · · Score: 2

    Because it ain't perfect.

    I have a small cache of Logitech Trackballs (of a couple of different models) which I think are WAY better input devices. All the functions of a mouse, but the hand rests in a single location so I use less desk space and don't have to wobble all over the place to use it.

    Once you go track(ball) you'll never go back.

    I don't userstand why they aren't more popular.

    DG

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