Like the others in this thread, I think the vertical options are important for those that need them. They're not particularly new, however. I think they've been around for more than 5 years (the 3M vertical mouse anyway).
For my mother, the 3M vertical mouse was great. Her old one finally died and she tried to go without for a few days and promptly bought another.
For me, I eventually went trackball because I could use it left or right handed.
One good criticism I read was that these vertical mice don't have scroll wheels, but that doesn't bother me. Even if it did, I would gladly sacrifice that for the wrist pain relief that it affords.
Having a platform that moves with your hand for the vertical mouse is actually a benefit because otherwise you have to lift your hand to move the mouse. Lifting creates fatigue. With a trackball, I don't have to lift because my whole hand doesn't move. Another benefit to the trackball is that you can position it very close to the keyboard and don't need a movement area for it. I have a keyboard shelf and I can keep my trackball right there at the edge of the shelf. No mouse can do that.
I also agree with others on/. that point out that we need to move past traditional physical interfaces like mice and keyboards, but these vertical mouse and trackball options are very important for those of us who need help now to save our wrists.
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Like the others in this thread, I think the vertical options are important for those that need them. They're not particularly new, however. I think they've been around for more than 5 years (the 3M vertical mouse anyway).
For my mother, the 3M vertical mouse was great. Her old one finally died and she tried to go without for a few days and promptly bought another.
For me, I eventually went trackball because I could use it left or right handed.
One good criticism I read was that these vertical mice don't have scroll wheels, but that doesn't bother me. Even if it did, I would gladly sacrifice that for the wrist pain relief that it affords.
Having a platform that moves with your hand for the vertical mouse is actually a benefit because otherwise you have to lift your hand to move the mouse. Lifting creates fatigue. With a trackball, I don't have to lift because my whole hand doesn't move. Another benefit to the trackball is that you can position it very close to the keyboard and don't need a movement area for it. I have a keyboard shelf and I can keep my trackball right there at the edge of the shelf. No mouse can do that.
I also agree with others on /. that point out that we need to move past traditional physical interfaces like mice and keyboards, but these vertical mouse and trackball options are very important for those of us who need help now to save our wrists.