IntelliMouse Trackball has been designed to leverage the success of the IntelliMouse by incorporating the wheel technology in a trackball format. It offers you a smart, comfortable... more
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A review by Eudora on Microsoft IntelliMouse trackball April 27th, 2001
Author's product rating:
Responsiveness
Responsive
Robustness & durability
Good
Look & feel
Good
Ease of use
Satisfactory
Value For Money
Satisfactory
Advantages:
saves space, takes less effort to operate
Disadvantages:
takes a while to get used to
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
When my old mouse was finally on its last legs - held together by blue tack - I decided it was time for a change and went off in search of something ergonomically satisfying, modern and long-lasting. I didn't want to spend more than ten pounds however, so this meant that I had to do a lot of shopping around before I could find the best possible deal. On visiting shops like Woolworth's and Game, I realised that their products were over-priced and not even that good. Eventually I found just what I was looking for in PC World - the Microsoft IntelliMouse TrackBall.
This mouse usually sells for £17.99, but I was lucky to find one reduced to £10, as it was an exchanged product. This means that it has minor cosmetic imperfections (i.e. the packaging had already been opened) as it had been previously been exchanged by a PC World customer. Besides the fact that a piece of selotape held the box together, there was nothing wrong with the product itself and I went home very satisfied with my purchase.
The IntelliMouse TrackBall is basically an up-side-down mouse. Instead of moving the mouse around with your hand, you place your index finger over the grey ball and move that instead. The ring finger then operates the scrolling wheel, whilst the thumb works on the two buttons on the side - which replace the left and right click buttons on an average mouse. Admittedly, it takes some time to get yourself accustomed with this new set up, but once you do, you'll find that it's no more difficult to use than an ordinary mouse and in fact, there are many advantages of using this particular kind of mouse.
The main plus point is that the mouse does not take up a great deal of space on your worktop, and this is ideal if you work in cramped conditions. As a student, I live in very limited space so I found using this mouse to be very advantageous as it meant that I could get rid of my old space-consuming mouse mat and make the most of what I have. The second pro of this mouse is the fact that it's kinder on your arm as you won't have to do the usual work out that is requires with an ordinary mouse. Therefore, this product is ideal for those who have a mobility problem as it takes a lot less effort to navigate the pointer. The wheel for scrolling and zooming is great, and it makes me wonder how I managed before I had one!
The mouse is easy to install as it comes with a CD ROM wizard which takes you through the installation steps in a way which is simple and understandable - even to those of us who are not PC wizards ourselves. An adapter is also supplied, should you not have the 6-pin (PS/2) port on the back of your computer - all you then have to do is pop on the 9-pin adapter and plug it into your old mouse hole. Should you need further help, there's an online user's guide available, but I am convinced that the leaflet supplied is ample information. As regards special features, there are a number of different themes that can be set for your mouse. These consist of animated pointers - such as animals and egg timers. You can alter the speed and orientation of your mouse, as well as customising the buttons to ensure that your mouse is as ergonomic as possible.
So, to conclude, this is a great all-rounder - perfect for those with limited space or problems with mobility.
...move it around. On the Microsoft IntelliMouse trackball the ball is placed on top of the mouse, and all you have to do is place you finger on the ball and with ease it goes to where you want it too. It may take time for you to get used to it, but it’s so much easier and faster. So, instead of moving your normal mouse up and down your desk, which can take quite a lot of space simply roll the grey ball. It’s very easy to use but does take ... ...your computer, if you just follow the instruction from the CD ROM wizard which makes installing it easier. My little cousin uses this mouse and she finds it very easy to use, so it’s great alternative to your conventional mouse which used to require a lot of mobility. Until you use this mouse, you won’t realise how much arm muscles you use on your old mouse. ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Trackball is good for some Disadvantages: Trackball is bad for some and this one can be a little unresponsive
...lighter side of the mouse, Microsoft realized that it couldn't just create mice, since there were other folks out there that were into trackballs. The trackball is simply a mouse upside down really, with a ball your thumb or fingers move around, with the buttons in various places. Microsoft got cute with the trackball, and decided to give it a nice glossy surface, and make it quite ergonomic. The index finger controls the ball, while the middle finger ... ...The wheel on the IntelliMouse TrackBall performs just like it does on the other mice. In addition to the wheel, the two buttons for clicking are now on the left side of the trackball, in which your thumb is to control. The wheel on the trackball can click as well as scroll, just like the other mice. I never really liked trackballs and this one was no exception... ...
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03.09.2000
It gets better Review ofMicrosoft IntelliMouse trackballby
lloydpick
Advantages: Very Sensitive Disadvantages: Can sometimes jump around
Get all terrain driving under the control with this mouse. This is the first ever trackball mouse with optical sensor. The wheel in the centre is easy to use and is effortless scrolling and zooming. There are an amazing 5 programmable buttons to do what ever you want it to do. Refresh your homepage, or for all you lazy people press enter. Because of its size it can be placed anywhere on a desk, and also it will fit into any type of area because of ...
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21.01.2001
Trackball Review ofMicrosoft IntelliMouse trackballby
JimmY
Advantages: ease of use, well built, comes with s/port & ps/2 connecters. Disadvantages: doesn't like dirt, only right handed people could use it well
I bought the Trackball mouse so that my kids could have more fun using the computer and in a way they have been.
As you'd expect the build quality is very good, its packaged well and comes with a CD rom for easy installation.
The mouse itself is quite big but remember you don't have to move it around the desk therefore theres no reason why you have to keep on lifting it to reposition the mouse cursor hence the reason I bought. It also has a scroll ... ...allows you to move the page your viewing in 4 directions.
The Trackball might be of use to people who haven't got full use of their hand.
The bad points with the the Trackball are:
only right handed people could use it to its poitentual,
definately don't eat whilst using it casue dirt clings on to the Trackball therfore causing problems ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Advantages: Space saving, easy on the arm Disadvantages: Responsiveness
I used the trackball on my Dads computer and thought that it was really good, i've used a couple of other mice and found that moving them for long periods gives me arm ache, but i had no such problems with the tackball. I aggree that the build quality is brilliant but that it needs cleaning regularly probably due to dust that settles onto it, and gets moved to the inside.
I'd recommend this mouse to anyone that has limited desk space or with limited ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful
Cables Included: 1 x keyboard / mouse cable - 1.8 m
Compliant Standards: Plug and Play
Package Type: Retail
Power
Voltage Required: 5 V ± 10%
Manufacturer's product description
IntelliMouse Trackball has been designed to leverage the success of the IntelliMouse by incorporating the wheel technology in a trackball format. It offers you a smart, comfortable way to work. Utilizing the finger instead of the thumb to manipulate the trackball, the IntelliMouse TrackBall is ergonomically designed for greater user comfort. The trackball format allows users to conserve desktop space by allowing the user's hand to remain in a stationary position. Work fast with the IntelliMouse TrackBall wheel, including Auto Scroll and Data Zooming. Greater user comfort combines with a new ergonomic trackball design that fits your hand and improved control of the trackball with a finger-based design. This product is provided with a one-year carry in warranty.
Software / system requirements
Software Included: Drivers & Utilities
OS Required: Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows NT 3.51
Min Hard Drive Space: 9 MB
Manufacturer warranty
Service & Support: 3 years warranty
Service & Support Details: Limited warranty - 3 years - carry-in
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