Interesting Laptop Mouse

[bionicroach]

I remember seeing a teaser about this mouse eons ago, but thought that the company had gone bankrupt or something.  Looks like they're finally releasing it now.  A bit on the pricey side, but it does look like it might work well.

http://www.americas.futuremouse.com/

[kishy]

That would frustrate me SO much.

The problem with pointing devices is they're too small, not too big.

[ch_123]

*looks down*



There's an interesting laptop mouse.

[didjamatic]

That thing scrolling looked pretty cumbersome, but could be interesting to give a whirl.  The thing is, it doesn't get past the issue of the usable space on a laptop is so small you're going to be picking it up constantly.  Trackpoints are much better IMO, touchpads are horrible devices so for me basically anything is better than them.

It's a shame Dells don't have a good trackpoint.  Mine is a pain, but still better than a touchpad.

[ch_123]

Trackpoints, like a lot of obscure but great things in the computer world suffer from the fact that their correct operation is not immediately intuitive, and requires some degree of practice to get used to. This is a problem that is doubtless exacerbated by low quality clones, and the earlier IBM ones that left a lot to be desired.

As someone who has used one on a regular basis over two years, it seems completely natural to me, but when someone tries to use the one on my laptop, I have to train them how to use it, including explanations of the position they should hold their hand in, and the fact that the thing is not like a joystick, and they're just nudging against it, and not trying to move it etc etc ad infinitum.

Most of these people who experience this misfortune are as good with computers as I am. Some of it is doubtlessly down to "Hurr durr this is not what I am used to", but I think the touchpad with its idiot-proof "I move my finger and the cursor moves too" operation is more appealing to that mass-produced consumer market I keep hearing so much about these days...

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

Couldn't have said it better myself.  Trackpoints work so well I use one on one of my desktop computers, as well as on my laptop.

[microsoft windows]

Trackpoints, like a lot of obscure but great things in the computer world suffer from the fact that their correct operation is not immediately intuitive, and requires some degree of practice to get used to. This is a problem that is doubtless exacerbated by clones, and the earlier IBM ones that left a lot to be desired.

As someone who has used one on a regular basis over two years, it seems completely natural to me, but when someone tries to use the one on my laptop, I have to train them how to use it, including explanations of the position they should hold their hand in, and the fact that the thing is not like a joystick, and they're just nudging against it, and not trying to move it etc etc ad infinitum.

Most of these people who experience this misfortune are as good with computers as I am. Some of it is doubtlessly down to "Hurr durr this is not what I am used to", but I think the touchpad with its idiot-proof "I move my finger and the cursor moves too" operation is more appealing to that mass-produced consumer market I keep hearing so much about these days...

I haven't really seen any people have trouble using trackpoints. They're a little clumsy at first, but it'll get to them in a few minutes.

[ch_123]

In fairness, I suspect most of them don't want to get used to it.

[Computer-Lab in Basement]

One of my friends from my school hates trackpoints and doesn't like to use them.  So you know what I do?  Whenever he uses a computer at my house, I make sure it is the one with the IBM Model M4-1, that way he has to use a trackpoint.

[EverythingIBM]

In fairness, I suspect most of them don't want to get used to it.

I hate people who hate trackpoints and/or can't use them. They're one of the best pointing devices out there. Screw touchpads. I laugh when people go on my laptop and attempt to use my highly sped up trackpoint -- set the speed to max, hate it being slow. But you become proficient at it. I must admit even I, YES I, was a bit clumsy starting out.

Trackballs however, I just can't get into them... I do find the holding buttons useful. Too bad you couldn't route the touchpad buttons to function like that for the trackpoint. Maybe you can (there are many options), but I'm too lazy to find out.

[microsoft windows]

IBM trackpoints have always been my favorites. They all have that nice squishy feel to them which makes them comfy on the finger.

[hyperlinked]

The problem with pointing devices is they're too small, not too big.

Context of how it's used is important though. Shape is as important as the size of the mouse. Regardless, this doesn't appear to be a replacement for your standard sized mouse. It seems to be a replacement for your already undersized travel mouse, which is too small to be used like a normal mouse and too large to be used in any other way.

If you watch the video on the homepage, you might notice that it looks the most awkward to use when people are trying to use it like a normal mouse. There's a part where the guy is making sweeping motions with his arm and wrist like he's playing a game. That part looks silly.

Then watch the people who are using mostly fingertip control to nudge the Swiftpoint around on the surface of their palmrest. It looks a lot more natural then. It's like what ch_123 said about how clueless people use trackpoints like a joystick. The name of the product is pretty accurate. It's not so much a mouse as it is a "point" of some sort.

If people learn to adapt to a claw hand-like style, this product might be onto something. If everyone just gets frustrated that the wide sweeping wrist motions that they're used to are so awkward, they're doomed to be a novelty product. I'm afraid inertia will win. Everyone will just blame the device rather than recognize that it's really not a mouse.

As someone who already does a lot of claw hand on the mouse, I'd be especially interested in trying one of these. I don't use my laptop that often though and I'd be loathe to give up my big trackpad and I'm not totally sure that this is any faster than a good trackpad. On my ASUS netbook or my old Dell Laptop, it's a great replacement. On my MacBook Pro, it's probably a step sideways at best.

[bionicroach]

I agree that for people who have (and like) Trackpoints (myself included) this mouse would be unnecessary.  It's hard to beat the ThinkPad's UltraNav setup since it gives you the benefits of a trackpoint and a touchpad at the same time.  I hate touchpads for most general workflow tasks (especially if "tap to click" is turned on -- I'm way too heavy-handed for that) but for lazy web browsing, they're fine.

For low-cost netbooks and ultraportables with crappy touchpads and no trackpoint though, this mouse seems like a huge upgrade.  The pen-style grip negates most of the problems of a traditional tiny portable mouse, and the small size actually retains some of the benefits of built-in touchpads or trackpoints in that you can keep your hands close to the keyboard while mousing since you can "park" the mouse closer in than a traditional one.  Any pointing device that reduces extra reaching wins points in my book.

I have a 2003-era ThinkPad that is on its last legs, so if I end up replacing it with a cheap laptop (sadly, I don't have the kind of disposable income these days that I had back then), I will definitely give one of these mice a shot.  Looks like they offer a 30 day trial, too, so why not?

[microsoft windows]

A trackpoint would be best without a trashpad.

[Phaedrus2129]

I like the trackpoint in my Thinkpad, it took me maybe 15 minutes to get used to it, and two or three days to really master it. The only frustration I have with it is that I accidentally hit the touchpad on mistake.

[microsoft windows]

You should disable the touchpad.

[Phaedrus2129]

I'm not sure how. I'll look it up tomorrow I guess.

[washuai]

It states it is thirty to fourty percent better than a touchpad - well duh, most little touchpads are indeed trashpads.  I am more curious how it compares to the track point or mini trackballs.  I like trackballs, but I don't want to travel with a huge one of those and I haven't tried mini ones.  Work has apparently decided cheap lower initial cost peripherals only, productivity and RSI be damned, so they definitely aren't going to get a high cost travel mouse, just for me to try out.  Probably wouldn't get me a travel trackball, either.  At this point, I'm just glad Dell's contain trackpoints, even if I don't like them.  

Usually you disable trackpoint/trackpad either in bios or hardware settings particular to your notebook.

[Phaedrus2129]

Cool, there's a dedicated Fn combo to turn off the touchpad/trackpad. Also, BIOS let me switch the Fn and Ctrl keys, which was my only other complaint on the keyboard/mouse. Aside from it not being clickety-clackety-clicky, of course.