Author Topic: Macally QBall  (Read 9112 times)

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Offline Chloe

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Macally QBall
« on: Fri, 02 January 2009, 08:40:00 »
http://mineko.fc2web.com/box/tb-room/items/macally-qball.html
http://www.macally.jp/japan/qball.html

Has anyone here used one? I quite like the look of it. It has five buttons that look well placed and a scroll wheel. It is also smaller than the Microsoft Trackball Explorer.

Offline iMav

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Macally QBall
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 02 January 2009, 08:57:15 »
I'm a big thumb trackball user, so it isn't my thing...but definitely looks interesting.

Offline Chloe

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Macally QBall
« Reply #2 on: Sat, 03 January 2009, 16:22:52 »
The Sanwa Supply MA-TB32UPS looks similar but the reviews on Amazon are not so good.

Offline bigpook

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Macally QBall
« Reply #3 on: Sat, 03 January 2009, 16:47:34 »
The Macally looks interesting, but I don't think it would work left-handed.

Amazon and Newegg don't seem to have it, is this new? I found posts about it going back to 2006.

It doesn't look as long here, but it may not be the same mouse.

http://www.dealtime.com/xPF-Macally-QBALL


OK, so it is at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Macally-Trackball-optical-button-retail/dp/B00006BAPG
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Offline itlnstln

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Macally QBall
« Reply #4 on: Mon, 05 January 2009, 01:18:03 »
Quote
The Macally looks interesting, but I don't think it would work left-handed.


Lefties...  Always making things difficult for the rest of us.

:)


Offline bigpook

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Macally QBall
« Reply #5 on: Mon, 05 January 2009, 04:57:29 »
Quote from: itlnstln;17084
Lefties...  Always making things difficult for the rest of us.

:)


: ) I am actually a righty so it kind of makes it even worse : )
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Offline Chloe

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Macally QBall
« Reply #6 on: Mon, 05 January 2009, 04:58:50 »
The Macally seems to be discontinued, but I'm hoping I can get one from their online shop. I've just asked Crescent-Shop for a quote.

Offline xyzzy

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Macally QBall
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 12 January 2009, 13:56:00 »
The Macally reminds me of the Microsoft Trackball Explorer which has very good reviews but is discontinued and is valued an arm and a leg.

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Offline bigpook

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Macally QBall
« Reply #8 on: Sat, 17 January 2009, 11:18:16 »
Quote from: Chloe;17105
The Macally seems to be discontinued, but I'm hoping I can get one from their online shop. I've just asked Crescent-Shop for a quote.


Chloe, did you ever hear back from Crescent?
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Offline Chloe

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Macally QBall
« Reply #9 on: Sat, 17 January 2009, 11:21:22 »
I did. It's not available from the Macally web shop so I assume it is discontinued. I couldn't find it on Rakuten either.

Offline chimera15

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Macally QBall
« Reply #10 on: Wed, 29 April 2009, 15:56:57 »
This is the best trackball ever produced other than the trackball explorer.  It uses rollers for the trackball points so the points will never wear flat, but still uses a pure optical sensor like a tbe.  I've modified mine with a trackball from a trackball optical which is much smoother than the speckled ball that comes with it.  I've also modified mine to extend the side keys out, because of it's smallesh design it's buttons aren't in a natural position and can be a bit straining on the hand after a while. Once those simple mods are done it's equal to a tbe or better.  They're extremely extremely rare. Good luck finding one.
« Last Edit: Wed, 29 April 2009, 16:06:16 by chimera15 »
Alps boards:
white real complicated: 1x modified siiig minitouch kb1903,  hhkb light2 english steampunk hack, wireless siig minitouch hack
white with rubber damper(cream)+clicky springs: 2x modified siig minitouch kb1903 1x modified siig minitouch kb1948
white fake simplified:   1x white smk-85, 1x Steampunk compact board hack
white real simplified: 1x unitek k-258
low profile: 1x mint m1242 in box
black: ultra mini wrist keyboard hack
blue: Japanese hhk2 lite hack, 1x siig minitouch pcb/doubleshot dc-2014 caps. kb1903, 1x modified kb1948 Siig minitouch
rainbow test boards:  mck-84sx


Offline chimera15

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Macally QBall
« Reply #11 on: Wed, 29 April 2009, 22:24:30 »
It's not much to look at.  Bastically I just took a quarter of a stick of epoxy putty and shaped the main left key out so that it's better under my thumb when my hand is in a natural position, out about half an inch or so.  It makes a big difference to the feel of this trackball.
Alps boards:
white real complicated: 1x modified siiig minitouch kb1903,  hhkb light2 english steampunk hack, wireless siig minitouch hack
white with rubber damper(cream)+clicky springs: 2x modified siig minitouch kb1903 1x modified siig minitouch kb1948
white fake simplified:   1x white smk-85, 1x Steampunk compact board hack
white real simplified: 1x unitek k-258
low profile: 1x mint m1242 in box
black: ultra mini wrist keyboard hack
blue: Japanese hhk2 lite hack, 1x siig minitouch pcb/doubleshot dc-2014 caps. kb1903, 1x modified kb1948 Siig minitouch
rainbow test boards:  mck-84sx


Offline chimera15

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Macally QBall
« Reply #12 on: Thu, 30 April 2009, 08:10:38 »
Here's a pic.  It looks pretty bad, but works great ;)  I've been using it this way for several years now so the epoxy putty has become a bit yellowed. lol


Notice mine is a pcally, instead of a mcally ;)
Alps boards:
white real complicated: 1x modified siiig minitouch kb1903,  hhkb light2 english steampunk hack, wireless siig minitouch hack
white with rubber damper(cream)+clicky springs: 2x modified siig minitouch kb1903 1x modified siig minitouch kb1948
white fake simplified:   1x white smk-85, 1x Steampunk compact board hack
white real simplified: 1x unitek k-258
low profile: 1x mint m1242 in box
black: ultra mini wrist keyboard hack
blue: Japanese hhk2 lite hack, 1x siig minitouch pcb/doubleshot dc-2014 caps. kb1903, 1x modified kb1948 Siig minitouch
rainbow test boards:  mck-84sx


Offline itlnstln

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Macally QBall
« Reply #13 on: Thu, 30 April 2009, 08:18:43 »
Quote from: chimera15;88265
Notice mine is a pcally, instead of a mcally ;)


 
That solves a debate in one of the older threads in the Keyboards forum: how to pronounce "Macally."  The proposed pronounciations included muhcahlee (emphasis on the "ah"), mackallee (emphasis on the second "a"), and what appears to be correct - mack alai (two words).
 


Offline chimera15

  • Posts: 1441
Macally QBall
« Reply #14 on: Thu, 30 April 2009, 08:27:00 »
Oh I'm not sure, I assumed you'd pronounce it like mac, like the normal way you'd pronounce macintosh, +ally  I put mcally cause I was thinking of pcally on it. lol
Alps boards:
white real complicated: 1x modified siiig minitouch kb1903,  hhkb light2 english steampunk hack, wireless siig minitouch hack
white with rubber damper(cream)+clicky springs: 2x modified siig minitouch kb1903 1x modified siig minitouch kb1948
white fake simplified:   1x white smk-85, 1x Steampunk compact board hack
white real simplified: 1x unitek k-258
low profile: 1x mint m1242 in box
black: ultra mini wrist keyboard hack
blue: Japanese hhk2 lite hack, 1x siig minitouch pcb/doubleshot dc-2014 caps. kb1903, 1x modified kb1948 Siig minitouch
rainbow test boards:  mck-84sx


Offline FKSSR

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Macally QBall
« Reply #15 on: Thu, 30 April 2009, 08:45:18 »
I didn't see that old thread, but it's really pretty standard phonetics at work.
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Offline itlnstln

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Macally QBall
« Reply #16 on: Thu, 30 April 2009, 09:30:58 »
Quote from: FKSSR;88280
I didn't see that old thread, but it's really pretty standard phonetics at work.

You would hope, but English defies logic many times.  To non-native English speakers, this may have been confusing.


Offline FKSSR

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Macally QBall
« Reply #17 on: Thu, 30 April 2009, 10:21:28 »
True.  I'm a native english speaker.  So, I often don't have problems with figuring out how to say many words (I also don't have spelling problems for similar reasons).

However, I definitely see how it could be confusing.
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