just thought i'd update that evoluent did release a wireless small mouse (VM4SW), and i bought one off ebay.
pros:
compared to my VM3W, the thumb well is indeed more aggressive, and combined with smaller size quite inducive to fingertip/claw gripping.
i find that a wrist rest to elevate the hand and thumb is helping since the top part of the thumbwell has been the most reduced (while the bottom inexplicable widened), and a low-friction mousepad is also useful here. single cell battery bay makes it much lighter (especially with an aaa->aa adapter, still plenty of runtime).
the thumb buttons are useful as dual role buttons for left and right click, dragging and a plethora of rocker/chord combinations, though i wish they were larger and more accessible.
cons:
in windows it requires the manufacturer drivers which have issues with separately registering down/up clicks as well as window focusing for xbutton1, 2 and keyboard maps [edit: down/up registering fixed in V5.5, but window focusing issue remains].
the shiny thumbwell is too slippery when gaming but can be alleviated by pressing on a small sheet of silicon.
in this version the sensor is closer to the center point of the mouse compared to the forward point of the VM3W. i'm beginning to think placing it even further to the rear would allow fingertip grip users like me to swivel the mouse for horizontal tracking and reduce wrist strain. no matter what mouse i have have used though, i find if you are unwilling to palm grip and use the whole arm to move the mouse then switching hands/input devices is the only way to relieve fatigue, unless you are willing to be creative with button and keyboard mapping
my current recommendations for updating this line of mice are:
- lightest possible switch force. the omrons are nice and standard but it goes without saying that if you are going to rely on 'pinch grip' for the bulk of your button activations you are doubling the required muscle strength. compared to horizontal mice you can halve the button force without inducing accidental activations.
- two changes to the finger buttons: angle it further in towards the palm to allow easier activation against the palm and not thumb. imagine a truly relaxed hand where fingers naturally curl in, and mold within that. buttons presses should feel more like 'triggers'. this would avoid extension of the fingers where the muscles are at their weakest. also, apply a scoop design similar to the ring/little finger button, hinged at the top (towards the ceiling) or diagonally instead of the side, so that the user has the option to press downwards (towards the mat) to activate them as an alternative to inward trigger-style clicking mentioned above. these options would allieviate a lot of pinch stress on the thumb, especially during click and dragging.
- more aggressive thumbwell, allow the thumb to sit lower and closer to the fingers. again, allow for the natural curl of the thumb when relaxed - the thumb should slide into an indent which would allow movement of the mouse by thumb contact alone. this way the thumb could prevent the mouse from moving backwards during inward trigger-style finger clicking without the need for contact with the base of the palm. thumb buttons should be closer to the central position, consider the bottom button as a good alternative primary click since it can be activated by pressing downwards too. there could be room in the front of the mouse for a third thumb button also.
- make it as light as possible to reduce movement force
also tried a wireless anker clone also very good for claw gripping, nice texture and light weight but i returned it after having some problems with the scroll wheel. of course it was also 45-degree angle with less buttons. so at least the VM4SW came as an unexpected surprise after this =)
