A 4D Mouse can reduce counter top or desktop clutter because you do not need to use a mouse pad for the wireless trackball mouse. It can be used on any surface, including glass table top, your lap or the arm of your favorite overstuffed recliner. The range of the wireless mouse is nearly six feet so it is great for slide show presentations or kicked back in a reclining chair. The rolling marble trackball improves pointing precision with less effort and hand movement. The 4D Mouse can be thumb controlled or index finger controlled, depending on the model. Now if your mouse pad is a photo of your favorite cat or your child, you can of course, still keep it on your desk.
There is a widespread notion that the 4D Mouse is nothing more than an upside down mouse. However, the trackball actually predates the development of the mouse by over a decade.The trackball itself was actually conceived in 1949 and used primarily for military and industrial purposes. During the 1960s and 1970s, the trackball was used in military radar fire control systems. They were also the key component in the Atari Missile Command arcade games in 1980.
Mice were never originally regarded by experts as the best input devise for use in computer graphics. In 1980, six devices were tested and ranked according to their effectiveness- mouse trackball, joystick, graphics tablet, light pen and touch screen. The graphics tablet was rated first followed closely by the mouse trackball. In late 1980, Logitech introduce its first trackball mouse. By late 1980, most computer stores carried the trackball models. The trend peaked in the early 2000 with the availability of excellent trackballs such as the Microsoft Trackball Explorer, the Kensington Orbit, and my personal favorites, the Logitech Marble and the Logitech Trackman.
The 4D Mouse is an attractive alternative in many applications. They are great to use with a laptop, especially for travelers and commuters. They work well with a stationary computer and do not need a mouse pad so they work well on glass surfaces, or on an arm of a recliner. Some people with mobility impairments find it much easier to manipulate the wireless trackball mouse with their thumb rather than having to use their entire hand. And many baby boomers, such as myself, find the trackball easier to manipulate and causes less strain in my wrist, shoulder and neck. I know this from personal experience when I ditched my older trackball for a younger, flashy pink mouse. Soon after I started using the newer mouse, my shoulder started hurting and my neck and back were extremely tense. I did not realize that it was the mouse causing the pain until I lost the newer mouse and went back to the older trackball and within days, my shoulder quit hurting. Tough getting old.
The Logitech Optical Trackman 4D Mouse utilizes a large ball called a Marble with direct optical tracking. It is ergonomically contoured to fit your hand and offers precise fingtip control and five easy access buttons. It also has a scroll wheel and you will need a AAA battery. The Logitech Track Wheel mouse utilizes a thumbball marble and has fewer buttons and is about 10 dollars cheaper than the Optical Trackman mouse. The case is black and silver and Logitech offers a five year warranty. The downside is that it does not come in any flirty colors or fancy skins, but the durability and ease of use will out perform any fashion runway beauty.
Kensington also carries a very sleek 4D Mouse, but it is double the price of the Logitech mouse. Kensington also has available a variety of wireless trackball keyboards that have the trackballs built into the keyboard.
So if you want the precision of a trackball with the freedom of wireless and the ergonomics of a Logitech Trackman, head on over to tomtop.com and order yours today. I am hanging up my older corded 4D Mouse for the newer, wireless one myself. I am looking forward to the package in the mail and never again will I be swayed by a flashy pink mouse again.