How To Use A Trackball Mouse

For many people, a trackball mouse remains shrouded in mystery, something reserved for, well, someone else. As other pointing devices such as the vertical mice, touchpads, and even touch screens take made the spring to mainstream, information technology's 2019, and people are still asking just what problem the trackball solves. Usually these are people who have never used a trackball earlier.

The fact is, there's a reason why trackballs accept stood the test of fourth dimension and is still around. From both an ergonomic and productivity standpoint, it may surprise you lot that a trackball mouse can in fact exist superior to the regular mouse you're currently using, though the fine impress is under the right circumstances.

In this post I'll compare the trackball confronting a regular mouse in all the key areas that matter- ergonomics, productivity, and longevity- to help y'all decide if your next mouse should be a trackball instead, and when.

The 2 Chief Types of Trackball Mouse

Allow'due south first go over the two chief types of trackball mouse, each with its own legion of rabid fans:

Trackball vs Regular Mouse- Which is More than Ergonomic?

Much of the conversation on the ergonomics of a trackball is based on "ergonomic theory". There is very piddling formal research on the subject, though according to Roberta Carson, an ergonomist at ErgoFit, many of the health problems associated with a regular mouse can theoretically be avoided by switching over to a trackball merely based on the fact that the later uses very different muscle groups to operate.

The most common types of computing RSI (repetitive strain injuries) such as carpal tunnel and tendinitis occur due to repeated utilize of the wrist and unnatural rotation of the forearms and shoulders. A trackball is vastly different from a regular mouse in that your thumb or entire hand and arm is used to manipulate the trackball. These are larger and less tender muscles that are less likely to become injured compared to the muscles required to manipulate a regular mouse.

There is also enough of antidodical prove to fill-in the benefits of a trackball, specially for people who experience hand camps and wrist pain from holding and manipulating a regular mouse. Information technology doesn't take 10 studies to confirm that a device that minimizes unnatural wrist movements tin can be helpful for people who suffer from wrist pain, for example.

Advantages of the Trackball Mouse

As a long time user of the trackball (currently the Kensington Orbit), I call back I'1000 somewhat qualified to weigh in on the pros and cons of a trackball. Based on my own experience and opinions from ergonomists effectually the spider web, here are the types of people who would benefit nigh from a trackball mouse:

People with existing RSI issues stemming from using a regular mouse: There is very little "windshield" move using the wrist when operating a trackball. Your arms and shoulders are in a neutral position, with nigh of the movements occurring in either your thumb or dissimilar combination of your fingers. Common RSI such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendentious, and hand cramps happen due to the shape of a regular mouse and the posture required to operate it.
Disabled or old people who cannot hold a mouse steady while clicking: My dad actually suffers from this effect. With a trackball however, he's able to position the cursor exactly where he wants to on the screen, move his hand away from the trackball, then use the left button to double click.
People whose easily or fingers get fatigued easily: A trackball ambidextrous pattern (the fingers operated models) is ideal for people whose hands or fingers strain quickly. Information technology lets you switch between your left and correct manus to operate, distributing the stress evenly across the two sides.
People who work in tight spaces: If you frequently take your laptop to cafes or exterior where a flat surface area is scarce, a trackball mouse is the perfect alternative to a regular mouse. The device itself stays completely stationary as you navigate spider web pages, highlight text, or close and open up applications. I use a wireless Kensington Good Mouse in my living room to control the laptop that's hooked up to the TV. Information technology'due south so user-friendly to command the laptop from the condolement of my couch:

Kensington Expert Mouse on the Couch

Disadvantages of the Trackball Mouse

In that location are always 2 sides to a coin. A trackball mouse can be counterproductive in certain scenarios. Specifically, trackballs are:

Non equally precise as a mouse for sure tasks: Every bit you get used to a trackball, your accuracy volition improve, though for many people (similar myself), it may never reach the level of precision of a regular mouse. The problem is that the trackball is merely more sensitive than a regular mouse; a glossy ball requires far less force to motion than an entire mouse. An adventitious touch of the ball, and the cursor is off the target. This is why certain detail oriented tasks like selecting a few letters within a give-and-take or dragging a file to its destination is slower using a trackball, at least for me. For browsing web pages, interacting with programs, and virtually tasks that don't require the cursor to be at and hold a precise location on the screen, however, in that location is little tangible deviation in accurateness between a trackball and a mouse.
Not suited for fast paced gaming: At that place's no 2 means about it, a trackball is just slower than a mouse in moving the cursor in a linear line, from bespeak a to b on the screen. This is because every rotation of the trackball only moves the cursor a certain distance on the screen.Compare that to a regular mouse, where one swift motion using your arm can take the cursor travel the unabridged distance of the screen in a split 2d. For certain types of games such as FPS, y'all volition probably notice yourself thoroughly pwned if you lot're using annihilation merely a regular mouse.Hither are my typical results when doing a simple speed and accuracy exam using a regular and trackball mouse. As you can see, overall I'm twice as fast and accurate with the former:

Pollex or Finger Operated Trackball?

Personally I'k in favor of the fingers operated trackball, though just to show how divided people are on the subject, my colleague Jon swears by his thumbs operated Logitech Ergo Mouse. In reality there is no size that fits all.

If you love everything about the traditional mouse merely simply want to limit your wrist and forearm movements to forbid straining those areas, the thumb trackball strikes the perfect residue between the ii worlds.

In general, however, a fingers operated trackball is more than ergonomic, according to Roberta Carson. It lets you use unlike fingers or even your palm or arm to move the brawl. The variety and larger muscles involved means a reduction in the chances of injuring them. Sentry this short prune to see how versatile a fingers trackball can be in terms of operation:

Trackball vs the Trackpad

If your primary pointing device is the trackpad on your laptop, you might be curious to learn merely how a trackball compares to it.

In terms of ergonomics, both the trackball and trackpad let you manipulate the cursor using a combination of fingers. This greatly reduces the chances of developing RSI from overuse of a particular extremity. And while the thumb operated trackball does rely on your pollex specifically (thus potentially leading to thumb hurting), information technology is still better than using your forefinger for repetitive motions, according to Roberta Carson.

Furthermore, all trackballs provide a contoured area for your mitt to remainder on, unlike a trackpad where your paw is totally unsupported, with your wrist begetting the majority of the brunt. And so in brusk, at least based on my assessment, a trackball is more than ergonomic than a trackpad.

In terms of productivity, a written report comparing the amount of fourth dimension required to a complete a cursor related task using a trackpad and a trackball came out favorably for the trackball. The report probably didn't make apply of multi-bear upon features establish on mod trackpads, but it is still comforting to know you can probably be merely every bit productive with a trackball mouse compared to your laptop's trackpad.

In Decision

In brusk, while the jury will always be out on what the well-nigh ergonomic form factor for a pointing device is, in my opinion, there are some articulate circumstances that favor at to the lowest degree giving a trackball a try:

If you lot suffer from common mouse related strains such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, and manus cramps.
If you lot have problem keeping the cursor in the proper location as yous click or double click.
If y'all suffer from fatigue or strain using a trackpad.
When a apartment surface is unavailable or at a premium, such as on the burrow or outside.

Precision and speed will exist a factor for many people using a trackball. As such, for the residuum of us, an ergonomically designed horizontal or vertical mouse is probably all the same a ameliorate option.