) (09/08/88)
Sometime ago, I asked for information on trackballs, and am now summarizing the responses. If you don't care, hit 'n' (or whatever). Thanks to everyone who responded; looks like I'll get the Kensington model. ------------------ summary ----------------------- From: DECWRL::"dplatt@coherent.com" There are three brands of trackball available for the Mac; I believe that all three are available in ADB (Mac SE / Mac II) and non-ADB (older) models. There was a review and comparison of all three in one of the big Mac magazines (I believe it was MacUser) within the past couple of months. Summary: Kensington Turbo Mouse. The original; recently released in a substantially updated form. The magazine review described the old model (rectangular case and switches), but showed a picture of the new model (squarer case, triangular switches in symmetric positions). The old switches had a somewhat mushy feel; the new-model switches have a nice crisp feel. Original model lists for about $130; new model for about $170. New model has just started shipping and may be in short supply. New model contains auto-accelerator logic; if you move the ball quickly, the cursor speed increases. One-year warranty. Abaton ProPoint. Large ball, which can be lifted out of the socket without removing the cover; convenient for cleaning, but may not be as suitable for video-game use because the ball might pop out during rapid spinning. $160 list, I think. This model was the most expensive of the ones reviewed (the new Kensington wasn't available then) and was top-rated; "well engineered". I _think_ there may be two different models of this trackball. The ProPoint I examined in ComputerWare this afternoon uses wheels and LED encoders; they looked as if they might be the same encoders used in the new Kensington. On the other hand, when I looked in a ProPoint box a few weeks ago, I could swear I saw direct-readout optical sensors. Lifetime warranty. Asher Turbo Trackball. Small ball (about 1/2 the size of the others); some people seem to prefer the larger ball, some the smaller. Patented encoder mechanism (made by Honeywell) using rubber-coated shafts on which the ball rotates. Least expensive ($99 list), available for under $70 from mail-order dealers; if you buy it directly from the factory they'll offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. Some early models had problems with cursor "sticking"; this was corrected by the rubber- coated encoder shafts, and defective units will be replaced by the manufacturer. Lifetime warranty. If you have a Mac SE or II, you can use a trackball as well as a mouse by daisy-chaining them on the ADB. [stuff deleted] ---------------------------------------------------- From: DECWRL::"jpan@caf.MIT.EDU" [stuff deleted] The Abaton and the Kensington are mechanically identical: just let the ergonomics/button position be the deciding factor. One thing to be aware of: some companies are selling the old style Kensington Turbo Mouse for <$70. There is a significant difference between the old style and the new style. The new version should have a street price of about $110. As far as trackballs in general are concerned,one thing that bothers me is that the oil from your skin gets on the ball and it tends to start to lose traction after awhile. As far as I can tell this is a problem for all three versions. It's really not a big deal to pick up the ball and wipe it clean with a rag (although the Asher doesn't allow you to remove the ball). I use the trackball quite a bit though, so I end up wiping it off several times a day. [stuff deleted]