Customer Reviews

Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman (USB/PS/2)

5 star:		(220)
4 star:		(96)
3 star:		(47)
2 star:		(34)
1 star:		(55)

 

 

Let me give you some background before you read my review.
I'm in my 30's. I use computer 8+ hours a day and start developing RSI symptoms.

I have tried / owned the following trackballs

Logitech TrackMan Marble FX Trackball
Logitech Optical Marble Mouse
Logitech Trackman Wheel Optical
Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman
Original 3 buttons Kensington Expert Mouse
Kensington Expert Mouse Pro

The Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman does not score well in my needs - eliminating / reducing my RSI related pains.

Pros: wireless, good build quality, good battery life, lots of programmable buttons, smooth scrolling trackball.

Cons: Cannot be used left handed, buttons are not located in convenient position (cruise buttons, scroll wheel are too small, awkward position of the forward/back buttons).

By far the biggest complaint is the most used left button.
This key is clicked N times a day so it should be easy to locate and click.

Instead, this button is concededly smaller than the one in Optical Marble Mouse and Trackman Wheel Optical.

Also, this button is positioned 45 degree on the left side of the mouse, and it requires some extra effort to click it, since you have to hold the trackman in position using your ring and little finger to counter the force you acted on using your thumb.

Consider this experiment, using only your thumb(without holding the trackman in position) and try to left click on it. You'll be tempted to secure the trackman using your other fingers. If you have to repeatedly do this, your muscle will be sore.

This is not the case for the kensington expert mouse or the Logitech Optical Marble Mouse, where the button is faced up and you can click directly on it without securing the device in position.

If you are young and not suffered from RSI, this might not be an issue for you. But for the others that who are seeking an ergonomic pointing device, this one is a no go.

I've used Logitech mice before and this one tops all of the ones made by Logitech. I've read many reviews before purchasing this and read some of the drawbacks to this mouse and some advantages to this mouse. Logitech outperformed itself once again, with amazing features, support, and performance.

Disadvantages:
1. The styling of the mouse could have been better designed. It takes a little getting used to using the trackball with fingers other than your thumb.
2. Logitech erred in the device drivers. I repeat, please do not install the drivers shipped with the package. Go to Logitech.com/support and download the 9.75.0 verson and install it, not the 9.60.0 version as it will damage your compatibility with other mice already installed.
3. The price of this mouse will set you back and have you looking elsewhere. But, the advantages of this mouse far outweigh the little-bit-above-customer-expectation price ...
4. This mouse requires a learning curve, as its design and the use of a trackball may not be familiarized with everyone's use. For those of you who have never used a trackball or is used to using a trackball with your thumb, this mouse does take a day or two to get totally used to.
5. Use the initial orientation/setup process seriously. Because of the nature of the styling of this mouse, the way you position the mouse on your desk while orienting/setting up the mouse will have an impact on usage.

Advantages:
1. RF frequency is used to the best capabilities in this mouse. I've used mice from other manufacturers and this one tops all of them. Using digital radio technology, this mouse allows you to place the RF receiver pretty much anywhere you'd like up to 20 feet away from the computer.
2. The many buttons on the mouse help you to minimize use of keyboard. It has Back/Forward, scroll, Drag Lock, Fast Scroll, and conventional buttons.
3. The compact receiver helps to minize clutter on your desktop and helps when you want to carry it and the mouse around (if you're blessed like me to have a laptop).
4. Customer support is one of the best in the industry, with lifetime phone support and a 5-year warranty.
5. Installation was a breeze. a) Download Logitech Drivers version 9.75.0 or above b) Install drivers c) Connect hardware d) Press Connect button on the hardware for 20seconds - 1minute e) You're Done! Enjoy!
6. This mouse comes shipped with a serial port adapter, giving you total flexibility to connect via USB or serial - I strongly recommend using the USB ports due to the advanced nature of the hardware and the reliability of USB ports.
7. The name of Logitech speaks for itself.

All in all, I recommend this product wholeheartedly to you.
If you do purchase one, buy from Amazon.com as they did an excellent job of fulfilling my order the same day.
Bang for your Buck: 10
User Friendly: 9
Service and Customer Support: 10
Installation: 10
Design: 8
Battery Life: 10
Performance: 10

This device is very comfortable to use after a few days adapting. Movement is very precise, BUT probably not suitable for 3D gaming. (except sniping :^) Adjustment is possible, but result is either too sensitive for useful gaming, or far too much movement needed. (IE, roll ball 3 times to turn 90 degrees) Luckily for gamers, under Windows it is very happy being plugged in USB at the same time as a PS2 or USB mouse, both work simultaneously.

Vertical/horizontal orientation is VERY far off out-of-box, (about 30 degrees, but feels like more at first) but can be adjusted under WINDOWS ONLY. (If you are a Linux user, you should probably pass, Linux mouse drivers don't currently offer orientation adjustments or extra [>3] button assignments) [Maybe some consumer pressure can convince Logitech to spare a few programmer-hours to add this support to the Open-Source driver? :^) Worth a few emails a week...]

Take placement warnings seriously:
The receiver is VERY sensitive to nearby metal. As an example, I placed the receiver on top of my steel computer housing, only 8 inches from the trackball, (right underneath it!!) and it was unreliable. I placed the receiver on my wooden desk, but on top of a few CDs, and it was unreliable at 12 inches. I turned the receiver UPSIDE-DOWN in either of those locations and I get 3-4 foot range! Obviously the antenna is located in the bottom of the receiver, which is IMHO a design flaw, but easy to overcome. When placed on wooden desk with no metal within 4 inches, I get up to 8 foot range before movement starts to stutter from transmission errors. Quite acceptable. Ability to mount on a vertical desk side would have been a very handy addition, however.

The rollers inside are VERY susceptible to dirt accumulation, and I find myself cleaning them AT LEAST once a day, but this is a very simple process. (push the ball up from the bottom, rub the three micro-ball-bearings with a fingertip, blow loosened crud out, drop the ball back in - about 7 seconds total)

All in all, apart from desktop wobble and a sticking button (...) and limited Linux configurability, I'm quite pleased with this trackball.

I would recommend it to anyone with limited desk space for a mouse, wanting/needing precise cursor control, and/or just wanting to try a trackball. There IS a 'learning curve' since you use fingertips to control motion, thumb for 'left-mouse' and two other buttons, but RMB is located to the right of the ball (not clear in pictures) and you can remap functions of all eight (that's right, 8) buttons in whatever way suits you.

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After reading the other Amazon reviews, I thought I would respond to some of the issues other reviewers raise from a Mac user's perspective. I run a new PowerBook 15" with OS X 10.3.2.

Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't notice any directional/orientation problems--the cursor follows the ball movement very well, even before installing the included Logitech software. Perhaps the necessary drivers are now universally available, or perhaps the Mac version is just better. Also, the "finger layout" has not proven to be an issue for me--I can use any or all of my fingers to control the ball without any cursor-direction problems.

The wireless function has proven flawless on my Mac. The reciever is a couple feet away and actually off the desk (no line of sight) and works fine. It was essentially plug-and-play on the Mac--I didn't even have to push the 'Connect' buttons to establish a signal, it just worked.

The software is necessary, however, to re-assign new functions to the several buttons on this model. As a former PC user, I can't go without a right-click button (one of the reasons I bought an external device for my notebook at all). The Mac software is very easy to use, and one can re-program all of the buttons and the wheel if one so desires. You can set a button to automatically double- or triple-click, or select keyboard shortcuts (e.g., Command and W to close the current window). Very easy, and quite useful--I use buttons to close windows, quit programs, delete files, and still have a handy web-browsing 'Back' button.

The only possible drawback to the Mac software is that one cannot "train" the ball's orientation (from what I can gather from other reviews, this option is not available on PC either). This really only matters if you know you hold trackballs at a different angle than most people do.

Please note that the software I'm reviewing is for Mac OS X only; the program for those running OS 8.6-9.2 is a different piece of software, which is also included in the package.

Those are all the Mac-specific comments I can think of at this point; if you're a Mac-user you're probably used to things "just working," and this device is no exception.

I'll also comment on some of the more universal issues raised by other reviews:

Ergonomically, there is a period of adjustment--anyone moving from a conventional mouse to any trackball or from one trackball to another should expect that. It's never a bad idea to try one out in-store to see how they feel, especially since trackball models vary from one to another much more than mice do.
This is not, as some have termed it, a 'disadvantage'--all new things take some time to get used to. If you've never used a trackball, it's weird for a while; it's also ergonomically superior/healthier in the long term.
Also, I use trackballs for computer drafting/design, and find superior control to mice--finger-control is just more precise than either thumb-controlled trackballs or wrist/arm-controlled mice.

The optical ball-tracking technology requires almost no cleaning, and there are zero moving parts to clean. Just pop the ball out and blow any collected lint out of the socket if necessary--which very rarely is.

For any pointing device that's wireless, optical, and has this many buttons, this price is pretty decent--lower, I think, than my previous trackball that was wired and lacked the wheel.

As for Logitech's reputation/reliability, I have had good experiences. My first trackball had to be replaced during the warranty period, but its replacement has lasted the four years since--I only replaced it now because it wasn't Mac-compatible. Now Mac-users can rejoice with a high-performance trackball that works seamlessly in OS X.

I've been a long time fan of trackballs - most especially and specifically those made by Logitech. About five years ago I started having pain in my wrists from the constant side-to-side motion of using a mouse. I picked up a Logitech Marble Mouse and loved it for years. It instantly helped by wrist issues and I didn't get so strained and hardly ever got soreness.

The only thing I didn't like was that there weren't enough buttons. I envied things like a scroll wheel found on regular mice. The thumb trackball was horrid in my thought (all that stress where your thumb meets the wrist; Ouch!) but had the extra buttons I longed for.

Then this one came along. Wow. I saw it in the store and I'll admit, I was a bit intimidated at first. Did I need a cordless? Could I get used to moving it with my hand in a slightly different position? And I know I wanted buttons, but woah, there's a LOT of buttons on it!

I played with it and daydreamed about it. I finally ended up getting it for my birthday in May 2003. It honestly did take me a few days to adjust to the change (even from one Logitech trackball to another), but now I can't imagine ever going back. The sheer convenience of being able to not only left-click/right-click, but scroll AND easily go Forward and Backward through webpages with a click of a button amazes me everytime. Trackballs already cut down the amount of round-about pointing you need to do by making it much smoother and easier because of less motion required, but this cuts it down way more then that.

Some thoughts from other reviews:
*Lefties -- I'm sorry, but it really is designed for a right-hander. Like most mice/trackballs on the market today, they aim for the majority. It's usable on short term for lefties (my boyfriend's a southpaw and he can maneuver it, but couldn't really use it every day, day-in/day-out). HOWEVER, a nice option is the Logitech Marble Mouse since it is neither left nor right hand specific.

* Cordless issues -- I've had ZERO interference with it and I have a USB Wacom tablet as well as digital camera hookups and other usb items in my usb hub. NEVER a problem. The manual recommends that if you have problems, move the receiver away from the monitor. Mine sits two or so feet away and works perfectly.

* Battery life -- WONDERFUL. Mine went for about five months or so on the original batteries it came with. And I am a hard-core user, driving my trackball way over ten hours a day. The program even warns you on-screen that your batteries are getting low. How cool is that? You don't have to wait until things die leaving you without a mouse, wondering what went wrong - it tells you!

* Weight of ball -- I have to say that one of the best aspects of the Logitech trackballs is that the ball spins VERY smoothly and easily. It's also not heavy. This sounds weird until you try one of the HORRID Kensington ones which has such a heavy ball that you literally get fatigued fingers from trying to push the darned thing around the screen. It's such a battle with inferior ones whereas, with the Logitech ones, it's easy. I can zoom around the screen as fast as I wish with the slightest touch of my fingertips (*note: the speed and such can also be edited if you like a slower cursor, but it still will have the lightweight Logitech is known for)

* Range of Use -- I agree with another user here - this thing has a range that's far more then you'd need. I sometimes use it on my lap and can stand up and control it from several feet away.

* Cleaning -- IMPORATANT. Every now and then, pop the ball out (by pushing from underneath) and clean the gunk which gets on the points the ball rests on. It will help keep your ball rolling smoothly.

In sum: ergonomic, comfortable, works great and a real Logitech winner. Well worth the cost.

I've been sold on Logitech products for a long time after I tried their products (I got tired of Microsoft's poor performance after 2 of their optical mice died in a span of days) and was impressed with their performance and value. I've been using mice from when they first started shipping with computers. But after shopping for a new one and seeing every button configuration under the sun, I decided to "walk on the wild side" and check out alternative controlers. After looking over what Logitech had to offer, this one definitely caught my attention. After trying out it's feel on a office display, I took the plunge and purchased it. It does take a bit of getting used to but after a day or so, it's feels natural and performs like a dream. The button placement is logical and comfortable while the trackball is ultra precise. I'd have liked the scroll wheel and the forward/back and lock buttons to have been a bit bigger but that's just a minor quibble.
The controller works just fine no matter where I placed receiver and I've had no trouble with drop outs. It simply does what it's supposed to.
As to what one reviewer mentioned about Norton causing problems with the mouseware, I've had no such problem. I run both Norton Anti-virus and Personal Firewall and neither seem to hamper controler performance.
In my humble opinion, this is one of the best Logitech has to offer. It's comfortable and you can almost forget you're using it. It's just that intuitive and transparent once you get used to it. Not a great alternative to a mouse, but a great controller, period.

No questions asked, Logitech has nearly outdone themselves with this mouse. I've used an extensive number of trackballs, and this is by far the most versatile, logical--the buttons, even though there are many of them, make absolute sense and are all customizable!--and comfortable of all. It is much more sturdy and smooth than the Microsoft, Kensington, or IBM ones, and MUCH more accurate! Granted, this particular one is only an option for right-handed (or ambidextrous) individuals, but for lefties I would still recommend their marble mouse, which I used faithfully for 3 years with no problems.

I can also speak remarkably high about Logitech's customer service. I had the predecessor to this, called the Trackman FX I believe, which had a somewhat odd sliding wrist support at the bottom (this model corrects the ergonomic necessity for that), and (although I think it was my computer's fault, another story altogether) I had to get it replaced. I called, they made sure it was indeed dead, and 3 days later this (which I lusted after!) arrived--it had just been released and they upgraded me which was wonderful.

Like others, I had to adjust the orientation a bit, but not an awful lot actually. The buttons include a browser back and forward, a scroll lock where you push it in and move the wheel wherever you want the page to go, up and down scroll buttons, scroll wheel for those used to traditional scrolling mice, and a lock button. It works well for my small and my husband's large hands, and it is used for hours and hours with no pain (which is saying something, as I have early-onset arthritis symptoms that are present in most every manual task). As for gaming, I just set the motion speed and acceleration higher and it works great--I've done games like Neverwinter Nights without a hitch.

Best feature IS the cordless part... I set mine in my lap much of the time and just sit back and enjoy its versatility.

I have been in love with the Trackman Vista for years, but they have long since gone out of production, and my last one died, so I needed a replacement. If Logitech made an updated version with optical tracking I would instantly buy enough for a lifetime.

This one comes close, and has several good features: Wheel, 3 buttons easily reached by thumb, ball almost exactly same size and weight as the Trackman Vista (no need to change a good design; the oversized ball in FX was a mistake), precise tracking, etc.

But it has this strange 30-45 degrees wrong orientation. And the wheel is a litte hard to reach with any fingertip. And there is only one button to the right of the ball, the Trackman Vista had two, which was right.

That is, until you realize that Logitech's idea of finger layout:

Thumb: 3 side buttons
2. finger: Wheel
3. and 4. finger: Ball
5. finger: Right button

Try this and all criticism is moot. The angle is right, and all the buttons are in the right place.

It is just the wrong layout. The 2. finger ("index"?) is the most sensible, flexible and precise we have, so it should be reserved for the ball. Thumb is reserved for side buttons. That leaves you with at least two fingers to the right of the ball, and none to the left.

Logitech should move the wheel to the right of the ball, and I will buy a stack of them. For now I will try to get used to this one.

I love this mouse! Logitec has a real winner here. Our cat ate the tails off of both of our corded mice, but fortunately for me I'd already purchased one of these.

It was an easy plug, load and play device. It performs flawlessly. I've had it for six months and would never go back. I have another model logitec cordless track ball with a thumb operated , and smaller ball on a different computer. It's twitchier & easier to overshoot a target on the screen. The index finger actually has more dexterity than the thumb. Thumbs are good for clamps but not as good for manipulation.

This one is vastly superior. I just bought a second one for backup in case this one fails. I tried it left handed based on another review and while it did not fit the hand as well, it was still easy to use. The thumb still operates the same three primary buttons. The little finger still operates the same button. The only real difference is tha I found myself operating the track ball with the space between the first & second joints of my index finger, instead of the tip and you don't get the palm rest.

After about 6 months on AA alkaline batteries it still operates well at 6' to 7' distances. Farther away than I can really see the screen.

I've been a logitech trackball user for years, ever since the marble mouse was released so I've been hesitant to change. I decided to try to get something as close to that as I could find, so I tried a couple kensingtons....didn't work out. I finally decided to get this mouse despite my fears. Those who use a trackball know that the positioning of the ball means SO much, it's not something to ignore. Also, the feel of the ball itself is a very big deal. So far, I have no complaints. Fair warning, it IS uncomfortable for the first 2 weeks, then either your hand or finger or brain picks up and it's a clear highway from there on. It's completely natural feeling now and provides the same level of comfort and ease of use of my marble mouse - the buttons on there are also extrmely functional. The buttons above the main left button allow you to cycle back and forth through pages, the lock button allows you to multiple select or draglock and the mousewheel allows you to scroll up and down pages without using the ball. Also, the ball feels very fluid. One of the biggest reason I couldn't get used to Kensington trackball mice is that the ball felt like it had something movinng against it...it didnt feel fluid and free.
On to battery life.....I got the mouse a while back and I havent charged the batteries since. It uses 2 AAs. There's a battery meter in the mousman application that lets you know what level the battry is at. I suspect the reason I'm getting great life is that I have the connector very close to my mouse - not even a foot away. I can move it 4-5 feet away and as long as the mouse is in line of sight it's fine, however once the connector is blocked at that distance, the connection will stutter. All in all it's a great mouse and I'd recommend it for any trackball user.