- I personally like trackballs with a large central ball where I can use all my fingers. I am aware Ploopy offers one. This style however has fallen out of popularity, but I've been using them since the mid-90s.
Just using your thumb for all navigation seems like an RSI waiting to happen.
Also I don't know who in the last couple years decided it's a "Trackball Mouse" it's just a Trackball in the same way it's just a "Trackpad" and not a "Trackpad Mouse"
by Abishek_Muthian
0 subcomment
- I have deformities in my wrist and I have small palms (dwarfism) I’ve tried various kinds of mice; none of them were comfortable and settled on using a Wacom tablet as a trackpad.
Recently I started using Logitech Ergo M575 trackball mice and it has been total game changer, I can even play FPS games quite well with it. I highly recommend trackball for those with accessibility issues like me and certainly welcome more open hardware competitors in the space like Ploopy as customisation is crucial for accessibility.
- I still miss my Trackman Marble FX. Never found a trackball design as elegant and useable as it was.
https://www.lenzg.net/uploads/images/Trackman_Marble_FX.jpg
by _fat_santa
3 subcomments
- These types of mice are just not for me but I looked at some of their other products and honestly the thing I like most about them is how everything is open source.
Ironically I think the fact that they open source their designs probably helps sales. My first reaction is to scoff at the $144 price tag but I know that if I go look at what it will take to build one myself I’m sure the $144 price tag will become much more reasonable.
by reassess_blind
8 subcomments
- Anyone use a trackball mouse on their laptop for use while sitting on the couch? How do you like it compared to the trackpad? How is it for light gaming?
- Given the site has been hugged to death, here is the most recent Wayback Machine archive:
https://web.archive.org/web/20250330150603/https://blog.ploo...
- This mouse is very similar to the Protoarc EM03, which is the best trackball I have ever used. Unfortunately it seems it was discontinued recently. Still waiting on a reply from Protoarc as to why the shop page is down.
by idahoduncan
0 subcomment
- I like that Ploopy are designing and building open-source hardware. I have their Classic (1) trackball, which has been great. I recently got their new trackpad, which is better for me. Having multi-finger gestures (pinch to zoom, swipe back) is nice.
- Dumb question but is this the type where you use your thumb or your fingerd to control? I see conflicting comments below. I have a few trackballs but prefer by far the centralised kind rather than the thumb kind.
- Potentially dumb question; how well do these kinds of trackball mice work with games like Arkanoid of Breakout?
I've never been able to get used to those games with a mouse or trackpad, and there aren't a ton of rotary controllers being produced now as far as I know.
by onemoresoop
0 subcomment
- Error establishing a database connection. The hug of death it seems
- Is this just going to be a fortnightly article now?
Hacker News