Trackball comparisons...
windexlight
For anyone who's had experience using the AG's trackball, how do you
find it compares in usability to other trackballs? I've been using a
Logitech M570 (their new model with the blue ball) for the past couple
of months, primarily just to get accustomed to using a trackball
before getting an AG. I never thought I'd use a trackball, but after
a lot of practice I'm getting comfortable with it, and even kind of
like it. How does the AG's trackball compare to a typical Logitech
model?
It looks like the AG's trackball is smaller, and has a textured
finish. Mechanically, I imagine it uses rollers of some sort versus
Logitech's three little shiny contact points (I would think there'd be
a ridiculous amount of friction with the textured finish it if used
stationary contact points). My biggest issue with the Logitech
trackball is the frequency with which it has to be cleaned. At least
two or three times a day, I have to pop out the ball, clean off the
little contact points, possibly lube it up, and pop it back in. When
those contact points get gummed up, there's noticeably more friction
when rotating the ball, which really irritates me.
How does the AG's trackball fare with degradation of performance due
to the internals getting dirty? I should hope it fares better than
the Logitech ball, since it appears you have to put significant effort
into taking the AG apart just to get at the internals for cleaning.
There's no way I'd be doing that two or three times a day.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Sam
Doug Sims
The trackball on the AG is significantly smaller than a logitech ball. I have used an AG for quite a few years and seldom have to clean the trackball.
However, if you use it with dirty fingers then you will need to clean it more often.
It is also very easy to clean. The ring which holds the ball in place will rotate out (using a paperclip) and the ball is removed from the top. This is the same method that my logitech trackball uses.
Yes, it does use rollers and are best cleaned with a toothpick and a Q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol.
Ergonomically, it is less comfortable than a logitech trackball, but having the keyboard in your hands at all times more than makes up for that (IMHO).
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Mike Willner
Units from the next AlphaGrip production run will have an optical trackball
instead of the mechanical trackball, which did use rollers as you correctly
assumed. From your description of Logitech's trackball, it sounds like the AG's
new trackball is similar, in that it too has "three little shiny contact
points," but based on the sample units we've been testing over the last few
months, the AG trackball does not have to be cleaned as frequently as Logitech's
(though to my surprise it does require more frequent cleaning than the old
mechanical trackball - about twice a month).
The reason we had to replace the mechanical trackball with an optical one is
that too many of the mechanical trackballs failed quality control, resulting in
a 10-20% rejection rate. The optical trackball has fewer moving parts and so we
expect it will have a lower rate of defective units (hopefully much lower).
I believe the major difference between a standard trackball and the AlphaGrip's
trackball is that you use your right thumb to control the AlphaGrip trackball
and your left thumb for left click and right click. IMO, the AlphaGrip
trackball is very comfortable to use, especially because you can lean back and
rest your hands in your lap.
Mike
Hi All,
Sam
--
James
| Hi Mike, Do you know when you're going to have the next shipment of Alphagrips? I'm very much looking forward to ordering one. :) James --- On Thu, 12/2/10, Mike Willner <mi...@alphagrip.com> wrote: |
|
|
|
Pat C.
Mike Willner
We are hoping to get the next shipment by mid-February, but our manufacturer,
Sejin, has not guaranteed the delivery date. Here's a more detailed
explanation:
After a couple of months of testing two samples of the latest version of the
AlphaGrip, a.k.a., the iGrip Ergonomic Keyboard, the optical trackball on
one of the samples stopped working, so we had to send it back to Sejin
to analyze the problem. After reviewing the defective trackball, Sejin
said the problem was an isolated one and would not delay production. As a
precaution, however, they followed up by sending us two "pre-production"
units for testing.
Unfortunately, the right capital shift key on one of the units, though it
was functional, had a "mushy" feel to it. This was a problem we had identified
on about 10% of the units in the last production run and it should have
been resolved by now. We sent the unit back to Sejin for inspection and
they concluded that a modification to the tooling was required.
The modification is estimated to be completed by next week at which
point Sejin must send us two more pre-production samples for testing.
Hopefully they will be defect-free so we can give the go-ahead.
I'll notify this group when we receive our next shipment.
Mike
________________________________
From: James <genera...@yahoo.com>
To: alph...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Thu, December 2, 2010 11:00:45 PM
Hi Mike,
James
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Steve Garritano
The AG trackball is good enough for my use. You just want to be sure to have the acceleration/sensitivity properly dialed in to your mode of use.
Steve
windexlight
Mike - I wonder, does the new trackball have a glossier finish than it
appears the one in the photos of the original version does? Or am I
perhaps mistaken in thinking the old version had a textured finish?
It just looks like it does in the photos, but having never actually
seen an AG in person, I could be wrong.
Steve - You make an interesting point about lubricant possibly
compounding the cleaning problem. It makes the movement nice and
smooth when first applied, but after a while, you're right - things
get gummed up. Perhaps I should never have used lubricant in the
first place, but the problem now is if I take the ball out and wash
off the lubricant with some dish detergent, it becomes nearly unusable
without additional lube applied. It seems like I read somewhere that
Logitech ships their trackballs with a thin film of something like
lanolin applied. Perhaps that would be better than what I'm using.
In any case, you're correct in that I do have what's probably an
excessively dusty environment. Most of my usage takes place at work,
and my desk is located in a light industrial factory/warehouse
environment under some stairs. Definitely dustier than the typical
office or house/apartment. The AG I'll probably be using only at
home, so it won't be exposed to so much dust.
Sam
> > .
Mike Willner
that of the mechanical trackball, but not as glossy as the Logitech trackballs
I've seen (which look like big marbles).
----- Original Message ----
From: windexlight <winde...@gmail.com>
To: alphagrip <alph...@googlegroups.com>
Sam
alphagrip+...@googlegroups.com.
Eiríkr
Thank you for your candor and detail in describing the current state
of the manufacturing and shipping process for the next batch. I'm
admittedly impatient to get another Grip :), but I'm also happier to
get one that works properly :D.
Cheers,
-- Erik Anderson
On Dec 3 2010, 3:47 am, Mike Willner <m...@alphagrip.com> wrote:
> Hi James,
>
> We are hoping to get the next shipment by mid-February, but our manufacturer,
> Sejin, has not guaranteed the delivery date. Here's a more detailed
> explanation: