Relacon

Here are my operating system specifications: * Hardware: MacBook Pro 2020, Apple M1 Chip * Software: macOS Ventura 13.5.1 UPDATE: After 5 days of heavy use (10+ hours per day), there are a only two issues I've noticed that have no impact on my love for this device, but that I'd like to share to make sure others who experience these issues do not become frustrated. Issue #1: Continuous heavy pressure on the left or right side of the wheel can cause the wheel to slide slightly ajar, degrading the function of the wheel and whichever button the wheel has been pushed towards. I was pressing my thumb on the right side of the wheel unconsciously, and found that eventually this pushed the wheel towards the left, causing some accidental clicks of the left arrow "<" button. Part of the issue is that I programmed the down-press on the wheel as "Command," and instead of pressing straight down. I was pressing at an angle. Once I noticed this issue I just gently slid the wheel back into place and it worked fine. It is not fragile, I was really putting too much pressure on it. Issue #2: After turning the mouse off and then back on, sometimes the key functions revert to the default. I custom programmed the left-arrow "<" and right-arrow ">" as left-click and right-click, respectively, because I have no use for the "back" and "forward" web browser functions that are the default. I also reprogrammed all of the media player buttons to more useful actions (e.g. Copy, Paste, Undo, Redo, and Tab). For the most part, the custom-programmed buttons all function as expected. Occasionally, however, I have to re-open the "ELECOM_Mouse_Util" GUI and click "Apply" to re-apply all of my customizations. The GUI remembers all of my button preferences, so I don't have to do any tedious resetting in the GUI, I just have to quickly open it up and click "Apply," and my customizations are automatically applied to the device. I recommend keeping the GUI in your dock (on Mac) for convenience, since you might have to do this a couple times a day. Other than that, I just recommend being disciplined about resting the device upright on its docking station when you switch to the keyboard. I've been lazily setting it in my lap, where it shifts around, activating the rollerball and moving my cursor around the screen. This is my fault, not the device. These are the only issues I've noticed in the past five days. On the upside, I've noticed that updating dense software code files has gotten WAY easier. After updating the media player buttons to my most frequently needed actions while coding (Copy, Paste, Undo, Redo, and Tab), I find that I can make most of my code updates with my hands resting in my lap or at my sides, and only spend about 20% of the time actually touching the keyboard. I'm able to go a lot longer now without any numbness or pain setting into my wrists and hands. ORIGINAL: I have only been using this little thing for an hour and I am already crying tears of relief. I have been searching for a device with this exact design for three years, and I cannot believe it actually exists. After installing the utility software, the mouse worked immediately, right out of the box. The software package seems to have auto-detected my default OS language, and the program opened in English (no need to select "English" as the default language, as indicated in earlier reviews). I also did not need to download Rosetta 2 to get this to work on my MacBook Pro, even though I have an M1 chip (as indicated on the manufacturer website). The mouse was so easy to use, that I actually used the device itself to customize its own functionality through the utility GUI. I am shocked at the level of customizability across the 10 (!) onboard buttons, and how easy it is to quickly update this functionality in the utility GUI. If you look at ergonomic keyboards with comparable customizability, you will find that (1) they are very, very expensive, and (2) full customization usually requires some code, and cannot be achieved with a simple, user-friendly GUI. In my opinion, the GUI software that accompanies this little device is easily worth an additional $300.00. The "loose trackball" complaints are unfounded. The trackball slightly lifts out of the cradle when you tilt it > 90 degrees on its side (or upside-down). It DOES NOT fall out of the cradle, even if you hold it upside-down and shake it violently. This is how all trackball devices work. You can read reviews of the highest-rated trackball mice on Wirecutter, and you'll find the same issue. A "tighter" fitting trackball design would have reduced functionality, and you would not be able to pop the ball out to clean it (which you do actually need to do every so often, as gross stuff gets trapped in there and degrades functionality after a while). When I use this mouse with my arms straight down at my sides, the trackball lifts slightly out of the cradle. I do not find that this affects the functionality at all. The trackball still settles exactly where I left it (it doesn't continue "spinning around" when it lifts out of the cradle) and the on-screen pointer position is stable. If you're really having issues with pointer precision, decrease the DPI. The design of the device is so intuitive that I didn't require a single minute of acclimation. My hands just sort of knew what to do, even though I have never owned a trackball-style mouse in my life. I found that I naturally started switching between using my thumb and my forefinger to operate the trackball. So, I changed the "back" and "forward" buttons on either side of the scroll wheel to "left" and "right" click. This allows me to constantly change my grip on the device, which lets me switch off between types of movement in my thumb and forefinger. This sort of rotation between types of movement, and between hands, is critical for managing my the symptoms of my repetitive strain injuries. I need to use a computer mouse continuously 10-14 hours per day, 7 days a week, in order to do my job. I often have to do difficult design work that requires precise control over graphics in clunky presentation and statistical software (e.g. STATA's graphic editor GUI that is unavoidable given the limits of code-based graphics customization). Unfortunately, I have severe carpal *and* cubital tunnel nerve compression on both sides, complicated by a botched surgery on the right side that resulted in tendonitis and neuropathy (my medial, ulnar, and radial nerves are all damaged). Holding my elbow bent at a 90-degree angle causes my ring and little finger to go numb, and severe stabbing pains in the knuckle of my ring finger and in my upper forearm. Articulating or putting any pressure on my elbows also causes pain and numbness. Any pressure on my wrist, or continuous finger articulation, or gripping, causes my thumb, forefinger, and middle finger to go numb, and causes pain in the base of my thumb, in my palm, and in the back of my wrist. So, pretty much any desktop mouse exacerbates my symptoms, no matter how "ergonomic" the design (vertical, trackball, rollermouse bar, external trackpad, pen-shaped mouse, whatever). I need a mouse that I can use in either hand without having to exert a lot of force, without having to articulate my fingers very much, and while letting my arms hang at my sides. Until today, I thought this was an impossible request. This mouse feels like it was made specially for me. Additional features and responses to earlier reviews: * My Mac is able to track and display the battery level in the Bluetooth settings, so if you use rechargeable batteries and carry around an extra pair and/or a little charger, this thing will be just as convenient as any wireless peripheral that takes a usb charge. * The scroll wheel customization is great. You can set up "flywheel" to work in any program. Flywheel auto-scrolls in whatever direction you were turning the wheel at the time it was activated. The number of "revolutions" is the number of times you need to rotate the wheel to activate flywheel. You can choose from 1-5 revolutions. The scrolling speed is how quickly the page scrolls automatically when flywheel is activated. I messed around with these settings a bit and was able to get close to the two-finger flywheel scroll I'm used to on my Mac trackpad, but found that I actually prefer a slower auto-scroll. * The buttons are actually infinitely customizable. The only restriction is that at least one button on the device (can be any of the 10) is reserved for left-click. The other 9 buttons can be programmed to do whatever you want. For each button, you can select "arbitrary key" and then program a set of commands that will be executed by that button. You can also select a "gesture" button, and then use the Gesture tab of the GUI to set up gestures. Basically, you select sets of commands that will be executed whenever you are holding down the "gesture" button and perform some on-screen gesture with the mouse. * It is lightweight, not "cheap." If you have an RSI or arthritis, you will appreciate how lightweight the device is. Heaviness is not an indicator of quality. Buttons are responsive without requiring very much force, and provide the satisfying "mechanical" feedback clicks that haptic devices just can't reproduce. The "skin" is also slightly grainy (versus slick) which makes it easier to grip loosely, even in sweaty hands. The trackball itself is substantially heavy and does not float around in the cradle.

Would have liked to put 3.5 stars but can only do 3 or 4. Have been using this for just a couple of days and have mixed feelings but overall positive. Will update when I've used it longer and made a decision as to whether to keep it. Reading some of the negative reviews, it seems like people just don't understand how this works or how to use the program - which really isn't that difficult. I'm not sure where "broken english" is coming from either, given that almost everything in the program is only 1 or 2 words like "main button" or "sub button" or "keyboard input". It's really quite self explanatory and I had the mouse connected to my mac and the software installed in less than 5 minutes. If you're older or not very computer literate, you might need to have some patience or get someone to help you set it up initially but I'm not sure you even need the program and if you're that computer illiterate, I'm not sure what use it would be to you anyway. I actually found the program great, you can assign almost any function, to almost every button (except the dpi button and on/off switch). You can also create profiles for different programs, so buttons do different things depending on what program you're in. Exceptionally useful for a graphic designer switching between InDesign, Photoshop and Illustrator all day, all requiring different shortcuts. I've specifically been looking for something like this, which I can use in my left hand as I have awful pain in my right hand from repetitive strain. I've certainly noticed a difference already in how much better my right wrist and hand feels and it was very easy to use in my left hand despite being right handed. My only gripes would be that the roller ball isn't terribly smooth. 90% of the time it's fine but there's a small area which seems to judder when you're on it and it makes it difficult to click specific spaces, which is often what I need to do. As others have said it does feels a bit loose and that may be part of the problem but it certainy isn't falling out. I'm assuming it must come out somehow to be cleaned but I havn't gotten far enough to figuring that out yet. The build quality is actually pretty good over all, I would not confuse how lightweight it is with it being cheap or poor quality at all. The left and right buttons either side of the scroll wheel do need to be pressed in the middle or lower down rather than where my thumb naturally sits nearer the top of the button but I think this is a design flaw rather than a cheap build - it is intentionally not "clickable" at the top, because that's where the pivot is. It also wouldn't be an issue if I had slightly bigger hands or longer fingers. My hands are very small so it does make it a little difficult to reach the buttons right on the bottom but it's not a deal breaker at all and those click perfectly well. I have quite a large screen too and a second screen next to it so it has been a bit tricky to get the dpi I need in order to move around the large area and also do the more detailed things in smaller precise spaces. I'm going to assign the dpi to another button so I can more easily switch dpi while holding in my left hand and see if that makes it better. I had a similar issue with the Logitech MX Ergo S which I ultimately found a good middle ground for without the need to be switching all the time but ultimately had to send back because the tilt of the mouse wasn't enough, I still had a lot of pain in my right hand and it wasn't able to be used left handed. It does feel a little bit expensive, especially as the Logitech mouse I mentioned above was around £80 and did feel a lot nicer with the roller ball, which let's be honest is the main function of the mouse, to move around the screen. Even though the quality is good and the program it comes with is great. There was a review saying it was required but I'm pretty sure you don't actually need to use it either. I don't know why you wouldn't use it though because it's great and gives so much more functionality. I'm not sure if this will replace my drawing tablet which I've been using as a mouse for over a decade, and would still be using if I could do it left handed, but at the moment I'm likely to keep it and switch between the drawing pad, normal mouse and this, depending on what I'm doing at the time, and so my right hand and wrist can have a break more often.

I really enjoy this device as a change from previously using my Steam Controller for mouse input whilst using my TV as an external monitor for Windows 11. However, I can never seem to get keyboard buttons to map to the middle wheel successfully, and there are a couple of other quirks (when not totally flat, the ball feels a bit loose and rattles around slightly). However, the functionality is generally great, and my hand doesn't cramp up anymore compared with the prior setup. Also, the battery life seems really good so far. If the ball was more secure and the button mapping worked with keyboard inputs, I'd give it five stars. It is slightly expensive for what it is as well, worth bearing in mind. However, there's not many options for comparable products on the market. Update: took off a star, as the cursor does 'jump' fairly often leading to mis-clicks. It's not frequent enough to be a massive pain, but common enough to be an annoyance. When you are working with multiple tabs open and it jumps to close the browser, it's maddening.

I'm currently using this (remapped with their software) for a skyrim playthrough, along with a 8bitdo micro (remapped in steam) for the left hand. Both work really well and have been enjoying it. Quality is 8/10 but once you get used to it, it's hard to out down. Thinking of getting a second one for the left hand.

I bought this for dealing with RSI. The L click button doesn't work unless your finger is in a certain position on the button, so it was useless for me as I ended up clicking way more than once to get one mouse click, which didn't help my RSI. It would be great for occasional use, PowerPoint presentations etc.

I felt compelled to leave a review after seeing a couple of other conflicting stories here. I really think it’s inaccurate to say this is cheaply made or unreliable. A lot of work has clearly been put into this to make it lightweight and form fitting in the hand. It’s ambidextrous which is great, and the software is very powerful, such a treat to have first party MacOS software as well. In my opinion it is an absolute necessity for any accessibility device to have high customisability and this delivers on that. As you can see in the video I have already heavily customised the buttons to fit my workflow, putting a dictation key and other trackpad gestures on the mouse. The only thing left is reliability which I cannot judge but honestly, I would buy a new one of these every month if it’s going to heal my RSI and I’m sure many other sufferers will agree. Also, for the record, to the haughty reviewer, it’s a Japanese product, not Chinese - not that it matters in this day and age as both are light years ahead of us.

Not very robust / feels cheap. Battery cover keeps moving away / unclips because of the ergonomic design. Buttons not positioned so well and leads to pressing other buttons quite easily. Roller ball requires to be taken out and re-inserted for the Bluetooth to resume connection. Not bad, but I might send it back soon and get a refund, unless they have a new and better model. Rollerball does work well when it does and is accurate. Not value for money overall.

I have the bluetooth version and it paired via windows with no issues or additional software. I very much like the function layout, the buttons are all perfect for me in the default layout and the scroll wheel has (had) the MMB function, it's ergonomic, light and intuitive and it looks well built. The ball can be removed for cleaning and it has a little stand included so that it's not just knocking about your desk when not in use. It uses 2xAAA batteries for power. It does have it's flaws though, - The construction whilst looking premium is mediocre with the MMB already not working after just 9 days light use and the poor fitment of the battery bay being particularly underwhelming. - The ball is a little loose so it can jump when you release it, particularly if it isn't upright (i.e. if you're laid back or down) which can result in mis clicks etc- Left handed use results in accidentally hitting the dpi button every so often or occasionally holding it which unpairs the device. - It would have been nice to have wireless dock charging and on board power lithium instead of relying on AAAs at this price.

Perfetto per fare Cyclette e lavorare contemporaneamente. È possibile regolare la sensibilità della sfera per il puntamento, dopo un po' di pratica è un mouse ottimo.

Ma copine ayant une tendinite à l'épaule, cette souris convient parfaitement car elle n'est plus obligée de lever le bras. Elle est légère et ergonomique. Bien penser à avoir un adaptateur bluetooth et installer le logiciel ELECOM pour paramétrer la souris comme il faut.

Uppfyller behovet av att kunna styra pekaren utan att ha ett underlag tillgängligt. Bra med scroll och volymknappar. Men i förhållande till hur kulan beter sig (reagerar lite dåligt och svårt med precitionen) är den väldigt dyr. Man hade kunnat förvänta sig bättre funktionalitet för de pengarna - eller ett lägre pris; 3-400 kanske.

Great little trackball, very comfortable to use. When you first get it your going to think the left and right mouse buttons are the wrong way around, but you soon realize its designed for index finger only and it all falls comfortably into place. Scroll wheel is a little bit tight, but it needs to be that way, otherwise you would accidentally knock it around. Track ball is very comfortable to use with thumb with it set to the middle resolution speed or the lower one. This trackball is very effective for using with laptops. Edit two years later, still like this trackball scroll-wheel has loosened nicely. Right handed and I use this left handed as well. BT model had no issues with old laptop, new laptop seems to disconnect from the trackball, but this is looking like a issue with the Acer laptop disabling BT service.

When I read the other reviews, I worried that the ball might fall out when you turn it upside down, but no, it is not like that. I set this thing on the table on its side without the cradle and I have no problems. What people are talking about is if you drop this, then maybe the ball will pop out like the Logitech (and every other brand's) trackballs do. I don't know, because I like this too much to let myself drop it. Before going any further, let me stop and just say that I love this mouse. I have only had it a couple of days, and it is about as quirky as I am, but this mouse is really and trully everything I had hoped it would be. First, keep looking back at the price, which is amazingly affordable. Second, take a look around and the nearest similar device is a bulky version with a finger loop hole and basically everything to signal that it is for videogaming and not for the office. By contrast, this is like the classiest possible way to control your laptop during a presentation. If you had this, connected to a Macbook, controlling Powerpoint, people would assume it is some hot new tech they never heard of, rather than an actual obscure company with an idea that is bold and forward-thinking. That is if they even notice it, being so compact and discreet. For anyone with limited mobility, this could be a really enabling device on a whole other level. The quiriest detail is also it's coolest feature once you master it, and that is the variable speed control beside the "on" switch. I never knew there would be such benefit to changing my mouse speed conveniently. This will be the key to enabling maximum mobility with this mouse. There is one small drawback. I have medium-sized hands, so there is one motion that requires two hands, which is to move from side to side. You have to push down the scroll wheel and then roll the ball. That is the only feature I found here that requires two hands, excluding the moves that require that I hit shift on the keyboard before a mouse move. However, if you are planning to work with this thing up to an hour strait, then you should anticipate switching hands or fingers to keep from getting a cramp. When I do switch hands and fingers, I am able to manage and not cause that type of cramping. Doing this also helps you to find the most relaxed sort of default ways to hold this. One way is if you slide your hand back, so that your first and second fingers are only at the very edge of each trigger button, then that promotes a hand position that is curled at an angle very close to the natural resting postion of your hand. One final considerataion is that your success with this mouse will be linked to the task you most hope it will benefit. I got this almost entirely for graphic design, because the mousepad on my Macbook is not working ideally for my workflow, and the stylus-type pads are for drawing more than for designing. With most devices, the challenge is threefold. First, it is very easy to summon the left click on the Macbook trackpad, to the extent that it is so annoying and constantly in my way that I forget it's also a quick access to certain features. With this mouse, I am suddly actually using that left click and noticing it's options and benefits. Secondly, when I pull my finger off the Macbook trackpad, my cursor position is subject to a slight jump. That is a problem in precision graphics, and even the Wacom tablet or IPad with the Apple Pencil are not safe from this hiccup without a fair amount of finesse. This mouse solves that problem the second you get your ideal mouse speed calibrated, and get oriented to the device. The weight of the ball means the cursor absolutely only wiggles when you touch the trackball. This is the precision I needed. I can get used to the muscle memory of pressing the trackball to make it zoom in/out, and the two handed side-to-side movement is not too bad once I got in the habit of switching hands. Why would you want to switch hands, you ask? Well, welcome to your new reality, because you don't have to be ambidextrous to use this mouse with either hand. That is another reason I feel this would be a really great and affordable solution for enabling people who may have limited mobility. If you don't end up liking this mouse, it could only be because of a very limited number of reasons. Maybe you want to use this for many hours a day without changing up your grip or which hand you use, then this may not be the most comfortable mouse, unless you learn how to master that looser grip that I explained earlier. Another of the limited reasons you might not like this may be because of the size. This is probably most ideal for small-ish hands and least ideal for really large hands. My average-sized hands are maybe a small bit larger than what is ideal for this. Really, the bottom line is that if you are a person who wants to hold your mouse in your hand, not working it on the desktop, then I am convinced that this is the model to get, especially if you want it to be discreet. But that is why this seems like such an ideal mouse for giving a presentation, because it is nice and small in your hand and not like the handle-bar look it would have if it was the most ideal comfort for a large hand. Some reviewers commented on this mouse, feeling that it was too light and not sturdy. Well, think of this as a mouse, because this is a...well, a mouse. It is equal in durability to the average mouse you have seen. This is not a piece of sporting equipment like a Wii controller that offers a rubber cover because it expects betting mistakenly tossed. Please do not toss this mouse. This is a tool that is sleek and designed for a professional who wants to whip their cursor around their monitor screen with an impressive sense of command and agility. This is my ultimate mouse. Oh yeah, and the button to calibrate the speed is what you hold down to get the mouse to sync with your other gear. This can confuse you when you return to your Bluetooth menu on your laptop and click the old icon, which takes you nowhere. Again, hold down that calibration button beside the power switch on this mouse, and it will pop up in your menu as a new Bluetooth option. There are so many amazingly well-thought-out features in this device. A feature that I really love and did not expect, is that I can control my music on iTunes or Spotify in the background, while I am designing on Affinity software, without having to summon the player window to appear in front of my graphic window. The circular play controls function independently of which app window is in front. I mean...wow...really and truly, this thing checks every box I could have hoped for. We should be grateful they did not make this thing heavy for no reason, or three times this cost for no reason. This is simply a great product for a great price. I am thrilled with this purchase! Put the batteries in it and the weight is perfect!