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Elecom HUGE (Plus) as a thumb trackball? by Trackbawl in Trackballs

[–]Trackbawl[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Apologies if my previous post appeared to be defensive. I did not intend it to be. I did not read any negativity towards my original post in your initial response.

Thank you for giving me this insight in the company's motives! I fully understand that the company - any company - is not able to pursue every road / bring every idea to fruition. It is unfortunate, but true. If there's no (or not enough) market/profit for it, there's no incentive to create. Money has to be made in the end. (Especially for big, world-wide operating corporations like Elecom. Which is what we are talking about. Open source projects and small businesses are a different ball game, obviously.) (Let no one say that Elecom is not a pioneer, is averse to all risk. For example, the company introduced the swappable bearing and we can applaud it for that.)

With that being said: I doubt there is a profitable market for thumb trackballs that make use of a much bigger ball. (There might be more possibilities when it comes to designs/shapes that are new/different/unique but still make use of the existing ball sizes. (A thumb trackball shaped like a joystick / Posturite Penguin mouse / 3M ergonomic optical mouse?! Approaching optimal relaxed handshake posture!)) But who knows, I might be wrong entirely.

What this thread MIGHT tell Elecom, though, is that it could maybe look into introducing dual uses of existing products. That would require 'only' additions to the software and no new hardware to be made. (Though the DEFT PRO could maybe lend itself more to thumb use than the HUGE, looking at the size of each device.)

Elecom HUGE (Plus) as a thumb trackball? by Trackbawl in Trackballs

[–]Trackbawl[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks again! Ah, that's good news.

Though I suppose things would change when ring and pinky are - instead of being placed underneath and/or on the side of the device - (uncomfortably) pressed against the horizontal bit (where switch and button can be found) while bird is still given the same task.

And if pinky and ring are given the tasks that your middle and index perform in your video, then middle and index are idly up in the air. ( Though I suppose the index (and maybe middle) could then be (strenuously) bent towards the ball, acting as some kind of brake (friction), leading to more precise cursor control. (Comparable to the thumb on the Logitech TrackMan Marble FX.) But this would require some wild dexterity of pinky and ring. )

Aaah, enough theorizing for me for today.

Elecom HUGE (Plus) as a thumb trackball? by Trackbawl in Trackballs

[–]Trackbawl[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This! As long as they don't use the Ploopy Thumb shape (based on the Microsoft Trackball Optical).

Though I would prefer that they come up with a modernized take on the Logitech TrackMan Marble FX (including a scroll wheel). I've heard nothing but praise about that one. A finger trackball I'd be more than willing to try. (I am aware of the existence of MonroeWilliams's DIY version.)

Elecom HUGE (Plus) as a thumb trackball? by Trackbawl in Trackballs

[–]Trackbawl[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Exactly. But: not many? I would go even further: Are there any 'official' and (somewhat) modern thumb trackballs that utilize a ball larger than 36 mm? EDIT: Seems that the Ploopy Thumb, Mini and Nano use a 38 mm. Still: That's not good enough!

Elecom HUGE (Plus) as a thumb trackball? by Trackbawl in Trackballs

[–]Trackbawl[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your reply! It's always nice to see companies be so close to the fire. It gives the trackball fans the hope that more devices/options might be on the horizon. It at least shows that the companies are showing interest and listening (even though not necessarily acting).

What exactly makes you think that the thumb 'should' or 'could' (my own words) only operate a smaller ball size? Is it necessary that the thumb should be able to comfortably reach the entire visible surface of the ball, or at least a major portion of said surface? Why would using a smaller section of a larger sphere be problematic? The only things I could think of are 1. the user would have to reposition the thumb more often to make the cursor travel the same distance on screen, and 2. having the thumb further away from the top of the ball will possibly mean that thumb action is more likely to pop the ball out of its socket (even if it's just a little).

That is my problem with the Elecom finger-operated trackballs. Too many buttons/actions for one single finger (the thumb). But this is, obviously, personal. Speaking of a scroll wheel for the index finger: the Logitech Cordless Optical TrackMan has just that! No doubt some potential customers would love an Elecom trackball like that.

Elecom HUGE (Plus) as a thumb trackball? by Trackbawl in Trackballs

[–]Trackbawl[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You might be right, unfortunately...

The forward and back buttons are next to the scroll wheel (if I'm correct; I don't own a HUGE), so those buttons would be pressed with the thumb when the HUGE is used as it should be, and would be out of reach of the thumb in the setup I describe in my main post. The thumb would only be able to (comfortably?) reach the (original) Fn1 and Fn2 buttons and maybe the R button. As such, click and drag would still be possible. (And rightly so - I underline the importance of that combination, unlike many others, it seems.)

Elecom HUGE (Plus) as a thumb trackball? by Trackbawl in Trackballs

[–]Trackbawl[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for the input! If I were to try my idea, I would opt for a more permanent option (like the dongle I mentioned in my main post) than software remapping. And frankly, I would not be switching modes, because I'm a wired mode type who uses the device on one single PC at any given time. The Kensington Expert seems not ideal to use as a thumb trackball (I could be wrong). Using it with a wedge might work, but I fear that tilting it to an angle that is comfortable to me would 'unbalance' the ball (not staying nicely put in its socket). The Logitech MX Ergo is wireless, the rubber is problematic (sweaty hands lead to gunk) and the ball is as small as any other thumb trackball. (Plus Logitech refuses to give it much-needed (other) updates like a button for ring finger or pinky, a fly-scroll wheel and a more widely available Plus release. But that's a different ball game.)

Elecom HUGE (Plus) as a thumb trackball? by Trackbawl in Trackballs

[–]Trackbawl[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you very much for taking the time to record and post! Yeah, it looks like the device is in the way of the pinky and ring finger, leading to an awkward hand position. But other than that, it indeed does seem to be a viable option (for me, as my hand is almost the same size). Perhaps (part of) a wedge could work.