With its big rolypoly ball and huge hand rest, the venerable trackball mouse looks like a holdover from 1996. Or maybe 1946—that’s the first time a trackball was used as an input device in a computer.

Touchpads and trackballs are both viable alternatives to a mouse, allowing users to manipulate an onscreen cursor intuitively and accurately. However, trackballs are a comparatively rare sight on both ...

Roughly a decade ago my career as a journalist took a turn when I started noticing sharp, shooting pains in my hands and wrists after a day at the computer. Thus began my quest for a pain-free ...

Computer mice are silent killers. For years I struggled with wrist pain, elbow pain, and shoulder pain, and I staved it off with stretches, exercises, ergonomic changes, and what have you—but it ...

Logitech's mice, including the TrackMan Marble and the M750, feature a trackball that enables you to navigate with your finger instead of your hand and wrist. Rolling the trackball with a finger moves ...

Trackballs aren’t exactly a trendy PC accessory. Their heavy, clunky builds bring dated vibes to office setups. And despite 73 years of existence, trackballs have been usurped by modern mice and ...

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› By Haley Perry Haley Perry is a staff writer focused on video games and booze.

Oh sure, Amazon can deliver any number of Logitech peripherals to your door in 48 hours, but where’s the fun in that? With open source hardware (OSHW) input devices like the Ploopy Adept Trackball, ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Technology journalist specializing in audio, computing and Apple Macs. About 20 years ago, I was writing for a well-known computer ...

For decades, the standard set of tools for computing has been more or less set in stone. When you sit at a desk, you use a keyboard for typing in words and you use a mouse to point and click things.

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. It all started with Ploopy. “What a goofy name for a trackball,” I thought to myself as I tweeted. “Ploopy,” ...