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(4 votes, average: 4 out of 5)
Loading ...The Pitch: It’s been proven time and time again that most of the time, trying to change the paradigm fails miserably. Still, those of us who are gadget lovers and geeks hold out for hope—once in a generation, something does come along that changes the way things are done.
Even if they’re radically better in every way, once people are used to doing things a certain way, it’s extremely hard to convince the world that your gadget is better (Raise your hand if you use a Dvorak keyboard layout!)
So it is with skepticism that I look at Contour Design’s Rollermouse Free.
Pros: Is it logical? Absolutely. Does it improve upon the mouse? It certainly seems to. Will it take off? Probably not.
I’m living proof that the traditional mouse/keyboard layout is not ergonomically correct. Just as their website describes, I have neck/shoulder pain, and I sit at an odd angle. Bloggers and journalists who work on their computers for 8 or more hours a day could certainly stand to use something different, but is the Rollermouse it?
Cons: Besides being a total paradigm shift, the cost is pretty high. Let me rephrase that—the cost is exceptionally high. At over $200, this goes into the realm of “prescription” products. The only way I’d purchase something this expensive was if a doctor made me. There is a lot of tech you can get for $220, and replacing my mouse with a rollerbar is not one of the things on my radar.
Recommendation: Without getting my hands on it, as it were, it’s really hard to say. If they could get the cost down out of the stratosphere, and into the realm of “priced for real people,” perhaps this could be a serious contender, especially if it improves things the way they say it does.
