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This is my first review and it happens to be the first for this excellent trackball. The review is LONG but you can skip to the heading(s) that suit you: Old Users, New Buttons, HTPC, New Users, Wireless and Gaming. Hope it is useful.
--Introduction--
This line of trackballs from Logitech is best known for its unique design, employing the thumb for movement and the index/middle finger for clicks. The advantage of this "thumb-ball" design is that former mouse-users do not have to adapt to a different position (thumb for clicking and index/middle finger for moving, as in the case of the Kensington trackballs).
--History--
After releasing the renowned TrackMan Wheel Optical (wired), Logitech went further and brought us the wireless version (the TrackMan Wheel Wireless, still available in Amazon). The wireless version suffers from the gigantic size of the receiver, which makes it impractical for laptop/space-constrained computer setups.
After years of protests about the receiver design (see the Logitech forum), Logitech finally decided to upgrade the Trackball and equip it with the unifying receiver. The receiver can connect up to 6 devices at the same time and its miniature size means you can leave it in the USB port of a laptop all the time. Other new features include 2 programmable buttons and a battery indicator to the left of the "left-click" button.
--Old user--
I owned the wired Trackman optical and I felt immediately at home with the M570. There is no noticeable difference in terms of button arrangement and I cannot tell the two by touch alone. The ball was changed to blue, possibly in an attempt to distinguish the M570 from the old Trackman Wheel Wireless.
There is a subtle difference between the balls on the M570 and the wired Trackman. The red ball on my wired Trackman was silky smooth and it feels light when scrolling. On the other hand, the blue ball on the M570 appears to possess a tiny bit of extra resistance (even after cleaning), which does not trouble me at all. The blue ball also seems quieter in use. I do not think old users will be troubled by this minor change, and this extra resistance may also be due to the fact that my unit is brand-new. I will update this review if the touch changes.
--The new buttons--
I switched to the M570 mainly for the 2 new buttons. I can now turn on/off my secondary monitor and move windows between monitors with one click (requires the UltraMon software). The new buttons are protruded distinctively and form a nice curve that fits the index finger. I can rest my index finger comfortably on these buttons and locate the individual button with ease. Both buttons have a definite "click" feel to it when depressed.
You need to download the latest SetPoint AND click the "Check for Update" button to download a 3MB upgrade package before you can customise the buttons. I suppose the bundled CD-ROM contains a version newer than what you can download from the Web, so stick to it for the
--HTPC--
Despites its size, the M570 is actually quite light. If you care about the loudness of the click sound, you may be relieved to know that the "Back" button is nearly silent. You can map the Back button to "Left Click" using the SetPoint software and it will be a fine, silent, ergonomic HTPC pointing. Note: the Forward and Middle buttons make loud click noise while the left/right buttons make acceptable click noise.
--New user--
If you have not used a thumb-ball before, you should try it! I cannot praise this design enough ever since I moved to the Trackman. At first I had some problem with its speed but after experimenting with the Speed/Acceleration settings for about 5 minutes I was able to perform the daily tasks with better precision and more speed. The greatest advantage of using a thumb-ball instead of a mouse is that I can move the cursor to another monitor (some 2000 pixels away) with one finger. With a mouse I had to lift up the mouse several times, using a large number of muscles in the process.
The greatest advantage of thumb-ball over mouse is comfort, achieved by ease of moving the cursor. In the case of thumb-balls, only the thumb needs to be moved and the other fingers remain stationery. The smoothness of the ball ensures that your thumb will not be overly exerted. In the case of a mouse however, the fingers need to "grasp" and "move" the mouse and the wrist needs to "rotate" it, causing prolonged stress of all parts of the hand.
The Trackman/M570 design also provides a proper resting place for ALL fingers: the thumb can rest on the ball (note: the ball has enough inertia to hold the thumb so that it won't fall to the bottom), the index to ring fingers rest on the surface while pinky can rest on the small "gap" specially crafted for it.
The thumb-ball also dispenses with mouse pad and requires no extra space for movement. You can place your stationery or a glass of water close to it without fearing them being knocked over. Thumb-ball works miracle in space-constrained offices.
I have used a computer for over 10 years and the Trackman design has provided me the greatest improvement in terms of comfort (the second being the invention of "chiclet" keyboard). I had been advocating its use ever since I got hold of the Trackman wired and I hope you will feel the improvement
--Wireless--
Does it make sense to switch from wired to wireless? In my case there is no pressing need for doing so but I do appreciate the space saved by removing the cable. I had to stretch the cable to the fullest when I was using the old Trackman and a lot of things got in its way. Also contrary to popular views I DO move the Trackman/M570 around. This is because I sit on a rotatable chair and my angle to the Trackman changes from time to time. The cable on Trackman caused some trouble when adjusting and with the M570's wireless design this problem is completely gone.
Should you wait for the Bluetooth version? If you have a device that does not support the Unifying Receiver (phone/notebooks that can't spare a USB port), then you have no choice but to wait. Except in such case I do not think a Bluetooth version is needed. I own the Bluetooth keyboard and mouse from Apple and they are nightmares! The connection seems to break at the most inconvenient moment and I had to guess whether it was the battery or the Bluetooth thing. If it does not reconnect automatically I had to launch the Bluetooth configure console with whatever devices that are still working. Try opening the console when your mouse is not functioning (hint: enable mouse keys) and you will see my point. For every space you save with Bluetooth, you are paying with a lot of potential trouble.
--Gaming--
Gaming with any kind of trackball is an acquired taste, some say trackballs are imprecise while others claim that they improved after switching to trackball. I have no problem with RTS and FPS games with my old Trackman and I suppose the same is true with the M570, which shares the same design. The wheel gives a DISTINCT touch every time it is rolled, which I think is essential for any serious FPS gamers. There are 3 programmable buttons (two at index finger and one at middle/ring finger). I think the 5-button M570 is currently the best gaming thumb-balls one can buy.
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