LGR Oddware - Altra Felix Pointing Device
video description
The writing was already on the wall when it came out, but the intent was to make a compact trackball-sized device that would maximize desk space and minimize repetitive strain -- ergonomics being a giant new fad in the early-mid 90s as it was. By restricting motion to a one inch square, and using a smaller grip, you could use only the fine motor control in your fingers and not strain your wrists. The original style you pictured, you gripped the sides of the puck with your thumb and middle finger, and pressed the top to click. It made more sense than the tiny mouse style you got.
The design decision they made is what doomed it. Though you didn't have to move your wrist to use it, it wasn't useful for anything above a 640x480 screen, and even then it took some skill. We were going to be rocketing to 1024x768 in just a few years on commodity machines. Also, with larger screens, you don't have all your windows maximized all the time, so the advantage of an absolute position (whack the puck to the upper left corner and double click to close a window) was less. And as you rightly pointed out, absolute positioning is absolute garbage for games.
Still, it was somebody's baby, even if it ended up being as useful as a screen door on a battleship.
Date: 2022-04-14
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Comments and reviews: 9
Atem
You know, I actually wouldn't mind a mouse that combined both trackball and laser input, perhaps even throw in a mousepad.
Take a normal mouse (albeit possibly a bit bulkier, and at the base you have a detachable module. The module can hold a trackball or the components for the LED input, or can have a 'filler' module that simply turns off or negates the bottom of the mouse. The top of the mouse (in addition to the LR mouse buttons, scroll wheel, etc) can have a detachable panel on top. Normally the top would hold your palm (while you use the mouse, but underneath would be the mouse pad.
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You know, I actually wouldn't mind a mouse that combined both trackball and laser input, perhaps even throw in a mousepad.
Take a normal mouse (albeit possibly a bit bulkier, and at the base you have a detachable module. The module can hold a trackball or the components for the LED input, or can have a 'filler' module that simply turns off or negates the bottom of the mouse. The top of the mouse (in addition to the LR mouse buttons, scroll wheel, etc) can have a detachable panel on top. Normally the top would hold your palm (while you use the mouse, but underneath would be the mouse pad.
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PrivateSi
Interesting. The rotating pointer 'problem' could be a bonus. I've just had an idea for a controller. A small rocker 'hand pedal'' with a few buttons that moves up and down and rotates freely as an analogue mouse-look controller that you can also move around like the felix for movement, although it would probably work better as an 8 way digital controller with stiff microswitches and small hand movements. Other hand has a small tube with 4 trigger buttons and a thumb button on top. or perhaps just two of these tubes with an analogue stick or trackball on top, with motion sensing.
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Interesting. The rotating pointer 'problem' could be a bonus. I've just had an idea for a controller. A small rocker 'hand pedal'' with a few buttons that moves up and down and rotates freely as an analogue mouse-look controller that you can also move around like the felix for movement, although it would probably work better as an 8 way digital controller with stiff microswitches and small hand movements. Other hand has a small tube with 4 trigger buttons and a thumb button on top. or perhaps just two of these tubes with an analogue stick or trackball on top, with motion sensing.
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Vipr
I was a tester for these when they were first introduced. They were kind of odd. I-m not surprised it didn-t catch on. During my testing I had just received it and the top piece had to be replaced already because one of the buttons didn-t work. The concept was that when you move the trackball to the corner it would go to Corresponding corner of your screen of your screen but it had a hard time with a bigger screen sizes.
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I was a tester for these when they were first introduced. They were kind of odd. I-m not surprised it didn-t catch on. During my testing I had just received it and the top piece had to be replaced already because one of the buttons didn-t work. The concept was that when you move the trackball to the corner it would go to Corresponding corner of your screen of your screen but it had a hard time with a bigger screen sizes.
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ugn669
I absolutely loove my trackball mouse, mine's very similar to the logitech in the vid but wireless and 5button. It's great not having to move it around, works amazing in tight spaces/on your lap/upside down/whatever. Obviously it's not ideal for gaming, especially when quick and exact input is required, I do switch to my oldskool wired mouse for those. but it's a pain having to clear space for a mouse each time.
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I absolutely loove my trackball mouse, mine's very similar to the logitech in the vid but wireless and 5button. It's great not having to move it around, works amazing in tight spaces/on your lap/upside down/whatever. Obviously it's not ideal for gaming, especially when quick and exact input is required, I do switch to my oldskool wired mouse for those. but it's a pain having to clear space for a mouse each time.
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wishus
I had one of these back in the days of my SE/30 mac. And once I got used to it, I couldn't replace it with anything, I loved it. But once it died I could not find a replacement. And a short time later i could get optical mice. I hated cleaning the ball mice constantly. Mine also had no dead spot, but it did start to develop one after a while, and that is what made it impossible to use.
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I had one of these back in the days of my SE/30 mac. And once I got used to it, I couldn't replace it with anything, I loved it. But once it died I could not find a replacement. And a short time later i could get optical mice. I hated cleaning the ball mice constantly. Mine also had no dead spot, but it did start to develop one after a while, and that is what made it impossible to use.
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kawadec
My initial thoughts regarding this thing were that (1) that must be useless for any FPS, and (2) maybe it would still be feasible for RTS games and the like? Looks like the first would appear to be the case, and that dead zone in the center still makes it less than stellar for the latter genre. Might as well just try playing with a touchpad, at least you pick up your fingers that way.
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My initial thoughts regarding this thing were that (1) that must be useless for any FPS, and (2) maybe it would still be feasible for RTS games and the like? Looks like the first would appear to be the case, and that dead zone in the center still makes it less than stellar for the latter genre. Might as well just try playing with a touchpad, at least you pick up your fingers that way.
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J. R.
I hate, hate, HATED this thing after wasting way too much money on it. It's a nice idea, but rather awkward to use in practice, especially with the rotating puck. Mine broke within a couple months of my getting it, and fortunately I was able to get most of my money back (less restocking/shipping, but it was just an awful experience I've not cared to repeat since.
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I hate, hate, HATED this thing after wasting way too much money on it. It's a nice idea, but rather awkward to use in practice, especially with the rotating puck. Mine broke within a couple months of my getting it, and fortunately I was able to get most of my money back (less restocking/shipping, but it was just an awful experience I've not cared to repeat since.
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Joseph
I once had a gaming keypad that could move around like this; think make this thing's top a decent handful with an ergonomic shape and like 8 buttons for the fingers (2 each) + 3 -shift- keys for the thumb, designed to be used with the left hand alongside a mouse. Can't remember what it was called and no clue where it is now, couldn't find it online either.
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I once had a gaming keypad that could move around like this; think make this thing's top a decent handful with an ergonomic shape and like 8 buttons for the fingers (2 each) + 3 -shift- keys for the thumb, designed to be used with the left hand alongside a mouse. Can't remember what it was called and no clue where it is now, couldn't find it online either.
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8-18-88
BeFore i clicked on This video i Thought you Going to Be Talking about The cat scanner But i was wrong But cat scanner was a $50 cool Gizmo at a Time allowed you to scan BarCodes and Take you Too The webSite
and The cooll Thing about it i asked a Guy who work - RadioShack what did This Gizmo Do? and He just Gave it to Me For Free
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BeFore i clicked on This video i Thought you Going to Be Talking about The cat scanner But i was wrong But cat scanner was a $50 cool Gizmo at a Time allowed you to scan BarCodes and Take you Too The webSite
and The cooll Thing about it i asked a Guy who work - RadioShack what did This Gizmo Do? and He just Gave it to Me For Free
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