Evoluent - VerticalMouse 2 and 3 – 5-Button USB Optical Mouse with “Handshake Grip”
Reviewed by Robert Pritchett
Developer: Jack Lo Evoluent 617 Viewridge Drive Pacifica, CA 94044 U.S.A. 650-355-2467 Fax: 650-355-5550 http://www.evoluent.com/vm3.html Support: http://www.evoluent.com/support.htm Released: August 2004. Left-hand (VM2) - $105 USD, Right-hand (VM3) - $80 USD, USB Drive for use with a Mac - $20 USD. 30-day return guarantee. Requirements: USB Overdrive ($20USD) to use all buttons. USB Port. Mac OS X 10.4.8 or later. Comes with: PS/2 –USB converter; mini-CD driver disc. |
Right-hand VerticalMouse 3 
Left-hand VerticalMouse 2 
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Strengths: Light optical “vertical” palm-mouse. Cross-platform (Linux, Mac, Windows). Ergonomically designed to reduce forearm fatigue. No extra training required. Weaknesses: Requires buying USB Overdrive to use all buttons for the Mac. Hand-drag on the table surface may become an issue or not. The hand “lip” is on the right-hand VerticalMouse 3 and not available for the left-hand - yet. Other Reviews: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1920653,00.asp http://hardware.earthweb.com/peripherals/article.php/3497581 http://www.evoluent.com/user_reviews.htm Video review - http://reviews.cnet.com/Evoluent_VerticalMouse_2/4505-3148_7-31242024.html?tag=prod.txt.1 Development Story - http://www.evoluent.com/story.htm Support: http://www.evoluent.com/support.htm |
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Introduction
Eliminates arm twisting
The patented shape supports your hand in a fully upright handshake position that eliminates forearm twisting. Many users said earlier models relieved their hand, wrist, or arm pain. See these actual user comments.
An ordinary horizontal mouse requires your forearm to twist away from its natural position.
Familiar grip
The grip is the same as an ordinary mouse, just turned sideways. Many users said they got used to it very quickly.
The VerticalMouse does not move sideways when clicking with normal force because the thumb naturally opposes the fingers. Pointer control is as accurate as any other good mouse when the pointer speed settings are properly adjusted.
Easy to use buttons
All 5 buttons are easily operable without contorting your fingers. The button force is light for easy clicking, but still firm enough to avoid accidental actuation.
Fits different size hands
The shape has been improved to fit larger hands as well as smaller hands.
Prevents desk rubbing
A small lip on the bottom edge prevents the little finger from rubbing the desk.
Ultra fast response
A 2200 dpi true optical resolution sensor moves the pointer quickly to reduce hand movements. The pointer can be moved across a 17" monitor with only 1/2" (13 mm) or less movement of the mouse. Most other mice have 400-800 dpi and require more hand movement.
Programmable buttons (XP Pro, XP Home, Vista 32)
5 buttons each programmable with different functions in different applications. For example, a button can be Double Click in one application and Ctrl in another application.
Special functions (XP Pro, XP Home, Vista 32)
Speed toggle - cycle among up to 3 pointer speed settings with a keyboard shortcut or mouse button. For example, a high speed for ordinary tasks, and a slow speed for graphics work.
Auto click - automatically perform a single or double click by pausing the pointer. Adjustable time delay for activation.
Click lock - press and hold a button momentarily to simulate continued pressing without holding down the button. Adjustable time delay for activation.
Break Reminder - visual and/or audio alerts to remind you to take a break.
Repositioning
The VerticalMouse 3 can be repositioned without moving the pointer:
Tilt it to the side to disable tracking.
Slide it without moving the pointer.
Compatibility PC
- Includes driver for Windows XP Pro and XP Home for programming all 5 buttons.
- The driver is not required. The VerticalMouse 3 still has basic functionality without it.
- Freeware driver for Windows Vista (32 and 64 bit), XP x64, 2003, and 2000 at http://www.highrez.co.uk/downloads/XMouseButtonControl.htm Although it is freeware, please make a donation to the author if you like it. (Evoluent has no business relationship with this vendor.)
- USB only. Not compatible with PS2.
Mac
- 1 button in OS 9 without a driver.
- 5 buttons in OS X 10.4.5 without a driver: left click (top), right click (middle), expose' (bottom), show desktop (wheel), select window (thumb).
- http://www.usboverdrive.com universal Mac driver that enables button programming. (Evoluent has no business relationship with this vendor.)
- USB port.
Unix
- 3 buttons without a driver. Wheel button is middle click.
- USB port.
Linux
- 5 buttons in XFree 4.0.1 or higher and Knoppix Linux 3.9 or higher without a driver: left click (top), right click (middle), middle click (bottom), middle click (wheel), right click (thumb).
- USB port.
Specifications
- Resolution: 2600 dpi true optical resolution
- Dimensions: L 4.45" (113 mm), W 3.15" (80 mm), H 3.03" (77 mm)
- Cable: 6.6' (2 m)
Getting Started
Now my turn. Simple as a handshake is this device and almost as nice.
One thing this “mouse” is, is light! It weighs next to nothing. As an optical mouse, it practically floats on the tabletop and works fine without a mousepad. It just glides.
The left-handed unit I specifically requested, VerticalMouse 2 (VM2), came in the best package ever for plastic. No sealed pack here! I didn’t have to use a pair of scissors or try to slice myself getting the package open. In fact, the back just slide right off. I hope the other packagers pay attention to this instead of giving us those forever impossible-to-open sealed-forever plastic packs.
Now, it isn’t immediately obvious from the get-go, but this does have 5 – count ‘em! – 5 buttons. Yet it fits naturally in the palm of my hand. But I’m left-handed, so I have to try and get the USB Overdrive to work “in reverse” with the buttons and the interface to the Mac OS X System Preferences for the Keyboard & Mouse. I accepted the defaults.
The latest VerticalMouse 3 is not in a left-handed version yet, so I get 1200 dpi instead of 2600 (apparently the numbers need to get correlated on their website - 2600 vs. 2200) dpi for optical action, but that doesn’t seem to be much of a problem. I set it for “system” and it plays just fine. If I want to tweak for options, I can.
Using the Hardware
Used on an iMac G5 with Mac OS X 10.4.9 and USB Overdrive software.
For the VerticalMouse 2 device to use more than one button with the Mac, a copy of Alessandro Levi Montalcini’s USB Drive is needed. I loaded the beta version, since Alessandro is working on the next release of his USB-driver-does-all. I could use the “one button” function with Mac OS X out-of-the-box. But to really use it, I needed to fork over the $20 USD for the USB Drive software to use this mouse as intended, so I did. The USB Overdrive 10.0.0b4 arrived instead of 10.4.5, but it works!
There is a small, doesn’t-fit-in-Macs mini-CD that contains a Windows-based driver.
Supposedly there is a “lip” that the hand can rest on, but in reality it does not exist and the hand rests directly on the tabletop or working surface. That offers better control of the device, so should not be an issue. After all, with regular mice, I bet you have a shiny palm or palm calluses, right? The “lip” is found on the VerticalMouse 3 (right-hand) and not on the VerticalMouse 2 (not available for left-hand yet).
If you do a lot of mousing around, you will want to keep a hand on this unit, because it is easy to knock over when moving back and forth between mouse and keyboard. Maybe it is time to learn to use those keyboard shortcuts so a mouse is not needed, but then there is the scroll wheel function…with no detents or click sounds when scrolling (thank you!) and it does act like a button - if you push down on it, it does click once. I see that the VM3 does have the clicks again however.
I can get used to this real fast. I see why some folks have tried it and don’t ever want to go back to “horizontal” mice or to other “ergonomic” mice. Thank you Jack Lo! (Now make the VerticalMouse 3 for lefties and please don’t continue to penalize those of us who are left-handed with higher prices than for righties.)
I was rather frustrated with the multibutton interface issues with this device initially and goofing around with the beta version of the USB Drive and interface issues with Mac OS X, but love the fit and finish of the mouse itself. Those issues were resolved once I paid for the software and I updated to Mac OS X 10.4.9.
Instead of palm calluses, I’m getting a “Karate” callous on the edge of my left hand now.
Conclusion
Why doesn’t this mouse come with a copy of the USB Drive software, if they add the microdrive-based CD with the Windows driver?
And why should a left-handed mouse cost $30 more than a right-handed mouse?
This was recently posted on the Evoluent website –
These are the improvements of the Evoluent VerticalMouse 3 over the Evoluent VerticalMouse 2:
- Reshaped to better fit a greater range of hand sizes.
- A 2200 dpi true optical resolution sensor instead of a 1200 dpi sensor.
- An optical scroll wheel with detents (clicks) instead of a smooth rolling wheel.
- A small flange along the bottom edge to prevent the little finger from dragging on the desk.
- Additional driver functions, such as button programming customizable for different applications.
- A completely new internal mechanical design for improved parts fit and button feel.
- A completely new electrical design for improved reliability.
Drivers are not yet available for MS 64-bit XP or MS Vista either, but drivers were updated for the Windows environment back in December 2006.
If you suffer from “mouse-pain” (Repetitive Stress Syndrome or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome), then this is a viable alternative to not being able to work at all with a mouse. You can literally give this one a “Thumb’s Up”.
