the.com/trackball
the upside-down mouse for people who refuse to move their arm.
means A pointing device with a ball you roll with your fingers or thumb to move the cursor, keeping the device itself stationary.
from A transparent compound of 'track' (to follow a path) and 'ball,' coined in the mid-20th century. The technology predates the mouse: early versions grew out of military radar and computing work, where a rolling ball let operators steer a cursor across a screen. One famous Canadian system from around 1950 reportedly used a five-pin bowling ball as its trackball — engineers literally rolling a real ball to track a target.
- origin
- Invented in secret for 1952 Canadian military radar
- first ball
- That prototype used an actual bowling ball
- no wrist drift
- Hand stays put, only the thumb works
- surgeon favorite
- Used where space and sterility matter
- cult status
- Devotees swear off mice forever
logitech trackman marble — best-selling computer trackball since 1989, millions sold worldwide
kensington expert mouse — ergonomic trackball for professionals, introduced 1997, still in production
atari 2600 trakball controller — arcade-style trackball accessory for 1980s home gaming, used in centipede and missile command