Rating: 
Summary: Simply a menu feature, orientation can be set E/W or N/S.
Review: ...Orientation is a user setting, you can change it from East/West to North/South in the "mouse" menu. Trackballs are far superior to the clumsy mouse. If you stop and think about the finger, hand , arm, and shoulder movements required to "control" a mouse, not to mention the desk space it requires to operate, you can begin to see the simple genius of the trackball. I say "control" because a mouse controls you, you don't control it! You're the devil if you can ;) You can sit comfortably with your trackball in your lap if you like and easily navigate the web and your arm remains motionless. There is also much less fatigue when using a trackball, espicially one that you use the fingers to control the marble instead of the thumb. I am a long time pc user, since the Intel 8086 was the processor to buy (that was before the 80286, 80386, 80486, Pentium and Windows,) so you can trust my judgement is an informed one. Granted, if you are used to a mouse, trackballs can be challenging to master for the first day or two, but the rewards far outlast the first awkward attempts. You will be forever a master and "convert" like me. I snicker when I sit at a computer and have to use a mouse! What neophytes, MAN (or woman)get a trackball! It is especially good for the elderly folks who want to use a computer but can't seem to get the hang of a mouse, they CAN quickly get the hang of a trackball, same with young children. The "fingered" ball as opposed to the "thumbed" ball is an especially comfortable device to use. My personal favorite is the Logitec FX, very ergonomical design. Take a giant step up the computer power user ladder, trade your mouse for a trackball and do have somebody show you the control panel or menu settings for your mouse, even if you don't get a trackball.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, A Great Trackball for Macs
Review: After reading the other Amazon reviews, I thought I would respond to some of the issues other reviewers raise from a Mac user's perspective. I run a new PowerBook 15" with OS X 10.3.2. Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't notice any directional/orientation problems--the cursor follows the ball movement very well, even before installing the included Logitech software. Perhaps the necessary drivers are now universally available, or perhaps the Mac version is just better. Also, the "finger layout" has not proven to be an issue for me--I can use any or all of my fingers to control the ball without any cursor-direction problems. The wireless function has proven flawless on my Mac. The reciever is a couple feet away and actually off the desk (no line of sight) and works fine. It was essentially plug-and-play on the Mac--I didn't even have to push the 'Connect' buttons to establish a signal, it just worked. The software is necessary, however, to re-assign new functions to the several buttons on this model. As a former PC user, I can't go without a right-click button (one of the reasons I bought an external device for my notebook at all). The Mac software is very easy to use, and one can re-program all of the buttons and the wheel if one so desires. You can set a button to automatically double- or triple-click, or select keyboard shortcuts (e.g., Command and W to close the current window). Very easy, and quite useful--I use buttons to close windows, quit programs, delete files, and still have a handy web-browsing 'Back' button. The only possible drawback to the Mac software is that one cannot "train" the ball's orientation (from what I can gather from other reviews, this option is not available on PC either). This really only matters if you know you hold trackballs at a different angle than most people do. Please note that the software I'm reviewing is for Mac OS X only; the program for those running OS 8.6-9.2 is a different piece of software, which is also included in the package. Those are all the Mac-specific comments I can think of at this point; if you're a Mac-user you're probably used to things "just working," and this device is no exception. I'll also comment on some of the more universal issues raised by other reviews: Ergonomically, there is a period of adjustment--anyone moving from a conventional mouse to any trackball or from one trackball to another should expect that. It's never a bad idea to try one out in-store to see how they feel, especially since trackball models vary from one to another much more than mice do.
This is not, as some have termed it, a 'disadvantage'--all new things take some time to get used to. If you've never used a trackball, it's weird for a while; it's also ergonomically superior/healthier in the long term.
Also, I use trackballs for computer drafting/design, and find superior control to mice--finger-control is just more precise than either thumb-controlled trackballs or wrist/arm-controlled mice. The optical ball-tracking technology requires almost no cleaning, and there are zero moving parts to clean. Just pop the ball out and blow any collected lint out of the socket if necessary--which very rarely is. For any pointing device that's wireless, optical, and has this many buttons, this price is pretty decent--lower, I think, than my previous trackball that was wired and lacked the wheel. As for Logitech's reputation/reliability, I have had good experiences. My first trackball had to be replaced during the warranty period, but its replacement has lasted the four years since--I only replaced it now because it wasn't Mac-compatible. Now Mac-users can rejoice with a high-performance trackball that works seamlessly in OS X.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, A Great Trackball for Macs
Review: After reading the other Amazon reviews, I thought I would respond to some of the issues other reviewers raise from a Mac user's perspective. I run a new PowerBook 15" with OS X 10.3.2. Unlike some other reviewers, I didn't notice any directional/orientation problems--the cursor follows the ball movement very well, even before installing the included Logitech software. Perhaps the necessary drivers are now universally available, or perhaps the Mac version is just better. Also, the "finger layout" has not proven to be an issue for me--I can use any or all of my fingers to control the ball without any cursor-direction problems. The wireless function has proven flawless on my Mac. The reciever is a couple feet away and actually off the desk (no line of sight) and works fine. It was essentially plug-and-play on the Mac--I didn't even have to push the 'Connect' buttons to establish a signal, it just worked. The software is necessary, however, to re-assign new functions to the several buttons on this model. As a former PC user, I can't go without a right-click button (one of the reasons I bought an external device for my notebook at all). The Mac software is very easy to use, and one can re-program all of the buttons and the wheel if one so desires. You can set a button to automatically double- or triple-click, or select keyboard shortcuts (e.g., Command and W to close the current window). Very easy, and quite useful--I use buttons to close windows, quit programs, delete files, and still have a handy web-browsing 'Back' button. The only possible drawback to the Mac software is that one cannot "train" the ball's orientation (from what I can gather from other reviews, this option is not available on PC either). This really only matters if you know you hold trackballs at a different angle than most people do. Please note that the software I'm reviewing is for Mac OS X only; the program for those running OS 8.6-9.2 is a different piece of software, which is also included in the package. Those are all the Mac-specific comments I can think of at this point; if you're a Mac-user you're probably used to things "just working," and this device is no exception. I'll also comment on some of the more universal issues raised by other reviews: Ergonomically, there is a period of adjustment--anyone moving from a conventional mouse to any trackball or from one trackball to another should expect that. It's never a bad idea to try one out in-store to see how they feel, especially since trackball models vary from one to another much more than mice do.
This is not, as some have termed it, a 'disadvantage'--all new things take some time to get used to. If you've never used a trackball, it's weird for a while; it's also ergonomically superior/healthier in the long term.
Also, I use trackballs for computer drafting/design, and find superior control to mice--finger-control is just more precise than either thumb-controlled trackballs or wrist/arm-controlled mice. The optical ball-tracking technology requires almost no cleaning, and there are zero moving parts to clean. Just pop the ball out and blow any collected lint out of the socket if necessary--which very rarely is. For any pointing device that's wireless, optical, and has this many buttons, this price is pretty decent--lower, I think, than my previous trackball that was wired and lacked the wheel. As for Logitech's reputation/reliability, I have had good experiences. My first trackball had to be replaced during the warranty period, but its replacement has lasted the four years since--I only replaced it now because it wasn't Mac-compatible. Now Mac-users can rejoice with a high-performance trackball that works seamlessly in OS X.
Rating:
Summary: State of the Art for the Trackball user
Review: Being a confirmed trackball person this is probably as good as it can be for now. Operation is silky smooth, all buttons are fully
configurable and the hand comfort is excellent. Sometimes cordless
can be pesky, not so with this unit as everything is right on. I was never much for scrolling and some of the other things this unit can do, but am now just plain spoiled.
Rating: 
Summary: Good buy!!!
Review: Easy to install. Performs excellent with Windows XP. I am right handed: find it more ergonomic than other Logitech trackball models that I previously owned (2). Rated it (4) because I consider the design of the optical base could be improved eg. cable free. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: Finger Layout???
Review: I agree with a post just made recently. Here it is again: That is, until you realize that Logitech's idea of finger layout: Thumb: 3 side buttons
2. finger: Wheel
3. and 4. finger: Ball
5. finger: Right button Thank you to the poster for confirming this for me. It took me quite a while to figure this out. I wish Logitech had posted this on their site somewhere. I've been trying to get used to the mouse in various configurations. Still I swap back and forth from this one and the Logitech Trackman Marble which has always been my favorite. With it you didn't need any arm support but the Optical Trackman I think requires it.
Rating:
Summary: YES! The answer for hand discomfort.
Review: I am a psychologist, and an internet hound. I spend a lot of time on my laptop (2-5 hours a day?). A year ago, I began having pain in the tendons along the top of my hand, from my index finger through my wrist. This was not "carpal tunnel" pain (that is on the underside of the wrist) but was apparently tendonitis aggravated by typing and mousing.
Anyway, I decided to make a radical switch, and the relief was instant. I have fairly big hands and this stationary mouse is like laying my hand on a custom recliner. Combined with a small mousepad and raised wrist pad, I literally never have to move my hand or wrist at all...just tracking with my middle/ring finger and clicking with thumb. The index finger is mercifully spared.
Gaming is a downside...especially for high-speed games like shooters.
Rarely does a product do everything you hope it will. This one did. I have had NO pronlems with gummed up wheels from dust...and I've had it for a year.
Rating: 
Summary: Very good if it lasted
Review: I bought this trackball, here at Amazon, about one or two months ago, and I really liked it. I have some RSI problems and this trackball, combined with a regular mouse and a Wacom tablet (also bought here) provide many different ways for me to input commands to the computer, so I will not be using always the same movements. But, this trackball has already given me a problem. Cleaning the trackball is very easy. The problem is that the trackball is supported by three ruby bearings and dirty can easily accumulate around these ruby bearings in a way that it's impossible to clean. Two of the ruby bearings have already gone sort of down, so they do not provide full support for the trackball anymore, and the trackball started to roll over the place where the bearing rest. The movement of the trackball is not as smooth as it were when new (and as said it has only around 1-2 months). How come some piece of hardware that is supposed to last for years in two months already have such a problem? This was my firts logitech product. I always bought Microsoft input products. This will be my last Logitech product. Microsoft product may not be perfect, but at least they last a lot more than this one here. It's a pity because if it weren't for this problem, that makes the trackball almost useless, it would be a very good product.
Rating:
Summary: I love it!
Review: I found the tracking (left to right and top to bottom) to be very precise. I am very pleased with the Logitech Cordless Optical TrackMan and I will probably purchase another one for our other computer. It is very comfortable in my hand and it is much less tiring than a traditional mouse. My sister recommended it and she was right- you will never go back to a regular mouse again.
Rating: 
Summary: MouseWare and drivers don't play well with others.
Review: I had high hopes for this trackball so I did everything I could to make it work. But, as soon as I installed the MouseWare software, my security software started to inexplicably turn off. I am using Norton Internet Security 2003 on a Windows XP laptop. I called Norton and verified that it was not a virus (or trojan horse, etc.) They said "It was something that you just installed." I tried downloading the latest version of the driver. No change. Logitech was responsive (over email) but said, "Please contact the manufacturer of your program if you have a specific question regarding using our product in that program." I removed the trackball drivers and MouseWare software and have not had any problems since.
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