Building a better mouse

Computerworld - Occasionally, I get a tingling feeling sitting in front of a computer, but it's not from excitement about the hardware. My hands, wrists and shoulders start to ache when I've been at it too long, a sign that a repetitive stress injury could be on the horizon.

While ergonomic keyboards, wrist supports and taking occasional breaks are among recommended measures that can help cut down on the risk, another option worth a look is Contour Design Inc.'s RollerMouse Pro, which sells for $199.

Essentially, it's a wrist support with mouse controls built in. The theory is that if you're not constantly forced to reach over and grip a mouse for hours on end, there will be less wear and tear on the body.

I recently test-drove a RollerMouse Pro and concluded that Contour has indeed built a better mouse, although initially it's a little tricky to use.

Like other wrist supports, the RollerMouse Pro slips underneath your keyboard. There's a cutout in the gel pad that contains buttons and a scroll wheel, as well as a scroll bar along the top edge that controls the cursor. It's designed to work with straight-edge keyboards; the split curved styles won't properly snug up against the wrist support.

The RollerMouse Pro from Contour Design Inc. slips underneath your keyboard.

The RollerMouse Pro works with Windows ME or higher, or Mac OS 8.6 or higher. (Note that the PS2 connection may require a driver download to fully function.)

A skimpy user guide included in the box covers the basics. The main thing it's lacking is any kind of diagram or advice about how to position your hands over the RollerMouse and keyboard.

See the company's Web site for an animation covering this important detail, because there's definitely a learning curve involved. Initially, I did quite a bit of flailing around because I wasn't sure which fingers to use to control the RollerMouse's unusual scroll bar and five buttons.

The buttons can be configured to work in one of three modes (Standard, Internet, Driver) via a dip switch on the bottom of the device. I left it at the default Internet setting, which enables two buttons to function as back and forward and is great for Web browsing. Three other oversize buttons handle left and right click and auto-scroll. The RollerMouse Pro can be operated with either hand.