New 3D mouse: SpaceNavigator for Notebooks

(pcmag) -- Spend some time using 3D design software or exploring your neighborhood with Google Earth while using a traditional mouse and you'll come to a quick realization: While it does a fine job navigating the x and y axes, it doesn't play so well with z. That's not surprising, considering that the traditional mouse was designed to track movement across a two-dimensional surface. Thankfully, for those who spend more than a marginal amount of time computing across the third dimension, devices such as 3Dconnexion's SpaceNavigator for Notebooks ($129.99 list) 3D mouse can make the experience a lot more enjoyable.

The SpaceNavigator for Notebooks, a portable version of the company's original 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator 3D mouse, ditches half the weight of the desktop model and has a smaller footprint. Like its predecessor, it resembles a large black knob with a silver base. In addition to moving it left and right and up and down, as with a traditional mouse, you can also twist it, tilt it, and pull up on it. A pair of customizable buttons are placed thoughtfully below thumb and ring finger along the mouse's glowing blue base. Assigning any combination of keystrokes to the buttons is simple, thanks to the SpaceNavigator's intuitive on-screen control panel, which is brought up by pressing the left button. It also comes in a nice zippered bag. full story