Electron Hut: Kyle Bedell’s Blog

Computer, phone, and handheld users of the world, I ask you:

Glossy or matte?

I find that my preference for a particular screen type depends entirely on the device I’m working with and the environment that it gets used in most often. On my desktop, I have an NEC MultiSync 20WMGX2 with a glossy front. It’s in our dimly lit apartment (Katherine’s monitor gets washed out by the open window, so we keep the shades drawn), so I don’t get any of the glare issues. The colors are vibrant, the contrast is solid, and I find I like the “pop” that the gloss lends to the image.

Outside, or in environments where I get a lot of direct sunlight on my workspace (like in the spot where I love to sit in the Bentley library), I prefer the anti-glare properties of the matte screens.

What’s your preference?

I’ve been having some rather painful RSI issues with my wrists and hands over the past few months, and was reading up on some more ergonomic input devices when I stumbled across the Evoluent VerticalMouse 3. Instead of having a traditional palm-down grip to it, the VerticalMouse turns a regular mouse on its side and allows you to use a handshake grip instead. Since the natural position of your hands is at your side, palms facing inward, this grip keeps your hands and wrists in a neutral position. According to ergonomics and medical professionals, this should relieve most of the stress placed on the median nerve (the pinching of which is the source of carpal tunnel syndrome).

One of the guys I know at work recently picked one up, so I sat down to use it for a few minutes and was instantly hooked. Mine arrived from Amazon yesterday, and I’ve been using it fairly heavily for the last day or so. My impressions:

The Good

• The grip is far more comfortable than on traditional mice (if you have some arm support)
• The sensor, despite being infrared, goes up to 2400dpi (that’s even better than my Logitech G5 laser mouse)
• The build quality is solid (except for one button…)
• The pain in my hands and wrist is getting better already!

The Bad

• The mouse is fairly light, so if you prefer some heft to your pointing devices (like I do), using the VerticalMouse takes some adjustment
• You need to have good arm/elbow support (armrests on your chair or a wrap-around desk), otherwise the grip is difficult to maintain for long periods of time
• Thumb button feels cheap
• The DPI switch is on the bottom of the mouse

As far as features go, the VerticalMouse has a few nice things that distinguish it from the large quantities of mice out there. The optical sensor is one of the best available, and can be adjusted in hardware anywhere from 800dpi all the way up to 2400dpi in terms of sensitivity (adjustments are made in 400dpi “chunks”). There’s a rare third mouse button (right where your little finger lies) as well; with the included software, you can map the buttons on the mouse however you like.

If you’re suffering from wrist or hand pains, you should give the VerticalMouse a try. It’s pricy at $69, but so far I believe the comfort benefits are worth it. I’ll be doing some tests with a few games this weekend to see how the mouse performs in that arena!