| Accessories | | Product Summary |
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The X-Keys O-Trac from PI Engineering is a robustly built trackball with a long history of durability, reliability and performance, carrying on the legacy of the PC-Trac Trackballs formerly manufactured by Clearly Superior Technologies.
The X-Keys O-Trac Trackball offers a gently-angled profile that serves as a natural hand rest. The gradual curve of the body mirrors the natural contour of the hand and is designed to easily accommodate both right- and left-handed use, as well as multiple hand sizes.
Unlike most trackballs on the market, the high density phenolic trackball in the O-Trac has significant inertia. This provides far more tactile feedback than that normally offered by mass market trackballs, while still offering smooth response to even a light touch. The PC-Trac also offers "dynamic acceleration" which increases distance covered proportional to the speed of rotation. This feature ensures fine control as well as offering accurate rapid movement when required. (See the Features section on the Detailed Specifications Page for a deeper explanation of this feature.)
The O-Trac Trackball offers both "middle click" and "drag lock" functions (see the Features for more details
X-keys Trackballs work right out of the box, no software is required. If you wish to assign different functions to the buttons the manufacturer recommends using X-Mouse Button Control. | | Ergonomic Benefits |
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Uses Less Space Than Conventional Mice The stationary nature of the O-Trac Trackball also allows you to conserve space on your workspace. It is ideally suited for space restrictive environments or narrower keyboard trays that can accommodate a keyboard with only a few inches extra to spare.
Reduces Strain on Arm, Elbow and Shoulder Muscles Like a touchpad, PC-Trac Trackballs are stationary mousing devices. (Moving the ball with the fingers moves the cursor on the screen.) Limiting the repetitive movements of the arm and shoulder can greatly reduce the potential for injury and inflammation in these muscle groups. The housing of a trackball can also be angled in any direction, letting the elbow, wrist and hand be kept in a straight line, and to limit ulnar and radial deviation. Learn More About Ulnar Deviation.
Reduces Strain on the Hand, Wrist and Arm Trackballs effectively counter any tendency there may be to grip the pointing device too hard. This often inadvertent static grip can cause pain and injury to the muscles and soft tissues in the back of the hand and in the wrist and forearm. Trackballs, by requiring a simple spinning motion accomplished with the fingers, eliminate static grip entirely. Learn More About Static Grip Force
Reduces Reach for Buttons X-Keys O-Trac Trackballs have large oversized buttons surrounding the trackball, letting any available finger to be used for clicking. This can also minimize reach and strain when pressing buttons. The available customizing software allows assignment of functions to whichever button is desired.
Hardwired Drag Lock Feature Reduces Finger Fatigue The hard-wired drag-lock feature facilitates activating of drag-lock by simply clicking on the middle button without having to hold down the button while dragging the selected item on the computer screen. This will simplify using applications that require significant click-and-drag actions. There is also a scroll-lock feature that lets horizontal and vertical scrolling be accomplished without having to hold down a button. By not having to continually hold down the button while dragging with the mouse, finger fatigue can be greatly reduced.
Enables Load Balancing Between Left and Right Hands O-Trac Trackballs feature an ambidextrous design and can be placed on the left or right side of the keyboard in the traditional desktop layout. They can also be used between the two modules of a separated keyboard, on the arm of a couch, or anywhere found to be convenient and comfortable. The ability to distribute the workload as desired can reuce the strain on the muscles of the dominant side.
Large Diameter Weighted Ball The 57 mm ball on the O-Trac Trackballs is weighted to provide excellent feedback response. With the O-Trac there is no "accidental" movement due to the inertia of the ball. The weighted ball also supports rapid movement which enables users to adjust cursor position with exceptional speed.
Dynamic Acceleration Reduces Repetitive Movement The Dynamic Acceleration feature incorporated into the O-Trac is especially beneficial to those working with large high resolution screens or who need to rapidly move the cursor across greater distances. This feature ties the distance travelled to the speed with which the ball is rotated. For example, a 1/4 rotation of the ball at a rapid rate will cause the cursor to cover a substantially greater distance than the same 1/4 rotation performed at a slow rate. This can be especially beneficial for uses (such as CAD) where exceptional accuracy is required at one moment while still needing to move larger distances the next. The trackball response can be adjusted lower via the mouse settings in order to achieve a greater degree of control, yet with a rapid movement of the ball can still cover the greater distances necessary for accessing menus. A "fixed acceleration" trackball would require a greater degree or number of rotations in order to cover these larger movements, resulting in an increase in the amount of necessary finger movement.
Software Driver for Increased Productivity Freely available programming software options are availabled for both Windows and Mac operating system. Tese can be used to program keys to perform common functions with a single click, program contextual "program specific" commands, enter macros, or to totally reprogram the O-Trac to fit the needs of the individual user. Functions can be assigned globally or as "program specific" commands.
| | Features |
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- Middle Button Hardwired for Drag-Lock: The middle button is a drag-lock - this means that there is no need to hold a button down to highlight, select or drag an item. This is a real plus for individuals with trigger finger, who are constantly having to click, or for those with motor skill difficulties.
- Middle Button in Scroll-Lock Mode: The middle button can also act as a scroll-lock. To have the button perform a scroll-lock (instead of the default drag-lock), press and hold the button for 2.5 seconds and it goes into scroll-lock mode. To leave scroll-lock mode, press any button again.
- Universal Compatibility: The universal compatibility of this design means it works well in a multi-user environments with a range of individuals.
- Low Profile: The low gently-curved profile of the O-Trac case acts as a natural hand-rest, mirroring the natural contours of the hand.
- Robust Design: Employing strong ABS plastic construction, a virtually indestructible phenolic trackball and stainless steel rollers, O-Trac Trackballs are designed with durability a key consideration.
- Dynamic Acceleration: The Dynamic Acceleration feature incorporated into O-Trac Trackballs is especially beneficial to those working with large high resolution screens or who need to rapidly move the cursor across greater distances. This feature ties the distance travelled to the speed with which the ball is rotated. For example, a 1/4 rotation of the ball at a rapid rate will cause the cursor to cover a substantially greater distance than the same 1/4 rotation performed at a slow rate. This can be especially beneficial for uses (such as CAD) where exceptional accuracy is required at one moment while still needing to move larger distances the next. The trackball resolutions can be set to a lower setting in order to achieve a greater degree of control, yet with a rapid movement of the ball can still cover the greater distances necessary for accessing menus. A "fixed acceleration" trackball would require a greater degree or number of rotations in order to cover these larger movements, resulting in an increase in the amount of necessary finger movement.
- Software for Additional Functionality: O-Trac Trackballs support the free Superior-X Button Control for Windows or USB Overdrive for Mac, letting different button settings to be assigned depending on the application. This allows control of applications, such as media players, directly from the trackball (volume control via scroll wheel, etc.), putting maximum control at your fingertips. Superior-X also allows keystrokes to be recorded and played back with the click of a button, allowing repetitive application tasks to be completed quickly.
- Large Weighted Trackball: The large 57 mm ball provides increased accuracy and control. The weight also enables rapid movement across large distances as it can be "spun".
- Ambidextrous Design: The symmetrical, comfortable design means that both left- and right-handed individuals will be able to enjoy the benefits of the O-Trac Trackball.
| | Images and Multimedia |
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X-Keys O-Trac
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X-Keys O-Trac - Large 2.25" Ball
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X-Keys O-Trac - Wired Reliability (USB & PS/2)
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X-Keys O-Trac - Multi-Function Middle Button
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X-Keys O-Trac - Comfortable Hand Support
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X-Keys O-Trac - Profiles
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| | Technical Specifications |
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| | Usage Tips |
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- If you are new to a trackball expect that it will take a while to get accustomed to the different style of control. It is also a good idea to limit the amount of time you use it in the first while. Rather, build up to longer periods of usage by interchanging with a different mousing device or by Load Balancing (see next point).
- Load Balance Your Use: The freedom of an ambidextrous trackball lets you easily switch between left and right handed use. Make a point of using it with your non-dominant hand. Not only is this good for your dominant hand, which gets a break from working, it can slowly build dexterity and endurance which your non-dominant hand generally does not have. As a bonus, it is also a way of stimulating the other half of your brain, which is never a bad idea.
- Take Regular Breaks: If you find that you are experiencing discomfort in your fingers, especially in the learning stages - that is a good sign that you may want to take a break by switching to a different device or by swapping to the other hand. As with any device, make an effort to regularly change your usage, take breaks, and perform stretches. Some users find that the fingers can benefit from occasionally flexing them through a full range of movement, both extending and contracting them fully.
- Remember to use the on-board DPI settings to improve speed and control when needed.
- The O-Trac is not designed to be pretty and when compared to other more stylish trackballs does come up short in appearance. However, the simple and rugged construction results in a device that is able to compete very favourably with the "prettier" trackballs. If reliabilty and durability are important then the O-Trac should be considered. If you want a higher degree of performance you may be interested in the X-Keys L-Trac that uses laser tracking to achieve 400, 800, and 1600 DPI resolutions.
| | Models |
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| For related products, visit our online product listing. | | Model # | Description | Synnex SKU |
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| TKB-6003-UBKBK-R | O-Trac Trackball, Opto-Mechanical Sensor, Black Case and Ball, 3 Buttons. | |
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