What input device for a Powerbook

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

I am feeling this urge to get a 17" Powerbook on which I would spend a lot of time using ArchiCAD and Artlantis. Most of the time I would use it in office-like environments, but I would also spend quite a few hours a month working on airplanes, trains, and such.

I use a mouse on my desktop and have never tried any other device for serious-like work on CAD.

Any recommendation will be very highly appreciated.

[Anonymous]

I am VERY happy with my 17" PowerBook.

It is the best built, best designed laptop I have ever owned (or seen). I have been using Apple and IBM laptops for years because I find them to be much better designed than any others (the engineering is excellent too, but I am naturally, considering what I do for a living, very concerned with quality of design). The Sony Vaios are cool and cute but feel somewhat cheesy in actual use (and they are not really suitable for CAD anyway) and Dell laptops are big and clunky in my experience. But I digress...

The 17" screen alone would have cost as much a few years ago as the whole computer does today, and it is far superior to all the other monitors I have used throughout my career (with the exception of the 22" Cinema display at a client's office a couple years ago and the 23" one that I have now).

The performance is more than adequate for most work, but for larger jobs it would definitely be nice to have a G5 under the desk (maybe next month ).

[James Murray]

The 17" is great. One of the least-regretted purchases in my life. I can't imagine all AC8's palettes on a smaller screen. I use a little Micro$oft mouse that takes up less space than the power adapter, which is also not very big.

For traveling, be advised that the powerbook basically fills the tray table on a 737 in economy (architect) class, but you can manage. The advantages of a portable, powerful computer are well known...

Oops I see you're on AC7/OS9. The PB will switch you to OSX (no 9 support), which will practically force you to upgrade to AC8.1. Both upgrades are highly recommended in themselves.

[Ignacio Azpiazu]

It is the trackpad I am worried about. My attempts at drawing with that of a PB 1400 years ago have etched painful memories in the deepest of my subconscience, and they painfully surfaced back last week as I played with a 17" in an Apple Store.

What input device do you use on the 737?

[JCovarrubias]

Trackball's are great since they are stationary.

[Anonymous]

As the 17" PowerBook comes standard with bluetooth I think the Apple wireless mouse makes great sence or any other bluetooth mouse

[tsturm]

I have not used by boss's bluetooth Apple mouse to see how it works. But given it only has one button, I do not see it very useful for CAD.

I use the Kensington wireless mouse at home and travelling on my 17" PB. The lack of a ball and cord are great for working from bed while on my wireless network. The two buttons and scroll wheel are great for AC as the scroll wheel is the best way to zoom in and out in AC. I use AC 8.1 on this laptop. The only downside to the mouse is a USB antenna which is needed to read the mouse's position. It needs to be sync'd before reading correctly.

On a plane this mouse could be used on the keyboard resting spots of the 17" or on your lap. As so quickly pointed out by jamesm your PB will FILL the tray and then some.

If traveling with your new powerbook also consider a hood for the PB. It will cut down on those airplane lights and wandering eyes of your neighbors. Particularly when you fire up a movie and make the jealous for having to sqint at the small CRT in the center of the plane.

check out Hoodman's products.

Kensington also makes a great wired mouse with retractable cord for travel. two button and scroll wheel. Less expensive than wireless and no batteries required.

[Dave Jochum]

I, too, love my 17" PB. The biggest downside is the lack of availability of a great input device for the road. I use a Kensigton Expert Mouse Pro trackball with my desktop machine, and really love it--11 buttons plus chording, scroll wheel, excellent software, and no tangled mouse tails.

I put a Logitech cordless optical mouse on my wife's machine. It works well, but I much prefer a trackball. So for the PB, I would like to have a trackball, but the Expert Pro is way too big to haul around. Since the PB has built-in bluetooth, I'd love to have a great little Kensington-type bluetooth trackball. I spoke with one of the Kensington guys at MacWorld Expo-SF, and though he wouldn't say anything about a trackball, he did say they would be coming out with bluetooth devices "this spring".

I have also seen a handheld device with a small thumb-operated trackball, though it was corded, PC only, and pretty of cheesy construction.

[Jefferson]

Hi Ignacio

About a month and a half back I bought my first trackball, a logitech trackman. (Cordless but really no point in that since it doesn't move.) The thumb wheel leaves my "normal" fingers for the button manipulation. It also has the scroll wheel/button making a total of 3 buttons plus the ball.

I would never go back! It has improved my speed and accuracy with less fatigue. I believe this due in most part to the rest position of my hand being relativley the same as the mouse before it and just my thumb chasing the cursor around the screen instead of my forearm. Highly reccomended.

And they are cheap!

[Anonymous]

I just started using an Apple Bluetooth wireless mouse with my new Powerbook. its fantastic. Losing the cord is a huge relief and an even greater advantage that I had expected is that, because its a laser mouse, I can use it on HIGHLY irregular surfaces, such as my pant leg, a car seat, whatever. With the 17" screen, you'll be able to use the machine for presentations which you could control from a distance witht the wireless mouse. I can't see a trackball or any other stationary device working with the 17" on an airplane tray. Airplane work sounds tough anyway, assuming the 17" PB and coach class...