02.Results
The following models scored the best results in our test.
| Brand |
Price |
|
Keyboards |
|
| Logitech Wave Keyboard |
$130 |
| Adesso Tru-Form Ergonomic
Keyboard |
$77 |
|
Mouse alternatives |
|
| Adesso Smart Cat Pro touchpad (4
button) |
$150 |
| Evoluent Vertical Mouse 3 |
$117 |
|
Full results for all models are shown in the table below.
| |
ASSESSMENT
|
SPECIFICATIONS
|
|
Brand/Model
|
Price paid |
Overall |
Installation |
Ease of use |
Comfort |
Satisfaction |
Device type |
Software included |
Box contents |
Warranty (yrs) |
|
|
130 |
92 |
98 |
92 |
92 |
90 |
Keyboard |
SetPoint (Windows), Logitech Control Center (Mac) |
Keyboard, manual, CD-ROM |
5 |
|
|
77 |
80 |
96 |
80 |
74 |
80 |
Keyboard |
None |
Keyboard, manual, USB to PS2 adapter |
1 |
|
|
315 |
70 |
74 |
70 |
66 |
71 |
Keyboard |
None |
Keyboard, quick start guide |
2 |
|
|
53 |
68 |
92 |
64 |
56 |
71 |
Keyboard |
IntelliType Pro 6.2 (Windows and Mac) |
Keyboard, quick start guide, product guide, CD-ROM |
3 |
|
|
200 |
66 |
88 |
58 |
68 |
65 |
Keyboard |
None |
Keyboard, quick start guide, USB to PS2 adapter |
ns |
|
|
150 |
68 |
92 |
80 |
56 |
63 |
Touchpad |
Glidepoint (Windows) |
Touchpad, manual, CD-ROM |
1 |
|
|
117 |
67 |
89 |
71 |
62 |
62 |
Mouse |
Evoluent Mouse Manager (Windows) |
Mouse, quick start guide, mini CD-ROM |
ns |
|
|
106 |
66 |
84 |
74 |
54 |
63 |
Trackball |
MouseWorks (Windows and Mac) |
Trackball, wrist rest, USB to PS2 adapter, manual, CD-ROM |
5 |
|
|
106 |
65 |
94 |
66 |
56 |
63 |
Joystick mouse |
None |
Mouse, manual, USB to PS2 adapter |
2 |
|
|
341 |
60 |
82 |
60 |
56 |
57 |
Roller mouse |
None [A] |
Mouse, USB cable, rubberised feet attachments, USB to PS2 adapter |
ns |
Table notes
1 Price paid in June 2009, Australian dollars.
2 Assessment: Overall score includes a user assessment of:
- Installation (10%) how easy or difficult it was to install and set up the device including the installation and configuration of any included software
- Ease of use (25%) how easy the device was to learn to use
- COmfort (25%) how comfortable the device felt to use at the end of the trial period
- Satisfaction (40%) how much the user enjoyed using the device, assessed at the end of the trial period
3 Specifications: Device Type keyboard, mouse, trackball or touchpad; Software included the software that comes included with the device if any; Box contents all items supplied as standard with the device including manuals, adapters, software, additional hardware and accessories; Warranty standard manufacturer’s warranty for the device as supplied.
Footnotes
[A] Software can be downloaded from website. Downloaded software is in Swedish.
ns = not stated.
How we tested
We bought two samples each of 10 ergonomic devices — five keyboards and five mouse alternatives — and gave them to a randomised selection of 20 full-time office workers (eight male and 12 female) to try out for a full working week each.
Over five weeks, each person trialled five devices and filled in a detailed survey for each device, ranking it in response to specific questions covering installation and configuration, ease of use, comfort and overall satisfaction.
The keyboard range included both fixed format (one piece) and split models. The pointing devices included mouse-based units, a trackball and a touchpad.