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Apple IIgs compatible Mac ADB mice, trackballs and other devices





The Apple IIgs can use some Mac ADB mice, trackballs, touchpads and
miscellaneous other ADB devices (note: there is a separate list for
keyboards).  The following ADB devices work with the Apple IIgs.
'Reviews', where available, are included.  These reviews, solicited
or found in the online world, are used only with the permission of
their authors.  Additions, corrections and reviews (hint, hint -
positive, negative, different, etc) are encouraged.

Last updated: 05 Sep 1997

Some ADB mice that work on a IIgs:

     Apple ADB mice
     Interex Ergonomic
     Interex Mac-100A
     Interex Mac-180
     Jameco Mac Mouse (P/N 119327)
     LogicTech 3 button MouseMan (M/N M-AC13-4MD) - Review
     MicroTrac
     Mouse Systems Optical ADB Mouse
     Mouse Systems Optical ADB Little Mouse - Review
     NeXT ADB
     Precision Instruments - Review
     Sun Mouse

Some ADB trackballs that work:

     CH Products RollerMouse
     Identity Systems Technology Mac Compatible Trackball
     Interex Mac-200 Mac Compatible Trackball
     Kensington TurboMouse ADB (old)
     Kensington TurboMouse ADB v3.0 [note: later versions NOT IIgs
          compatible]
     Logitech Trackman Marble for Macintosh (P/N 804219-0000) -
          Review
     MicroSpeed Trackball for Mac ADB
     MicroSpeed MicroTRAC Trackball - Review
     Precision Instruments Macintosh ADB Trackball - Review

Other ADB devices that work:

     Cirque Glidepoint touchpad
     Touche Technologies TouchPad - Review

     Electric Crayon (Quality Computer)


Mice Reviews:

     LogicTech 3 button MouseMan (M/N M-AC13-4MD) (Made in Ireland)
          [Tony Cianfaglione]

          I use a Logitech ADB three button mouse with my GS and all
          three buttons function well.  The left button selects the
          item, the middle button scrolls left or up and the right
          button scrolls down and right among the GS desktop items
          such as Finder lists or lists of items in programs such as
          Print Shop GS and Appleworks GS.

          The two scrolling buttons also work on any GS finder list.
          It comes in extremely handy when scrolling through
          subdirectories containing hundreds of files.  You can
          scroll a lot faster and with much more precision that you
          can by using the up or down scroll buttons within the
          window itself.

          My GS is accelerated to 13.75 mhz and the scroll function
          is fantastic.  The 3 button mouse is the way to go as far
          as I'm concerned.

     Mouse Systems ADB Little Mouse (M/N 403323-001) [Don V.
          Zahniser]

          An optical mouse that is slightly smaller than the standard
          Apple mouse. The mouse button is larger than that of the
          Apple mouse, covering about the front 1/3 of the mouse
          body.  Switch action is more sensitive than the Apple
          mouse.  Comes with a metal mousepad with an imprinted
          pattern that the mouse responds to.  Felt strips on the
          bottom of the mouse make it self-cleaning.  'Faster' than
          the Apple mouse (less movement of the mouse for the same
          cursor movement) and ultra-reliable.

     Precision Instruments Mouse [Ryan Suenaga]

          Category 12,  Topic 32
          Message 62        Sat Dec 03, 1994

          Shopping tip for you. . . I was at Computer City tonight
          and picked up a "precision instruments" brand mouse which
          is two buttoned (one for chording) and, not only was it
          cheap (29.99), not only does it work, but the documentation
          actually says (verbatim):

               "Your pointing device is compatible with the
               MACINTOSH, MACINTOSH II, MACINTOSH IICX and
               _APPLE II GS.-"

          We do get a little respect, sometimes. . .

Trackballs:

     Logitech Trackman Marble for Macintosh (P/N 804219-0000) [Don V.
          Zahniser]

          An ergonomically-designed trackball with 3 mouse buttons
          that correspond to the index, middle, and third finger
          positions.  The thumb moves the trackball (about 1.25"
          diameter), which is mounted on the left-hand side of the
          assembly.  Software is provided for programming the buttons
          on the Macintosh, but on the GS, all three buttons act as a
          normal mouse button. On a ROM 01, fast mouse speed is fine
          for normal use, but slow is better for activities that
          require precision.  A really nice, comfortable, easy to use
          trackball.  Does not have a free-wheeling spinning action
          as on some larger trackballs.  Appears to be immune to dirt
          build-up.

     MicroSpeed MicroTRAC Trackball [Don V. Zahniser]

          Category 12,  Topic 32
          Message 222       Tue Mar 28, 1995
          D.ZAHNISER [IronTooth]       at 18:39 EST

          Well, there was this really cute little MicroTRAC (by
          Microspeed) trackball there, and it sort of followed me
          home.  It's one of those little thingies that can be used
          with laptops, with a total footprint about 2/3 the size of
          the mouse that came with my GS.  I have it attached to the
          side of my keyboard right now.  It's a three button mouse -
          er, trackball.  Left has standard mouse button action,
          right is a double-click button, and center (behind the
          little ball) is a click-lock button.  It's got an LED that
          lights up when the mouse button is down (great for those
          2am CoPilot sessions ;^). Action on the ball is pretty good
          (far better than my defective Kraft), but certainly not as
          smooth as the Kensington Expert Mouse that I use on my
          Vectra at work. I kinda like it :^)

          Don V. Zahniser
          Delivered by: CoPilot v2.55 & ANSITerm v2.12

           ------------
          Category 12,  Topic 32
          Message 224       Sat Apr 01, 1995
          D.ZAHNISER [IronTooth]       at 11:14 EST

          A quick update on the MicroTRAC -

          This little critter has a decided X-Y axis preference; I
          think it's because it doesn't have a diagonal idler
          bearing.  This makes it harder to track from corner to
          corner of the screen.  OTOH, it is GREAT as a 'mouse' in
          AppleWorks, where inadvertant diagonal movement of my mouse
          was driving me crazy trying to position the cursor (and
          yes, I did play with the mouse sensitivity settings).

          The other neat thing about this micro-ball is that I have
          it mounted on a bracket from one of the screws holding the
          keyboard case together.  I work the ball and switches with
          my fingers, and my thumb is resting right next to the
          'Enter' key at the keypad. I actually need to move back and
          forth to the keyboard less than before when negotiating
          menus and dialogs.  Having the Enter key so 'handy'
          compensates to a great extent for the X-Y preference.

          Don V. Zahniser
          Delivered by: CoPilot v2.55 & ANSITerm v2.12

     Precision Instruments Macintosh ADB Trackball [Ryan Suenaga]

          Category 12,  Topic 32
          Message 154       Sun Mar 12, 1995
          R.SUENAGA1 [Ryan]            at 23:49 EST

          For those interested in a GS compatible trackball;

          Precision Instruments makes one; it's labeled as a
          Macintosh ADB but it works just fine with my GS.  Got mine
          for just under $40 at the local Computer City, and yes,
          even the lock light works. . .

          Ryan
          Graduate School:
          What to do when you _really_ don't want to grow up!
          (And delivered by Copilot and PT 3.1 :)


Other ADB devices:

     Touche Technologies, Inc Touchpad (ADB version) [Don V.
          Zahniser]

          Although this touchpad appears to work pretty well some of
          the time, it has one glaring flaw:  It will not 'release'
          the button action in some instances.  The effect is that
          the user moves the cursor to the proper position, but when
          attempting to 'double-click', the cursor will move (drop)
          even when the finger is no longer touching the pad.  My
          suspicion is that the Touche touchpad is marginally too
          sensitive for the GS.  The Macintosh software supplied with
          the touchpad supposedly allows for adjustment, but this
          option is not available on the GS.  I have tried it on two
          ROM 01 systems with the same results.


Reviewers Contact Information:

     Tony Cianfaglione [ab616@chebucto.ns.ca or
          ip-nsaug@chebucto.ns.ca]
     Ryan Suenaga [A2LAMP@genie.com]
     Don V. Zahniser [d.zahniser@genie.com]

**** bpvh     Internet: bpvh@primenet.com      GEnie: B.VONHADEN ****
**** Posted by an Apple IIgs using my own Proterm 3.1 File Macro ****