3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator 3D Mouse for Notebooks

[malware]

Although it looks like an entirely different device, the SpaceNavigator is a fully functional laptop 3D mouse. The latest model weighs 250g, around half the weight of its desktop predecessor and 3Dconnexion, the firm responsible for SpaceNavigator, claims the notebook model is small enough to be used comfortably on aircraft seat tables. The device has two programmable function keys, connects through a USB port, and works with Windows Vista (x86/x64), Windows XP (x86/x64), Windows 2000, Linux (Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS 3, SuSE 9.0 or later), Mac OS X 10.4.6 or later. 3Dconnexion's SpaceNavigator for Notebooks is available online now for around £107 (€125/$214). Click here for more information.



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[Azazel]

wow....overpriced...imo...its just a mouse

 

[-1nf1n1ty-]

wtf is that?.........for something that pricey it better wipe my ass too...

 

[WarEagleAU]

Im sorry but that looks kind of gay, yet cool at the same time. I just dont see my wife grabbing this for that retarded of a price and using it. :shadeshu

 

[Triprift]

Why cant we just have a mouse that doesnt look weird whats wrong with just looking standard instead of these odd designs we see these days.

 

[Azazel]

Why cant we just have a mouse that doesnt look weird whats wrong with just looking standard instead of these odd designs we see these days.

weird=looks expensive= charge more

 

[Ripper3]

This is a 3D mouse people, not like a Logitech G5, more like those uber-expensive mice that 3D modelling pros use. Well, this is the expensive version of the cut-price version, which doesn't make sense.
Bought my full-sized desktop SpaceNavigator for like 35 quid, the RRP is 45 (the US gets it for $45 RRP I think, bloody rip-off, but it's definately good), so this is over double the price, for half the weight, and less than half the size. Oh wow, it comes with a carry case! So totally worth it again!
Frankly, for anyone willing to lug about a heavy portable HDD with their laptop, they're going to be just fine carrying something that weighs 500g, rather than 250g. The weight helps it stay put on a desk, and stops you from lifting it every time you zoom out.
Really, all that's been shrunk is the base, as the controller itself looks to be the same size (any smaller and people would not be able to use it)

Forgot to clarify, this is mostly for moving the viewpoint in modelling packages. For example, Sketchup is a pain int he arse for me to use with just a mouse, and I can never remember the shortcuts and modifiers to make the mouse control the viewpoint alone, so the SpaceNavigator doe that for me. Twist it right, it twists the viewpoint to the right; pull it up, I zoom out; tilt it left, the viewpoint moves left. Really helps out.

 

[Azazel]

This is a 3D mouse people, not like a Logitech G5, more like those uber-expensive mice that 3D modelling pros use. Well, this is the expensive version of the cut-price version, which doesn't make sense.
Bought my full-sized desktop SpaceNavigator for like 35 quid, the RRP is 45 (the US gets it for $45 RRP I think, bloody rip-off, but it's definately good), so this is over double the price, for half the weight, and less than half the size. Oh wow, it comes with a carry case! So totally worth it again!
Frankly, for anyone willing to lug about a heavy portable HDD with their laptop, they're going to be just fine carrying something that weighs 500g, rather than 250g. The weight helps it stay put on a desk, and stops you from lifting it every time you zoom out.
Really, all that's been shrunk is the base, as the controller itself looks to be the same size (any smaller and people would not be able to use it)

Forgot to clarify, this is mostly for moving the viewpoint in modelling packages. For example, Sketchup is a pain int he arse for me to use with just a mouse, and I can never remember the shortcuts and modifiers to make the mouse control the viewpoint alone, so the SpaceNavigator doe that for me. Twist it right, it twists the viewpoint to the right; pull it up, I zoom out; tilt it left, the viewpoint moves left. Really helps out.

still...how many people are really gonna need a portable one....have you ever seen someone doing 3d modeling on a plane

 

[Triprift]

Ya right there man my g5 and my not so portable lappy are just fine together.

 

[Ripper3]

Frankly, I don't see this having a huge market. Even in first class you wouldn't have enough space to move around properly, and working with a trackpad or nipple mouse sucks ass, so having a regular mouse on the other side would be the only option (which if you're already limited on space is not an option). Maybe people that use trains a lot might see a use for this. After all, 3D modellers are perfectionists, and if they wanted to touch up something before going in to the office, and they have a long train ride, they can take advantage of it then.
Also, presenting a 3D model on a projector would see a SpaceNavigator being useful, but the larger one is half the price, just as portable, and the features are the same.

 

[[I.R.A]_FBi]

looks fruity and overpriced to boot... looks like an airbook oem mouse

 

[jbunch07]

uhh how does this work is it like an air mouse or something similar?

 

[Nitro-Max]

I'll have to grab one next time i take a trip into space with my laptop

 

[Whilhelm]

I use a bigger one of these at work. They are designed to be used in conjunction with a mouse. This is meant for manipulating 3D parts in programs like Solidworks and Inventor. They really have no practical use unless you do a lot of solid modeling and cad work. I can imagine half of my department at work would want these. They all have super powerful laptops and work from home frequently, this is much easier then lugging around the full size one that has an LCD screen and a bunch of hotkeys. These things are really funky to use, they have 6 degrees of freedom and if feels like you are holding the part in your hand when you are manipulating it.

This is what the big one looks like. http://www.3dconnexion.com/3dmouse/spacepilot.php that is not so portable.

 

[Ripper3]

Actually, Whilhelm, that's the uber version, this is the bigger version of this looks like: http://www.3dconnexion.com/3dmouse/spacenavigator.php
Half the price, slightly larger, same functionality, twice the weight, but still portable.
Yeah, this portable version might not be a great deal.

Oh, and if anybody actually bothered to click through the first link, you would see a link to a handy video showing what it does. Also, a comparison with the full-sized version.

 

[Whilhelm]

Yeah, I kind of don't understand why the company made this version because I have used the one you linked and it is easy enough to transport but it weighs more. The pricing seems kind of skewed because the slightly larger version retails for around 100 US where the smaller one costs about double. The full featured one with the screen is so much better then both of these though.