Looking for a alternate mouse device

[AnacondaHL]

Request: I'm looking for a computer peripheral to use while sitting back on a couch for general lazy-day comfortable computer usage. Imagine reading manga on this website but laid back on a couch. I've looked around quite a bit at alternate mouse designs and presentation devices, but none seem to satisfy what I want.

It needs to be able to control the mouse pointer, scroll/use arrow keys, and click, with less effort than a standard mouse. And it needs to be able to function without a desk. Being able to hold it in my hand (or even attach it to my hand) and being wireless are not required but nice bonuses.

Anyone know of something good?

 

[Ragea]

Frankly, in order to do most of what you want, you have, in my opinion, 3 type of choices:

-A micro keyboard; an example being the Rii i8 that you can get on amazon for less than 20$. It'll do it all. But you could find a better one for sure if you invest more.
-A gaming keypad like the Razer Tartarus series. More expansive, but if you're a gamer, it could be a sound investment.
-A trackball mice, like the Logitech M570 Wireless. Of course, it only do what you can program on a mouse, but once you tried it, you might find yourself using it more than a normal mouse.

 

[Sleeper]

@AnacondaHL I personally use a wireless trackball mouse, and it's been perfect for reading manga from my bed when my back starts to hurt from being at my desk. (I'm a tall guy, and unfortunately, I don't have space for a taller desk, so I end up hunching a lot, but that's neither here nor there; just thought I'd give some context to the previous statement.) They used to be somewhat difficult to track down due to falling out of popularity, but with things like Amazon, it should be a snap to pick one up for a relatively decent price. I have one of the older style trackballs (not the exact model shown here, but close enough to it) that you control with your thumb, making it a strictly right-handed device, but later models had the trackball in the center, and could be controlled a number of ways, and I imagine there are left-handed models available with a bit of searching too. Generally speaking, they have forward and back buttons, and a scrollwheel of some sort, so you might not get that arrow key support you were hoping for, but I don't think it'll be much of a drawback.

 

[MoonlightFairy]

Just search a device or a software that can be used just by blinking your eyes. There's some but I forget the names, it's in the old articles in 2012.

 

[AnacondaHL]

@AbyssalMonkey do the gaming controllers control the mouse cursor onscreen? If so I'd look into them as an option

@Ragea ty for the examples, do you have the Rii i8? If that touchpad works well I'd be interested in something like this

@Sleeper I hear ya, it's the same for me: tall guy, need lots of ergo considerations. Sadly all trackball designs I've seen an tried just relocate the stress onto my thumb and don't alleviate scrolling (consider: reading long-form manga/manwha but using a trackball that doesn't scroll sounds like a hand cramp nightmare!)

 

[Ragea]

@AnacondaHL A coworker owns a Rii i8 and use it for his living room setup. I tried it when he invited me over during the summer. It works okay, worth the 20$ you pay for it I'd say. Touchpad wasn't bad, but not super responsive either...
My coworker has 2 young kids and told me that with how often they drop that thing on the floor, even more expensive micro keyboard didn't last very long so he didn't want to invest in a more expensive one. I'd expect you'd get better touchpad on more expensive item, or on better known brand.

@AbyssalMonkey As you suggested, a game controller could do the job too. I have a PS4 controller setup with DS4Windows on my gaming rig, enabling the touch panel on the PS4 controller to be used to directly control a mouse pointer. I can't say I like that as far as surfing experience go, but it does work. However operating the mouse pointer with the sticks and button as you suggeted would work a lot better when using the Mangadex interface since you don't require a lot of mouse movement... Good thinking.