Cyber Sport's Orbita Mouse is a revolution

We've seen the Cyber Sport Orbita Mouse bouncing around the Internets for about a year in search of a manufacturer. Now they've got it, with a corresponding January 2009 retail delivery date to match. The big selling point on this 800 DPI mouse is the use of a spinning scroll-wheel that replaces the typical left and right mouse buttons (push down for left-click, squeeze for right) -- it's like a Griffin PowerMate riding optical wheels. That gives you 3-axis control over objects in 3D be they wireframe models, the world according to Google Earth, or a BFG 9000. It also makes for quick scrolling through documents or a low-cost jog dial for frame-by-frame video manipulation. Orbita communicates wirelessly over 2.4GHz "zero lag" RF to the USB charging base and includes PC and Mac compatible software to map the mouse to your different applications. $98.50, that's how much -- render of the Orbita docked after the break along with a video of an early prototype. We want.

[Via The Gadget Site, thanks K.C. K.]

[Podaman @ Dec 15th 2008 3:13AM]

The control he has in Quake 3 is out of this world!

[metpls @ Dec 15th 2008 1:18PM]

Haha, a few years ago, i've been playing quake 3 a lot and was just reading the article and your very first comment, totaly getting my hopes up of how totally awesome you probably can rocketjump with this cool mouse....

then i watched the video.. and at "klack, klack - empty rocketlauncher" i was screaming and laughing so loud... i just woke up my room mate...

[Troels C @ Dec 15th 2008 5:33AM]

I fail to see the practical use in quake. If you don't have constant vertical control with your mouse, you will die. There may be some other games where this is usefull, but hardly any fps.

[zioncat @ Dec 15th 2008 10:07AM]

Seems to me this would be a great Christmas present for a Mac fanboy.

[bootareen @ Dec 15th 2008 3:17AM]

Looks neat.

[RoboDan @ Dec 15th 2008 11:39AM]

But is an overcomplication.

Scrollwheels can do much of what the orbita can do, and an ergonomic mouse will be a more likely choice for professionals.

This is hardly a "3D" mouse it's touted to be. give me a clickable trackball inside a bluetooth laser mouse - THAT would be a "revolution" ;)

[dBs @ Dec 15th 2008 3:18AM]

Having done competitive gaming for quite a while, I can say for a fact that this wont catch on unless its amazingly precise. 800 DPI wont cut it. Furthermore it would need at least a 1kHz polling rate. Ive never seen one higher than that though I would love if they made one. Finally, and most important, the tracking has to be good at high speeds. This is where most mice fail miserably. They can have 5billion DPI but unless the tracking is good at high speed its useless. Such is the case with the Creative Fatal1ty mice. Best mice right now for all of these combined factors are the newest generation of Razer mice collectively and the MX518 believe it or not.

[Technex @ Dec 15th 2008 5:32AM]

I agree, although I do love my Logitech G5's and have 0 problems.

[loosely_coupled @ Dec 15th 2008 5:16PM]

"competitive gaming"?

[Grey Acumen @ Dec 15th 2008 6:38PM]

dpi, nothing, you can't even aim and turn at the same time. Who could have possibly thought this would ever be useful for gaming?

[suprxtragrav @ Dec 15th 2008 3:20AM]

that mouse reminds me of the old hockey-puck apple mice (from the original imacs). Unfortunately it also looks like its got the same ergonomics (or lack thereof).

[suprxtragrav @ Dec 15th 2008 3:21AM]

the mouse that i'm talking about:

http://www.applegazette.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/11/puckmouse.jpg

[Luke @ Dec 15th 2008 3:32AM]

yeah but you use this in a way that actually makes use of the shape.

the mac design was just pointless.

i like this mouse.

[suprxtragrav @ Dec 15th 2008 3:34AM]

true that, but i think it would be more effective if they just took a regular mouse, and added a scrolling wheel on top of it.

[pika2000 @ Dec 15th 2008 3:36AM]

I was thinking the same thing, the old Apple's puck mouse! This rotating mouse is good for apps that have knob interface, but hardly ergonomic to be used as a standard mouse. As for gaming, maybe useful for Arkanoid or Breakout like Atari's paddle controller.

[KarlW @ Dec 15th 2008 4:41AM]

You could get great 3D control in Google Earth using the Mighty Mouse's nipple.

I wish Google would have done that. The ball can take process rotation in any direction. Right now, it's being wasted as a zoom meter.

[digitallysick @ Dec 15th 2008 3:35AM]

At first i thought what garbage, but, actually it looks nice!

[Major4Play @ Dec 15th 2008 9:16AM]

Thats just what yo momma said.....

[kloo? @ Dec 15th 2008 3:37AM]

not sure about the squeeze to use right click, that could get annoying, (apple mighty mouse)

[Jiffy @ Dec 15th 2008 3:46AM]

this would be awesome as a jog-dial! but since it's endless rotation I hope it's accurate enough for frame by frame and not frustrating to use. In general, revolutionary designs takes some getting used to anyway.

[Helox @ Dec 15th 2008 3:47AM]

So whats the most annoying thing about the iMac G3? The plastic case? Nope, its the round mouse where you loose the orientation everytime you let go of the mouse.

[Woddy @ Dec 21st 2008 5:27PM]

This mouse has an inbuilt compass so it self orientates, and I don't think its cover is plastic, pretty sure its rubber.

[Xander @ Dec 15th 2008 3:48AM]

I remember seeing this on ABC TV here in Oz. It was on the New Inventors program.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/newinventors/txt/s2296871.htm

... I'm glad to see they got a manufacturer.

[ntlam @ Dec 15th 2008 3:52AM]

cheaper than logitech's space navigator.
;-)

[Sniko @ Dec 15th 2008 4:07AM]

Not at all ;)

https://3dconnexionstore.com/home.asp?CT=USR

[surt @ Dec 15th 2008 4:34AM]

Does it actually add any functionality over a bog standard wheel mouse (wheel being a third axis)? Doesn't look that way to me.

Though I do like the concept for scrolling and think it could be nicely integrated into a more standard (and more generally useful) mouse form factor, by placing a more compact horizontal wheel behind the mouse buttons and vertical wheel.

[CJ @ Dec 15th 2008 4:51AM]

Ha, I remember seeing that on 'The New Inventors' a while back (the new inventors is an australian show in which people showcase their creations on television).

It's kinda weird, seeing it on Engadget.

[Lashknife @ Dec 15th 2008 5:54AM]

Is it me or is the 180 spin he does there in quake 3 movie-edited :) Looks like they cut out how fast he had to really spin it to make such an accurate 180 spin.

Hmm, reviewed it, it's a edited sequense of some shots, you never really see a fast turnaround. But if you don't pay attention it looks like he made a quickflip where with this thing, it is impossible.

Great thing for dj's probably "spin that shit" but not for gaming... not by far

[Sierra @ Dec 15th 2008 6:19AM]

It's "Cyber E Sport" not "Cyber Sports".

[-Tj- @ Dec 15th 2008 7:01AM]

I agree with the comment above... it does bring back memories of the Apple iMac hockey puck mouse.

Unfortunately that mouse drove me up the wall because of the shape... so hard to tell which way is up without actually looking at it! This mouse brought back that same feeling, especially when the guy was playing Quake. No thanks. Pass. I'm through with circular mice.

[Professor STFU @ Dec 15th 2008 7:26AM]

What a terrible waste.

[Tony Bowman @ Dec 15th 2008 9:35AM]

i think i'll be sticking with the SpaceNavigator.

[Tim @ Dec 15th 2008 10:47AM]

It looks like the receiver Microsoft uses on its wireless mouses:
http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/microwire/img/5.JPG

[XenoX101 @ Dec 15th 2008 12:26PM]

Ergonomic advantages? Sure, if you want your hand to permanently look like you're holding a hockey puck.

[Beaker @ Dec 15th 2008 1:21PM]

Strange that the dock has a blue LED for power and green for RF indications. Seems bass ackwards.

[Mike @ Dec 16th 2008 12:06AM]

This looks like a good place for a Stick-Up™!

[Jedda @ Dec 21st 2008 5:53PM]

I wouldn't write this mouse off just because the shape is reminiscent of the admittedly agitating Apple puck mouse. This mouse (unlike the puck mouse) is round for a very good reason (the scrolling capabilities). And because its self orientating (built-in compass, love!) it knows which way is up intuitively. You don't have to exert as much hand control as you do with a traditional mouse, its requires only a light touch = ergonomic.

Having to do a lot of scrolling through Excel at work, the repetitiveness of a traditional scroll wheel become quite painful (my middle finger is crippled), while scrolling with the Orbita is based on natural fluid motions = ergonomic again.

And while I don't know too much about gaining, it seems to be that if you a hardcore gamer this isn't the mouse for you, its not designed specifically as a gaming mouse, but it your looking for a mouse that is useful across a verity of applications then this is perfect.

I applaud Cyber Sport for taking a risk and thinking of a new (and in my opinion better, once you get used to it) way of navigating around a computer.

[Alex @ Feb 20th 2009 12:06PM]

Comment

[Geo @ Feb 20th 2009 12:09PM]

Cool Beans......

[jcoulter36 @ Feb 20th 2009 12:21PM]

What is this thing?

[mccand @ Feb 20th 2009 12:23PM]

I'll take it!

[Eric Jilot @ Feb 20th 2009 12:50PM]

Wild looking mouse.

[Robert Starkey @ Feb 20th 2009 12:41PM]

Fits in the laptop case

[Tim @ Feb 20th 2009 12:44PM]

Give it to me so I can sell it for food!
Im so hungry :)
starving college student.

[eric fleming @ Feb 20th 2009 1:46PM]

Cool looking mouse. I need to replace one that I had for 10 years. One of the original 3 button trackballs from Logitech. this just might do the trick!

[Diego @ Feb 20th 2009 2:03PM]

that mouse looks pretty cool, im in on this, thanks engadget

[ScottC @ Feb 20th 2009 2:19PM]

curious to see if this will beat out my 3dconnexion.

[shrimants @ Feb 20th 2009 3:08PM]

i have no clue how this thing could possibly work or if its even supported by linux lol

[Tanner S @ Feb 20th 2009 4:11PM]

I can't wait to get this and play the original Spyhunter!

[Vern Locke @ Feb 20th 2009 5:05PM]

I want to win this.