Optical Viewfinders availability almost extinct
in [Digital Cameras]
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From: Savageduck on 29 Jun 2010 23:24 On 2010-06-29 20:10:41 -0700, John Turco <jtur(a)concentric.net> said: > Savageduck wrote: >> >> On 2010-05-29 17:11:32 -0700, Savageduck <savageduck1@{REMOVESPAM}me.com> said: >> >>> On 2010-05-29 16:31:52 -0700, "Frank ess" <frank(a)fshe2fs.com> said: > > <edited for brevity> > >>>> I bought two Microsoft Trackball Explorers when they were still on the >>>> shelves at Fry's. One of them failed, and when I went to look for >>>> another (two computers at the time) there was one left. When another >>>> failed, there were none. I looked on the Internet and found some for a >>>> very good price, and bought a case of five. I've had two fail since >>>> then, the last very recently. I looked them up again, and found that >>>> even inoperative ones are valuable, there is at least one specialist >>>> who buys and refurbishes them, and used-but-operable ones go for >>>> anything from ninety to two hundred dollars. Sealed new ones were >>>> listed on Amazon at five hundred ninety-nine dollars. Just four >>>> ninety-nine, today. Serendipity. > > <edited> > >>> I have two Microsoft Trackballs which I use with my Macs. Both >>> developed cracks in the plastic below the "ball" orbit liner, which >>> remains intact. They still function well, but I could not find a >>> replacement. The closest I could find was a Logitech TrackMan Wheel < >>> http://www.logitech.com/en-us/mice_pointers/trackballs/devices/166 >, >>> which works fine, but is two preset buttons short of the Microsoft >>> version. >>> So I have three similar trackball devices which I am quite comfortable >>> with. >> >> BTW; I see Amazon has the Microsoft Trackball Explorer listed new (2 of >> them) for $478 & 6 used starting at $149. The Trackball Optical, which >> is what I am using, new at $424 used starting at $125. >> I should have bought a case of them when the sold for next to nothing. > > > What's so great about these "Microsoft Trackball Explorer" gadgets, > anyway? The prices they're commanding are incomprehensible! I agree those prices are incomprehensible. There is nothing great about them at those prices. Before MS discontinued them, they were one of the most comfortable, non-fatiguing, and accurate input devices available, and their demise is sad. I certainly would not buy one at those prices. I have two which I have had for about 8 years now. I also bought one of the very affordable ($30) Logitech Trackman Wheels, which is fine, but lacks a few of the features of the MS Trackball. -- Regards, Savageduck |