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Sandio Technology (a fairly new company, founded in 2004) is introducing to the market the next generation input device, and it comes in the form of a 3D mouse. Sandio aims to release several 3D input devices, including, but not limited to, keyboards, mice, and some of different form factors. Here at Just RPG, we received our very own 3D 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DOF) mouse to try out, and we have these impressions for our readers.
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To begin with, what exactly does this mouse do to differentiate itself from all others? It is a USB optical mouse with a scroll wheel, two additional buttons, and three 3D buttons, each that can used for moving along a different axis. It is their combination that allows the player to navigate, aim, and strafe all at the same time. With that said, it has to be noted that although very sufficient to navigate in 3D games, the 3D buttons are not true analog sticks; rather it has four switches in each button, making a total of 12 switches (or buttons, whichever you prefer to call it). The six degrees of freedom the name refers to is the ability to scroll and rotate along all three axis (the same ones used to create 3D environments: x, y, and z), making a total of six.
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The construction of the mouse fits well in the hand. It has just the right weight, the regular buttons work beautifully, and the 3D buttons are comfortable under the fingers. The included fin makes it more comfortable because it supports your wrist, and helps the mouse slide a little more easily. Personally, I like to remove the fin, just because it makes the mouse a little smaller. When you insert the included CD in the computer, it proceeds automatically to installing the driver and software necessary to start using the mouse. The software already comes with over 20 titles pre-programmed to use the 3D buttons, and more will be available online periodically. The user can also create his/her own key assignments, and create a vast array of possibilities, such as instead of having movements, assign reload buttons, jump, crouch, and so forth. One nice thing about the buttons 4 and 5 (located next to the left 3D button) is when pushed together, the dpi resolution is changed, followed by a female voice that tells the current setting. It is great to switch the mouse sensitivity on the fly, especially if your games run on different resolution than that of the desktop. One problem so far is that for some reason, buttons 4 and 5 are not programmable, in or out of a game. Also, when any interface is loaded from the manager, a window pops up informing the user which one that is, and it has to remain opened in order to work in game. I do not see the need for that, and it might annoy some users. On another good note, the clear laser it uses to track the regular movement is a small detail, but interesting nonetheless, and looks better than those bright red lights most optical mice use, in my opinion.
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Overall, the Sandio Game O’ 6DOF 3D mouse is a great device. It is true, however, that it will take a few hours of practicing and learning exactly how to use and program it (which might be for your advantage), even if you are an experienced FPS player. It is clear that the main use of such a device would be for shooting games, where everything happens so fast it is a good idea to have everything as easily accessible as possible. With this mouse, you will stop fiddling with the keyboard for the most part, and better yet, stop lifting and resetting the mouse position all the time. There are still some improvements to be made to make this device completely accessible to most users. Right now, this device is targeted for more advanced users, such as avid FPS fans, hardcore gamers, and 3D-heavy users, such as CAD applications. Fortunately, it seems it is more the case of a software update (to make the experience simpler and more seamless) rather than any hardware related problems.
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