The github[0] for it is kinda cool. Uses the 'CERN Open Hardware Licence Version 2 - Strongly Reciprocal'. The assembly instructions[1] give a bit of a hands on feel.
They had some more details on a reddit post[2] it looks like.
I bought the regular mouse and had a fun time assembling it. It works fine.
However the "ergonomic" design is extremely uncomfortable for me and caused hand pain. I let it ride for a few weeks hoping I'd get accustomed, the pain got better but didn't go away. Also the far-left and far-right mouse buttons are superfluous and detract from the core experience.
Please do a symmetrical version and maybe throw in a scroll wheel with steps/clicks, I'd happily buy another.
What is a kit here? A trackball? All the parts needed to assemble a trackball? A populated circuit board, where the rest needs 3D printing? A pile of electronic components that need to be soldered together and the rest needs 3D printing?
Okay, so assembly and soldering required, but all parts included and I don't need a 3D printer. Can do. Weird that they don't mention any of that. The finished item looks like a good trackball.
I've found my Razer Deathadder 2013 and Logitech G5 v2 very easy to repair. I go through a set of switches every 4-5 years it seems, plus cables on the G5.
I dig that the Ploopy knob is QMK based, also high resolution. But watching how much effort E.B. has put into my favorite input device of all time, I can't help but want one of theirs.
The internal LED's are cool here. I like the indicator effect, especially with the partial transparency ball. I do wish this was bluetooh and ZMK based. Even though ZMK is lagging a decent bit behind QMK features. Zephyr is just so cool! Wireless is so great. In my opinion.
I was able to buy one of the Full Scroll Dials, it’s fantastic! I even made a USB adapter for it using a Pi Pico W, which lets it work with a USB switch and fixes macOS compatibility by emulating a Magic Trackpad: https://github.com/timothyb89/bt2usb
I spent my early years in an online tape edit bay. The jog/shuttle wheel has always been something that just seemed like the perfect fit. Even in today's NLE, there are multiple devices trying to fill this need, yet none have the same feel as the old edit controllers
Who the hell wants to solder their own trackball? Equivalent products exist at roughly the same price point, fully assembled and tested with a warranty.
I would never buy a kit that required soldering, because I'm terrible at it. But I like putting things together. I've assembled a couple of DIY keyboards, and I bought a Framework 12 laptop. It doesn't take too long (Framework estimated 15 minutes, but it was more like 45, because I am slow and methodical), and I like knowing what's inside it. The transition from “box of components” to “working system” always thrills me. And, though the repairability of a trackball is not a big issue, it's nice to know that what you put together can be taken apart, for example, to replace an SSD in a laptop.
https://web.archive.org/web/20260814114201/https://blog.ploo...
The github[0] for it is kinda cool. Uses the 'CERN Open Hardware Licence Version 2 - Strongly Reciprocal'. The assembly instructions[1] give a bit of a hands on feel.
They had some more details on a reddit post[2] it looks like.
[0]:https://github.com/ploopyco/aplus-trackball
[1]:https://github.com/ploopyco/aplus-trackball/blob/main/docs/a...
[2]:https://www.reddit.com/r/ploopy/comments/1vo4y4r/this_is_the...
However the "ergonomic" design is extremely uncomfortable for me and caused hand pain. I let it ride for a few weeks hoping I'd get accustomed, the pain got better but didn't go away. Also the far-left and far-right mouse buttons are superfluous and detract from the core experience.
Please do a symmetrical version and maybe throw in a scroll wheel with steps/clicks, I'd happily buy another.
What is a kit here? A trackball? All the parts needed to assemble a trackball? A populated circuit board, where the rest needs 3D printing? A pile of electronic components that need to be soldered together and the rest needs 3D printing?
I love all I/O devices..
I think the main difference from the Ploopy Adept is they added two knob buttons?
[0]:https://ploopy.co/aplus-launch-countdown/
I dig that the Ploopy knob is QMK based, also high resolution. But watching how much effort E.B. has put into my favorite input device of all time, I can't help but want one of theirs.
The internal LED's are cool here. I like the indicator effect, especially with the partial transparency ball. I do wish this was bluetooh and ZMK based. Even though ZMK is lagging a decent bit behind QMK features. Zephyr is just so cool! Wireless is so great. In my opinion.