Best Vertical Mouse

A lot of jobs nowadays require sitting in front of a computer over eight hours a day. And even afterwards, people use their computer for recreation as well. But not everyone can feel comfortable with the standard computer mouse. A vertical mouse is one model of ergonomic mice, which places the mouse buttons one above the other, instead of side by side. The vertical mouse allows the forearm bones to assume a more natural position—like when you shake hands with someone—rather than having the bones cross over each other. Since you click mouse buttons a lot, it's worthwhile to try to reduce strain on the forearm and wrist. But there are still quite a few models from which to choose. Here is a guide to some of the best vertical mice on the market.

• Type of connection: Vertical mice have a variety of connections: there are options for a wired mouse (where you don't have to worry about the battery running too low), a wireless mouse, and even a Bluetooth connection.

• Different geometries: You'll find vertical mice in a number of shapes and geometries. There is even one type that is more in the shape of a penguin than a mouse! Ultimately, you won't know what is most comfortable until you actually try them out.

• Trackball mice: A trackball mouse has a ball in the chassis. It is an alternative to a optical mouse, where you have to move the entire mouse in order to move the cursor. With a trackball, rolling the ball makes the mouse cursor move, so the mouse can stay in one place. This is an added plus: your fingers do all the moving, while the rest of the arm and wrist can be relaxed.

Based on all the consumers' reviews we've scanned, these are the top things they mentioned about their new stuff:

• Pinkie rest: This is the big plus of the vertical mouse: there are sufferers from carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, and repetitive strain injuries, that can be helped if the arm is in a more natural position. But even though the vertical mouse relieves the strain on the wrist, it may end up putting strain on the edge of the hand (in the area of the pinkie finger). So some mice have an extra lip to raise the pinkie finger off the table.

• How much do you need the keyboard?: People have said that a vertical mouse is not ideal for someone who needs to do a lot of typing too (you have to lift your hand more to get to the keyboard). If you use the mouse much more than the keyboard, you'll appreciate the vertical mouse more.

• Adjustable: There are vertical mice whose angle can be adjusted—up to 60 degrees—to customize it for your hand. Some prefer this, because some vertical mice are raised too high off the table, and block access to the keyboard.

• Wireless auto-shutoff: If you use any wireless mouse, it's nice to have an auto-shutoff feature. This way, the battery won't die if you leave the mouse on overnight. On the other hand, there are wireless vertical mice that can be recharged.

• Mouse sensitivity: The sensitivity of the mouse is measured in dots per inch (dpi). The higher the dpi, the higher the mouse sensitivity, and faster the pointer moves on the screen. Some mice allow you to adjust the dpi settings, increasing the mouse's sensitivity. (But even if your mouse doesn't have buttons to change the dpi settings, you can always go into the Control Panel of your operating system and change it manually.)

• Adjustable speeds: Some vertical mice have speed control buttons, as well as speed indicators (lights that go on and off depending on the speed).

• Programmable buttons: Some vertical mice have 5 buttons, instead of the typical three that a standard mouse has. The mouse comes with software to help you determine what function to assign to each button. This way, you can do everything with one hand, instead of having to use your other hand on the keyboard arrows.

• Operating system: Almost everyone uses Windows, but you might want to check that the mouse is compatible for other operating systems, like Linux and Mac OS X.

• Left-handed and Right-handed: Standard mice can easily be converted for left-handed people from the Control Panel in Windows or System Settings in Linux. But what can be done with a vertical mouse? Left-handed people have had a serious complaint that there aren't enough models of left-handed vertical mice being marketed. But that problem has been addressed as of late—they generally make vertical mice for lefties too. There are also ambidextrous mice, with the mouse buttons placed along the side of the mouse on both sides. So you can have all the mouse features whether you are right-handed or left-handed. Or you can switch hands if one hand gets tired.

Evoluent—was founded in 2002 by Jack Lo and his wife Ping. Jack worked 8 years on designing and marketing a computer mouse that would not cause him the discomfort that he had when using a conventional mouse. They market several models of vertical mice.

3Dconnexion—was formed in 2001 as a brand of Logitech. They are designers of ergonomic hardware, specially designed for computer graphics, animation, and CAD applications. They have a headquarters in Munich, Germany and Boston, Massachussetts.

Logitech-- is a company providing personal computer and tablet accessories. They were founded in Apples, Switzerland in 1981 by Daniel Borel, Pierluigi Zappacosta, and Giacomo Marini. They make products for home automation, gaming, smartphone and tablets.

3M—was founded in Two Harbors, Minnesota in 1902, and was run initially by Edgar Ober and Lucius Ordway. They started making sandpaper products, masking tape, and Scotch-brand tapes. They now make products for businesses and consumers: products for the home and office, home care and improvement, personal safety, and more.