Header banner
Revain logoHome Page
Catherine Buhr photo
1 Level
498 Review
0 Karma

Review on Enhance Your Navigation Experience with the 3D Connexion SpaceExplorer 3D Navigation Device (3DX-700026) by Catherine Buhr

Revainrating 3 out of 5

This will NOT replace your mouse or trackball

It's a well-designed product, but it's a shame it can't be used as a regular mouse. This is never explicitly mentioned in the description and it really should be. Applications need special support. For example, you can't use this device to control your cursor and click on things and assign buttons to open apps. At least not unless you buy an SDK (Software Development Kit) and have the skills to develop this functionality yourself. This is a serious and indeed surprising omission. Yes, SpaceExplorer is great for Sketchup and other supported 3D programs (although other reviews point to some issues), and the product was designed to be used in such applications along with a regular mouse. But isn't it obvious that people want this device to completely replace their mouse to navigate their operating system and simple applications like email, iTunes, web browser, etc.? Come on, 3D Connexion, don't you want to sell more of this stuff? I am very disappointed that the capabilities of this device are so limited.

Pros
  • Six degrees of freedom thanks to the controller cap that bends in all directions
Cons
  • Negative impression