Thread: Touchscreen or Trackball?

Originally Posted by mushin

Seems like you like the trackball better, and you get less glare as a bonus. You don't need our approval

I considered a trackball at one point, but eventually decided to go with a touchpad.

Approval is not needed no. Am I the only one who is using a trackball or dislikes the touchscreen while driving though??

I find it easier with a touchscreen.

i don't have a trackball in my car, so don't take my opinion as serious...
but, here's my opinion:

touchscreen:
pro -
easy to use with big buttons
faster input
coolness factor

con -
hard to use on 7inch screen w/800x600 resolution or higher
reduces brightness on screen
harder to "left-click" (although if you only use your frontend, this won't matter)

trackball:
pros -
more restful to use if positioned at convenient location
more accurate for small buttons
makes the ubber clicking sound
(allows for brighter screen, and saves $$ if you just buy non-touch lcd)

cons -
have to "install it" somewhere
takes longer to manuever to buttons as apposed to just "touching" them
if it's wireless, you need to swap out batteries
mouse cursor will be visible on your frontend and possibly move around while driving? (not sure, don't have one in car)

Originally Posted by Altimat

Approval is not needed no. Am I the only one who is using a trackball or dislikes the touchscreen while driving though??

I have both. And I use the trackball over 60% of the time. The other 10% is remote control. 30% is touch screen.
On my Supra setup, with just a mouse/trackball and remote control to use, I never miss the TS and that is on a 5" PSone screen.

I would not recommended take out the TS. Cuz you may endup break something else in the process

I prefer trackballs than regular mice myself. I use trackballs at work, at home and while playing games - but that is for desktop pc usage. I am still in the process of finalizing my carputer install on my suv but with a 'rougher' ride, the ball / pointer does have a tendency to move and is a little difficult to manuever. (This is what I noticed when I did a mock setup and drove around with the carputer running).

My opinion: Keep the TS for the 'cool factor'. If you want a brighter screen, go for the newer reputable models. Then use a touchpad if you need additional control.

I am also going to use an ATI remote Wonder. This is the controller that came with the All-in-Wonder cards. I purchased one model when it first came out and it came with version 1 of the remote. They upgraded it for free to version 2 (new remote and receiver) after about 2 months of release. - These remotes are really not difficult to use - they look like regular <although somewhat big > remote controls for tv's. Plugs into the USB and should also serve as another alternative input method I installed it and programmed one of the keys to launch notepad or msword (yes, I need word in my carputer !) and I can use the alpha-num keys to type in characters very much like short messaging on a cellphone.