by It’s been about eight years since I first looked at Evoluent’s VerticalMouse 2 for another publication. The company is now at the fourth iteration of its ergonomically focused input device, appropriately named the VerticalMouse 4 (or, more specifically in the case of the model I tested, the VerticalMouse 4 Right Mac, as it’s designed for righties.)
A Macworld colleague reviewed version 3 of the Vertical Mouse four years ago, and while the device’s overall design hasn’t changed much in version 4, what has changed has improved for the better.
The VerticalMouse’s physical design remains unchanged since version 3: Your hand rests on the mouse in a handshake-like orientation that’s more natural than the usual palm-down position. According to Evoluent, this natural position is better for your hand, wrist, and arm, though the company doesn’t claim that the mouse prevents or alleviates repetitive-stress injuries.
Adjusting to the VerticalMouse does takes a bit of time, especially if you’re accustomed to a traditional mouse or a trackpad. Though I don’t suffer from chronic RSI, I immediately felt considerably less tension in my forearm and wrist. For several days, however, the VerticalMouse just didn’t feel secure enough in my hand. And instead of resting my thumb on the thumb rest, initially I would unconsciously grip the VerticalMouse at its widest part, just below the thumb rest. (After a day of consciously reminding myself to do so, I was able to use the thumb rest comfortably.)
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