Sandio Game O' 6DOF Laser Gaming Mouse
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Mouse of the future or gaming gimmick?

With next-gen operating systems like Vista right around the corner the days of 3D apps for daily use will become commonplace in the computer world, which makes it increasingly important to consider a controller that can let you take advantage of the features that such an application will offer. Input devices such as these are commonly referred to as "Six degrees of freedom" or 6DOF. The real question is can a company combine both the comfort and the ease of use that will be needed so everyone that picks up the 6DOF device can begin using it as easily as a normal 2D mouse? The most recent mouse to accept this challenge is Sandio's 3D Game O' mouse.



So what exactly makes this mouse a 3D mouse? Well it's not what you would expect. There is no holding the mouse like a Wii-mote and moving it in the air to control the cursor. Instead the mouse stays flat on the desk like normal but the real difference comes in the three joysticks that can be programmed to control the x, y, and z-axes. In 3D applications such as FPS' and new apps like 3DNA, the Game O' introduces commands that were otherwise only available with the keyboard. Examples would be functions such as zooming in and out, rotating and turning an image, or even strafing from left to right. Having these functions at your fingertips will allow users to rely less on their keyboards.

When you first set your eyes on the Game O' you'll immediatly think that your PS2's controller snuck out late at night and mated with your computer mouse. The Game O' has four buttons, three joysticks, and a scroll wheel. The mouse comes attached to a base to rest your wrist onto as a means to keep it in place while you nudge the joysticks forward and backward. While this does make the mouse much more cumbersome it will greatly increase your comfort while using the fancy new mouse. The Game O also uses a laser sensor that can clock up to 2000 DPI. You can switch resolution settings at any time between 400, 800, 1600, and 2000 DPI by simply pressing the two side buttons. On-the-fly DPI switching is becoming common among gaming mice and something that any user, serious or casual, will want to look for.



All the above functions might sound nice but they mean nothing if it's extremely hard to configure or just uncomfortable to use. The Game O' has a very firm and slightly large exterior. There's no rubber for added grip, and it doesn't seems like there needs to be as the weight of your wrist helps with the movement. Both sides of the Game O' dent inward with joysticks occupying the sides of the mouse, also a pair of buttons on the left side allows for forward and backward movement through webpages, but unfortunately these buttons are not programmable for games. This is a real shame as I found it would have been extremely helpful to program these to switch between weapons in shooters, or even pull up maps and inventory in action or MMO titles. Besides this small negative the form of the Game O' was quite nice and comfortable to use.



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