FOR Your Information
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This is a new product announcement from DIGITAL REVIEW/August 7, 1989.
Forwarding this product announcement in no way implies an
endorsement by Sun etc. etc.

This product announcement has a problem. Sun has a tradmark on the 
name SunTrac. I have informed the company, MicroSpeed, about the name
conflict.

-johnj
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MicroSpeed Issues Plug-In Replacement For Sun System Mouse
by Kimberly Patch

FREMONT, Calif. - MicroSpeed has announced a product for people who
hate mice.  SunTrac is a plug-compatible trackball that can be used
in place of a mouse on Sun Microsystems workstations.

The trackball has the same three buttons as many mice, but instead of
moving the device around a surface to control the cursor, the user
rolls a ball that is mounted face-up on the peripheral.

Because the trackball unit does not move around a surface during
operation, it takes up less space on a desk and doesn't need to be
cleaned as often as an optical mouse.

The device automatically speeds up the  rate of cursor speed when the
user rolls the ball faster; when the ball is moved very slowly,
the cursor travels pixel by pixel, MicroSpeed President Timothy Barry 
said.

"With high-resolution [video screens], to cover the screen is a lot
of motiion", he said.  "Automatic dynamic gain makes it easier to move
from one corner [of the screen] to another".

Trackballs are just one more alternative, and we found that in the
Sun market there was no one providing it", Barry added.

SunTrac uses a very small amount of power averaging less than a 5mA
current, according to Barry.

The trackball is plug-compatible with Sun's RJ-11 and eight pin mini
DIN mouse sockets.

SunTrac is available immediately and is priced at $199.

MicroSpeed Inc. is located at 44000 Old Warm Spring Blvd., Fremont,
CA 94538, (415)490-1403