We have been using the new Evoluent vertical mouse from Bakker Elkhuizen, and have to confess, the jury is still out.

There are people who like the idea of a mouse sitting this way round, and there are testimonies saying it is easier on the wrist. I am not so sure.

It certainly looks interesting. It is a ‘normal’ mouse that basically sits on its side, so the main buttons are down one side. This is the one for a right hander, so we are guessing there are others for left handers. Surely that makes for more costly manufacturing.

Anyway, so you grab it with your thumb on the left side resting on the chrome finish paint on plastic – one thing we won’t know is how long before this rubs off. Not sure it will last the lifetime of the mouse.

Then your fingers drape down the right side where there is a conventional layout of three buttons and a pressable wheel. Also on the right, and I loved this, is a dinky little button that alters the ‘speed’ of the mouse’s travel across the screen. Too fast? Slow it down with a touch of the button. Too slow. Speed it up. Each press illuminates a tiny blue light on the top so you know where you are.

There are another two buttons on the thumb side, which seem to be programmable, in say a game where lots of button pushes make life easier than using the keyboard.

Overall, I did feel a little awkward using it. It got easier, but I am not sure it is for me. The grip felt slippery and gave the impression it was going to shoot out of my grip all the time. Perhaps a textured finish both sides would improve traction.
Gamers are going to want that, for sure.

It looks novel, though. The Evoluent name lights up blue on the back, and the bottom has nice big slippery ‘feet’. There is nothing wrong with the operation at all – it worked fine, but I don’t think this is one for me full time. But it may well appeal to those with repetitive strain problems using a more normal mouse as it does turn the hand into a more natural position to the arm.