We’re sometimes asked why our devices are all wired-only. It’s a good question to ask; in some ways, wires seem so primitive. And yet, we’ve stuck with wires this entire time. Why?
A big reason is functionality. In general, wired devices operate with more reliability and lower latency than wireless devices, and this is true for our devices.
That means that we could theoretically put out a design that was wireless, but it would compromise on performance. That means, less reliable clicks and movement, lower polling rates, and so forth.
Some wireless implementations don’t have drastic issues. However, Bluetooth performance penalties can be severe. A user can expect to see a 500% increase in latency and a 75% reduction in polling rate when going from wired to Bluetooth.
For regular mice, these tradeoffs might be worth it, given that wires can interfere with accurate movement of mice. But trackballs, like the Ploopy Adept, don’t move.
There are still valid reasons to dislike wires in trackballs. The most common complaint is that wires clutter up desks, and there’s no arguing with that.
However, from the standpoint of pure performance, a wired trackball is going to perform better that a wireless one.
The other big reason is cost. Adding wireless functionality requires additional components on printed circuit boards and batteries, which can get expensive quickly.
Another snag is that it’s far, far more expensive to certify wireless devices than wired ones with regulatory bodies. It can cost ten to fifteen times as much to do so.
These things mean that a wireless device would be more expensive for us to produce and, consequently, more expensive for those who patronise our shop.
Would it be more expensive to an unreasonable degree? Perhaps. Perhaps not. The people who support our shop decide what constitutes a reasonable price for something.
However, it’s our opinion that paying extra for wireless functionality isn’t good product design. The compromises to functionality coupled with the increase in price simply don’t make sense.
In other words, it’s our opinion that a wireless device design, particularly for a trackball, means that our supporters pay more for a device that performs worse.
There will always be some folks who disagree with our design choices. That’s perfectly fine; everyone is entitled to an opinion.
However, we truly believe that adding wireless functionality into an input device, particularly a trackball, means that people who buy that device are going to pay for worse performance.