Mouse helps preserve overworked wrists
If you're chained to a computer between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. most days, it's not really a question of if you'll get a repetitive strain injury as much as when. On the bright side, there are some Dutch guys who feel your pain. Literally.
Their ergonomically correct mouse reminds you to take a break from mousing, a move that can help you avoid injury.
Invented by a human-motion scientist in The Netherlands when he began experiencing symptoms of RSI, the mouse gently reminds you to stop hovering, hence the Hoverstop Sym 8-3. An inside sensor can tell if you have your hand on the mouse and whether or not you're clicking, scrolling, etc. If you stop using it for 10 seconds, the mouse vibrates, telling you to remove your hand and rest. The system, which requires no drivers or special software, is designed to give the average user 25 breaks an hour.
This second-generation version came out last month after the first incarnation completely sold out. The Sym 8-3 is a symmetrical three-button mouse with a scroll wheel, and it's compatible with Mac OS X and Windows 98/Me/2000/XP.
It sells for $69 at ThinkGeek, and in the long run, that's probably less pain on your wallet than it is on your wrist, fingers, elbow and shoulder.
Erica Ogg is a CNET News reporter who covers Apple, HP, Dell, and other PC makers, as well as the consumer electronics industry. She's also one of the hosts of CNET News' Daily Podcast. In her non-work life, she's a history geek, a loyal Dodgers fan, and a mac-and-cheese connoisseur. E-mail Erica. 
