Motion control upgrade comes with discount

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Oct 13, 2006

SpaceBall and SpaceMouse Plus customers are invited to trade-in their existing 3Dconnexion motion controller for a top-of-the-range SpacePilot for just GBP 219, saving GBP 100 off the list price.

3Dconnexion has announced that as of 31st December 2006 it will no longer produce its SpaceBall and SpaceMouse Plus 3D navigation devices.

The technology used in the SpaceBall and SpaceMouse Plus - the mainstays of 3Dconnexion's family of products for ten years - has evolved resulting in new products such as the award-winning SpacePilot.

The SpacePilot supports the same list of over 100 content creation, design, analysis and manufacturing applications as the SpaceBall and SpaceMouse products and is available immediately through 3Dconnexion's resellers and distributors.

Created to dramatically boost productivity, the SpacePilot couples next generation 3D motion control with an array of function keys powered by breakthrough adaptive technology.

"The SpacePilot has become the 3D navigation device of choice for CAD/CAM professionals", comments Andy Parnell-Hopkinson, 3Dconnexion Sales Director for Northern Europe.

"The advanced technology used in the SpacePilot has seen sales of the device leapfrog the SpaceBall and SpaceMouse Plus to become 3Dconnexion's new flagship product".

"However loyal users who haven't yet embraced the SpacePilot will be pleased to know that both products can still be ordered from 3Dconnexion or from 3Dconnexion resellers until the end of December and will be supported under a three-year warranty".

The decision to cease production of the SpaceBall and the SpaceMouse Plus sees 3Dconnexion standardising the technology of its product line.

The SpacePilot couples next generation navigation control with breakthrough adaptive technology.

As part of an upgrade programme that runs until the end of 2006, SpaceBall and SpaceMouse Plus customers are invited to trade-in their existing 3Dconnexion motion controller for a top-of-the-range SpacePilot for just GBP 219, saving GBP 100 off the list price.

Commenting on the upgrade programme Parnell-Hopkinson says: "This upgrade initiative is designed to recognise the investment our customers have made in our controllers and allow them to take advantage of next generation technology at a lower cost".

3Dconnexion President Rory Dooley comments: "Our strategy to phase out the SpaceBall and SpaceMouse navigation devices is part of our commitment to evolving best of breed technology and creating the best human interface tools to help solve challenging navigation issues".

"Building on our phenomenal success with the SpaceBall and SpaceMouse we have improved the usability and functionality of our controllers to give an even more satisfying and productive experience, culminating in our latest award-winning device the SpacePilot".

Designed to be used in conjunction with a traditional mouse, 3Dconnexion's intelligent navigation input devices streamline all on-screen navigation and eliminate the time-consuming shuffle between mouse and keyboard required to position models or objects on the screen.

By accelerating and enhancing the way users interact with their software applications, 3Dconnexion's navigation input devices can improve productivity by up to 30%, while reducing overall mouse usage by over 50%.