28.5.2015

A great experience, migrating from a microsoft Explorer mouse the ratcheted scrolling takes a little getting used to but with adjustable speed - no problem. The trackballworks 1.2 sw is very comprehensive and will allow you to customise the device on a global or application basis. Which is useful. I use Sibelius and Finale where small precise movements put quite a strain on the hand after a full day of use but this device - although it takes a little getting used to after an orthodox mouse - starts to feel quite natural after playing a few games. The effort of holding down the left click while dragging items across the screen is greater than with the mouse and it is a co-ordination thing,training the hand to behave differently but already, after just 24 hours of use, the accuracy is starting to improve and there is no residual strain on the hand. A wrist rest may improve things even further but so far, this device is just sitting flat on the desk and no problems. Occasionally, I get the urge to pick it up and shuttle it as I would a mouse but with practice I expect this instinct will disappear. My partner thinks I am kicking her off the computer - the device isn't for everyone, but after you have struggled for years to find a comfortable working set-up anything that improves that is a blessing.Set up is a case of trial and error and the extra function of the two top buttons puts a range of possibilities at your fingertips. Trackball works 1.2 does allow chording and the scrolling click we get is quite unobtrusive. The keys are not heavy or much louder than ye olde Explorer mouse and while some users report they have a sweet spot, it's really quite large and these extra movements of hand and fingers help to keep things loose. The static hand position we adopt for the normal mouse is a primary source of the cramp we experience. In any case with the Slimblade the movements are not large and flinging the ball around in its mount enables us to cover a large amount of real estate of multiple monitors, quickly and relatively precisely. Loading the sw for the first time, I had an oh oh moment with the cursor only moving in the vertical axis, but maybe I was asking the Trackball works sw to do too much too quickly. In any case, it straightened itself out after a reboot and a few minutes of playing around. No problems since.The lack of horizontal scrolling is seen as a negative feature for many it seems, but if you hold down shift while scrolling in windows it converts the vertical to horizontal and is a bit quicker than fiddling around with the little corner buttons. The window needs to be active for this to work - if you can remember that you should have no problems.As a musician I am quite familiar with the idea of muscle memory so my relapses back into standard mouse mode are quite understandable but with practice comes perfect and though I am not there yet, I feel it won't be long before using this device comes as second nature. As a musician I appreciate anything that means I can avoid the visits to the doctor and keep my hands in top condition. This is not just a device for people with impairments though I can easily imagine how it might alleviate the problems they experience with a normal mouse. If you have used the normal mouse for years and don't like changing, save your money and buy a nice big fat normal mouse though if you are willing to try something a bit different and are prepared to put in a little practice, the results could impress you.

25.2.2013

The Good: I had problems with my normal mouse, as I do a lot of photo editing in Lightroom, which entails prolonged periods of clicking on sliders, and the need to keep my finger pressed down while I move sliders for the best effect - this was not going to do my finger any good, and it was uncomfortable. The Kensington Expert Mouse has changed that, and to move the sliders I just need to press my thumb down lightly on the bottom left (left click) button, and move the large trackball with my finger or fingers (the bottom left button is right click). Even after a long session my hand feels relaxed, and I can therefore use the mouse with much more control - I mean,you would soon get writers cramp if you had to hold a pen tightly, and wouldn't be able to write very well - a relaxed hand makes so much difference. I read that the scroll wheel feels and sounds rough and scratchy, and this is true, although it's not that bad and worth putting up with. I also use the scroll wheel in Lightroom to re-size the brushes and spotting tool etc.,which is useful. It also seems to be pretty accurate when masking with the editing brush, and again a relaxed hand helps a lot - I don't know if I will need a tablet and pen for photo editing when I start using Photoshop, but this might possibly do the trick. The gel wrist pad has had mixed reviews, but I find it comfortable, and my wrist is in a straight position. To be honest I was surprised that there was almost no learning curve, and my Apple Magic Mouse was put away in cupboard within 5 minutes. The trackball is very smooth, and the cursor shoots around the screen very quickly and accurately.The Bad: I wasn't interested in the software that allows you to personalise the 4 buttons (left & right click + scroll wheel is all I need). But I read on the internet that the top 2 buttons have a default use, and just wanted to know if that was correct. I downloaded the manual from kensington.com, but strangely there was no information about the thing works. So I decided to email customer services (they need to rename that department!) and the website directs you to register first - but after that you go to a screen that just asks you to register for product updates, then takes you in a circle. I managed to get the email address of another Kensington department, but a series of emails just left me pulling my hair out, as they just told me to go to the site again, even though I told them there is no link, and then they gave me another link which did not work. I then managed to contact the UK customer services by telephone, and was advised to just try the top 2 buttons and see what happens! They did not know how I could contact customer services by email either, and didn't know much about the product - they did saw however, that the Kensington mouse I purchased from Amazon (after I gave the product number) was an old Kensington Expert product that came out in 2007, and that the product on their website is up to date (it seems to work ok though, but wonder if the newer product direct from them will work better with the software for those who want to re-assign the buttons?All being said though, I am very happy with the product. I complained to the UK office about the lack of very basic product information, and the problem in contacting customer services, and they sent my concerns to the USA by email, with a copy to me, so at least someone at Kensington has taken ownership of this problem

6.11.2018

This is a review of the Orbit Optical Trackball - 64327EU. It's an ambidextrous wired trackball.First things first - don't think about using this as a portable device with your laptop - the first thing that happened when I opened the box was the ball dropped out and rolled across my desk - it's held in place purely by gravity so if you turn the device upside down the ball drops into the hand you need to hold out to catch it.The other notable thing is that - having researched this - looked in the very brief user manual, there is no scroll function on this mouse. I don't know about you but I've become totally accustomed to scrolling down web pages by turning the scroll wheel in the middle of every mouse I've used for the last 20 years.Finding that I have to left click in the scroll bar, hold the button down while spinning the trackball has been a petty irritation that hasn't worn off yet. If you buy this mouse presumably it's because a standard mouse isn't appropriate for you - a wrist injury maybe - you need to be aware that the concession you're making is that scrolling is going to be a bit more tedious with this device. Because it's second nature you don't tend to realise that using a scroll wheel on a mouse is an unconscious process - you don't have to aim it, you just need to know that the window you're trying to scroll in has focus, and often this is simply by hovering your mouse over the window. With this trackball you have to aim your first click for the correct place on the scrollbar which is definitely not an unconscious process - certainly to start with when you're learning how to use this trackball.My other comments are probably far more common for all trackballs:You need to get good at aiming when you spin the ball. Over time your accuracy improves, but I doubt whether I'll ever achieve the same accuracy I enjoy with a standard mouse.The Kensington software was fairly easy to locate on their website, but adds little to the way the trackball works - you can adjust speed of cursor movement, acceleration - which made little difference, and in theory you can assign a joint left and right click to a series of different commands, one of which is scroll, but this had the effect of just moving my screen a few pixels for each click which was completely useless.The quality of ball on this trackball is very good - it is flawless - something you can't take for granted. I had an expensive Logitech trackball that had a tiny scratch on its trackball which drove me insane every time it caught on the rollers inside the device - it caused the cursor to jump a tiny bit, just enough to mean I kept clicking in the wrong place. So it's nice that this metallic grey trackball is both nice to look at and to use.In summary - if the Kensington's TrackballWorks software allowed you to combine left and right clicks with a spin of the trackball and give you a working scroll function then I'd recommend this mouse. But in the absence of this I'll just say it's reasonably priced, and if you're stuck having to use a trackball for whatever reason - a case of RSI for example - then this device will work, but I'd recommend opting for one with a scroll wheel if you can afford it.

10.11.2018

Despite the name the Kensington expert mouse wired optical trackball is a trackball and cant be used as a mouse. It is HUGE and takes up as sizeable amount of desk space - especially if you use the included wrist pad - which I have done as the photos can show. For size purposes the mouse is the already large Logitech MX Master 2.Using a trackball was partly going against 20 years of ingrained mouse usage; and I was really happy how quickly I adjusted. Though I haven't mastered using this as a one hand trackball - the ball is just too big to operate and keep fingers free for the buttons - this makes simple move and click and click and drag actions a two handed job.Out of the box the trackball didn't work well on my dual 5k screened desktop; taking a lot of scrolling to cross both screens..Downloading the software using the supplied link didn't work on the day I tried; but I found the drivers from the product web page; and the Kensington Expert software is excellent; the mouse is every bit as configurable as the Logitech software for my mouse. If you are setting things up; bear in mind you need to click update to test the changes which confused me for a few attempts and setting it up. I remain struggling with fine control; and find myself grabbing my mouse when I need it. The Kensington configuration app allows you to mark a go slow key when you need precision but the options always overlapped with shortcuts in my day to day use.The build quality of the mouse is a mixed bag; the ball has a nice weight and the four buttons all work with a movement and click - the plastic doesn't bow as you press it its nice and rigid. That said the plastics feel a bit basic alongside the Logitech mouse the materials aren't as well thought through and don't delight to the touch - its functional first on the whole. The wrist pad was a very tight fit when I was installing it but it didn't break. My Favourite operational feature is my least favourite build feature; around the ball is a rotatable plastic dial. Operationally this is genius; the original apple iPod's spinning wheel is a spectacular design and rotating a dial to scroll pages up and down and as a design choice its simply outstanding; just like the wheel on a mouse its exactly where you hands are only the size gives you more precision. Sadly Kensington didn't put a bearing to support the dial so it grinds plastic on plastic as you spin it; you can hear it so they didn't put any lubrication in either. The the spin wheel didn't have the same buttery smoothness as rotating the trackball cost the review a star.There is a lot to like about the trackball; once you get past the size and that looks a bit like a refugee from the 80's. The size pushes it into two handed operation I'm still tinkering with the speed and acceleration speeds to make crossing screens to find the right setting for me that delivers the best speed/ acceleration.

13.10.2011

I am really struggling to find a mouse/trackball that suits my hand size, I have very large hands and long fingers.I have tried various mice and trackballs and none do the job for me in terms of comfort for long periods of use, I always end up with pain in the fingers, wrist, forearm or shoulder. Sometimes in multiple of places at the same time.Kensington Expert Mouse - With this, I find that my hand always wants to lean over to the right towards my little finger, so then my index finger is only on the ball, I then end up curling my fingers up to rotate the ball, button placement is just plain awkward for me, I can use the left click with my thumb OK, but others I have to look to see where they are.I also find that without the supplied wrist rest that my hand is tilted upwards from the wrist to much. With the supplied rest it is too easy for my hand to slide forward and then have the ball in the palm of may hand. The scroll ring works fine. I also had to download and install Mouseworks for XP as no software supplied, which works well. There is also Trackballworks software for XP/Vista/7 but I did not try that.Overall it is is a good trackball and works well but just not for comfortable enough for me.Others I have tried the following:-Evoluent Vertical Mouse 4 - Good concept, held arm/wrist in a better position, but too small and fingers still get curled up using the buttons and mouse wheel, hand does not sit in the place it is designed to so ends up with the little finger running on the desk and hence causing pain.3M Ergonomic Optical Mouse Large - Again a good concept holding arm/wrist in a better position, again it is too small for my hand and holding it in position designed for cramps my little finger against the base of the mouse causing pins and needles. Mouse wheel replacement(button) does not work in a lot of software so makes it useless, also uses standard windows mouse driver and you have to wind the mosue speed up full to get it to do anything, then making normal mice useless as they are too fast.Logitech Marble Mouse - So far this has been the most comfortable to use, but is not very accurate.Normal mice - I end up gripping the sides of the mouse with thumb and little finger, other fingers curled up to use buttons and scroll wheel.Wacom Tablets - takes a long time to adjust to the completely different way of working and I end up with severe pains in my hand from gripping the pen, which I do get with a normal pen and after a while my accuracy has gone all over the place.So I have spent a lot of maoney on variosu mice/trackballs and all to some degree or another are just not good enough for my size hands.Back to the drawing board, with pain in fingers/wrist/forearm and shoulder :(

24.3.2008

I use the Logitech Marble Mouse extensively at work, and have done for the last 6 months or so. Thought I'd try the Orbit at home, seeing as it is the LMM's only real rival.The ball scrolls nicely, the unit sits with satisfyingly firmness on the desk and it certainly looks the part (the little red light under the ball even turns down when you aren't using it, which is a nice touch). It is also comfortable to use rested on your leg, which is my favourite position to minimise wrist/arm strain. The Kensington Mouseworks software is great, allowing you to control all manner of things like cursor acceleration and cursor fine tuning in great detail.Less positively, the ball just comes out of its socket.

18.9.2015

I've had this trackball mouse for quite a while now and must say it's way better than any mouse I've used to date, even my Apple Magic Mouse! It doesn't move around the desk, obviously, so therefore requires less space and no mouse mat.The position one's hand sits on it with is also more more natural and less 'twisted', in a horizontal position like one has to with an ordinary mouse.The scroll wheel is head-on-shoulders better than anything a mouse can offer, in my view: very smooth, very quick and easier to operate too.The left and right buttons fall very naturally and neatly where the little finger and the thumb fall,

15.4.2013

I have been a diehard mouse user, and badgered by son and partner (both creatives) to get a trackball. I hated trackballs - having used theirs whenever on their PCs. My argument for not getting one was that I couldn't scroll and had to fly over to the right of my screen to pick up the scrollbar, then I'd drift off it so it would jump up, and then the same process when i need to go back up the page. If you're constantly going up and down pages fast, it's a nightmare with a trackball. However, the mouse did make you crawl all over the desk, having to lift it up and down all the time when covering wide areas of the screen and running out of deskspace. After one such argument,

8.10.2015

I had my doubts about this mouse, not least from it's odd looks it. I researched online for user reviews and apart from the odd youtube video nothing showed it in detail and in use, especially on a Mac. I have used this everyday for over a month and can honestly say it's the best mouse I have ever used. You don't get all the multi gestures like the magic mouse but I had one of those and my wrist started to ache after only 10 minutes use so just was not worth the pain. The Slimblade is quite big but ironically it saves user space as once you have located the best position on your desk you don't have to move it as its a rollerball.

24.11.2018

I work as a developer and a lot of my hobbies at home also involve sitting in front of a computer, unfortunately. I get RSI on occasion - if I've been doing overtime or haven't been conscientious about taking breaks away from the mouse and keyboard. Any excessive, samey action is going to be bad for your body, so it's good to have a change sometimes - hence my interest in changing one of my input devices to this kensington trackball.The first thing I noticed was that the trackball itself is satisfyingly heavy - it feels good to roll around in the socket. The weight contributes to a feeling of accuracy: it won't fly around or keep spinning if you don't want it to. Surrounding the trackball is a scroll wheel,

8.12.2016

The first thing that strikes me is the current price for the wireless Expert seems too high to justify. I got it half price on Black Friday deal, otherwise, I'd go with the wired version.Anyway, it's a very good trackball, but I would agree with the comments about the scroll wheel feeling rough and being noisy. I also have the cheaper Kensington Orbit and the scroll wheel on that is much smoother.However, the Expert's noisy, ratchety scrolling is due to a small rectangular magnet which can be removed. Google it and you'll find out about it and how to remove it. Unfortunately, it requires removing the screws and taking the trackball apart and thus will invalidate your warranty.

26.8.2014

Having used trackballs for nearly thirty years, I have tried virtually every make and model. My favourite one was the Logitech Optical Trackman, but since Logitech have stopped making that one and mine have finally been worn out I needed a replacement. Most companies making trackballs either have the ball controlled by the thumb, which for me is completely useless as that causes too much movement of the thumb and gets painful after a while, or there is no scroll wheel, which is essential in this day and age. This trackball seems a little basic on first viewing but at least it has the central ball and some attempt at providing an alternative to the scroll wheel.

12.1.2013

I ordered this mouse on Friday at about 11am, and by the following day (Saturday, today) it had arrived by about 8am so 5 stars for delivery, even though I did order with one day delivery, but still great...the product itself is much better looking than what the pictures depict, and the build quality its just so. The size; tiny! Well not tiny, but in comparison to the images it is tiny. I would say that it is about twice the size of a 'usual' computer mouse and fits my hand perfectly. The scroll wheel works amazingly and no problems with that or anything else. The extension part for the wrist is made from a soft silicon rubber, and provides extra comfort for those with larger hands etc etc.the only downside,

30.12.2009

Kensington have been the leader for large trackball devices for years with the Kensington Expert Mouse - Trackball - optical - wired - PS/2, USB, not Vista compatible. . This is the long anticipated follow-up; a stylish device that fits under either hand for smooth pointer motion that will cross the width of twin monitors with ease and precision.Suitable for both Windows and Mac with simple download.The Slimblade on release had no configurable controls whereas its predecessor used the full "mouse works" software for independent switch function setting. Now that Trackball works is release the devce is fully configurable.Makers link [...]

16.2.2012

Forget about anything you read saying this is not compatable with Win 7. If what you want is a BIG trackball mouse, hardwearing and easy to use, this is for you.This purchase was to get a stand by for another I have been putting to hard use over the last few years, only one problem my (wicked) step dad has taken it for himself as it's better than anything he has tried.Ok the lubricant on the bearings were a little stiff when first put to use but that quickly 'breaks down' and gives a smooth action. The ecroll wheeel is very easy to use and you have the right and left click buttons. Here is where the problem appears to start for some users as on earlier OS you can configure the 4 buttons to do what you like (within reason)

Kensington Expert Mouse - Reviews

Info

Analysis

Detail