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

23.3.2010

UPDATE 24 FEB 2011Here is an update to my original review. I just as keen on this excellent input device as I was a year ago when I bought it. It has been in constant use and it really is imho the best input device I have ever used.I use it for graphics, mostly in Adobe Illustrator for example and there is so much control and it is precise. Equally it can go very quickly across screens so I can get across my two screens easily.I also use it for editing video in Final Cut Pro and here, it is really superb. It's great big trackball makes it very easy to just creep forward and back a frame at a time.I really do think that people may overlook this terrific input device because it is not slick and cool,but it is very much the best possible thing for the job.My only comment that could be negative, but isn't, is that using it exclusively may risk RSI problems with you shoulder. I think this is true of any mouse of this sort. That is why I also use the Contour RollerMouse Free. This I use for scrolling around word processing documents and that kind of thing.ORIGINAL REVIEW MARCH 2010I bought mine on 30 January so I've had it for six weeks now. I absolutely love it!I do not use it exclusively, I use it in conjunction with a Contour RollerMouse Free. However I use the Kensington Expert Mouse for graphics. I recently just finished doing a lot of editing of a video with Final Cut Express and the Expert Mouse is superb for this kind of thing.Many years ago I used a Kensington trackball, I think in about 1995, and I really like that one, but this is so much better because it has such a large trackball.The negative things about this trackball are that it feels a bit cheap in construction compared with say, a Logitech or Microsoft mouse at this price, however I think it is well constructed nevertheless.It looks rather 70s to me but I don't mind this. In actual use the feel is very good. The scroll wheel bearing surface is noisy in a plasticy way but there is no problem with this in use.From time to time it is a good idea to remove a build up of gunge on the three little ball bearings. I keep an old toothbrush nearby for this purpose. It's also quite good to take the ball out and polish it, perhaps with your shirt :)Any of these small negatives are hugely outweighed by the fact that the level of control over the cursor is superb. That is what an input device like this is for and that is what it does so well.Before I got this I tried the most expensive Logitech mouse, however the software for that on my Mac was a disaster so I had to send it back. IMHO the Kensington Expert Mouse is a far better buy than that more expensive Logitech mouse. The level of control over the cursor is much better.The software for the Kensington Expert Mouse works very well indeed on my Mac. I use it with the default settings and it is fine. The scroll direction can be switched with a menu in the menu bar at the top of the Mac OS screen and this is very handy.If you buy this you will be initially disappointed when you take it out of the packaging. You will think it is a prop from the Star Wars movie.When you first use it you will think it is a bit weird if you have not used a trackball before. You will still be having doubts.After a week of using it you will never want to use a "normal" mouse again!

15.1.2013

Seems you either love or you hate this little chappie. After long since used the good old wired Logitech Marble Mouse and loving it at that time, I decided I fancied moving back to a trackball style mouse as I always preferred the method of rolling a ball around rather than swiping around on a mousemat. I wanted another centre located trackball, but I also wanted USB wireless and it surprised me how that narrowed my options down.Now I read pretty much every review I could find for this one after seeing it and taking a liking to the design in the shop. Amazon US has loads more reviews but are just about as conflicting as the few found here, some rave about it,others criticized it's design and useability.I've now been using this mouse for about 2 weeks and I've grown to really like it, it's true you really need to instal the TracballWorks software and tinker settings a little to get the best from it. I had some problems installing the software on Windows 7 64bit, but after nearly tearing my hair out I discovered it was simply a my AVG firewall blocking a cookie and that was stopping the instal. Once installed I adjusted the page scroll sliders to be more sensitive, and also inertial scroll which basically allows a fast swipe of the surface to keep an upwards/downwards page momentum scroll, a bit like spinning a disc. To stop the scroll early you can simply tap the touch area again to stop it, very nice IMO and I do find the touch scroll system responsive and pleasant to use unlike some reviewers have mentioned. I also chose clicking both left and right together to act as "back" for web browsing which caters for all my instant clicky needs.As for the device itself, I personally think it looks great, it isn't the fingerprint magnet others have made it out to be and was pleasantly surprised for this as prepared myself for compromise here and it is one of my pet hates. Just looked at it now and can't even notice any prints on it without studying it and haven't bothered cleaning it since new. It fits nicely with my large hands, and the ball rolls lovely and smoothly while not being too loose. The micro USB adapter is a bonus but not something I was too bothered about as I'm a desktop user anyway, but great for those using laptops.If I can find one negative so far, but this is really being picky, it's that the buttons are quite noisy with the clicks. If you've been using a nice silent mouse then this might sound a little like a mouse of the 80's at first :-) Doesn't bother me TBH but thought it might be worth mentioning.So there we go, will you love or hate this trackball? You'll just have to try it for yourself and see how you get on as I don't think these reviews will really answer that question for you.

16.5.2011

I have tried out many trackball devices recently and they all seem to be flawed in some way - either they force your hand into a particular position (which often is uncomfortable for my large hands) or they don't include features that I've come to rely on (e.g. the scroll wheel or a middle button).With the Kensington the two buttons are further 'forward' than other devices such as the marble mouse and I find this more comfortable. Also because the device is symmetrical there's no issue with using it either right or left handed. There's no middle button but once you've installed the Kensington software you can set it up so that both buttons clicked together simulate a middle click which works

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,

18.9.2011

I am a very demanding customer, having very small hands, an arthritic disability, and the need to do legal maps! Any pointer has to be excellent or it goes straight back. I spend most of my time just using the mouse, without the keyboard, and was starting to despair of finding something I could carry around for map making meetings.This is not a small device at all, but its relatively light, compared to many other non typical mouse designs. I can rest the base of my palm on the device, and reach all four buttons very happily. The buttons flex towards the centre of the device, but are fixed at the edges, this gives a very wide range for hitting all four buttons without moving your hand.

5.11.2012

Hello my name is matt, I am a hardcore fps and strategy pc gamer i have been using Kensington on-top trackball mouse's since 2002 so this is the 3rd gen i have owned each has had redesigned making it more comfortable and harder wearing. This model is the first in its line to have the scroll feature and the only trackball mouse i have ever seen thats has the scroll "ring" arrangement which is pure genius, you can operate the trackball, scroll and click all at the same time. Another new feature from the last model is the ball is now held so if the mouse gos upside down the ball is safe and does not fall out and roll to the other side of the room and under a sofa!.

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.

4.2.2016

I've just purchased this as a replacement for the previous version of the same model, which functioned well from around 2001 until January this year - a good return on a modestly priced device.This model appears exactly the same size/shape as the previous model I owned, but has been upgraded from mechanical to optical - so rather than the ball rotating small wheels inside the housing (which tended to clog up now and again with grime) it now works by an optical sensor detecting when the wheel moves. This should make the device even more durable.I find ergonomics perfect for my moderately sized hands (maybe smaller than average, but not freakily so). The device is symmetrical,

1.11.2018

On the plus side, I found this wired trackball easy to use - it's fairly small so doesn't take up a lot of room on my desk and because it's not a mouse as such, you can dispense with the mousemat as it stays within its own small "footprint". It also looks attractive - a matt silver and black assembly with a pretty finish on the trackball itself, resembling a large-size marble or a planet with swirling clouds. It doesn't need a lot of installation and works right out of the box - just plug it into a USB port. You can, however, go to the maker's website and download software to alter what the left and right mouse buttons do, or attribute a third function if you press both together.

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.

13.10.2018

I've been using trackballs for a long time, best for me was the Microsoft Intellipoint 3.1 which kept working for years. The only similarity with this Kensington Expert Mouse is that both used large balls though the Kensington one is huge at fifty-five millimetre diameter. If you've never used a trackball before maybe the ball size is rather overwhelming at first but it does allow for very precise cursor movement. I use it for editing text and it's easy to position the cursor between characters that need correction.It is expensive but it should last a long, long time. Especially as it has four buttons (or rather shapes round the ball, look at the product photo at the top of this page)

23.5.2011

I think using a mouse is very much a personal thing and having read the reviews on this mouse before I bought it I could see that some people had bought it for medical reasons and found some benefits therefore I am reluctant to give it less than four stars.For me though I have used both conventional mice of several makes and a couple of logitech trackballs, my reason for trying a different one was that my wife was getting fed up of the constant clicking of the mouse button when I was paying bejewelled so I bought the Kensington hoping that it might be a bit quieter, I preferred trackballs as I have a laptop that I sometimes use in confined spaces.

Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scroll Ring - Reviews

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