Trackball Mouse

I originally bought a Trackball for my Mother as, after breaking her wrist in a fall, she developed Arthritis in her wrist and found using a normal Mouse not only difficult to operate but caused a great deal of pain after a short while. The Trackball meant that she could rest her arm comfortably on the desk with her wrist supported, and mainly operate her computer using just her index finger to move the Ball and left thumb to left click with, (right click was usually her third finger right hand). The Ball is easy to control and moves very easily when just flicked across as one does with a moblie phone screen. The only downside is that it does not have a scroll wheel so you have to use the scroll bar on the side of the screen to scroll up or down, ie left button press and hold down, then use ball to scroll up or down. I have found that leaving a normal 'wheel mouse' connected for these occasions is the answer. Overall, having bought one for myself as well, I find the Trackball easy to use and it is much kinder to ones wrist especially when having to use the computer for any length of time.

I first started using a trackball mouse at work because I was getting a constant ache in my shoulder, which I put down to the movements using a regular mouse (my job involved me being on the computer most of the day). Once I'd been using the trackball for a week or so, I noticed that the ache was easing up, and it soon disappeared. People at work struggle to use my mouse if they come over to my desk to show me something, but I took to it from day 1. I find if I try to use a regular mouse now I struggle until I get used to it. Great gadget, and very useful if you have limited room as it doesn't need to move - the ball on the top does all the work. I have 1 for both my home computer and laptop (can't get on with the laptops built in mouse at all). Kensington also do a trackball mouse that isn't optical, but it's worth paying that little bit extra for the optical. The other type picks up more dirt and fluff, which sticks to the rubber rollers that the ball sits on, the movement of which controls the curser. You have to keep cleaning the rubbers, and eventually they wear so the ball can't get any traction. The optical mouse still picks up fluff on the 3 little balls that hold the trackball, which also causes it to lose traction, but you just wipe off the fluff with finger or tissue and you're off again.

I recently went from using a laptop to using a desktop set up next to my computer, and as my old wireless mouse kept falling off the bed and a book didn't make a good mouse mat I decided to get a trackball mouse. This is something ive pondered for years anyway. I looked at this one and the similarly priced one from Logitech Logitech Marble Mouse , but decided on this as the activation of the scroll function (pressing both buttons simulateously) seemed easier. The product itself is good quality, there is a disadvantage that the ball just sits in its hole, meaning if you are going to be moving it about alot it could get lost. The buttons are quite large and register a click wherever you press on them, which is very good as this makes it easy to position your hand on the mouse in different places and accommodates different hand sizes easily. The ball is quite sensitive, and takes a bit of getting used to compared to a normal mouse, but i expect this applies to all trackballs. You can adjust the sensitivity of the ball and lots of other things using Kensington mouseworks. This is where this product failed most, because Kensington didn't include this software with the product or put it on their website on this products page! It can be downloaded free at popular software download sites, i think they're on about version 6. Once you have mouseworks you can set up the scroll function, which is activated by pressing both buttons together (although you can adjust the lapse between the two buttons to make it easier to activate), then the ball is a big scroll ball until you click again. However i have not been able to scroll horizontally, which can be annoying, and the default speed is quite slow, but this can be sped up, but on some applications (particularly ones like google earth where you use the scroll to zoom in and out the scroll is far to sensitive and before you know it you're on street level! One other minor irritation is that when your hand sits very far forward on the mouse and your fingers are on the front side of the ball it often lifts up slightly, which is annoying. Also, rather strangely (and quite possibly my computers fault) i initially started using the mouse in the PS/2 slot, but one day it just didn't recognise it, but it worked fine in a USB slot. Overall a good price, and a good mouse with a fair amount of functions, just make sure you get MouseWorks to go with it.

Orbital mouse great - Used one before hence using again.

This is the third Kensington trackball mouse that I have purchased for laptops and CCTV system and the first is still functioning beautifully after six years of daily use; up to eight hours a day. I have a shoulder problem which limits the use of an ordinary mouse or touchpad so a trackball mouse is much more comfortable and easier to use. This Kensington mouse is ergonomically perfect, stylish and accurate; allowing me to use it for longer with less physical strain. A simple colour combination of silver and black gives it a classic appeal. The large ball gives greater control of movement of the cursor and works perfectly with both Windows and Linux. I have tried other trackball devices but none of them have been so naturally well suited to my way of working. A little more in terms of cost than some others but definitely worth the extra if you have to spend a lot of time on a computer.

I’ve been disappointed with this Kensington trackball over several months. I’d previously had Logitech mouse-style trackballs on my computers very happily for years but, sadly, they do eventually get sticky and no amount of cleaning and silicon cream or spray helps. I’d imagined Kensington was the nearest currently available alternative and was happy with it for a month or so. But it soon started to get sticky like the others had after years of use. It seems to be poorer quality. Also, it takes up too much space on a crowded desk! Not recommended.

I've used two Kensington Orbital Optical Trackball (large grey ball) devices now, each one for over 5 years, and I have enjoyed using both! The size of the base is just right for my hands, the ball is nice and big, and easy to roll, and the two 'click' buttons are in the right position for use. I would personally recommend this mouse to anyone who just wants a comfortable, accurate, easy-to-use mouse, that takes up limited space on one's desk and hardly needs cleaning! My only wish is that somehow, the ball could be 'fixed' to the base so it doesn't fall out... that said, mine has dropped a few times when I've moved the mouse's location... so far, the ball has been none the worse for the experience and the mouse has continued to work with precision!

The ball floats in its lodging and is not held in place. The hand is quite raised and the absence of a scrolling functionality make it all frustrating. Plus it's loud and wobbly I returned it and am happy with the kensington orbit trackball with scroll ring instead. Works for either hand

Fits the hand well. Easy to set up. I have been using a well known marble mouse for years, but it appears to be obsolete now. Any on the secondary market are horrendously overpriced, so finding this as a replacement is great.

Den Trackball habe ich nicht für mich bestellt, obwohl ich selbst auch Trackball - Fan bin. Ich bevorzugeaber einen kabellosen Trackball für den Couchbetrieb. Diesen preisgünstigen Trackball hatte ich gewählt, um einem Menschen mit spastischer Behinderung zu helfen. Die Person hatte das Problem, dass sich beim Linksklick die Maus immer verschob, so dass die Maus mit der anderen Hand gegen das Verschieben blockiert werden musste. Dies löste dann manchmal wiederum einen unerwünschten Rechtsklick aus. Das Positionieren des Zeigers und das Klicken wurde so zu einem Geduldsspiel. Mit dem Trackball klappt dies nun einwandfrei. Das Nichtvorhandsein von zusätzlichen Scroll- oder Browsertasten und die grossflächigen, seitlich angebrachten Tastenfelder ermöglichen einen problemlosen Links -, Rechtsklick. Die Person war von dem Trackball so begeistert, dass sie noch einen weiteren Trackball für einen Freund bestellt hat, der auch eine Körperbehinderung mit Spastik hat. Der Trackball ist einfach, aber formschön und scheint gut verarbeitet zu sein. Das Preisleistungsverhältnis stimmt bei diesem Produkt.

Le trackball Kensington Orbit Optical est un très bon trackball d'entrée de gamme, il peut se révéler un excellent choix pour qui veut découvrir à moindre coût le monde des trackballs, et le plaisir d'utiliser pareil périphérique. Les principales critiques que l'on entend au sujet des trackballs sont leur manque d'ergonomie, dépendamment que la boule soit centrale (pour une utilisation ambidextre), ou déportée (généralement dédiés aux droitiers) et l'absence de roulette. L'ergonomie est un facteur à prendre bien entendu en considération, mais celle-ci par définition est liée à la morphologie et aux attentes parfois très spécifiques de chacun, certains trouveront toujours ce trackball trop grand, d'autres trop petit, certains trouveront la boule trop petite, voire mal positionnée. Personnellement je trouve la taille de ce trackball plutôt modeste, il ne conviendra pas aux (très) grandes mains. Pour être objectif, je l'ai comparé au Kensington Slimblade, ainsi qu'au Logitech Trackman Marble... il est sensiblement plus petit que ces derniers. L'ergonomie étant quelque chose de très subjectif, ce sera à chacun de juger, mais après plusieurs heures d'utilisation intensive, je dois admettre que le profil choisi par Kensington n'est pas désagréable, il ne provoque aucune sensation désagréable ni de gêne particulière. Mais où est donc la roulette ? Je ne compte plus les remarques à ce sujet, certains n'hésitant pas à établir un lien direct entre l'absence de roulette et la possibilité d'effectuer un défilement (scrolling). Si il est vrai que la roulette est un confort indéniable pour effectuer un défilement, il ne faut pas perdre de vue qu'un trackball, par définition, permet d'effectuer nativement cette action, et ce au contraire d'une souris classique (sans roulette). En effet, avec un trackball, le défilement (scrolling) peut s'opérer très simplement en pointant la barre de défilement avec le clic gauche et, tout en maintenant le clic gauche enfoncé, vous utilisez la boule comme une énorme roulette... c'est silencieux, précis, bref... un vrai plaisir ! Vous pouvez même vous écarter de la barre de défilement tout en effectuant un "scrolling", attention toutefois de ne pas trop s'en écarter car au-delà de quelques centimètres la fonction de défilement s'interrompt. Il est important de préciser que Kensington propose, tout comme Logitech, un logiciel de contrôle pour ses périphériques, permettant, entre autres, de (re)programmer les boutons voire pour ce qui nous occupe, affecter une fonction particulière au clic simultané (clic gauche + clic droit). Il est donc très aisé d'affecter la fonction "clic du milieu" au clic simultané et de bénéficier dès lors d'un "scrolling" logiciel. Pour les personnes intéressées, vous devez télécharger le logiciel TrackballWorks 1.1.18 for Windows (32-bit,64-bit) sur le site du fabricant. Comme indiqué dans les instructions d'installation, le processus requiert les droits d'administrateur, pour ce faire, sous Windows 7, clic droit sur l'exécutable que vous aurez téléchargé et "Run as Administrator" (Exécuter en tant qu'Administrateur). Une fois installé, le logiciel demandera un redémarrage du système et proposera une interface en français. A toutes fins utiles j'ai posté une capture d'écran sur cette page. En résumé, je trouve que ce trackball mérite ses 5 étoiles car à mon sens : - il présente un excellent rapport qualité / prix - il permet, outre un "scrolling" natif, un "scrolling" logiciel grâce à TrackballWorks - il présente un "design" toujours d'actualité - il est compatible PS/2 - USB (adaptateur USB vers PS/2 fourni) - il dispose d'une longueur de câble appréciable (160 cm)

Bought this almost two years ago. Still holding up well. Works on both windows and linux. I like that it's ambidexterous, I can switch it to my right or left hand. Wish it had something for scrolling though.

Uso este dispositivo desde hace unos 6 años en régimen profesional en mi trabajo. Es el mejor track ball que he manejado y he comprado este como repuesto por si se deja de fabricar `porque Kesingstone está sacando nuevos modelos con mas funciones pero menos robustos. El producto lo he comprado reacondicionado con defectos en embalaje pero debo decir que el defecto ha sido el embalaje ligeramente abollado. Si trabajas con track balls de media precisión, no lo dudes es un producto inigrualable en calidad/precio.