Kensington Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball
UPC's:
Mediocre offering
The optical track ball is smooth and precise. Unfortunately, the case feels cheap, especially the buttons and scroll ring. There is currently no MouseWorks for Vista or Windows 7, where you're limited to the system Mouse control panel, which offers basic customization, but effectively reduces it to a two button mouse (with 3 left click buttons and only 1 right click). It works better with Macs (tested w/ 10.4 and 10.6), where MouseWorks offers total customization (though with 10.6, there's a bug where you have to 'restart' the System Preferences panel before you can open MouseWorks).
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Reasonably well thought out
In a perfect world, Kensington might have made the buttons smaller and located them above (behind) the ball to keep hand and finger movements less busy. Kensington does solve some of this by allowing the user to choose the 'click' functions of all 4 buttons however. For those of you who notice and take exception to the slight ball drag I experianced at first, something seems to permanently break in or polish within several minutes and the ball rolls effortlessly from then on with a nice glide characteristic. All in all, a reasonably well thought out trackball.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Wireless refresh of winning design
This trackball is fantastic! The size & weight of the ball make it very easy to control - not twitchy like smaller trackballs. I use this for 8-10hrs each day and absolutely love it. Trackballworks software offers many helpful tweaks and customization to speed up your workflow. You can set up profiles for different applications for supreme app-specific controls which I adore. If I must find something to nit-pick then Mac users should know that the wireless trackball must be used with the wireless USB dongle. Hopefully it will be supported over Bluetooth soon.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Mouse-have it!
I've never had a track ball mouse before but i looked into buying one because of 1. Chronical wrist pain and 2. Limited work space. After almost 3 weeks of cross referencing and comparing many...many products, I got the Expert Mouse and it has met ALL of my expectations!!! Now I'm feeling less tension and less pain on my wrist and hand AND I have plenty of desk space for a warm cup of coffee! B&H also had the best price than the rest of 25+ stores online so, my decision to purchase a high-end mouse was easier thanks to the awesome price: it's a mouse-have!!!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great Equipment, Bad Software Support
The equipment itself is great for folks with disabilities that have trouble with holding a mouse still and/or double clicking, any type of precision issues with the hands. Unfortunately, we have Windows 7 64 bit and the software does not work. After MUCH struggling with internet solutions and no help from tech support (they said they'd call back, still waiting), we figured out that the only way to use it is to disable driver signature verification every time the computer is booted, and even then the four button settings don't work. So disappointing!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Big fan of trackballs
As a graphic designer that never got the knack of tablets - and as someone prone to carpel tunnel syndrome, I've used track balls for years. My latest one finally failed so I decided to try this Kensington model. It took a while to get used to the larger-than-normal ball but after a few days I find it very easy and natural to use - super smooth and highly controllable. The wrist pad is also perfect for the device, and I'm sure will help my sensitive wrists. It has four programmable buttons that will come in handy. The scroll ring is also good.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
If you never used a trackball then you're missing out
Kensington has been making excellent mice and trackballs for decades. The trackball is highly customizable and helps me zoom along effortlessly on my 24 iMac. It has four programmable clickers and a scroll wheel that sits at the base of the trackball. Scrolling is effortless and the degree of control offered by this track ball is awe inspiring. Mice run out of real estate and your always repositioning. Track balls don't move, they stay in one place where you can control all the action. Works especially great on dual monitors and large screens.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
A bit disappointed
I used this model trackball at work for years (older model from 2010), but they've changed the construction quite a bit, and it feels cheap now. The ball socket no longer has steel bearings, just what look like plastic nubs, so the smoothness is decreased. The scroll wheel also feels very rough, plastic on plastic binding. It works, and I like it better than a regular mouse, but I sure wish it had the same feel of quality as the one I used at work. Maybe it will break in after a while... I will still recommend, but with noted issues...
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
The Expert Mouse saved my wrists
I developed severe tendinitis in my right wrist after years of using a conventional computer mouse. I started using my left hand to mouse and developed the same injury in that wrist. After receiving hand therapy and using the Expert Mouse, my wrists have healed. This device allows me to point, click, double-click and drag without making any of the finger motions that inflame my wrist tendons. I have used a wired Expert Mouse at home and at work for over three years. The wireless version works just as well but is much more convenient.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Game changing tool
I wish I had purchased this product sooner. I must admit that it took a little bit of effort to get used to using it, but once I did I realized how much more convenient my workflow has become. No more repetitively swiping the mouse on the pad to get the arrow where I need it, or getting into those awkward positions where I find myself running out of space on the pad. All that's gone now. I would highly recommend this to anyone wanting to make their time spent on the computer more streamlined and their screen navigation smarter.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Good track ball
You pay a premium for the wireless but I didn't want any more cables around and this is a good trackball. Two ways to connect too. Both seem to work fine. If you need a trackball (e.g., for ergonomic reasons), this is a good one. My third Kensington. BH got it to me super fast, as always. In fact, Kensington didn't even have this new model in stock; only BH! Set up instructions, in pictures, not especially helpful. I finally realized that step 4 -- I think it was -- was to press all for buttons on the track ball simultaneously.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Disappointed, Don't Like It
I bought this to replace a Logitech M570, which I like a lot for everyday use, but is not accurate enough for graphics work. Years ago I used a Logitech TrackMan Marble FX. It was discontinued, and after it died I started using the M570. I hoped this Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball would be a good replacement for the FX but it fails miserably. While it does satisfy the accuracy, for me the click and right click switches are awkwardly placed and I don't think I'll ever get used to the scroll wheel. Disappointed, don't like it.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
so far so good
I mainly use this product to cut video and audio interviews. I haven't yet customized the two upper clicks to my preferences; so far, it seems to me, that the mouse is more gentle on my right hand than what I had used before. (I'll see if I can learn to use it with my left hand as well.) I've had a simple (Microsoft) two-click mouse before this, with a scroll in the middle. The old scroll was faster, when going from bottom of a page to the top (on the web,) but other than that I'm enjoying this new device.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Best Trackball Mouse Ever
I used one at work and had to get one for home. It is easy to operate, trackball is very responsive and smooth. Ring around the trackball that lets you scroll up and down works great (feels cheap but works great)... I set it for small increments and it makes for a very smooth scroll. This trackball keeps you from gripping something too small for your hand... helps you be safer ergonomically. Try it, you'll love it. I use this instead of many types of mice and instead of the track pad built into my laptop.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great Mouse But Scroll Ring Not So Great
Just received my Expert Pro Mouse last night and love it except the scroll ring could have been built better in my opinion. It feels cheap and loose and does not feel accurate. The 4-button's are very convenient for browsing the web. I didn't get a chance to use it on other applications because when I woke up this morning the scroll ring no longer worked. B&H immediately sent me a UPS Label and RA number. I'm looking forward to trying the mouse on other applications and will continue my review
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
The Next Level of Control
This has become a wonderful tool for my home recording setup. Coming from a conventional point-click mouse this takes a little time to get used to. You quickly catch on and it opens up a whole new world of access/control. The scroll wheel and customization buttons give it your own personal touch too...and maybe it's just me but using it massages my hand a bit too. I've yet to see how long the battery lasts but I'll chime in again if it's a frequent change thing. Great mouse though!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Good until it broke... might buy another
This one lasted two years, until the left-click stopped working. I replaced it with a cheaper Kensington trackball, which lasted less than a year before the left-click stopped working. Im on the fence about getting another. I have mice that have lasted more than ten years with no problem, but mice are difficult for me to use over long work sessions due to carpal tunnel syndrome, so Id really like to get a trackball with some longevity. Replacing them every ~18 months is not ideal.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Very functional pointing device with nice features
This device has a rather large trackball, which takes a bit of getting used to but is very functional after a day or so. The scroll wheel around the ball is useful for quickly navigating pages. The 4 buttons are programmable for use with certain programs but I suspect not all. I have not had any luck getting them to cut and paste blocks of audio when using Audacity audio editor/producer. The angle of the device feels good, and I have not attached the included wrist rest.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Great for folks with disabilities.
These trackballs are great for folks with disabilities. You can map different functions to the buttons for complete custom configuration. It's pretty much the only input device my mother can use anymore. Aside from that, they're also rock solid and incredibly durable. I have one for myself as well. I switch between this, an old & dying MS Trackball Explorer, and a Kensington Orbit with Scroll Ring. All three are great trackballs with differing strengths and weaknesses.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Terrible OSX support
Running OSX Yosemite 10.10.5 1. I was not excited to find in the included user manual that you must use the USB wireless if you want to use Kensington's trackballworks app. These details aren't published on B&H or Kensington product pages. You may as well save $30 and buy the wired version instead of this. 2. Kensington states software compatible with OSX 10.10, which is not true in my case attempting to use Trackballworks on OSX Yosemite 10.10.5. Huge disappointment.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
exactly what I needed!
I am using the Kengsinton Expert Mouse every day. I am a contractor developing training materials in Powerpoint, and the trackball makes the movement of my cursor across my two monitors 'wicked fast!'. Plus, I used the free software to program two of the 4 buttons to open my photo-editing application and my web-browser. Now I can search for an image and edit it with just a few button clicks. It really has saved me a lot of time in the short period I've owned it!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
No more capal tunnel
I was using the apple magic mouse for years and my hand has become increasingly sore from holding it in around the small mouse. Enter the Kensington trackball, which is programmable for speed and features, and is accurate. While I can't move the cursor as fast as I could with the magic mouse, my hand is no longer suffering from the constant soreness it once had. With time, I suppose I will become accustomed to the trackball and can increase its tracking speed.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
Best Track ball on the market
I've used Kensington track balls since we bought our first home computer in the mid 1980's. When our most recent trackball failed after more than five years of daily use, there was no question what we would buy to replace it. I have tried thumb balls and regular mice, but will always come back to Kensington, especially the Expert Pro. You feel so much in control, can change settings to each users preferences, and the newer optical model is extremely smooth.
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
An outstanding purchase!
I have nothing but good things to say about this. I favor trackballs for their precision in the first place, but this one takes the prize for best to use, after using quite a number over the years. The central ball makes it great to control, its very sensitive and as precise as I could need or want it to be. It also has a solid feel to it and good hold on the desktop to allow fingertip control without issue. Well worth buying another when this wears out!
Reviewed on B&H Photo Video
