Microsoft Trackball Explorer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Sleek, silver and glowing - I have this space-age thing on my desk that delights me. It's improved the position of my hand so that my CTS has ebbed, though I still need a wrist rest and frequent breaks. All the buttons, including the wheel button, are programmable, bringing the total of moving gizmos to 5 buttons a trackball and a wheel. This alone is reason to fiddle endlessly with it, trying to come up with the best combination of programming to suit the natural play of your hand. If anything, there are too many possible combinations of function, and you may spend a week or more playing with this puppy before you find a workable group of settings.
The functions are smooth, and reasonably reliable, depending on the position your hand takes. I find the left-hand buttons difficult to hit correctly with my thumb, thanks to some nerve damage so I reprogrammed them until I found a way that was comfortable for me to work. I strongly suggest you do the same.
If you're running Win XP, you'll have to d/l the newest Intellipoint drivers, but that's not a big deal. Installation is a snap with Plug 'n' Play.
I never thought I'd find anything that pleased me as much as my old Logitech trackball, but I have to say that I think this one might do it. Time will tell. But right from the start, I found it worth the investment.

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Unlike the mechanical-trackball "mice of yore" that skip, stick, and need to be cleaned, the Microsoft D68-00007 TrackBall Explorer introduces an entirely new trackball featuring optical sensor technology. Reading through dirt, dust, and fingerprints, the optical sensor tracks the movement of the ball 1,500 times per second, giving you smooth, precise control. The Trackball Explorer comes with two additional buttons located on the side of the device--for a total of five buttons--for moving forward and back quickly in your browser, or you can program them. It also features a wheel for efficient scrolling and zooming and is ergonomically designed to support the natural position of your hand as you use your index finger to control the trackball.

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Wacom Graphire Bluetooth 6 x 8-Inch Tablet Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the first Wacom tablet that I know of to "cut the cord." The Graphire Bluetooth 6x8 provides unparalleled fun and utility to any user with a Bluetooth-equipped computer. I bought mine for two reasons: I have a Bluetooth-capable Thinkpad T43 so I didn't need a cable, and I'm developing some repetitive stress disorder, so using a pen is appealing.
This model is just the right size if you want good precision control in Photoshop (or Photoshop Elements 3.0, included) and Premiere, and is about the size of most laptops, so it's easy to take along. The clear pen stand holds the pen handy, and fits into the top notch. Complaints about the pen's use for regular computing are reasonable, as it's not really suited for "point and click" computing. It's a pen. The included mouse takes over, but purchasers should be aware that this is NOT a Bluetooth mouse! The mouse and pen are battery-free, and work only with the tablet.
If the included pen feels light and insubstantial, chalk it up to being a portable tablet solution. Fortunately, the Graphire4 pen (available separately in blue, white, and silver) works with this tablet. Price for the Graphire4 pen starts at $30 depending on where you buy it. Likewise, Wacom sells a pen leash, carrying case (the Intuos3 6x8 carrying case), replacement nibs and extra stands, should you need some.
The run time of the included LiPoly battery is claimed to reach 25 hours on a charge, and I've clocked close to that. Connection is simple, but you should know that if you connect it to ONE computer, if you take it to use with ANOTHER computer, you have to perform the initial connection routine with the first computer again later. Takes all of about a minute or two.
The tablet has a removable clear frame so you can customize it with your own photos. The CD includes sample JPEG backing sheets, and blank templates in JPEG and Photoshop .PSD format, so you can easily create your own custom tablet decoration in any illustration program, and drop your art into the Photoshop template. The included PDF manual is superb.
You have to bear in mind that if you're not buying an Intuos3, you're buying one of Wacom's entry level, consumer tablets - don't expect a Aston Martin when you're paying Acura prices. In all, if you want to invest a little bit in your digital art capabilities, not deal with USB or serial connection, then this tablet is a very good entry level addition. See my photos for further illustration of the Graphire Bluetooth in action.
_______________
2009 Update:
In practical use, I found that from time to time there's an appreciable delay in the response of this tablet. Enough so that it could be quite annoying in Photoshop, so I resorted to using wireless (or wired) mouses. I've also found from time to time, the cursor onscreen starts to wander by itself, react unpredictably from my stylus movement, and I have to turn the tablet off and then on again to re-connect. In ordinary computing, this can be annoying. In Photoshop, it became outright disruptive. I can't lower my rating with this review, but I would now downgrade this product to THREE (3) STARS. Wacom should stick with wired tablets.

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If you're a designer or artist who demands greater control over your digital work than is possible with a mouse, or a computer user who suffers from repetitive strain injuries, the Wacom Graphire Bluetooth 6x8 Tablet is here to save the day. With the alternate use of the extraordinarily accurate pen -- about the same size as an average ballpoint pen -- and mouse with three programmable buttons, you'll never be forced to rely solely on your mouse again. You'll greatly enhance your accuracy and significantly reduce the strain on your wrists.The Wacom Graphire Tablet will also allow you to expand your creativity in leaps and bounds. Whether you're a professional designer or an aspiring artist, you'll be able to exact incredible control over your manipulation and editing of digital photos. Compatible with any software that your mouse works with, and both PC and Macintosh compatible, the Wacom Graphire Tablet works up to 30 feet away -- wirelessly from your computer. Draw, paint, create artwork for CDs/DVDs, sign your name, and annotate documents in Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft PowerPoint -- whatever you can do with your standard mouse, you can do with far greater accuracy and creativity on the tablet. You can even write directly in Microsoft Office XP and with Apple Inkwell. With both the Wacom pen and mouse, you'll have the right tool for any task.With this Tablet, along with the free included copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 and Color Efex Pro 2 GE software by nik multimedia, you'll be able to enhance your digital photos like never before. When it's time to try your hand at some free-hand drawing, the Graphire pen and the amazing capabilities of Painter Essentials 2 by Corel (also included) will be waiting for you. The Graphire pen is pressure-sensitive so you can control the amount of a software tool's effect by varying how firmly you press the pen tip to the tablet. Because every point on the tablet has a matching point on the screen, and featuring 512 levels of pressure-sensitivity for natural brush control, the pen couldn't be any easier to use. When you move it over the tablet, the cursor moves in precisely the same way on the screen, giving you unprecedented accuracy.The Graphire Cordless Mouse features cordless, battery-free technology, which means it's 100 percent hassle-free. The scrolling finger wheel allows for easy navigation and also functions as a third programmable button. With no ball to gum up, you'll always be ensured of smooth, accurate tracking.An included rechargeable Lithium Polymer tablet battery gives you up to 25 hours between charges, and a universal power adapter permits simultaneous tablet charging and comfortable use. Included with the tablet are Adobe Photoshop Elements 3, Painter Essentials 2 by Corel, and Color Efex Pro 2 GE from nik multimedia.What's in the Box Pen tablet, pen, pen stand, mouse, rechargeable tablet battery, universal power adapter, driver software, user manual, and software on CD-ROM.

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Logitech IO2 Digital Pen ( 965154-0403 ) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have owned both the original ioPen and now the current io2 digitial pen. The io2 is clearly an improvement in usability and comfort. I purchased the pen in order to have a means of archiving and rapidly sharing my hand-written notes and drawings without going to the expense, weight and bulk of a tablet PC.
I also own an Adesso digital pen and tablet (about $160) which works reasonably well, but it is much bulkier than the io2 digital pen and its Anoto-compatible paper.
The chief drawback of the system is that you must use special paper (Anoto-style), which can be expensive. For me, that is not a problem as my employer purchased about 20 cases of the stuff a couple years ago, and I am the only person left who really took the time to learn how to use the system, so I have plenty of the paper. If you are buying it for yourself, however, it can be expensive.
You must temper your expectations. There is software that will attempt to recognize your handwriting. It is very dependent on how legible your handwriting is. While it accurately captures the image of my handwriting, it does not readily decipher my rather difficult-to-read scrawl. If you are looking for a tool that will permit archiving of your handwritten notes and rapid dissemination of your hand-made drawings, this is an excellent tool. Just don't expect it to do all the work of a tablet PC.


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Eliminate re-keying, go directly from ink to the software and applications you use most often, and back up and quickly retrieve handwritten documents on your PC— it's all possible with the Logitech io2 Digital Pen.
Do more with pen and paper than you've ever done before! The Logitech io2 Digital Pen's new ioTag feature lets you take direct action on your notes. You can synchronize e-mails, appointments, and tasks directly from paper.
Eliminate re-keying and slash your paperwork time! Go directly from ink to the software and applicationsyou use most often. Back up and quickly retrieve handwritten documents on your PC. It's all possible with the Logitech io2 Digital Pen. The io2 pen fits your hand like a premium pen, so you can write comfortably. Take notes or draw sketches in ink on the smart paper, and a tiny camera captures your work, storing up to 40 pages at a time. Intelligent power management maximizes every battery charge.

Enjoy a complete solution! The io2 DigitalPen includes everything you need; a digital pen, recharging travel cradle, smart paper, ink refills and handwriting recognition software that has already beenintegrated into the pen.
Take direct action and get more from Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes. The new ioTag feature integrates handwritten or typed text directly into Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes. The text opens in the application—so you can immediately take action, save it, or send it. Add-on products and services are also available to enhance your digital writing experience.
Export graphics into the most popular formats. Easily use drawings and graphics in almost any application. You can export images up to 300dpi in the most widely-used graphical formats, including BMP, JPEG, PNG, JIF, TIFF, and EMF.
Search and organize files. Logitech io2 software helps you find content that you've written. Enter any word into the io software search function, and get a list of every handwritten file that contains that word. You'll never lose your notes again! The io2 Digital Pen works with Google Desktop Search too!

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FELLOWES 99841 Internet Glidepoint Touchpad Review

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(More customer reviews)It is possible to download a Windows XP driver for this device. However, you really don't need one. I tried the touchpad with the XP driver and without, and found that the pre-installed generic XP driver provided smoother cursor motion. Of course, if you want all the special Glidepoint features, you need the XP driver from the Fellowes Web site, but I found the Glidepoint features to be more annoying than helpful, and the cursor motion became somewhat unpredictable. I recommend just hooking this device up to your Windows XP machine and letting the pre-installed XP (Home Edition) driver do the work. If you do, you'll find that this touchpad functions exceptionally well, and is a great value for the money - much better than those combo keyboard-touchpad devices, which are harder to use and less ergonomically satisfying.

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Latest generation design requires no pressure to point and select - just move your finger and tap. Patented Glidepoint® Gesture technology allows users to program their own personal gestures to open documents, start applications or accomplish just about any other task on a PC that typically requires multiple keystrokes.

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Logitech TrackMan Marble FX Trackball Review

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(More customer reviews)Once upon a time I got sick of the gunk build up on all the mice and trackballs I had used, it got to the point where they would bump and jump on the mouse pads. I was intrigued when I saw the technology used in the Trackman line, detecting position using the tiny dots on the ball. Now having used the FX Trackman at home and at work for over 3 years, I find that it is the still the best input device of its kind, including the new MSFT optical mice. Once one gets used to the button placement and develops the dexterity to utilise the trackball, constantly smooth and consistent movement will reward them. With no moving parts for the tracking assembly the user only rarely [once a year?] has to pop the ball out and clean the sensors. This trackball does very well in digital art work with Photoshop and is especially excellent when used to play classic trackball arcade games through Mame32 emulation, Missile Command, Tempest, Centipede, Arkanoid, etc. The tertiary buttons are recognized and used as scroll wheel counterparts in Win2k; it's a nice fluff feature. My only wish would be that Logitech eventually upgrade them to use USB so I can plug them into my MSFT keyboards. Otherwise, highly recommended.

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Kensington Slimblade Trackball USB 2.0 for PC and Mac, K72327US Review

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(More customer reviews)UPDATE (16 October 2010): Kensington released their TrackballWorks in June of this year, which release enables users to customize the Slimblade Trackball's four buttons, adjust pointer speed/acceleration/function, and other features. The pointer sensitivity is much improved, though still not as good as the pointer sensitivity module found in the venerable MouseWorks software.
On the other hand, the ability to customize the four buttons of the Slimblade Trackball is a welcome (and much needed) improvement. This device should have shipped with this software.
The advent of programmable buttons places the Slimblade Trackball in a category of its own. It surpasses by a wide margin the ergonomics and aesthetics of the Expert Mouse. The scrolling function is superb, a perfect complement to a trackpad device. I am surprised by how much the Slimblade Trackball just "disappears" while I am working with it.
My only complaint is that the buttons are sometimes too sensitive, something that can be avoided by adjusting how much resting pressure one places on the device's surface.
Those of us looking for an attractive and elegant multifunction pointing device need look no further. The Slimblade Trackball now has software worthy of its stunning good looks.
(The previous version of this review rated the Slimblade Trackball at 2 stars, was found helpful by 190 of 201 people, and was titled "Missed Opportunity".)
============
(Amazon's system was not properly updating my review, so I deleted and reposted. At the time I did this, only 1 of 4 people found my review helpful. Even so.)
============
UPDATE (9 March 2009): After 4 days of continuous use. I am packing it in and reverting back to the Expert Mouse. If one needs either precise cursor control, programmable buttons or application-sensitive behavior, the Slimblade Trackball is unusable with the supplied software.
I've been using trackballs (mainly Kensington) since 1993 and am no stranger to change. This trackball simply was not designed with an expert user in mind, and I hope those who read my review will consider that it is written from this perspective. It is meant to inform professionals and expert users whose software and hardware demands are unusually high.
If you are an expert user who needs a pointing device to be application-aware, or if you need high-precision cursor control, this device is not one you should consider.
Tempting as this device may be for people frustrated with the terrible hardware design of the Expert Mouse, the Slimblade Trackball cannot replace the Expert Mouse.
============
The Slimblade Trackball is really a missed opportunity for Kensington. This device has so much potential but the software limitations make this device just barely usable.
The two major components of the Slimblade Trackball are the hardware design and the software affordances. Let's start with the good.
THE HARDWARE
==========
In order to understand what is amazing about the Kensington Slimblade Trackball, one should be aware of the last redesign of the Expert Mouse. That design is quite horrendous. The steep angle of the plastic housing strained the wrist tendons so badly that the device shipped with a faux leather pad that attached to the trackball to elevate the wrist. Besides being ugly, the pad kludge didn't work very well. Strained wrists are a common symptom among users of the Expert Mouse Trackball.
The Slimblade Trackball rectifies this situation. Big Time.
The low profile of the trackball housing is not only aesthetically pleasing, it also allows users to use the device with hand and wrist only moderately angled. The ball rolls smoothly (though it is an ugly color) and the buttons are very sleek as they are cut out of the housing. Clicks are unfortunately hollow-sounding, but the tactile response is superb, the buttons requiring a firm but shallow press for activation. The new device is a pleasure to handle physically.
The engineering of the trackball well is clever. Plastic bearings similar to those in the Expert Mouse Trackball keep the ball gliding smoothly, with the difference that these bearings are sealed in their sockets with only a portion of the bearing visible. The holes which contain the electronics that register ball movement do not appear to emit light. When the ball is rotated around its Y-axis (running through the top and bottom of the device), the electronics make an audible clicking noise. Think iPod scrollwheel sound. The faint sound could be a problem in quiet office environments, especially for users who do quite a bit of scrolling or zooming.
In all, the hardware of the device is excellent. The thought and care which went into the engineering shows, and if look and feel were all that mattered, Kensington would have produced a pointing device worthy of admiration and celebration.
Unfortunately for Kensington, there's also the bad and the ugly. Namely . . .
THE SOFTWARE
==========
(I'm testing the Slimblade Trackball software on a PowerMac G5 2 x 2.5 GHz running Mac OS X v. 10.5.6. Windows users may have an experience different than mine.)
First off, I want to say that the software seems also to have received quite a bit of attention from the designers at Kensington. Unfortunately, what those designers produced seems to be the victim of poor market analysis.
Some Slimblade Trackball users have forgiven Kensington for omitting the ability to program the buttons. I am not one of these users. The inability to reprogram the buttons is arrogance at its worst. When Steve Jobs and Jon Ives give users an extra-strength dose of designerly arrogance, they often succeed in curing ailments users didn't even realize they had (hockey puck mouse excepted). I'm here to assure you that the software designers at Kensington are neither Steve Jobs nor Jon Ives.
At all.
First, the drivers for the Slimblade Trackball do not have any user-accessible interface. Period. OK, that's not entirely true. The installer places a pointer-shaped item in the menubar. Clicking on that item reveals two items. 1) A dimmed line reporting that the Kensington Slimblade Trackball is active, and 2) a link to Kensington's online tutorial. As we all know (as of 5 March 2009), that online tutorial is not yet available. So, the link sends users to the promotional microsite for the Slimblade Trackball as if advertising will convince them that nothing's wrong. I suppose one can navigate one's way to the sparse FAQ which contains 8 items as of this writing.
If you can't read the sign that says Things are Not Good(tm) then look over yonder. Yup. That's the milestone for Here Comes Ugly(tm)
THE UGLY
======
Users not only cannot program the device's buttons, but they also cannot customize the speed and acceleration of the device outside of the operating system software provided by Apple or a piece of third-party software.* This is a problem of gargantuan proportions and has been documented at length in this TidBITS article: [...].
I have a 23" Cinema Display and a 17" Studio Display hooked together in a single extended desktop. I need my pointing device tracking to be set high. Setting the mouse tracking to high is possible with Apple's "Keyboard & Mouse" System Preference. The problem comes when moving the device slowly, as one might do when selecting text. The differences in slow and fast cursor tracking in Apple's Keyboard & Mouse System Preference settings render the Slimblade trackball practically unusable on medium-to-large desktops.
By removing the ability of users to customize slow and fast tracking speed--something that the Expert Mouse Trackball software does provide--Kensington has effectively turned what should have been a magnificent product into something only a mother could love, or at least a committee of marketroids who got their way over the tearful objections of old-skool Kensington software devs. Don't worry devs, having bought this device I feel your pain and then some.
At present, Kensington has no plans to offer programmable buttons for this device. One can only hope future software releases will enable users to customize the acceleration settings for the Slimblade Trackball just as users of the Expert Mouse Trackball are able to customize their settings.
CONCLUSION
========
The hardware engineers at Kensington deserve raises and your first-born. This is a beautiful device.
On the other hand, the managers of the software design team should have their computers confiscated and other really awful things like getting raisins for dessert.
The Kensington Slimblade Trackball is like a gorgeous date with a bland personality. You don't mind hanging out awhile but you hope something better will come along soon.
* My limited testing of USB Overdrive as a third-party driver has been unable to access the media buttons (the upper ones) at all, suggesting to me that the upper buttons are not regular mouse buttons at all.

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Now the ball does it all Your computing experience just got smoother, faster and easier with the Kensington SlimBlade(TM) Trackball. Choose navigation mode to control cursor and scrolling. Media mode controls volume, play/pause, stop, and track forward/backward, while view mode zooms in/out, and pans. And it does it all with the ball to put complete control at your fingertips. You can even keep an eye on which application you are in and which function is being performed with the heads-up display on your monitor.Mac and PC compatible, including Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Mac OS X. USB 2.0.

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Wacom Bamboo Pen Tablet Review

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(More customer reviews)For as cheap as this little tablet is, it does a GREAT job! I purchased it to have an extra travel one; I have a larger Intuos that is PHENOMENAL (I won't lie, it is much more sensitive and because it is larger it is much, much, much more precise) but the problem is that it is totally unsuitable for a mobile lifestyle. This little cutie works excellent for the things I do on the fly.
Considering that I am a professional digital imaging specialist who uses my tablets constantly, I hope you'll take this advice: for those of you who are weekend enthusiasts or whom are just getting started and perhaps may have never used a tablet before, this is a good one to purchase. It does just fine for most applications and is sensitive enough to do the average things. Once you've totally become addicted to it and know for sure that it suits your needs, maybe then save up and get a larger Intuos.

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The Bamboo Pen Tablet turns your computer into a virtual canvas, allowing you to create digital artwork with the touch of a pen. With its textured surface, the tablet simulates the intuitive feeling of pen on paper. Using the easy-grip pen, you'll be able to add hand-drawn embellishments to your favorite photos, add life to digital sketches, and add personal touches to scrapbook pages with ease. Sleek, Stylish, and Easy to Use Measuring 9.8 by 6.9 inches, the Bamboo Pen is compact enough to store comfortably in a laptop case. It features a large and responsive active area, providing enough workspace for even your most ambitious projects. The tablet comes with a battery-free pen with an easy-grip design, so you can have maximum control over your drawing. The work surface is textured, providing a pen-on-paper feel. It's also reversible, so you can use it comfortably whether you're right- or left-handed.The Bamboo Pen is simple to set up, using a plug-and-play mechanism. Simply plug the tablet into your computer via a USB port, install the provided drivers, and you're ready to go. You'll be doodling, writing, and painting in minutes.Expand Your Creative Horizons with Precise Pen Technology With the Bamboo Pen, digital drawing and painting are easier than ever. The tablet surface is designed to emulate the organic feel of working with traditional media, whether you're making fine dashes or wide, arching brush strokes. The pen features 512 levels of pressure sensitivity, giving your artwork a level of nuance that just isn't possible when you're using a mouse. You can use the pressure-sensitive control to vary line thickness, add shading, and control boldness. When used in combination with the included Corel Painter Essentials 4.0, the tablet becomes an even more powerful artistic tool.Bamboo Pen is compatible with Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP (Service Pack 2) and Mac OS X (10.4.8 or higher.) It requires a powered USB drive, a colored screen, and a CD/DVD drive.What's in the Box Bamboo Pen tablet, Bamboo Pen pen, Quick Start guide, installation CD (includes driver software, interactive tutorial, and user's manual), software CD.

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Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman (USB/PS/2) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've used Logitech mice before and this one tops all of the ones made by Logitech. I've read many reviews before purchasing this and read some of the drawbacks to this mouse and some advantages to this mouse. Logitech outperformed itself once again, with amazing features, support, and performance.
Disadvantages:
1. The styling of the mouse could have been better designed. It takes a little getting used to using the trackball with fingers other than your thumb.
2. Logitech erred in the device drivers. I repeat, please do not install the drivers shipped with the package. Go to Logitech.com/support and download the 9.75.0 verson and install it, not the 9.60.0 version as it will damage your compatibility with other mice already installed.
3. The price of this mouse will set you back and have you looking elsewhere. But, the advantages of this mouse far outweigh the little-bit-above-customer-expectation price ...
4. This mouse requires a learning curve, as its design and the use of a trackball may not be familiarized with everyone's use. For those of you who have never used a trackball or is used to using a trackball with your thumb, this mouse does take a day or two to get totally used to.
5. Use the initial orientation/setup process seriously. Because of the nature of the styling of this mouse, the way you position the mouse on your desk while orienting/setting up the mouse will have an impact on usage.
Advantages:
1. RF frequency is used to the best capabilities in this mouse. I've used mice from other manufacturers and this one tops all of them. Using digital radio technology, this mouse allows you to place the RF receiver pretty much anywhere you'd like up to 20 feet away from the computer.
2. The many buttons on the mouse help you to minimize use of keyboard. It has Back/Forward, scroll, Drag Lock, Fast Scroll, and conventional buttons.
3. The compact receiver helps to minize clutter on your desktop and helps when you want to carry it and the mouse around (if you're blessed like me to have a laptop).
4. Customer support is one of the best in the industry, with lifetime phone support and a 5-year warranty.
5. Installation was a breeze. a) Download Logitech Drivers version 9.75.0 or above b) Install drivers c) Connect hardware d) Press Connect button on the hardware for 20seconds - 1minute e) You're Done! Enjoy!
6. This mouse comes shipped with a serial port adapter, giving you total flexibility to connect via USB or serial - I strongly recommend using the USB ports due to the advanced nature of the hardware and the reliability of USB ports.
7. The name of Logitech speaks for itself.
All in all, I recommend this product wholeheartedly to you.
If you do purchase one, buy from Amazon.com as they did an excellent job of fulfilling my order the same day.
Bang for your Buck: 10
User Friendly: 9
Service and Customer Support: 10
Installation: 10
Design: 8
Battery Life: 10
Performance: 10

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Logitech's cordless optical TrackMan lets you work where and how you want with the freedom of a cordless mouse, the comfort of a trackball, and the precision of optical technology. It's Logitech's most advanced trackball finger-operated trackball mouse. Save space and eliminate desktop clutter. Take advantage of extra buttons that help you navigate around Windows and the Web more easily. And with Logitech's patented optical technology, you get virtually maintenance-free precision and smooth tracking.
Logitech's patented Optical Marble technology ensures smooth cursor movement, while 27 MHz cordless digital radio technology gives you reliable cordless freedom. The product offers advanced navigation features in a form-fitting, right-handed design. Its special drag-lock functions let you move text and images with ease, while Cruise Control scrolling lets you scroll rapidly through Web pages and documents by merely pressing a button. With conveniently located thumb-operated forward and back buttons, you can easily move through applications and Web pages without having to move the cursor to the browser's onscreen buttons. Two AA batteries (included) keep you powered for six months or more.

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Kensington Orbit Optical Trackball Mouse 64327 Review

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(More customer reviews)I have been using an Expert mouse for 7 years (and a Turbo Mouse on my Mac before that), but finally the left click button has expired. I decided to give this trackball a try since it was an optical.
It is well made, and has a nice heft. However, I am disappointed for several reasons. First is the ergonomics. The ball is significantly smaller than the Expert Mouse's, which is makes precise control more difficult. But more significantly, the relationship between the trackball and the buttons is poorly done. When I positioned my hand for optimal trackball control, I found it difficult to double-click quickly and would have to move my hand again. The buttons need to be more towards the user's wrists.
But the biggest complaint is the stalling, reported in a previous review. I don't think it's dirt--I think it's the pattern on the trackball. There is a cool pattern of silver and black swirls, except at one spot. This spot is black, patternless area about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) in diameter, and I think the optical sensor has difficulty in picking up movement in that area. Every time it stalls, I look at the ball and note that this area is over the sensor. Microsoft optical trackballs are completely covered with a dense pattern.
Yes, it is only 1/3 the cost of the Expert Mouse. But all these complaints aren't a reflection of its lower price, but rather, design flaws.

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Kensington Orbit Optical Trackball Mouse:The comfort and ease of a mouse - the benefits of an optical trackball. The precise optical tracking mechanism is also resistant to dust, reducing the need for regular trackball cleaning.Designed for PCs and Mac's, the Orbit Optical Trackball employs Kensington's Diamond Eye optical technology for smooth, precise cursor movement.Diamond Eye provides unmatched acceleration control, combined with ultra-high speed optical optical technology to produce the ultimate in precision and accuracy. Plus, the Trackball stays in one place, saves valuable desk space. Users tell us the Orbit Optical Trackball delivers great speed and tracking accuracy for the price.Compare the Kensington Orbit Optical Trackball Mouse to the Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman or Trackman Wheel or Microsoft Trackball Explorer.The Kensington Promise: 5 year warranty with free technical support.Requirements:PC-Windows 98, Me, 2000, or XP with USB port PC-Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 2000, or XP with PS/2 compatible mouse port Macintosh with OS 10.1.5 or later USB Macintosh with OS 8 & 9, device will only function as a 1-button mouse Software:Not required for basic operation.Kensington MouseWorks- Free download available at www.kensington.com

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Kensington Expert Mouse Optical USB Trackball for PC or Mac 64325 Review

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(More customer reviews)Almost every day I work for hours using a Computer Aided Design program, and over the years have found the Kensington Expert Trackball to be an indispensible labor (and arm) saving device. You get so much with so little movement! I was looking to buy a new one.
I had misgivings about this product after reading some "Worse than Bad" reviews that were in this forum. Still, either because hope springs eternal or a fool and his money are soon parted, I went ahead and ordered one.
Out of the box ball rotation was _The Worst_ as others had said. I had deadlines, however, so decided to use it to see if anything would improve. Two hours later it had "broken in".
Trackball Wizards, my number five is on the trophy shelf. The Seven is AAMMAAZZIINNGG. Totally silent movement; virtually frictionless rotation; excellent functionality, and it has GOT to have one of the most eloquent designs of any input device on the market.
As an added bonus the scroll ring beats any scroll wheel I have used, anywhere.
Congratulations to Kensington for creating a truly superior product.

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The best trackball ever made has just gotten better. Designed for PCs and Mac's, the new Expert Mouse employs Kensington's Diamond Eye™ optical technology for smooth, precise cursor movement. Surrounding the ball, we have a brand new implementation of our award winning Scroll Ring™ that puts scrolling right at your fingertips. More comfortable than ever, the Expert Mouse even comes with a soft new wrist rest-right in the box! You get all of these great new features along with the same, large ball, exceptional control, and ease-of-use that has set the industry standard for more than 15 years.

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