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Microsoft Trackball Explorer

Microsoft Trackball Explorer

List Price: $54.95
Your Price: $37.89
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Finally a mouse for the Internet
Review: I hate to take my move my hands from the keyboard to the mouse or vice versa. This trackball is great for web browsing with its 2 extra buttons, which map to the browser back and forward buttons. You don't have to click on the BACK button to go to the previous page, or press the back button on your keyboard. It keeps your focus on the pointer. Its comfortable too.

The only thing to note is that you use your fingers to move the ball around, rather than your thumb like on Logitech trackballs and Microsoft's less expensive trackball. This takes some getting used to, but its painless.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Retraction
Review: The previous criticism should have been directed at the Help file writers. 2 hrs of phone time, 1 hr of download time, and there is a solution to the inaccuracy of the trackball. My version of the driver (off-the-shelf) was 2 (18 months) versions old. Adjustments: [Pointer Speed] to medium/[Advanced] button > [Pointer Acceleration] checked, then select [High] from the radio buttons. THEN the trackball will recognize dialog box & control edges!! I use my trackball all day, everyday. I'm now quite happy now.

If u use a switch box to go between computers (one mouse/kb/monitor used for 2+ computers, be sure to boot each computer with the switch box pointing to the booting computer. Otherwise it boots up on default mouse.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Absolutely Horrible
Review: Imprecise! Does NOT recognize passing over handles most of the time. If it does it is in the WRONG place. AVOID THIS PRODUCT!!! TRASH!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Not great
Review: I started off using trackballs as a replacement for mice because they caused too me too much wrist and forearm strain. I bought this trackball as a replacement for my Kensington Turbomouse, which was nearly worn out from its years of use. I was highly disappointed with my purchase. Upon first glance, I thought the Microsoft trackball would be highly ergonomic, however I found it causing more wrist strain than my old mouse did. Understand that I have rather large hands (for a point of reference, I can just barely palm a basketball), so what I am about to say may not apply to you.

First, the ball was too small. I was used to the Turbomouse's large ball which allowed me to control it with 3 or 4 fingers if needed, however the Trackball Explorer's ball was too small to be accurately controlled in that way.

The button placement was also awkward for me. You have to click inwards with your thumb (as if you were making a fist) instead of downwards with the force of gravity in order to press the right and left click buttons. In addition, the buttons were too close to the trackball forcing me to arch my fingers in order to gain fingertip control of the ball.

As others have mentioned, the scroll wheels get in the way of pressing the right click button.

Finally, the entire trackball device has an upward slope to it that forces you to bend your wrist backwards (towards your body) which causes discomfort. Ideally, input devices should allow your wrist to stay as "limp" as possible, which is the natural resting position of your hand.

There is one thing I liked about the Trackball Explorer though. Its optical tracking is very smooth, which accounts for the 2 stars. Overall, if you have large (relatively speaking) hands, this is not a good buy for you.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Absolutely Not Recommended
Review: From my own experience, I must say that the Trackball is not a good buy.
1) The price is a bit steep for a mouse. Yes, it's most likely due to the fact that it's a track ball mouse.
2) The whole thing seems very unprecise. I once tried clicking the minimize button and I closed the program window instead! Luckily, I was just viewing something on the internet but if it was a document you risk the chance of losing it.
3) The mouse is simple too bulky. The buttons on the mouse need to be configered, for example you cannot simply double click on the first action button, you have to infact select a mouse button and assign a double click function to it. You also have to assign a right click button extra, leaving you with few buttons you can configurate yourself.

Ultimately, I would urge buyers to shy away from the product. It simply is not worth the price. Yes, it does look sleek and stylish, but it's just not worth the extra bucks and sacrificing functionality for aesthetic appeal.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A trackball for the 21st Century
Review: A trackball is better than a mouse for me because the dexterity of my index finger is better than my wrist - I think this is generally the case.

I've used MS's mechanical trackball at work and home, but the buggers are too hard to keep clean because of naturally expelling body oils on the skin. The optical mechanism eliminates this problem.

Compare to MS's mechanical trackball the new one is a bit too large for a small/average hand; the right button (on the side) is too small; the two new button are nice but not required; the optical mechanism is less precise than mechanical; the ball is tilted in an unnatural way, the wheel gets in the way of the left/right buttons.

Trully, I wish MS kept the old form but with the new optical mechanism (but more precise than this implementation). However, the elimination of dirt problem makes optical trackball a must - it's impossible to go back to mechanical variant.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great Mouse, very smooth.
Review: The discription erroneously states that 2 AAA Batteries are required.

The mouse at first sight looks enormous, but it is much more comfortable to work with that the old index controlled track ball. I like it so much, that I bought 2 already. The extra 2 buttons (default setting or Back and Forward page while on the net) are addictive. The installation was easy and quick. The ball can fall out if pulled out but does not do so from simply tipping the mouse. Overall would recommend it for heavy users of the net and comfort seekers.

Ala

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent product!
Review: This is the smoothest, most precise and most comfortable pointing device I've ever used. I liked it so well, that I bought another. It releives the stress on my hands and that's important for a person who uses the device for 10 - 12 hours per day.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Looking for a trackball? Look no further!
Review: This thing is excellent! I bought it to use with games since you don't have to worry about small mouse pads, since the base stays put, and the ball rotates. Also, the cord doesn't catch on things annoyingly for the same reason. Lastly, the two extra buttons give more versatility, and literally, at-your-fingertips control while gaming. I have not had to clean this thing at all since I bought it, and contrary to what that other reviewer said, the ball doesn't fall out. Maybe she got a faulty model, or she shook it while it was upside down, but there are small locks on the optical part that the ball pushes in, then when it's past them, they come back out creating a "lock".

It works by capturing an image 1,500 times per second, and moving the cursor based on the "movement path" of the trackball's texture. Therefore, just out of curiousity I even moved my finger around over the optical sensor and it stilled moved. Of course, that's useless but interesting info.

Bottom line, if you like trackballs, and are looking to buy one, buy this one!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Definitivamente el mejor Track Ball que he visto
Review: Su ergonomia es excelente, es optico y aunque el precio no es muy bajo bien vale la pena.


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