Rating: 
Summary: Still like it
Review: I continue to use this trackball at work and home, and like it very much. One thing to note: it "gums" up easily inside. I pop the ball out several times a week and gently wipe off the red LEDs using my finger and use my fingernail to clean off off the two rubber contacts (yes, it's politically incorrect to use fingers for cleaning, but trust me, it's worked for two years). Every month or two I'll go out and wash the ball off
with soap and water. Failure to clean the LEDs can cause slow movement, failure to clean the rubber spinners can cause tracking problems (one spinner controls horizontal movement, one controls vertical movement - that's probably what the other reviewer experienced).Is this "maintenance" annoying? Yes, slightly, but I find it well worth it because I like this trackball so much.
Rating:
Summary: Still like it
Review: I continue to use this trackball at work and home, and like it very much. One thing to note: it "gums" up easily inside. I pop the ball out several times a week and gently wipe off the red LEDs using my finger and use my fingernail to clean off off the two rubber contacts (yes, it's politically incorrect to use fingers for cleaning, but trust me, it's worked for two years). Every month or two I'll go out and wash the ball off
with soap and water. Failure to clean the LEDs can cause slow movement, failure to clean the rubber spinners can cause tracking problems (one spinner controls horizontal movement, one controls vertical movement - that's probably what the other reviewer experienced). Is this "maintenance" annoying? Yes, slightly, but I find it well worth it because I like this trackball so much.
Rating:
Summary: Still like it
Review: I continue to use this trackball at work and home, and like it very much. One thing to note: it "gums" up easily inside. I pop the ball out several times a week and gently wipe off the red LEDs using my finger and use my fingernail to clean off off the two rubber contacts (yes, it's politically incorrect to use fingers for cleaning, but trust me, it's worked for two years). Every month or two I'll go out and wash the ball off
with soap and water. Failure to clean the LEDs can cause slow movement, failure to clean the rubber spinners can cause tracking problems (one spinner controls horizontal movement, one controls vertical movement - that's probably what the other reviewer experienced). Is this "maintenance" annoying? Yes, slightly, but I find it well worth it because I like this trackball so much.
Rating:
Summary: For me, the benefits outweigh the problems
Review: I generally prefer trackballs over a mouse, and for me this one has the best combination of features and ease of use. Most of the other trackballs I've tried have felt awkward or put stress on different digits. Some reviewers have complained about the position of the hand when using this device, but for me that is a strong point. You are supposed to rest the edge of your hand on the desktop, and let your hand curl naturally around the high centered design. I do agree with the other reviewers about the need for frequent cleaning. Several suggestions - try using a Q-Tip swab dipped in rubbing alcohol for cleaning the rubber rollers and the various inside parts. Also, an old toothbrush works wonders to loosen and scrub away deposits on various parts, inlcuding the small red beads that help hold the ball in place (which I have never needed to remove to clean). The ball does need to be cleaned frequently, or the buildup of skin oils on it will begin to gum up the rollers. Ironically, the problem with the rollers is that they get too smooth when they are dirty, and are unable to obtain traction against the ball, which is why they the pointer doesn't move on the screen. The rubber rollers do eventually deteriorate, as others have noted. That is my only real complaint about this product, as when the rollers have degraded enough they can no longer make good contact with the ball, and it becomes very difficult to move the pointer. It is possible to replace them, but it can be a tricky and frustrating job, and it is almost simpler just to buy a new one. I have owned several of these trackballs, and even with heavy useage I expect to get 1-2 years of good use out of them. After that, the rollers are worn, and it is either replace the rollers or buy a new one. I like the trackball enough that I have done both of these, rather than switch back to a mouse or a different trackball.
Rating:
Summary: For me, the benefits outweigh the problems
Review: I generally prefer trackballs over a mouse, and for me this one has the best combination of features and ease of use. Most of the other trackballs I've tried have felt awkward or put stress on different digits. Some reviewers have complained about the position of the hand when using this device, but for me that is a strong point. You are supposed to rest the edge of your hand on the desktop, and let your hand curl naturally around the high centered design. I do agree with the other reviewers about the need for frequent cleaning. Several suggestions - try using a Q-Tip swab dipped in rubbing alcohol for cleaning the rubber rollers and the various inside parts. Also, an old toothbrush works wonders to loosen and scrub away deposits on various parts, inlcuding the small red beads that help hold the ball in place (which I have never needed to remove to clean). The ball does need to be cleaned frequently, or the buildup of skin oils on it will begin to gum up the rollers. Ironically, the problem with the rollers is that they get too smooth when they are dirty, and are unable to obtain traction against the ball, which is why they the pointer doesn't move on the screen. The rubber rollers do eventually deteriorate, as others have noted. That is my only real complaint about this product, as when the rollers have degraded enough they can no longer make good contact with the ball, and it becomes very difficult to move the pointer. It is possible to replace them, but it can be a tricky and frustrating job, and it is almost simpler just to buy a new one. I have owned several of these trackballs, and even with heavy useage I expect to get 1-2 years of good use out of them. After that, the rollers are worn, and it is either replace the rollers or buy a new one. I like the trackball enough that I have done both of these, rather than switch back to a mouse or a different trackball.
Rating: 
Summary: Scroll wheel position stinks
Review: I had a Kensington TurboRing and LOVED it. The TurboBall is their current warranty replacement as the TurboRing is no longer available. Using a trackball with the fingers is, for me, much more comfortable than using one operated with the thumb. I get a pain similar to old Atari joystick thumb cramps when using thumb-movement trackballs. The finger movement on the TurboBall is quite smooth and very precise. The scroll wheel on the TurboBall is in a USELESS location. There's no way to use the wheel without moving the entire hand off the unit or contorting one's thumb into an extremely uncomfortable angle. This makes the wheel all but UNUSABLE for any frequent use. That and the roller mechanism used here is essentially the same thing as the TurboRing. Which means frequent cleaning and possible loss of the little red bearings. The bearing races do appear more sturdy than those used on the TurboRing (which is what broke on mine). But the rollers are still the same and probably just as likely to gum up. Mine tended to gum up once a week with daily (8+ hours) of use. It's really a shame, the best feature of the TurboRing, and what sold me on it, was the ScrollRing. Kensington has seriously missed the mark with design of the TurboBall. It'd have been OK if the scroll wheel wasn't in such a horrible location. Oh, but only if they'd put a ScrollRing around the ball of their Expert series trackball! I'd buy it in a heartbeat. It too suffers from a poorly placed scroll wheel. Kensington warranty support is excellent but getting this as a replacement for my TurboRing just doesn't cut it.
Rating:
Summary: Scroll wheel position stinks
Review: I had a Kensington TurboRing and LOVED it. The TurboBall is their current warranty replacement as the TurboRing is no longer available. Using a trackball with the fingers is, for me, much more comfortable than using one operated with the thumb. I get a pain similar to old Atari joystick thumb cramps when using thumb-movement trackballs. The finger movement on the TurboBall is quite smooth and very precise. The scroll wheel on the TurboBall is in a USELESS location. There's no way to use the wheel without moving the entire hand off the unit or contorting one's thumb into an extremely uncomfortable angle. This makes the wheel all but UNUSABLE for any frequent use. That and the roller mechanism used here is essentially the same thing as the TurboRing. Which means frequent cleaning and possible loss of the little red bearings. The bearing races do appear more sturdy than those used on the TurboRing (which is what broke on mine). But the rollers are still the same and probably just as likely to gum up. Mine tended to gum up once a week with daily (8+ hours) of use. It's really a shame, the best feature of the TurboRing, and what sold me on it, was the ScrollRing. Kensington has seriously missed the mark with design of the TurboBall. It'd have been OK if the scroll wheel wasn't in such a horrible location. Oh, but only if they'd put a ScrollRing around the ball of their Expert series trackball! I'd buy it in a heartbeat. It too suffers from a poorly placed scroll wheel. Kensington warranty support is excellent but getting this as a replacement for my TurboRing just doesn't cut it.
Rating:
Summary: The Trackball that doesn't.
Review: I have tried two of the model 64227 Trackballs and each of them became erratic tracking in the vertical axis within a week of putting them in service. I like the layout of the device and it's programming features but trying to work in a graphics application is very frustrating to say the least. I can't recommend this item to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: I love it - I hate it
Review: I love the layout of this trackball. My first trackball was a Kensington Expert two-button trackball. I used that one for two or three years. I have been looking for one that I liked as well as that one ever since. I wanted one with more buttons and a wheel, though. I thought I had finally found what I was looking for when I saw this. I bought it on the spot. I liked it from the start. The ball and buttons were in the perfect spot and it had a wheel. I liked the software, too. They got everything exactly right with one minor exception - the trackball part of it doesn't work. The Kensington trackballs use rollers to track the movement of the ball. The Logitech and Microsoft trackballs have a design on the ball and use lasers to track the movement of the ball. When I first got the Turboball, it kind of worked but, as it picked up a little bit of oil from my skin, it became almost impossible to use. I would move the ball and the pointer would only shudder a little or not move at all. I did some research online to see if it was just my device and I found that the problems I was having were very common, if not the norm. I tried cleaning the ball and rollers and it helped some but within an hour or so, it was back to how it was before cleaning. I now use a Logitech Wireless Marble FX. I don't like the layout as much but at least moving the ball moves the cursor.
Rating:
Summary: A possibility for lefties...but pass if not a leftie
Review: I'm not left handed but I alternate which hand I use regularly to keep from wearing one out. So a trackball that was shaped to fit either hand was required. This trackball serves that purpose, but as an earlier review stated, this is a mechanical trackball that relies on the ball turning two small rollers inside the device. The previous reviewer mentioned this is a problem when ones fingers are slippery, but I've found the more significant failure is the two rollers inside the device which contact the ball. The rollers (one for vertical and one for horizontal, which taken together allow the ball to track all angles) are very small. So small that every time you pick dust off them, you probably scrape away another few molecules of rubber, until eventually you have two tattered rollers inside the device. This wouldn't have been a problem if they'd been larger (or, they could have lasted much longer had they been larger). If you get this trackball, be prepared for frequent cleaning and eventual wear-out (mine has lasted a year...I'm going to try an optical trackball next, but am still finding it very difficult to find trackballs designed for ambidextrous use. Logitech sometimes has ambidextrous optical trackballs, but variety is slim. This Kensington TurboBall may be an acceptable choice for you. I particularly like the bulk of it, suitable for larger hands. The center scroll wheel works on some programs, but not all, depending on your system. In summary, if you are a dry skinned, ambidextrous, exceptionally clean person with large hands, this is a suitable choice. If on the other hand if you are a slippery, dust-prone right-handed person, you have better options elsewhere.
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