Microsoft Trackball Explorer

Rating:
Summary: There is simply no better trackball available
Review: I have been using a MS Trackball Explorer for several years. It has saved me as I have carpel tunnel and cervical damage and if I use a mouse for any length of time my hand pain increases. (I also use a Natural Pro Keyboard).

I can't believe that some people are upset and condemn it because the device has a short cord!

The trackball connects by USB and the movements are seamless. Any trackball is going to get dirty but this one is so easy to clean. All I do is pop out the ball, remove the dust or whatever from the three points the ball rotates on, wipe the ball with a tissue and it is as good as new. I would say that the contours are not ideal (nor could they be) as it seems the contours are better fit for me if the device were mounted about 8 inches higher than my keyboard tray. As it is, it causes my wrist to drop and it is uncomfortable in that respect, but using the two right buttons to navigate online (back and forward) is a total breeze and makes going through pages very fast and comfortable.

Intellipoint software allows you to control almost every aspect of its movement, which makes it even better.

Personally I like where the scroll button is as well as the buttons for right and left clicks. I think I am going to try to devise some sort of mount so it will elevate the rear by about 15 degrees or so. This way my hand will go forward and there will be even less strain.

I used Logictech trackballs in the past and I did not like them. With all its faults, and there are some, this trackball is for me by far the best, the easiest to navigate online with, and extremely precise in terms of cursor movement. It does slide around a bit and to solve this I put a small piece of that foamy rubbery shelf liner stuff under it--and where my wrist rests on the keyboard tray--and it works perfectly.

It is simply a matter of using your own ingenuity to make something that is already superb even better!

Rating:
Summary: Mouse Answer for me
Review: I use the Trackball Explorer at work. Its great for me. The fingertip control works fine. My hand was starting to ache from the using a regular mouse and then "egro" type mouse I tried.
As I use the mouse a lot, I decided to try this after "testing" it at a store.
The thumb wheel trackballs just don't do it for me.
The functions you can choose for the buttons work great. I save a lot of time at work with that feature.
Real comfortable for me. The size of the ball is nice.

So yeah, I have no complaints. NO whines. No Boo hoos.
I like it and its from Microsoft. Oh NO!
:)

Rating:
Summary: Scroll wheel strain worse than wheel mouse
Review: The whole thing is tilted so that you don't have to twist your wrist much to use it. Ergonomic Kudos.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has designed the scroll wheel and buttons like those on a wheel mouse, completely ignoring the fact that you are using your thumb to operate them instead of your longer digits.

The scroll wheel should be vertical instead of horizontal, so that you can spin it using only one joint of your thum instead of having to use two (i.e. curling your finger.) On a wheel mouse this is fine since your other fingers are relatively long compared to the travel of the wheel, but this is awful for your thumb.

As an engineer, it pains me to see products with great technology and great potential get completely bungled by industrial designers who make incremental changes to a flawed design instead of thinking about things from the ground up. The thing that is even sadder is that this is probably one of the best trackballs on the market.

The tracking is pretty good though; I may have to tear mine apart and rebuild it the way I would have.

Two stars because this device causes me as much pain as a standard wheel mouse while costing several times more, and because the lost potential bugs me every time I look at it.

Back to the store!

Rating:
Summary: pretty good
Review: This deserves probably 4.5 or 5 stars. I used mine for 2 or 3 years now. My wife's cordless Logitech(which is newer than the Mictosoft trackball ) started to go a month ago.

She only plays games like Mahjong, and a cordless trackball was just the ticket. Hers gave out. I let her have my Microsoft Explorer Trackball, since its still works nice.
I went back to a mouse.(YUK!) I hope she can get by w/ this trackball. I think it'll work fine.

Using the 2 buttons on the right side was tricky at first. Use a light touch so u can feel the little indentations.
What are these complaints about an awkward button set up? Go thru all the options as u install the driver. U can set this up pretty much as u wish. Or look for the mouse icon over by the clock at the bottom of your screen. Double click it, and reconfigure the buttons from there.

I just took this trackball off my machine(ME) and installed it on a 98 machine. Works/worked well on both machines.

It has a very nice shape. I'm of average height, but have slightly stubby fingers. It fits(did fit) me very well. I miss it. I dont know if I'll be cheap and use the mouse w/ keyboard tricks, or buy another of these. This is a nice trackball. It really holds pet hair, tho.

either dust the ball off or wipe w/ a slightly dampened rag. But its such a nice trackball, in spite of this problem.

And when u set it up, make sure you're setting it up for the trackball explorer, not some other mouse or trackball. Evidently this software was designed to handle every Microsoft mouse or trackball that Microsoft makes.

Rating:
Summary: Lifelong Trackball owner, this is the best one I've ever had
Review: I've been using Trackballs since back in the 486 days. This is the best one I've ever owned. I fits perfectly in my hand and is very easy and comfortable to use. This trackball a great for gaming despite what the close minded mouse lovers say (take it from someone who is paid to play games). Accuracy and smoothness are not an issue. One of the best computer products I've ever purchased.