May 28, 2020 – I was introduced to Kensington’s wired trackballs around 1992 with their first Turbo Mouse for Mac. Why lift and move one’s hand using a conventional mouse when the hand can remain relatively stationary to perform typical mousing functions?

I don’t know why anyone would prefer to use a mouse when a Kensington Trackball is clearly better in design and functionality. I can also understand that those who have not tried one might be somewhat resistant, even skeptical.

Don’t lift a hand to that mouse

 

Right click, left click – easy to envision and easily executed with a trackball. But, what about scrolling up and down, and moving the cursor?

The trackball on top does what the sensor or trackball on the bottom of a standard mouse does, but without moving the base. The cursor moves when fingers roll the ball in any axis instead of lifting the entire mechanism, moving it and putting it down again.

The unseen “ring” surrounding the ball is touch-sensitive. Sliding fingers along its path up and down on both sides of the center mark scrolls the page. Ingenious!

With its symmetrical design, this trackball is ambidextrous.

Why this trackball? Its diminutive size makes it ideal on a crowded desk or elsewhere where portability is a plus. If yours is a desktop computer with plenty of desktop area available, then I recommend either Kensington’s full-size Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball or wired SlimBlade Trackball. These are four-button trackballs allowing the two added buttons to be assigned special, user-selected duties, such as launching a frequently used app or a special function you might choose and program. These sure have come in handy over the years. I do not like using a standard mouse, so long as I have an option to use one of my trusted Kensington trackball devices instead.

KensingtonWorks Software

 

Kensington smartly provides FREE KensingtonWorks software for Windows and Mac users which allows refinements to the user experience. Select custom actions for button clicks. Adjust scrolling speeds and other fine adjustments tailored just for you. Backups of individual user settings may also be saved to selected cloud drives.

Be more productive!

 

The most important byproduct from ditching a mouse in favor of a Kensington Trackball is increased PRODUCTIVITY. Decreased effort and movement translates into time. Time is better spent NOT interacting with a mouse. Then, there is a secondary benefit.

Limit repetitive motion, avoid injury

 

The benefits of reducing repetitive motion are well documented, though each user has to make his or her own informed decision. Look it up! I believe my decision to use a Kensington trackball has been both rewarding and beneficial.

Where to buy?

 

Here are Amazon links to under $50 Orbit Wireless Mobile Trackball, about $95 Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse, about $85 Kensington Wired Expert Trackball Mouse.

Now, rest your wrist, too

 

With Kensington ErgoSoft Wrist Rest (about $8 from Amazon) positioned ahead of a trackball and a full-length wrist rest placed in front of a keyboard (unless a wrist rest is a built-in part of the chosen keyboard).

Instead of having to hold one’s wrist in an elevated position in front of a trackball or keyboard, a soft and inviting wrist rest will save the day. Kensington offers one for any usage model, from die hard mouse users to trackball users, and on to slim and wide rests ideally placed in front of a keyboard.

Borrowing directly from Kensington’s words on the subject, “Too often, we type in positions that are unnatural or less than ideal ergonomically, since our keyboards tend to be raised, causing our hands to bend backward. Kensington mouse pads and wrist rests are designed to help keep your keyboard and mouse lower than your forearm, so hands and arms are in-line for ultimate comfort and long-term wrist health.”

Makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?