Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse with Bluetooth Wireless (Graphite) K72281US

by Kensington

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.9 x 2.2 x 0.6 inches ; 4.8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000VE4MM2
• Item model number: K72281US
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (127 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #40 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Computer Accessories > Keyboards, Mice & Input Devices > Trackballs
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 27, 2007

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer

Finally, a Bluetooth enabled wireless trackball mouse that you can take anywhere
Not enough room to use your mouse? The Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse is a wireless mouse that can switch to trackball mode with a click of a button. Plus, Bluetooth connectivity offers up to 30 feet of range. No receiver needed, so you can free up those USB ports for other devices.

Smart Features

360 degree scrolling and Bluetooth connectivity: The SlimBlade Trackball mouse is a wireless mouse that delivers exceptional laser tracking on almost any surface. Kensington has incorporated innovative features in a wireless mouse to give you the best performance in every way.

• Free up that USB port for other devices because built in wireless Bluetooth connectivity means you can connect without a USB receiver
• Optical sensors, found in most traditional notebook mice, are not precise enough to work on certain surfaces. But a laser sensor senses movement at 1000 dots per inch--counting every move you make and providing precise, responsive cursor action on almost any surface.
• 360 degree scrolling extends your scrolling power beyond standard 4 way scrolling. Scroll up/down/left/right and in a circular motion for efficient page viewing. Surfing the Web will never be the same!

Trackball Mode: A trackball is essentially a mouse that is lying on its back. To move the cursor on your computer screen, you rotate the ball with your thumb, your fingers, or the palm of your hand. Because a trackball doesn’t require physical movement, take advantage of trackball mode when you don’t have enough surface space to move the actual wireless mouse. Plus, trackball mode provides added comfort since it requires less movement from your hands. The Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse functions as a standard wireless mouse and a trackball mouse. Simply click the button at the top to switch to your desired mode. Battery Indicator: A fuel gauge indicator lets you know when it’s time to change your batteries. The battery life will be good for up to 6 months. Never worry about turning your mouse on or off again--your wireless trackball mouse goes into sleep mode when your notebook does. Compatibility: Universal compatibility allows you to use this mouse with a Mac or a PC. This Kensington wireless mouse is also Vista certified. Thin profile: Thinner than average mobile mice, the SlimBlade Trackball Mouse is a wireless trackball and basic wireless mouse--all in one. Store this wireless mouse anywhere; thin enough to slip into a pocket or a small laptop bag.

Selected for the 2008 CES Innovation Awards in the Computer Accessories category.

What’s int the box:
SlimBlade Trackball Mouse, 2 AA batteries, instruction guide

Specs

• Laser mouse with 360 Scroll Ball
• Instant Bluetooth connectivity
• Sleep mode extends battery life
• Fuel gauge
• Up to 6 month battery life
• Trackball mode

Product Description

KENSINGTON Slimblade

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, December 10, 2007

By 

R. Firoozye (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse with Bluetooth Wireless (Graphite) K72281US (Personal Computers)

Was using a standard USB trackball on my MacBook Pro while working at my desk, but it wasn't very portable. Most wireless trackballs out there were all pretty bulky. Finally broke down and got the Apple bluetooth wireless mouse, but could never get used to the strange right-click and the squeeze side-buttons.

Saw the Kensington bluetooth combo trackball mouse. Absolute dead-on fit for what I needed. Paired easily with Mac OS-X Leopard. No extra software needed. The trackball and mouse-click action is smooth but you may want to change the mouse tracking to slow it down a bit. You double-click the flush top button and it switches from laser-tracking mouse to regular trackball. Very clever. The trackball is a bit small and pretty sensitive so probably not for painting free-hand use. But the small size keeps the overall bulk down. Also nice that it uses two AA batteries--easy to replace on the road.

In mouse-mode, trackball acts like a scroll-wheel (except you can also track side-to-side). The only improvement that comes to mind is some sort of indicator so you can tell if you've left it in mouse or trackball mode. However, I suspect most people will pick one mode and stick with it.

So far, very happy with it.

85 of 95 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Fatally flawed - gets dirty inside and can never be cleaned, December 12, 2007

By 

Bob O`Bob "Bob" (Mountain View, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse with Bluetooth Wireless (Graphite) K72281US (Personal Computers)

For almost five months, I've had a FIVE STAR review posted. I am now (mid April 2008) DELETING that, because what good is a manual device that dies when it gets a little dirty and can't possibly be serviced?

I really liked this mouse for five months (just about exactly to the day). But the trackball is dirty inside, and Kensington insists that replacement is the ONLY option. They insist there's no way to open it to blow out the crud. It's obvious to me that the replacement will do the same thing in time, and only if it's still within the warranty period will there be any hope. This was WAY too expensive to accept a useful life of, at MOST, a few months beyond the warranty.

Update (August 2008) it can be opened, and it can be cleaned, but the plastic tabs to unlock the case are nearly impossible to locate, and the required tiny size Torx driver isn't much easier to find. I still like the mouse WHEN IT WORKS so maybe next cleaning cycle I will take photos or even video the process. Still TOO EXPENSIVE for the period of a few months when it might work right.

= = = here's the text of my prior review, all still true except the rating = = =

* * * * * * * * * * * *

UPDATE:

I am seriously considering deleting this review and reposting the same information *with updates* and a lot fewer stars. The trackball has become seriously unreliable. It is really obvious that it just has a little bit of crud inside. Human fingers have traces of oil, and computer environments have dust. Therefore, a buildup over time is inevitable. Which is why most such products UNTIL NOW have been serviceable - to clean the crud out. But NO. Technical support has promised to send me a replacement, because there's NO WAY, they say, to open it. That means that, if you're human, and if you use this product in any reasonable environment, you can expect AT MOST a few months of life past the end of the warranty. For me it has been slightly less than five months. And I have been "blowing the dust out" periodically with compressed air, but that doesn't seem to do any good any more.

re-update: Two days later, the trackball is completely, utterly, irretrievably dead.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

After three weeks, the battery level meter still hasn't dropped. I put in a pair of Energizers, and they really are "still going". While I've only remembered to turn it off overnight about half of the time.

I would have preferred a full sized mouse with a middle button and a couple of thumb buttons. But this didn't promise any of those features. And those are still my only disappointments - so that's about me, not the product.

It's a simple, two button, Bluetooth mouse, with a trackball in place of a scroll wheel. Or it's a two button trackball. Switching between is a simple double-click of the function button. I'm not much of a trackball fan, so I have only used that mode a little, but it seems fine. Bluetooth connectivity (with my Acer Ferrari) has been flawless. No drivers or other software to install, and I like the moderately high resolution - it means less movement across my limited desk.

It's very portable - I've almost lost it in my notebook bag a time or two. And even in my big hands, so far it has not been uncomfortable - unlike other "notebook" or "portable" mouses I've tried.

I hope they add a full sized counterpart version, with additional buttons (there's room for a true middle button) but until they do, this one's keeping me pretty happy.

Shortly after posting my review, I decided to take out the Energizers (still going!) and see how it would do with rechargeables. And I've been even less concerned about turning it off overnight. It clearly has a 'sleep mode' of its own even when I disabled my computer's power management; I've noticed it may take a fraction of a second to wake. It's been over ten days on 1.2V NiMH cells (freshly charged just before I put them in), and finally the gauge is showing one less segment than the max. And that's with 1800 mAh Duracells which have "been around the block" a few dozen times already. Impressive battery life.

UPDATE: the trackball, like any such mechanical device, eventually gets crud built up inside it. A blast from an ordinary compressed-gas duster cleared it for me this time, but I see no provisions for opening the body to actually let the junk OUT. This worries me, and I plan to investigate with Kensington support the next time I notice the trackball gets sluggish.

UPDATE: (26 Jan 08) Today the mouse rather suddenly just quit. I then realized it's been over a week since I manually turned it off. Meaning I didn't turn it on, either - which is the only time the battery meter lights up. I also realized that over the past two or three days there had been moments when it behaved like it had "fallen asleep" too quickly - now I know about what to watch for. The Energizers were indeed depleted. I dropped in some new Duracells, and saw the pairing light come on ... and go out. All done! I thought I would have to re-pair Bluetooth to my computer again, but it just took care of it. If I could add a bonus star to this review I'd consider it.

Further update on battery life (16mar08) - since my one positive experience (almost two weeks) with NiMH cells, I have not been able to get them to last more than a few days without recharging. It might be my cells, they've been around the block a few times. Rechargeables might work for you, but I'll stick with alkalines. I'll try to remember to revisit this next time I buy /new/ NiMH cells.

Another update - now the compressed air just can't do the trick. Apparently crud has build up inside around the trackball sensor, and it now works less than half of the time, even though it makes the little "clicky" sound more than that. I really can't accomplish what I need without the scroll feature. I've put in a support request via their webform, but the form itself did not inspire any confidence. All I really want is to learn how to open it up. I'll probably try their phone support tomorrow.

============

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Smooth, light and well designed, March 6, 2008

By 

Aram R. Vartian (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse with Bluetooth Wireless (Graphite) K72281US (Personal Computers)

When I first picked up my Macbook Pro, I really didn't understand Bluetooth, and instinctually went for a Kensington Si750m Wireless Notebook mouse. And while it is a fine product, filling up one of my USB ports was not ideal (nor was having a long chunk of easily snapped-off plastic sticking out of the side of my laptop).

So I went shopping for a Bluetooth mouse, even though I was weary after a frustrating experience with my Macbook Pro and wireless headphones. I am thrilled I made the switch.

CONNECTION: EXCELLENT

Synching the SlimBlade with my Macbook was easy. You activate the mouse, you tell the Macbook to find it, and you are done. That simple. No software to install, and full functionality right out of the box. And to preserve battery life, when your Macbook Pro goes to sleep, so does the mouse (yet it still reacts instantly, and wakes up the Macbook, the second you touch it). I have plugged my Macbook to my television and jumped through the desktop with ease and no loss of connection from twenty feet away. Simply wonderful.

FUNCTIONALITY: EXCELENT

As a mouse, the SlimBlade glides smooth and even over any surface I have tried (mousepad, notebook cover, wood desk top). As as a trackball, it is not quite as good; the smooth, rapid clicking of the ball is reassuring and completely accurate, and I find I can flick easily up and down, but sideways motion is slightly more difficult and seems to put more strain on my wrist. But this is a minor complaint, and when in mouse mode, the trackball allows for quick scrolling with a flick of the finger through longer documents. Very helpful.

DESIGN: GOOD

The narrow profile of the SlimBlade makes for excellent portability, as does the weight. The plastic casing is sleek and elegant; smooth, dark gray plastic along the top with a rubberized, textured edge that supplies a firm grip and easy mousing surface. The left and right click buttons are perfectly proportioned and intuitive, and the trackball is just large enough to be effective.

BATTERY: DECENT

So far, the battery life has proven to be very good, and inline with what they company claims. I use the mouse for several hours a day and have gone nearly a month so far with the battery indicator still showing a full charge. The only reason why I give this a decent rating is because I think, in 2008, it is not unreasonable to expect any wireless mouse to be fully rechargeable. The fact that it came with a pair of disposable Energizer batteries was highly disappointing (at least it came with batteries, though).

RECOMMENDED: ABSOLUTELY

In all, this is a fantastic, smooth, and easily portable mouse that will find a very happy home inside your laptop case.