Customer Reviews

Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse with Bluetooth Wireless (Graphite) K72281US

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(34)
3 star:		(16)
2 star:		(14)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

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.

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.
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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.

Just wanted to post the review for purposes of letting folks know how to clean the track ball on the mouse. I had a scrolling problem and first tested the batteries. Not the problem, since batteries last close to forever on this mouse. Since the mouse was out of warranty, I had no alternative but to use self-help and try to fix it myself. Piece of cake. Just take a swiss army knife and gently pry off the silver ring around the track ball. It attaches to the mouse with four prongs. Once off, turn the mouse upside down, pop the ball out and voila! Just grab a q tip, some alcohol and clean off the little white ball contacts, rotating them around to get the crud out, and clean the ball itself. Put the ball back in, make sure the prongs line up from the ring, and gently snap the ring back on.

This is a great mouse, and has become my preferred travel mouse. The laser optics work on my blonde wood desk, which my older Logitech optical mouse does not, and seems to work well on virtually any surface. The scroller ball is really terrific; it's interesting how quickly this becomes a "necessity" and working with mice that have mere scroll wheels (up/down only, instead of omni-directional) becomes a chore. And the Bluetooth connection works perfectly with my MacBook Pro, coming alive quite quickly, shutting off automatically when not in use.

The only downside is one specific to my hands, which are larger than average. The slim mouse is actually a little small for me to use full-time, and so I still use my Logitech mouse when my laptop is docked at my desk.

If you have normal or (esp.) smaller hands, this won't be an issue, and you'll probably find this mouse to be nearly flawless. If you have large hands, it's still a good mouse, but be prepared to take breaks, or adopt a different grip, or otherwise do something to accommodate the slim profile of this device.

First, Kensingston needs to shake up their design and ergonomics staff. To turn on the mouse, the new user is told to press down the Mode button for three seconds and an indicator light will flash momentarily. The Mode button has no tactile feedback and guess where the tiny and dim indicator light is located? Yes, hidden under your fingertip. No feedback to your finger and no light for your eyes. It's sooo easy to assume your new mouse is DOA. I know that a simple on-off switch is probably uncool, but if Apple can do it, why not Kensington?

Second, Kensington should just fire the pointy haired person who decided to include that pitiful instruction sheet with the mouse. The word inadequate isn't strong enough to describe that waste of paper. The sheet also tells you to navigate to the Kensington web site and download the full instruction pamphlet. The problem is the instruction pamphlet is riddled with small errors such as stating the SlimBlade is shipped with an installation disk.

Once the mouse is actually on and connected, and some customers may not wait that long before they return it in disgust, it actually works well, extremely well. The SlimBlade tracks precisely on any surface. It switches between trackball and regular mode very easily. The trackball mode is very handy, especially in confined quarters like an airline seat. The SlimBlade will conserve battery power by automatically going to sleep after a few minutes. The user only has to press the "Mode" button to wake it up and...ooops, there's that pesky design flaw again.

If you're looking for a smaller Bluetooth mouse for your laptop and can wait, I'd wait for SlimBlade II. If you need a Bluetooth mouse right now, look at the SlimBlade. It has a design problem, but it does work. Faint praise I know, but for now, this seems to be the best choice in a poor field.

I really like the convenience of this mouse. I have a Mac and PC and it worked just fine with both. The Bluetooth feature is very nice because I no longer have to pull the RF adapter in and out. The trackball doubles as a scroll function when used as a mouse. It scrolls both up/down and sideways. I know it may drive some people nuts, but I like the soft clicks that it emits when you use the trackball. It helps me to determine when my applications are frozen or I have reached a scroll limit. Sometimes I assume my mouse is frozen so I keep scrolling only to overshoot my target point when it was actually the application.

There are actually 3 mouse buttons, left, right, and center which surrounds the trackball. Hold the center for about 2 sec to turn on and off, Tap to wake it up, and three clicks to switch from mouse to trackball feature on the fly. The trackball is also very smooth and I was pleasantly surprised at how precise it was. It is a lifesaver on planes or when you just don't have a whole lot of space to be moving a mouse. Those micro-mice always makes my hand cramp b/c of awkward hand positioning. I also switch to the trackball when I am working on a surface that is not great with laser mice or other optical mice (some surfaces scatter the light and then the mouse cannot interpret movements very well).

I did deduct one star because it could have been a little more ergonomic. Other than this, it is a great companion for your laptop.

I'm still getting used to this as a trackball, but I really don't have high hopes for it being a good working trackball. There's a lot of stress in trying to precisely position the pointer with such a tiny ball.

The mouse is great though. I haven't used a mouse for years since I developed RSI in the 90s; however for light use and switching between mousing and trackball use, it might be OK.

The bluetooth works great on the mac. But it actually took some work to get it working. I use this on a Macbook Pro running Leopard, which switches between being my desktop machine and a road machine. At the desktop I have the very wonderful Kensington Expert Mouse trackball. When I hooked up this new device, it messed with mouseworks, and it seemed like it wasn't going to work. When I called Kensington support, the off-shore guy told me that it wouldn't work, and I should send it back to Amazon. Since driver conflicts didn't seem very Mac-like, I perservered. I uninstalled the Mouseworks software, rebooted, recognized this new slimblade, and then installed mouseworks. They co-exist very well now.

Two stars because of the poor trackball. If everything else -- design, size, bluetooth -- weren't so compelling I'd definitely send it back. As it is, I think it might help take the load off of normal trackpad use when I'm on the road. It's definitely nicely portable.

See --> Kensington SlimBlade Trackball Mouse with Bluetooth Wireless (Graphite) K72281US
I have used this for 2 mo. on a Mac. It is fully compatible with OS 10.5, & responsive to the System Prefs/Mouse. It is excellent, works equally well as a mouse or trackball, & is just the right size. I prefer trackballs, & have tried many. This one is smooth & seemingly impervious to dirt & pet fur, but I have gently blown it out with air a couple of times.
The instructions in the box are lousy; decent instructions can be downloaded from the Kensington website.
Someday, hopefully, Kensington will have an improved (more configurable) ver. of their software -- similar to their Mouseworks. However, the present ver. is good.
This unit is only surpassed by the Kensington K64325 Expert Mouse Trackball which is flawless & fully configurable -- but way too BIG, & NOT wireless.
If Mouseworks is installed, it must be deleted, or the Slimblade will not work.

Simple put; I've been waiting for this product. I travel a lot and have tried every design on the market. This is the best combination for full on desktop mouse and handy travel mousing. Great battery life, flawless connection and solid construction.