My old Logitech trackman is finally too cranky to use anymore.
Trying out different new ones.
The darling of the moment is the Kensington SlimBlade Pro.
Wired – internal rechargeable battery, BT, or 2.4 Dongle.
Really really smooth. Nifty software that allows customization per app or mode.
Just have to remember what does what - where.
Not nearly as ergonomic as the old Trackman.
I wish I had bought 5 of them back when they were like 18 bucks.
Now NOS or used are way over $100.
Somebody needs to clone these.
Currently on a bit of a sale on Amazon. $95 vs $120. Think this might be a permanent sale.
All the Best,
Jeff Slimblade
I always wanted to get one but with the big bocce-ball and all its inertia like Missile Command used. One whack and it scrolllllllls for like a minute and a half…
Guess who’s a lucky guy? At this very moment I’m using the original Logitech TrackMan Marble+. I sure hope it will survive me.
It mitigates, but not reverses, the elbow issues I got from using the box-shaped original Logitech mouse.
Con: You’ll have to clean/empty the internals once in a while, because it is quite a dust catcher.
Yeah, the buttons do kinda suck. But I can work the back two with my finger tips on the ball.
How do you find the ball smoothness on the Elecoms?
Lots of negative reviews about the ruby bearings being crappy.
Many reports about changing out the bearings. Then it works nice and smooth. Something I can’t do anymore because of loss of hand function.
The Huge is on my short list of ones to try.
I like to use the ball with my fingertips. Most trackballs put the the buttons too frelling close to the ball and it’s move the hand up to get to the buttons or work the ball near the palm part of the fingers
All the Best,
Jeff
I like the Slimblade but agree that the buttons feel a bit crappy, I do love the scrolling system on it. I’m probably going to try a CST next time I need one, they’re supposed to be over-built and bomb-proof.
It is such a shame about the Trackman Marble, it’s a really nice trackball and they weren’t too expensive. I do wish it had a scroll wheel though.
I looked at those. Their web site sure indicates it’s well built.
Love the glowing ball.
But the darn buttons are right by the ball.
Just like every other one I can find.
Seems like no modern maker can take a look at the TrackMan Marble and understand why it was such a great and comfortable to use ball.
All the Best,
Jeff
Howbow those standalone trackpads? They’re the size of a coffee-warmer, mine has a glass(!!) top, and they have landing zones at the bottom for button-function.
With all the different settings in the drivers (inertia, acceleration, etc.), you can even make them “feel” kinda like a trackball.
Both the Huge and the Deft Pro can be operated without moving the hand and controlling the ball with the index and middle finger.
I have enabled button scrolling. Not sure if the Windows driver has it as well, but the regular Linux libinput (and older evdev) support it. Hold a button and use the ball to scroll up/down and left/right (or diagonally).
Just got one in to try today. I really like it. Mine is wired. Just the right size.
Zip around across both monitors, yet good control of fine movements.
Had to swap directions as it was bass ackwards from my laptop.
Installing the Kensington software just killed my mouse speed.
But between the Slimblade and the trackpad, think the mouse is going into retirement.
Could not get the trackball to BT connect for love nor money.
2.4 Dongle works just fine. Reviews say it has awesome battery life.
All the Best,
Jeff
Yep, they’re nice and smooth, and no cleaning out dust (or cat-hairs) on the regular.
I forgot if mine is wired or wireless, as I used that with the desktop, but have been using laptops for nigh forever. 'Though everyone who’s seen it is like, “Wow, that’s nice!”.
I think when people use (and get used to) the skimpy trackpads on laptops, they don’t consider it to be all that great, but when you get something the size of a digital scale (square, so better analogy than a round coffee-warmer) and you can scoot right along like nothing.
And the (edge-to-edge) top wipes right off, no creases or crevices to catch filth, even spills wipe right off.
I think I got mine in Staples back when they had a store within walking distance of me. They had obscenely good deals on all kinds of computer shiite (mice/keyboards/trackpads, power supplies, flash-thingies, spinny disks, you name it), and man did I stock up. That’s how/when I started my NAS farm.
Huh… you just brought to mind the wireless k+t I got. Was using that with a laptop for a while. Just found it. Logitech K400R. Laptop-class trackpad on the right side, nothing spectacular, think it’s a 90% keyboard? Only thing I don’t like is the lack of discrete home/end/pgup/pgdn and teenytiny right-shift. Gotta “unlearn” muscle memory if I use it.
But, being that I wanted a remote keyboard with trackpad, pickins were kinda slim.
I don’t like trackpads much. The one on my MacBook Pro is reckoned to be one of the very best but I still much prefer a trackball over it. Unfortunately option for trackballs seem to be shrinking.
The buttons on the Slimblade are becoming more annoying the more I use it.
Like the customization software.
I like the glass top touchpad so far. Easy to make big and controlled moves.
As Warren Zevon sings - Still searching for the next best thing.
All the Best, Jeff
The more I use this thing, the more I like it.
Once I figured out how to get a - click and hold - equivalent, using only one hand.
That took care of the - I done ran out of trackpad before I got the highlight or window resize finished - syndrome.
The only issue is when two finger scrolling I sometimes end up resizing things.
If one of these could be glued to a 75% keyboard and be wireless - total bliss.
Here’s the one I got. 4x5.4 inch size.
All the Best, Jeff trackpad
Picked up one of these from Amazon.
It’s bigger than the glass top wired version.
The surface is not as nifty feeling.
But the active area extends over the buttons and the buttons are way easier to push.
Bluetooth connected first try. All the gestures work better on this one for me.
I like it a lot!
All the Best, Jeff Bluetooth trackpad
