What's the best trackball replacement for a despondent Microsoft Trackball Explorer lover?
June 6, 2009 9:06 AM Subscribe
Please recommend a replacement for my dying Microsoft Trackball Explorer, which I love as though it were my own child.
My Trackball Explorer is dying a slow, jittery death. I've clung to it as long as I could, but it's become almost impossible to use.
I know I'm not the only one who loves this trackball, given the prices that used ones command on eBay. Can any of you fellow Trackball Explorer lovers who've lost yours to the ravages of old age tell me what you replaced it with, and what you thought of the replacement?
My Trackball Explorer is dying a slow, jittery death. I've clung to it as long as I could, but it's become almost impossible to use.
I know I'm not the only one who loves this trackball, given the prices that used ones command on eBay. Can any of you fellow Trackball Explorer lovers who've lost yours to the ravages of old age tell me what you replaced it with, and what you thought of the replacement?
I think you can order another one for $59.99. Isn't this the same one?
posted by Houstonian at 9:42 AM on June 6, 2009
posted by Houstonian at 9:42 AM on June 6, 2009
(They have 116 in stock.)
posted by Houstonian at 9:43 AM on June 6, 2009
posted by Houstonian at 9:43 AM on June 6, 2009
Hey, sorry about that -- it seems it's a CD.
posted by Houstonian at 9:45 AM on June 6, 2009
posted by Houstonian at 9:45 AM on June 6, 2009
Among trackballs that are currently manufactured (the best ones seem to go out of production quickly), my favorite is probably the Logitech Trackman Wheel.
posted by box at 10:01 AM on June 6, 2009
posted by box at 10:01 AM on June 6, 2009
Have you tried cleaning it? Trackballs have a way of getting much more gunked up than standard mice.
posted by rhizome at 10:08 AM on June 6, 2009
posted by rhizome at 10:08 AM on June 6, 2009
Among trackballs that are currently manufactured (the best ones seem to go out of production quickly), my favorite is probably the Logitech Trackman Wheel.
The Trackman Wheel is my favorite as well (I even bought a spare in case they stop making 'em), but if you look at the layout: for a right handed user, the trackman wheel is thumb->trackball, fingers->buttons, but the MS Explorer is the other way 'round so that difference could cause some problems. Personally, I don't think I could get used to the Explorer's layout.
posted by juv3nal at 10:28 AM on June 6, 2009
The Trackman Wheel is my favorite as well (I even bought a spare in case they stop making 'em), but if you look at the layout: for a right handed user, the trackman wheel is thumb->trackball, fingers->buttons, but the MS Explorer is the other way 'round so that difference could cause some problems. Personally, I don't think I could get used to the Explorer's layout.
posted by juv3nal at 10:28 AM on June 6, 2009
It's true (and Logitech makes another one that's closer to the Explorer-style layout, but I don't like it as much). The closest thing Logitech ever made to the Explorer was probably the Trackman Marble FX--it's a member of that surprisingly-large group of discontinued trackballs that command insane prices on the secondhand market.
posted by box at 10:46 AM on June 6, 2009
posted by box at 10:46 AM on June 6, 2009
I also love the Logitech Trackman Wheel.
I tried the MS Trackballs and didn't really like them. I also hate the symmetrical trackballs like the Marble or the Expert Mouse. They really hurt my hand.
posted by reddot at 5:39 PM on June 6, 2009
I tried the MS Trackballs and didn't really like them. I also hate the symmetrical trackballs like the Marble or the Expert Mouse. They really hurt my hand.
posted by reddot at 5:39 PM on June 6, 2009
I use a Microsoft Trackball Explorer at work (still going strong, fortunately) and the "other one" linked above (the a Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman) at home. The layout isn't identical, but it's close enough that I don't have any problem switching between the two. If the Microsoft one dies, I'm getting a second one of the Logitechs to replace it.
(Still miss my old Marble FX though. I still keep its corpse around in case I figure out a way to fix it -- it's probably a cabling problem.)
posted by Lazlo at 6:54 PM on June 7, 2009
(Still miss my old Marble FX though. I still keep its corpse around in case I figure out a way to fix it -- it's probably a cabling problem.)
posted by Lazlo at 6:54 PM on June 7, 2009
I use a Kensington Expert Mouse as well, but it's a bit older. When are they going to make a Bluetooth version of these things? One more wire off the desk. And I concur, everytime I think its dying I clean it and it comes back to life.
posted by MarvinTheCat at 5:08 PM on June 17, 2009
posted by MarvinTheCat at 5:08 PM on June 17, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by EnsignLunchmeat at 9:17 AM on June 6, 2009