Kensington Orbit USB/PS2 Combo Mouse/Trackball for Windows or USB Mac

Supporting the natural angle of your hand to help reduce fatigue from extended trackball use, Orbit looks and feels like a mouse and is as easy to use as one. But it's a trackball, so you have less hand and arm movement, more comfort and control.

Product Description
The Kensington Orbit looks like a mouse, feels like a mouse, but it's a trackball. This trackballis clearly one of the hottest new input devices on the market. Unlike other accessories that put a strain on your body after hours of use, this trackball gives your hands and arms a rest. Designed with Kensington's Hand-Hugging Comfort, the Orbit immediately transforms you to a comfort zone that blows away the competition. It's designed to support the natural angle of your hand and wrist, so you're able to work in a more comfortable and productive position. Plus, the unique shape of the Orbit is perfect for both left and right-handed users.Like other Kensington products, this powerful trackball comes with MouseWorks software that ends double-clicking woes. If your job entails hours of Internet access, the Orbit cannot be ignored. Instead of hitting a site and double-clicking to what you want, the Orbit opens files with a simple click. If you need to drag an image or paragraph across your desktop the days of holding down a mouse button are over with MouseWorks software. You can drag, scroll and highlight with just a click! With its Pop-Up Menu feature, you can create personal menus for the tasks you do most. For instance, commands such as Open, Print, and Save can easily be added to increase your overall productivity and performance.

That is why this Kensington model is such a good first choice. It is inexpensive, the ball is smooth and responsive, and it has the major advantage of being ambidextrous. Like most trackballs, it is very simple to maintain.

Be forewarned! Trackballs take getting used to. It takes time to learn to click the button with your thumb without sending the entire mouse skating, which also sends the cursor flying. That is why many folks find themselves switching to a mouse that puts the ball under the thumb and the buttons under the finger (in my opinion, a much more stable configuration).

Nonetheless, this Kensington model is an excellent value and will perform well. As a first choice in trackballs, you can't go wrong.


I'll Never Go Back To A Mouse   January 3, 2002
Matt (Austin, TX USA)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

I've been using this trackball professionally (I'm a graphic designer) and at home for the last 3 years. I bought it because I was experiencing cramping in my forearm from repetitive stress. From the moment I first started using the trackball, I could tell the difference. The cramping ceased almost immediately.

I've tried other trackballs (Logitech and the Kensington Expert) none of them offered the control and comfort that the Orbit did. Because of the intense focus on the thumb, the Logitech model I tried actually made my problem worse.

The best thing is that with programmable button behaviors, you don't have to give up your scrolling wheel. You can program the Orbit to act just the same when you click the right and left buttons at the same time!

On top of everything else...you can claim back your desk. No more wandering mouse syndrome. No mouse pads. No falling off of the mouse pad. And no more revving up your mouse like it was a Hot Wheels car to move it around the screen.

It can be difficult to clean, especially after 3 years, but I've had no complaints and recommend this model to everyone I know.


Excellent trackball! Never go back to a mouse again!   February 3, 2001
Takuya Arai (Lakewood, OH USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

I've been using this trackball for well over a year now and I have to say, next to my Microsoft contoured keyboard, it's the best "upgrade" I've made to my computer. It does take some getting used to and it does lack some features like the middle scrolling wheel and the like but I'm willing to give those up for the confort and ease of use of this mouse.

Once you get used to it, this trackball just "feels" right under your hand and you have maximum control from just twitching your index and middle finger. I wouldn't suggest playing any video games with this but for common everyday use, you'll never go back to a standard mouse again.

The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is that, unfortunately, it's kind of a pain to clean. Because it's not an optical mouse, you need to, on occasion, pop the ball out and clean the rollers and the teeny little red beads that hold the ball in place.... If you have extremely dry hands, I guess it's not that big of a deal but cleaning the gunk out CAN be an excersize in a bit of frustration. Essentially, you'll get to the point where you'll never get it completely clean. Just clean enough....

But that complaint aside, this really is a great trackball, and though there's a holy war between the users of this type of trackball vs. the logitech type with the little ball on the thumb, in my opinion, after using both, this give you the maximum in control and confort for a really good price. If you're looking to get rid of that clunky mouse, at least give this one a chance. You just might like it.


simplicity holds the answer.   February 9, 2001
K. Olff (CA, USA)
8 out of 8 found this review helpful

this is quite possibly the greatest input device ever. Besides the fact that you never have to deal with moving the mouse around. running out of mousepad space. or tangling the wires. It is large and fits your hand perfectly. Over the course of my 10 years of using computers. i have seen it all. mice, optical mice, touchpad, touchpoint, and trackballs. and i can honestly say that this is the best input device i have ever used, great for photo editing (photoshop) flash movie making, and playing games. including RTS games (red alert, starcraft, homeworld) and FPS games (unreal tournament, jedi knight) this is the one you want. and you cant beat the price!!!


Trackballs are great - this one, however, is NOT   November 6, 2003
M. Turner (Sunshine State - FL, USA)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful

Bleck, bleck, bleck! Don't let this trackball sour you from the concept. Trackballs themselves are MUCH better and MUCH easier on your hands, wrists, and arms then regular mice, but this one is a real stinker.

First off, it's FAR too heavy. The ball is mechanical, NOT optical, so it makes for slow, plodding, difficult motions. It's a chore to push your cursor across the screen and it really causes a lot of fatigue in your hands and fingers.

Secondly, it's just not as comfortable as other, similar designed trackballs like the MUCH easier and OPTICAL Marble Mouse by Logitech. This one is just too wide in the base for me and the buttons were too far stretched apart. There wasn't any natural "drapping" of the hand on this design.

Thirdly, it's WAY overpriced. For ten dollars less you can get an optical trackball which will give you a lot more percision with a lot less effort.

For those who like this style, I highly recommend you opt for the Logitech Marble Mouse. At about $20, it's a much better value. I used one for about five years and noticed a GREAT reduction in wrist pain.

For those wanting more options (such as scroll wheels and such), I would suggest the very well designed Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman. It's what I upgraded to after using the Marble Mouse for so many years. It does require a slight change in position of hand, but it stays away from those horridly uncomfortable thumb-wheel designs you see; you still use your fingers to roll the main ball around.

Do yourself a favor and get a trackball. Just make sure it's an optical one instead of a mechanical one. You'll really be thankful you did and you'll notice improvement and relief from wrist/hand/arm pain.