Andrew Orr
Kensington's new SlimBlade Pro Trackball provides users with an ergonomic way to navigate their Mac or another computer.
The plug-and-play SlimBlade Pro offers connectivity through Bluetooth, 2.4GHz wireless, or a wired option. It has a rechargeable battery that offers up to four months of usage, per charge — and it charges with USB-C.
The large, 55mm trackball lets users scroll up and down through webpages and documents with a twist for precision movement. Dual optical sensors track the ball to provide accurate and responsive cursor tracking and scrolling.
Kensington designed the product for nearly anyone with its ambidextrous design that requires little hand and wrist movement, making it comfortable during extended use.
Users can customize the device with the free KensingtonWorks software. It can assign various program functions to each of the Trackball's four individual and combo buttons.
The software package for the trackball is available for macOS 10.4 Mojave and later, and the company provides a separate download for legacy Mac versions.
It's not clear if the package is Apple Silicon native or not. We have reached out to the company to find out, and will update accordingly.
The SlimBlade Pro also features 128-bit AES encryption to provide security that deters hackers from monitoring the wireless connection and capturing sensitive information.
SlimBlade Pro Trackball - Pricing & Availability
The SlimBlade Pro Trackball is available to order for $119.99 on Amazon and through Kensington's website for the same price.
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8 Comments
I had the Kensington Turbo Mouse for years (a couple of them, actually) back in the pre-USB days of Apple Desktop Bus connectivity in 1990s Macs, if memory serves. Great products. I'm glad to see that they've modernized it — well, assuming that it works natively with Apple Silicon-based Macs. I used one through Apple's odd-design mouse days (like the original iMac's hockey puck and the wired Mighty Mouse, whose miniature scroll ball got gummed up too easily) … but when the Apple Magic Mouse was first released (a couple years after the first iPhone, as you'll recall), its multitouch surface won me over instantly and I've never looked back.
This new Kensington SlimBlade Pro Trackball will find a market. They were smart to make it work both wirelessly and wired. One of my friends sticks with her old Mighty Mouse because she hates the idea of having to recharge a mouse.
Curious to know if anyone uses a trackball these days, and for what market. Seems odd to keep something alive if it doesn't have a market.
Recording studios, video editing. Trackball is just a better experience than a trackpad.
Page layout mainly, but also a bit of Photoshop, audio editing, word processing, spreadsheets, etc. Mine is a Turbo Mouse. Much easier on my wrists than a mouse, especially when using it for an extended amount of time. I also like the scroll wheel and the multiple buttons and button combinations.