Mice - Bluetooth

[HalfNelson]

I have been using the same Trackman Wheel for over 7 years now, and I am very dissapointed that no advancements have been made in this design.  I would greatly appreciate a bluetooth version of this device, as it goes with me everywhere and the current receiverr is just cumbersome at best.  I would be willing to pay up front for the developement of this product if something could be done.  I would be very interested to know if Logitech would do anything if the 1500+ people who signed the petition, all paid Logitech say $50-$75 upfront for this product. I know I would be willing to invest in this product being more actively developed and improved upon.

[dawsora]

I got the Kensington, as Logitech doesn't seem to have any plans for a bluetooth mouse, but the feel of it is so far inferior to my trackman that I hate using it. However, I may rip it apart to see if there is any way to cobble the bluetooth module to an older (I have 3) trackman. If I can get it to work, I'll let you know how I did it.

[trackball]

Are you talking about the slimblade trackball? That's the only Kensington trackball that I know of that is a bluetooth, and it is more of a mouse in any regarde.

[dgatwood]

That's the only one I'm aware of, too. I've played with it a little, and the roller ball that is normally used for scrolling can be switched into a miniature trackball for moving the mouse pointer. I didn't have any real amount of time to try it, so I could be surprised, but I wasn't particularly impressed.

Based on what I've seen with Apple's mighty mouse, since the ball is so small, I suspect that you would not have enough control for it to really work well. Even the ball on my PowerBook 145 back in the day was just too small to work reliably at fine levels of precision. I can't imagine trying to use something a fraction that size.

The Kensington device in question seems designed more as a mouse that you could occasionally use as a trackball in a pinch if you're on an airplane with your laptop and don't have room to use the mouse for a few hours. I think even in those cases, I'd choose the built-in trackpad, though. For those of us who use a trackball continuously, something tells me that a product designed as a "travel trackball" would not be a very satisfying experience.

I guess it might be better than nothing, but I'm not about to spend $85 on something that at best might just barely serve its intended purpose.

[trackball]

I'm inclined to agree with you. I've never been impressed by the Kensington offerings. The slimblade trackball seems nothing more than a novelty than anything. I'll just continue to slowly save up to make a trackball myself

[Gerrit42]

so its really a shame
so i dont know how manny mac books heve beeing sold and how manny bt solutions are avaliable ???
i also have about 6 trackmaans 3 of them are wireless and im missing a simple reciver which should be as small as posibble ( i could deliver some ideas ) jst to get rid of the dammed big reciver so if the dont want to do bt products then give us anotcher chance to spend our money ( something like brain to computer wireless interface maybe??? hää ) ok jst a dumm idea of me
so time and bt support will come i hope
by the way why does my 3 d connection not work whith my mac ( and there are no divers )
gerrit

[CaliforniaNerd]

I would like to add my name to the list of those who would like a bluetooth Trackman.  I have used Trackman for years and love it but I would like to eliminate the transmitter sitting in my work area.

Allen Coleman

[TimothyDaniels]

Ditto, ditto, ditto. I've been using a Microsoft trackball (similar to Logitech's Cordless Trackman Optical), and it has taken the tension off the right side of my neck and has become a medical necessity. Now I have a Dell Bluetooth Travel Mouse for my laptop. This is made by Logitech for Dell - a small version of Logitech's MX™900 Bluetooth® Optical Mouse - and I really like the freedom from clutter that Bluetooth affords. Now if Logitech made a Bluetooth trackball, I'd be in ecstacy. Do it, Logitech! Puhleeeeez!

*TimDaniels*

[zzzzzzzz]

Holy bujeezus, 2 years old? This thread comes up #2 in google for "bluetooth trackball".
I hope they at least started development.

Wishlist:
Non-ambi thumb ball
Works with the new asus eee901 onboard bluetooth
4 buttons+

Oh yeah... usb charger

Message Edited by zzzzzzzz on 07-29-2008 12:30 AM

[revgreg]

I own two wired Trackman Wheel units that are so old and used that the gray finish is worn off where my palm rests on top of them...with the amount of time I spend mousing I can't imagine the fatigue I would incur using ANY other design. Well, today the unit that I carry around with my laptop failed likely due to the cord being rolled and the unit stuffed into a bag a few thousand times over the years...no big deal, buy a new one...of course, they MUST have a Bluetooth version by now. That would rock.

Not so.

Look, I owned one of the RF wireless version years ago...used it for a few weeks and then schlepped it on eBay. The reception was terrible at home and what was the point of using it when traveling with my laptop...if I still have to plug something into the USB port, it might as well be connected directly to the mouse. Also, since it didn't have a way to disable the unit while transporting it in my bag, it would frequently run down the battery because movement would wake the unit up (removing the battery meant having to re-pair the device and receiver which could be a PITA.) Unfortunately we have no market leverage here because Logitech KNOWS they have the most ergonomic design...there is NO other option for me.