Microsoft Trackball Explorer — The World’s Most Comfortable Trackball

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And, of course, it’s no longer available. This device is just one of the many items whose demand appears strong regardless of the fact that their manufacturers have inexplicably decided to discontinue making them. A quick search on eBay produces a handful of Trackball Explorers, each fetching at least $100 (often a lot more; recently even several hundred dollars!) That’s pretty good for a device that one could pick up from a local computer retailer, or from the web for $39.95 few years back!

Today the mainstream trackball alternatives include Logitech and Kensington models (plus some more industrial, or “80′s looking” trackballs by ITAC and Evergreen Systems). None of the currently available models come anywhere close to the ergonomy of Microsoft’s Trackball Explorer, and this sentiment is echoed on countless hardware review forums on the web.

Was the demand really so minimal for the trackballs that it wasn’t worth it for Microsoft to continue manufacturing it? Perhaps the sales weren’t as strong as they’re “supposed” to be for this kind of a device—perhaps when compared to the sales figures of mouses. But my guess is there are quite a few people out there who would be more than happy to pay, say, $69.95 for the (perhaps even slighly improved) device rather than scouring the dwindling sources for the trackball, or settle for another manufacturer’s best model that the “late” MS Trackball Explorer beat hands down. Today Microsoft offers just mouses for pointing devices — but a mouse won’t always do. Oftentimes the available desk-space is limited — there is no space to move the mouse around (whereas, of course, a trackball is stationary). And more importantly—especially when using 3D or CAD applications—mouse is less accurate. When you’ve placed the cursor on the exact pixel you want it to be on, with trackball you can then remove your finger from the ball before releasing the button to get a positively accurate placement. With a mouse the action of releasing the depressed button moves the mouse enough so that the cursor is moved a pixel or two before the ‘drop’ action occurs.

I have written Microsoft a few times regarding this issue, and it’s likely few other people have done so, too. There has never been a response, probably because their trackballs are gone, period. If Microsoft is not going to bring it back, it would be a great business idea for someone to revive a truely ergonomic trackball… there would be many users who would be glad to pay, say, the aforementioned $69.95 for a well designed, professional trackball, the “Trackball Explorer 2.0″.


Update 23 September 2008:

To get an update on TBE I contacted Edelman | Seattle yesterday.  The original contact, Kerry Gentes, was no longer with the company and I spoke with Brittany Turner instead.  According to her Microsoft’s stance on the issue has not changed; they are still not listening to what their customers want (she didn’t use those words exactly, but that’s basically what it boils down to).

Microsoft is also not willing to license the device at this time.

This puzzles me.  Microsoft bases their decision not to continue manufacturing and marketing the device on a “strategic decision” to concentrate on mouse devices because the market share trackballs hold is “insignificant”.   I’m sure the sales figures for mouses are greater than for trackballs, but it’s the same situation between any consumer and “pro” product.  Most people who go to buy a computer at Fry’s or Best Buy automatically buy a mouse as the computer comes with one.  In many cases it’s a Microsoft mouse, so naturally Microsoft sells a lot of them.  However, unlike many other devices, there is no viable alternative for the Trackball Explorer, and the “strategic decision” to not sell them makes a significant number of users rather unhappy.  If you go to a computer or office supply store they may carry a Logitech or Kensington model or two whose ergonomics simply have nothing on the TBE.  Microsoft could easily hold that shelf-space instead simply by resuming the manufacture of the already existing product which even has up-to-date drivers (Vista compatible, etc.)

If Microsoft doesn’t feel like investing more R&D funds to the TBE at this point, they could use the exact same design as TBE 1.0.  They might change its colors slightly to match the current product line and slap on a price tag equivalent to that of Kensington Expert Mouse ($99.99, or perhaps a little more competitively at $74.95) and it would sell like hot cakes.  It would still sell fairly strongly even if the price tag was $149.99, just as long as it would be available (recent prices for functional units sold on eBay have fetched $400+).  Surely the sales figures would not reach those of mouses, but then Microsoft also sells many more of the consumer licenses than professional licenses to its operating systems for the same exact reason – most computers sold come readily with “Windows Vista Home” installed.  Yet lower sales figures for the “Pro” versions of the operating system products, for example, don’t result in pulling a product from the market.

Microsoft’s unreachability and inertness regarding this issue is very frustrating.  You’d have to look hard for a product that so many users feel so strongly about (just read the comments in this blog for a small sampling of TBE users who have searched the web, come across this blog, and decided to post!) If Microsoft discontinued a particular mouse, nobody would think twice of it – they’d just pick up a newer (or, perhaps, a competitor’s) model.  Same goes for most anything I can think of – there’re always alternatives.  In most cases a new, improved versions of the older products are made available by the same manufacturer.  Unfortunately the situation with the TBE serves to illustrate the way Microsoft is going: business decisions are made internally without paying too much (or any) attention to the customer feedback.  This, also, is why the agile younger companies like Google are gradually eating away Microsoft’s market share in many areas of business.  When the time comes to make a choice between a Microsoft product that does have competitive alternatives – and most do – users who were shorted by Microsoft previously are more likely to choose a competitor’s product, especially if the competitor appears more responsive to customer feedback.

Microsoft Trackball Explorer

Microsoft Trackball Explorer

442 thoughts on “Microsoft Trackball Explorer — The World’s Most Comfortable Trackball”

  1. I treat my TBE better than I do my husband! :-)
    Him I can replace!

    He has a Kensington Expert Mouse (WHY do they call it a “Mouse”?). I suppose if anything happens to my TBE (Heaven forbid!!!) I could make do with an Expert, but it would be a strain to get used to.

    I have recurring CTS and RSS, and my TBE is a trusted friend.

  2. Look at Amazon.com… They have sellers who will get you a brand NEW TBE for US$500 !!!! or a used one for US$100 to US$200!!

    Personally, I would not part with my dear TBE…

  3. i found one of these yesterday!
    it’s a pretty decent/trackball.
    i think the left click button might be broken a little…
    it double clicks allot of the time, when it should be single clicking..
    but i just did a little bit of button switching, and it’s VERY decent

  4. I love my trackball explorer, I never thought twice about it tell today, I needed one for the wifes new computer, and bam, wtf no one sells it any more??? HOW THE??? So I go and start looking at new ones, all of the ones I find are eaither a very un friendly design for your hand or use your thumb to move the ball….. I checked ebay and found them though, expensive, $160 for a reconditioned one… Had to settle for a crappy logitech one, I would of been glad to spend anything under $100 to get another explorer though!!!!

  5. I’ve used this trackball exclusively,for over 6 years now,and absolutely love it! I have 4 used ones in my closet,one I’m presently using,and one still brand new and sealed,in the box.

    When this one starts to give me trubs,I’m gonna rebuild it along with a couple in my closet. The easist/quickest fix is to rotate/clock the existing bearings.

    I purchased ceramic bearings online,several years back,that I’ll also use,once the clocked bearings wear out. At that point,I’ll also put in new springs behind the buttons,and temper the plastic wear points ever so slightly.

    A guy on Ebay rebuilds these trackballs among others,and I was the person who turned him onto the site for the bearings,and what works in regards to keeping the ball/sphere in good working order.

    I occasionally play PC games,FPS etc,and I love what this trackball provides,in gaming(and hardcore gamers will laff at peeps using a trackball lol)

    I would love to see this device re-distributed,but sadly,I don’t see it in the near future. Hence,I believe I can keep the remaining trackballs I have,alive and functioning,till the day my old/arthiritic fingers won’t let me point n click lol

  6. Could you share the site where you purchased the ceramic bearings?

  8. Posted before on 6th of April

    Found out why there probably will never be any new trackballs like this – or even alike – on the market.
    Having followed the advise of some others, ordered 2mm chrome steel balls, drilled holes from the back of the transparent red dome, popped out the flat ones, pressed in new ones, and result is a new trackball.

    So why not re-produce them?
    Since there are three separate printcards, several separated leds and sensors, separate placed microswitches and various injection mould made plastic parts, not to forget the amount of inproper placed different sized screws!! These things have cost at least as much as where they have been sold for, even when produced by at least several companies in china.

    Then the garantuee on version 1, which has fragile plastic legs for the bottom left button (changed in version 2) must have cost …….

    As designer and first day rhino user I have thought about a better production version (less parts etc) but the trouble is that our ergonomics will not allow this – compair any ordinary mouse (two plastic parts, one printcard, couple of sensors direct on printcard) and you will understand….

    sorry guys, but live is tough….

  11. Please please please bring back the trackball explorer 1.0. It was the best ever – I have tried to replace it with others so many times and NOTHING out there is as good.

  12. Nonplus, I doubt it. If you click on any of the links on the Google products search page, you’ll notice that all of them are “sold out”.

  13. Thank you for posting this entry. I would cry if I lost any one of my two Microsoft Trackball Explorers! I have one for home and one I’ve taken with me to FOUR different jobs since I bought it back in 2000.

    I’ve seen the repair kids people offer online but I’m almost afraid to open up the Trackball in fear that it might worse LESS after I try and fix it :P

  14. Back when I originally bought mine, they were around 50 euros a piece. Earlier today my cat spilled coffee on my favorite keyboard, and it got me thinking about having one or more spare TBE’s. Looks like the device has become a collector’s item, with $200+ prices. Makes me cry, when I think about one I threw away because it fell and cracked the case a bit.

  15. I had the TBE for over 5 years doing architectural work nearly 16 hours a day. The thing can’t be beaten. I didn’t have wrist issues or anything but I absolutely noticed how comfortable it was. Now that my dog ate the cord I am back in the market for one and I would pay over $100 for a new one. So little has to be done to the TBE 1.0 to make it the leading pointer in any and all CAD offices. One of us may have to make the next generation of ergonomic trackballs because everything I’ve read is saying microsoft will never revive the trackball.

  16. Just opened my trackball to fix the right-click button. Bad idea. The plastic is so brittle it started crumbling with even the slightest pressure. The trackball I’ve loved for years is sitting in front of me in pieces. Time to move on. RIP Trackball, I will miss you.

  17. Microsoft Trackball Explorer is the best
    device to work with. Ergonomicly so well designed and a joy to work with
    all day long. It took me 40 minutes to
    get used to it but then I knew Trackball Explorers should be on every working table and not the stupid mouse which brings dammage to your wrist easily in the long run. People should be told that
    a good trackball is much better than
    a mouse. Microsoft please bring
    back the Trackball Explorer !!!!!!!!


  18. Paul:

    [...]
    Time to move on. RIP Trackball, I will miss you.

    Sad to see it go. We still have one of them operation and in use. I’ve some time ago moved to Kensington Expert Mouse (trackball) whose ergonomy leaves much to be desired, but which is not too terrible to use with an ErgoRest® Articulating Arm Support so that one’s arm/wrist floats above it when a low enough desk is used. That way lack of the ergonomic shape of the Expert Mouse is not so noticeable (and won’t kill your wrist).

  19. I today contacted Contour Design with a suggestion that they would pick up the torch of making an ergonomic trackball. Contour Design makes very well designed and built A/V editing controllers and ergo mice and workstation supplies. They would have the required design expertise and manufacturing experience to create an excellent replacement for Trackball Explorer. In my email I also suggested that were they to entertain designing such device, a bulletin board / blog / feedback form set up for the purpose would provide their designers with lots of ideas about what the users would be looking for in such device.

  21. Ah well, my old faithful Trackball Explorer has finally given up the ghost – the computer simply stopped getting messages from it today. Nice to know, despite multiple drops on the floor, that it was the signal cable the failed before the mechanical innards. Wonderful device.

    And now I’m stuck with no viable alternatives (much as I love the Explorer, I can’t afford to stump up £130+ for one). Rubbish.

  22. I love my TBE. I’ve had it for six years and it was second hand to begin with. It’s been having connectivity issues and I looked online to see if I could get a new one. Not so much. Guess I’ll nurse it along. Not looking forward to switching to a different type :(

  23. I have the older model, the 5 button trackball with the thumb operated ball, and love it. The problem is its getting old. The left click button is weak and gives erroneous clicks and the small steel balls that support the big red thumb ball are worn flat so it doesn’t “glide” anymore. I have had this thing for ten years and don’t want to give it up. I have huge hands like an ape and a normal mouse or a Logitech trackball just don’t work. I really can’t afford the asking prices for the remaining pieces out there for a like model. Maybe there is a business potential for refurbishing these things.

  24. I’ve owned my tbe since late 2001 and it has been going strong ever since. Despite a few drops, and countless days maybe a couple years of hourly use it has been the only mouse I want to use. Everything else even in 2011 is rubbish. No company wants to market the tbe, but someone needs to pick up the torch and run with it. The market is clearly there >.< I know my mouse will be clocking out on me in another year or two and it really saddens me that I won't be able to get an exact replacement for it. I don't want another mouse, I want the same one.

    I never did understand why Microsoft let go of such a great product. From hardcore gaming to intense photo manipulation and graphic work there's no other option that works quite so well. I will miss you TBE, you were my first love.

  25. I wish I could find one of these in Toronto at a reasonable price. Or even better if Microsoft started producing them again.
    I’ve never used one but I am certain I would prefer it to a regular mouse

  26. Simply the best trackball ever made. Using the first two fingers, instead of the thumb or middle two like most these days, it was ergonomic and accurate.

    I think it’s pretty clear where improvements could be made inexpensively after all it’s time in the hands of consumers. I can think of a base model, and a couple upgraded versions right off the top of my head (ie gaming style with more buttons and such). I wish Microsoft would either produce it, or license someone else to.

    I’d pay $100 for a updated new one with a smile on my face (and probably several in the basket). More for a high resolution more button gaming version.

    I so miss my Trackball Explorer…all the ones I had over the years died, and I finally moved on because I’m not going to drop $300 for refurbished versions in questionable condition sight unseen. But not a day at the computer goes by that I don’t want to throw my Logitech into the trash and go back to a Trackball Explorer.

  27. Since everyone here is schooled on these… My dillema…

    I’ve used these for 10 yrs. I keep going back and using driver ver 3.2 as later versions lose the ability to program buttons with the “page up” Page Down” function. It’s not on the pull down menus anymore.

    I’ve recently went to Windows 7 Ultimate. It finds the compatable driver and it’s like ver 8 or 9…. Will not allow install 3.2 even under compatability mode, but I haven’t been real successful get much of anything to work under that mode. :) I’m new at Win 7.

    Page up and down functions on the Trackball buttons are super useful to me.

    Any ideas or thoughts?

  28. you are probably having the same problem I am. The left click is probably fine – what is happening is the scroll wheel tension is a little too loose. If you look at the left button, depress it, is it touching/moving the scroll wheel? I took mine apart, cleaned it, but need to take it back apart and fix the tension or shim it. there are also sellers on eBay that will refurbish your TBE and replace the metal roller balls with ceramic ones and a few other services.


    ineedfiles:

    i found one of these yesterday!it’s a pretty decent/trackball.i think the left click button might be broken a little…it double clicks allot of the time, when it should be single clicking..but i just did a little bit of button switching, and it’s VERY decent

  29. check out eBay for sellers to refurbish your TBE! I recall there being two (2) offering similar services. all of the problems that you are describing can be remediated. There are also videos on YouTube showing how people fix them. I just wish I knew where they were getting the ceramic balls and I would fix mine myself!


    alex:

    I’ve owned my tbe since late 2001 and it has been going strong ever since. Despite a few drops, and countless days maybe a couple years of hourly use it has been the only mouse I want to use. Everything else even in 2011 is rubbish. No company wants to market the tbe, but someone needs to pick up the torch and run with it. The market is clearly there >.< I know my mouse will be clocking out on me in another year or two and it really saddens me that I won’t be able to get an exact replacement for it. I don’t want another mouse, I want the same one.
    I never did understand why Microsoft let go of such a great product. From hardcore gaming to intense photo manipulation and graphic work there’s no other option that works quite so well. I will miss you TBE, you were my first love.

  30. check out YouTube for videos. remove the base (there are screws under the two pads), drill out the back of the bearing socket in the trackball holder with a 1/16 bit and push the bearing out, if you have access to the ceramic balls can replace them or “clock” them – rotate the exiting bearing and put it back in the bearing socket. there are quite a few screws inside so just keep track of where they go…


    Jesse:

    Does anybody knows how to replace the bearings on the TBE? Any help will be appreciated.computech1on1@gmail.com

  31. the cord can be replaced. i believe they can be purchased (search eBay or Google) or have one of the eBay sellers do this for you and they will solder it to the board in your TBE.

    Sarah:

    I love my TBE. I’ve had it for six years and it was second hand to begin with. It’s been having connectivity issues and I looked online to see if I could get a new one. Not so much. Guess I’ll nurse it along. Not looking forward to switching to a different type

  32. any word from Contour Design? I’ll buy 10!


    Ville Walveranta:

    I today contacted Contour Design with a suggestion that they would pick up the torch of making an ergonomic trackball. Contour Design makes very well designed and built A/V editing controllers and ergo mice and workstation supplies. They would have the required design expertise and manufacturing experience to create an excellent replacement for Trackball Explorer. In my email I also suggested that were they to entertain designing such device, a bulletin board / blog / feedback form set up for the purpose would provide their designers with lots of ideas about what the users would be looking for in such device.

  33. I’ve left a few comments about the left clicking issue – I need to take mine apart again and look but I believe it is the spring that has worn out and may also need to be replaced – scroll wheel may be fine. from what i remember it is not much different that a spring in a pen so just need to cut one to the right length and try that out. should eliminate having to press the left click so hard causing it to hit the scroll wheel…


  34. Yann Best:

    Ah well, my old faithful Trackball Explorer has finally given up the ghost – the computer simply stopped getting messages from it today. Nice to know, despite multiple drops on the floor, that it was the signal cable the failed before the mechanical innards. Wonderful device.
    And now I’m stuck with no viable alternatives (much as I love the Explorer, I can’t afford to stump up £130+ for one). Rubbish.

    Sadly, mine died too about 3 months ago. The buttons broke and the little plastic pieces were not fixable. I was bummed because there really is no replacement. I decided to go with the Logitech M570 and bite the bullet with switching to the thumb trackball. It took about a week to get used to it and now, it’s second nature. I have to say, I’m very pleased with the mouse since it’s very similar to the MS trackball. The huge upgrade is it’s wireless with a tiny little usb plug and works like a champ. So while I’m bummed to see my MS trackball go, the change over to the thumb control was the answer for me.

  35. Love my TBE. I have about 10 of them and use them at various places around the house. There is no other that even comes close. i just hope the ones I have last me the rest of my life. Can’t believe Microsoft won’t give the patent to someone else if they’re too stupid to not bring it back. Shame on you Microsoft. I just wish I could get the Microsoft logo off of those I have left. Hate Microsoft. Love TBE.

  37. Dark days indeed. I currently use the MS Trackballs at home, but have Logitech equivalents at work.
    Both work equally well, but the older MS Trackball has those extra buttons that Logitech won’t catch up with till around mid-July with the UK release of the M750.
    The biggest difference that I encounter daily is the ergonomic side. The MS Trackball is infinitely more comfortable for my hand!

  39. I’ve been using the TBE since 2000 – and started looking for a replacement in case it breaks. I didn’t realize the high demand was creating a price hike for new, yet discontinued TBEs, until now… Microsoft should be pressured into re-manufacturing this fine mouse, since it’s only the BEST ergo mouse EVER invented!

  40. @Julianne… that trackball has been around for quite some time. I’m not sure if I have ever got to try one.. but one concern I have about it is how little of the trackball ball is exposed.

    @Mark C… I totally agree, but thus far we haven’t figured out what would sufficiently pressure Microsoft to pull such a feat! :-) I think it’s more likely that some smaller manufacturer – like Contour Design would take up the challenge of creating a modern trackball to match the venerable, late MS Trackball Explorer.

    My wife still has a functional TBE; I moved to Kensington Expert Mouse after my last TBE stopped working. It’s ok, though nowhere as ergonomic as the TBE. Kensington’s more recent design, SlimBlade is unpleasant to use and seems to have been designed for the looks rather than ergonomics.

  41. I have a brand new in the box trackball explorer #X05-42185 for sale. Send me a note if interested. I’m not a business.


  42. marco:

    I have a brand new in the box trackball explorer #X05-42185 for sale. Send me a note if interested. I’m not a business.

    Marco,

    Would love to purchase your MS TBE. Contact me at KNR1 @ rcpt.at and we can discuss specifics.

    Thanks

    k

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