Kensington Expert Wireless Trackball

[nekonoshucchou]

Expert Mouse® Wireless Trackball with Bluetooth®

The Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball can be paired through Bluetooth. KensingtonWorks™ software offers customization, and optical tracking provides smooth cursor control.

store.kensington.com

Does anyone know if the wireless version of this trackball can successfully be connected to a Mac Studio?

 

[usagora]

I don't own a Mac Studio, but it shouldn't matter which Mac you connect it to since it's Bluetooth.

 

[lcubed]

at first glance, it should. according to the specs, it's only compatible with the mac's when using a 2.4 GHz receiver but not over Bluetooth LE.
not sure if that translates to using a dongle.

 

[Weisswurstsepp]

I have a Kensington Expert Wireless (I have large hands so this is one of the few input devices I can use comfortably over extended periods of time), and while my Mac Studio is still travelling around the world instead of coming straight to me I use it with a Mac mini M1, my old Mac Pro 5,1 and two HP workstations, all connected through a KVM switch. No problems whatsoever.

I do use the included wireless dongle, though, not Bluetooth, because of the KVM and because I'm too lazy to do the Bluetooth sync.

 

[nekonoshucchou]

Thanks much to all for the input.

@Weisswurstsepp - Does the trackball connect though kensingtonworks in macOS Monterey?
(I had the opposite problem: recently I had to interrupt a holiday, because the Studio arrived one month earlier than expected ... Hope your waiting doesn't last all too long).

 

[eddie_ducking]

Expert Mouse® Wireless Trackball with Bluetooth®

The Expert Mouse Wireless Trackball can be paired through Bluetooth. KensingtonWorks™ software offers customization, and optical tracking provides smooth cursor control.

store.kensington.com

Does anyone know if the wireless version of this trackball can successfully be connected to a Mac Studio?

I have a Kensington Expert Wireless (I have large hands so this is one of the few input devices I can use comfortably over extended periods of time), and while my Mac Studio is still travelling around the world instead of coming straight to me I use it with a Mac mini M1, my old Mac Pro 5,1 and two HP workstations, all connected through a KVM switch. No problems whatsoever.

I do use the included wireless dongle, though, not Bluetooth, because of the KVM and because I'm too lazy to do the Bluetooth sync.

Not sure if some of this is relevant, but it might be. I use a Logitech Ergo M575 trackball and have used it problem free via Bluetooth with my M1 Mini. I now use it on my Studio Ultra, again problem free, but now I (like Weisswurstepp) use it via a KVM and use the dongle in the KVM.

Reading the forums on MacRumours, it appears that some people have had problems setting up their Studios using Bluetooth devices that aren't Apples. Once configured, the devices work fine, but you may find that you have to use the dongle for the config (only). Personally I didn't have an issue, but the Mac simply sees a standard cabled USB mouse with the dongle being plugged into the KVM and the KVM using a USB cable.

 

[Weisswurstsepp]

@Weisswurstsepp - Does the trackball connect though kensingtonworks in macOS Monterey?
(I had the opposite problem: recently I had to interrupt a holiday, because the Studio arrived one month earlier than expected ... Hope your waiting doesn't last all too long).

I don't use any of Kensington's software, not on macOS and not even on Windows. The trackball works fine with both operating systems' standard HID drivers so I never saw the need to introduce another potential source of pain into my setup

 

[nekonoshucchou]

Kensington's software is a difficult customer indeed. So how do you configure the trackball buttons? You can't do that in the macOS system preferences.

 

[Diablo360]

I have one of these and never had any issues pairing it with my MacBook Pro’s and Max Pro.

 

[Weisswurstsepp]

Kensington's software is a difficult customer indeed. So how do you configure the trackball buttons? You can't do that in the macOS system preferences.

I don't need to configure the trackball keys in macOS, I do this in the actual apps (and games). The trackball buttons just show up as regular mouse buttons (1-4) so that's simple.

Of course, if you want to assign specific OS functions to the buttons then you'll probably need the Kensighton software (or any other tool which can assign actions to mouse keys).