Journal: News & Comment

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Kensington rocks

Kensington makes computer mice, trackballs, mouse pads, wrist rests, locking cables, cases, keyboard shelves, and a whole bunch of other accessories and peripherals. Kensington's mice aren't quite as well built as they used to be at the low end, but their high-end stuff (such as the Expert Mouse mega-trackball) remains pretty bulletproof. Plus they have a no-questions-asked five-year warranty, which I've needed in the past.

But here's why Kensington really rocks.

A few years ago, a four-button mouse of theirs that I had bought second-hand started acting up, so I e-mailed them. They no longer made it, so they offered me a refurbished Turbo Mouse (the Expert Mouse trackball, Mac version) in exchange. They sent me the Turbo Mouse first, without asking for any further info from me, and included a box to ship back the dead mouse,with an RMA number already on it. Cool point #1. (The Turbo Mouse is a way nicer product than the one I was replacing.)

A few months ago, my four year old lost the ball for the Turbo Mouse in the house somewhere. I finally got around to e-mailing Kensington last week about a replacement. Not only did they send me a new one -- they sent me twenty-four (yes, 24) replacement balls of several different colours, for free (not even shipping cost), two days ago, by Airborne Express, so I got them today. (The support rep e-mailed that they were actually for my daughter, and I could keep a few for the trackball.) These things are not small or light -- they're the same size as billiard balls, and only a little less heavy. Cools points #2 through #25, as far as I'm concerned.

Plus their MouseWorks drivers give you more control than anyone else's, and they provide great cleaning instructions for their products. With support like that, I'll buy their stuff again.

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