Trackpoint Mice - forgotten?

Almost every new laptop I see these days seems to be missing the classic trackpoint style mouse pointer (that little nub between keys on the keyboard that controls the mouse).

My question is, why! I know I'm in the minority with my peers, but I absolutely detest using a slow touchpad, the trackpointer is so much faster, accurate and easy.

So why oh why! I guess I post it in this forum section in the hopes there are trackpoint hacks out there -- and also because there really wasn't a good section to post in to begin with


(PS - I would *love* a netbook with one of these pointers)

 

It's just consumer laptops. Probably to cut costs, etc. Most business laptops from Dell, HP, and especially Lenovo still have the trackpoint. Both of my machines, a Dell and an HP, have a trackpoint (though I'm one of those people who prefer to use the touchpad).

 

Every Lenovo ThinkPad still has the red TrackPoint "pointing device".

Dell includes the "TrackStick" on all Latitude E-series except the E5400 and E5500, where it's optional. It's also standard on Precision models.

Toshiba calls it the "AccuPoint II" and includes it on their Tecra A10 and M10 models (it's also Smurf Blue).

I'm not as familiar with the full HP business notebooks line. But as Commander Wolf already shared, some of them also have the 'pointstick' as HP calls it.

I wonder what the reasoning was behind leaving it on business-oriented models? Probably just following the lead of the ThinkPad.

 

I think it was cost cutting and most consumer models arn't really expected to work expect at a desk. Business models still need to be productive on an airplane and in a random hodel. The mouse nub is better at some things than trackpads (for some people). I know there are definitly things I can do with the mouse nub that I can't with the trackpad, and things that work vice-versa.

As mentioned, almost all business lines have one for more models with them standard/optional. So Lenovo/HP/Dell/etc.

(P.S. The HP ones are really a really great blue. I wish I could fit them on my Thinkpad to match the Enter/Fn buttons)

 

I have a trackpointer thing on my Dell inspiron 8500, and that is the only thing I do not like about the laptop. I bought a secondary keyboard for it, just so I could cut that stupid thing out.
It was very annoying to me because when I typed it would decide to throw the cursor across the screen, causing me to type somewhere else.

K-TRON

 

you have always problems k-tron

every hp business notebook (at least the now called elitebooks) have a trackstickthing (orismouse). my one actually has only that (and the pen, it's a tablet ).

 

My GF's A30 only has the red nipple thing and no track bad. I am the opposite to K-Tron, I am constantly hitting the touchpad with my palm and shifting the cursor.

 

The Lenovo ThinkPad X200 and X200s (12.1" models) don't have a touchpad, only the TrackPoint. The X61 and X61s (12.1" 4:3 aspect ratio) also have only the TrackPoint.

Personally, I love the TrackStick on my E6400. It's almost as good as the TrackPoint on my previous ThinkPad R61. It's definitely preferable to the E6400's undersized Touchpad. I use an external mouse when I can, but the TrackStick is the next best thing...for me, that is.

I was thinking back trying to remember non-business notebooks of mine that had a similar device. My trusty old Toshiba Satellite 4060CDT (1999) and this godawful Compaq Presario (c. 2002) both had them. BTW, the Toshiba is still alive and the I sent the Presario back to HELL!

 

The only netbook I've seen with a TrackPoint-like device is the Sony Vaio P, because it can't fit anything else.

 

Only the higher end HP business notebooks have trackpoints. 85xx, 87xx, 69xx, 27xx, 25xx. I actually bought a set of thinkpad eraser tips to use instead of the blue HP rubber one.

 

I kind of agree with K-TRON here. I'm not a terribly good typist in the first place, so the trackpoint just serves to get in the way. I usually end up disabling it along with tap-to-click, etc. The lack of a touchpad was one reason I bought the TC4200 instead of a ThinkPad tablet or a 2710p.

 

This is going to sound so immature, but every time I see the VAIO P, I just want to take a hammer to it! They really irk me for some reason!

 

The reason is most consumers don't like the touchpoint. For example, at my school, we have some Lenovo's that have only the touchpoint, and no touchpad. Everybody I've asked hate it, with many people bringing in full sized mice because of it.

BTW, you do know that the speed of the touchpad can be changed, right? On my touchpad, moving 1 inch makes the cursor go half way across the screen. Most people who have used my laptop hate it, but I am one of those people who actually like sensitivity.

 

Thanks for the idea about disabling tap-to-click, never thought of that, hopefully that will stop my cursor from picking different places to input at while i type.

 

To be honest, I kind of wish they'd start putting those little trackballs into laptops again like they used to...

 

Didn't the arcade version of PONG have some sort of trackball?

 

I always have my touchpads sensitivity jacked way up. Rolling your finger on a high sensitivity touchpad gives you a very high level of precision even for small motions, and I don't see most people doing that.

 

Okay I will try that. I have never gotten the hang of the trackpad. I'll give it another go with the increased sensitivity. Yesterday I started using the trackpoint out of boredom and 2 mintutes later it feels more responsive to me than the hours I've used the trackpad. Something inefficient about doing swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe, with the finger just to move to a spot on the screen.

 

its not like you cant disable it if you dont like it. i think its effing great, i had never used one prior to this E6400 i just got.

 

Yes I can agree with your trackpoint support, I did found the trackpoint to be faster and more accurate, but you can adjust the pointer speed in control panel and besides the trackpoint can accumulate lots of dust and smudge your laptop...

 

Half the reason I got a business laptop was for the trackpoint. I find myself using both the touchpad and the trackpoint; I just like having the option based on how I am sitting.