"Pointstick"?

Hi,

How do these pointstick things work? I have never used one, can someone explain it to me or even better is there a demo video or something similar?

Thanks a lot

Matt

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pointing_stick

 

I NEVER thought I would use the pointstick, but now that I have one I could NEVER do without it! It is a really great idea IMHO.

 

I have become so accustomed to the TrackPoint in the 6 months of me having my T60 that if I ever use someone else's laptop I naturally place my pointer finger in the middle of the keyboard and my thumb below the space bar as if there is an eraserhead. However, all the time there isn't. I kind of wish actually that Lenovo/IBM made desktop keyboards with TrackPoints now haha

 

Same here.

I love my T61's TrackPoint.

 

Favorite things about trackpoint-
Precision pointing- (almost) isometric. Much more precise than a fingertip on a touchpad.

Economy of movement- DOn't have to remove a hand away from the keyboard to a touchpad or mouse (it's just another "key" on the board). Especially valuable when jumping around form fields, word processing, spreadsheets, etc when alternating lots of typing with pointing/clicking.

Scrolling- Third scroll button is nice and fairly unique to thinkpad's trackpoint (most others' pointing sticks have two buttons only, and have to press both for scrolling). again don't have to move hands from touch type positions to scroll. Eight scrolling directions, nine sensitivity settings, eleven speed settings, three different scroll methods from which to choose.

Infinite movement in any given direction. Meaning you never "bottom out" in any direction as you can when you reach the edge of a touchpad/mousepad/desk's edge. You'll never have to pick up and start over to keep going in one direction. Helpful when a page is ridiculously stretched, hilighting long strings, or when something you are manipulating "meanders".

Trackpoint buttons themselves are raised vs touchpad buttons, middle scroll button is raised and textured. awesome ergonomics.

Covering options- comes with three different covers for the stick of the trackpoint itself. soft or hard ("sandpaper"), concave or convex, swappable to your preference.

Games- not a gamer, and I would assume a mouse is best for most games. But for the simple skill and puzzle games I play, precision of trackpoint dominates.


Least favorite things about trackpoints-
"Floating"- they can randomly drift out to one direction (the pointer). tip- don't fight it, just let it go where it wants and re-zero itself (takes only a second). this is a rare occurence.

Physically repetitive/intensive- more of the same muscular output vs touchpad where you can vary basis of movement over several joints, the trackpoint requires direct pressure from the same point over and over.

Isometric- vs interaction with a mouse, touchpad, or ball. biggest con for me, but it's really what gives the trackpoint its precision.

Games- not sure, but I assume for most popular games there are advantages to the high end gaming mouse.


Also, heat- using the trackpoint requires more of your hand on the palmrest for at rest position (like while reading my hand is on the palmrest, finger on stick). If you have a hot notebook and are right handed (over hd), you might prefer resting your hands off the front of the notebook with just a finger extending to the touchpad. My current thinkpad is cool, but I've felt palmrests that have literally made my palm sweat.


I use the trackpoint almost exclusively. If i'm just casually interwebbing, I will sometimes use the touchpad. MOst people who are one or the other exclusively deactivate the other to avoid inadvertant input.



WARNING- once you go trackpoint, no other notebook will be acceptable. I bought a non thinkpad again recently I couldn't pass up on a price mistake, left it sealed for a week while using my old thinkpad with trackpoint disabled, just to see if I could get used to it. Might have not been a problem if it weren't for the fact that every station at work has an IBM desktop keyboard... with trackpoints!


:laugh:

 

Ah, but they do. Check it out.

Despite being labeled a travel keyboard, the bank I go to has these for all the teller's workstations (to save on desk space for a mouse). From the looks of it it has the same look, size and function of what we're used to on our thinkpads, just in external keyboard form.

 

$100?!!! Better be f'ing bluetooth and do my laundry too!

 

LOL! Well just think about the 40 - 60 dollars you just saved on having to buy a wireless mouse.

 

eh...

well it looks very nice actually...
http://cgi.ebay.com/Lenovo-UltraNav...P9490-NEW_W0QQitemZ160141060589QQcmdZViewItem

The case especially. Interestingly I am guessing that this keyboard was designed in the older days of the T42 because it still has the red strips / rounded edges for the mouse buttons that the T60s dont have.

 

Never been a point stick fan though I know others swear by them. I usually just set mine up to scroll.

 

You dont use your TrackPoint?!!! /GASP! I'm offended

 

mods here rule! (figured this'd just get locked)


Hey acaurora- I know they make ibm keyboards that just look like normal desktop keyboards, but with a trackpoint. Not weird looking or with touchpoint underneath. No clue where they come from, but I use them every day, so someone makes them.

 

I'm actually just fine with the one that got linked - I am used to the layout.