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Pointing Stick Keyboard Roundup

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the don't-point-that-at-me dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Blogger pettijohn went on the search for the best USB external keyboard with a pointing stick. He found exactly three products that fit the bill in the market, so he bought all three and wrote a proper roundup review."

17 of 195 comments (clear)

  1. It's not a pointing stick... by AccUser · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's a clit mouse.

    --

    Any fool can talk, but it takes a wise man to listen.

    1. Re:It's not a pointing stick... by toastar · · Score: 4, Funny

      It's a clit mouse.

      It depends on who your talking to:

      http://xkcd.com/243/

    2. Re:It's not a pointing stick... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      IBMer's referred to it as the Centrally Located Input Thingy

    3. Re:It's not a pointing stick... by Squeeonline · · Score: 4, Funny

      Personally, I've always called it a g-spot,

      as it is situated next to the g key in case some of the virgins on here didn't get that...

      *ducks*

    4. Re:It's not a pointing stick... by RobertM1968 · · Score: 3, Informative

      On an IBM^H^H^H^H Lenovo laptop, it's a TrackPoint. Much more convenient than the lame touchpads most computers have (with the possible exception of Apple) and can give you much finer control. And you don't need to move your hands from the typing position at all, so it's even more convenient than an external mouse for quick tasks.

      The one downside is that it will start to chafe your fingertip if you use it for hours and hours and hours on end.

      Nah, not really. IBM/Lenovo usually shipped them with at least two different types of trackpoint caps... the original cats tongue and a domed, wider, more rubbery one with little raised grippy dots on it. And there are about 3 more aftermarket styles to choose from as well (commonly found on eBay).

      I prefer the cats tongue ones myself, but they wear down a lot quicker than the others. But new out of the box, they seem the most responsive. Once old, the "grippy-dot" ones become the best - and the cats tongue ones start to slide under your fingertip, which may be the cause of the "chafing" you are noting. I thoroughly hate the concave aftermarket ones and find them near unusable. Some of the convex aftermarket ones (that are different than the two original options) are ok - but not as good as the two original designs. At least in my opinion.

      I'm a proud owner of one of the IBM ThinkPad TrackPoint keyboards (which btw, also came with a neat carrying case (leather or pleather or something), and multiple IBM M13 Trackpoint keyboards in black and beige (which are IBM Model M keybeasts... err, keyboards... with trackpoints).

      For those looking, the IBM Thinkpad TrackPoint keyboard reviewed in the article comes in two "styles" I remember. Mine is a Model SK-8845 (the BETTER model). The difference between the two are one (mine) is not Thinkpad branded (simply IBM branded), the other is Thinkpad branded. The SK-8845 model comes with a USB hub and two USB ports, uses only one USB connection to your computer, and has dual height adjust legs (2 legs on each side - a short set, and a taller set), and a cut-out compartment to tuck the cable into when travelling with it (no tie-wraps or rubber bands needed). There's also a slight difference in key layout. The insert/home/del/end/pgup/pgdn key row and the escape key on the model I have is actually normal.

      AND the other major difference (which I hate) about the model I have, is that it also comes with a touchpad, and two additional (Right/Left) mouse buttons below the touchpad. With the IBM/Lenovo drivers, one can select "use both" or "use Trackpoint" or "use touchpad" - without, both are enabled. Followed by one other big difference... there is no mic control/microphone in the model I have.

      Regardless, if you are looking for one, I'd recommend the model I have.

      --
      StarTrekPhase2 - The Five Year Mission Continues!
    5. Re:It's not a pointing stick... by flanaganid · · Score: 4, Funny

      You use the trackpoint more like a clit.

      But how am I supposed to see the screen if my tongue is anchored to the keyboard?

  2. Re:Pointing Stick? by Rhaban · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Depends on who can hear you.

    Friends: Keyboard Clit
    Coworkers: Keyboard Nipple
    Boss: Pointing Stick.

  3. chiropractor by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    >After a chiropractor urged me to...
    >chiropractor

    Oh dear....

    1. Re:chiropractor by raddan · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The physicist would respond, however, "Necks are not my field." A chiropractor, however, claims be able to cure any ailment using spinal adjustments, which is patently absurd.

    2. Re:chiropractor by natehoy · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Depends on the chiropractor.

      I wrenched my back pretty badly last summer, and it kept getting worse. I finally went to see a chiropractor who spent some time examining the bone positions, used some electric thing to warm up the muscles, did some twisty crunchy stuff, and I walked out of the office upright and nearly pain-free, and armed with some photocopied sheets of appropriate exercises to strengthen the muscles and stretch things back into shape. I went back for a couple of followups, and he fine-tuned the adjustment, and my back felt perfectly normal within a couple of weeks, and we were done.

      If the problem is skeletal, a competent chiropractor is an appropriate person to see. There are cases where misalignment of the spine can cause problems elsewhere (nerve issues, breathing issues, etc).

      But, yeah, claiming to cure cancer by doing an adjustment is off in oogy-boogy land, and gives the competent bone manipulation folks a bad name.

      --
      "This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
    3. Re:chiropractor by Sir_Lewk · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It never fails. Whenever chiropractors are mentioned on slashdot inevitably a dozen people and their cats sign on and make comments about how they know it is all mumbo jumbo but they or a loved one actually benefited from it. They, and the occasional mod, think these are actually insightful comments, which they are not.

      Of course, someone that goes to a chiropractor is probably more pre-disposed to not understand the concept of scientific evidence so I guess it's not all that puzzling...

      --
      "linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
    4. Re:chiropractor by natehoy · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Look, I know the chiropractic field is full of a lot of quacks, asshats, and "energy practitioners" who are either incompetent or make claims about their abilities that just ain't so. Finding a good practitioner is almost as hard as finding an honest politician. That doesn't mean that all of them are bad.

      In my case, the problem was simple - I was shoveling gravel, moved wrong with a heavy shovel extended, and shifted a bone ever so slightly out of place. I thought I had pulled a muscle, but the pain got worse and worse over time, not better.

      Simple problems do not require complex solutions, and my GP isn't prepared to handle this type of injury. I went to someone who did specialize in it, and he figured out the problem and fixed me up (for about $100 total over the course of two weeks - which is less than the referral visit to my GP), gave me a stern lecture about not being stupid, some good advice on exercises to keep my back strong, thanked me for my business, and that was that. No drugs, no crystals, no payment plan, no ongoing maintenance except a recommendation to keep up with the exercise sheets he gave me for free.

      He make pain go away, he tell me how to avoid pain in future, I give him money.

      When something is wrong with my teeth, I go to my dentist. When something is wrong with my eyes, I go to my optometrist. When something is wrong with my back, I go to a chiropractor. When I can't figure out what's wrong, I go to my GP and she fixes it or (more often) refers me to a specialist.

      --
      "This post contains words, known to the State of California to cause thought. Wash brain thoroughly after reading."
    5. Re:chiropractor by rueger · · Score: 3, Informative

      In my case, the problem was simple - I was shoveling gravel, moved wrong with a heavy shovel extended, and shifted a bone ever so slightly out of place

      I'm sorry, but is that even possible? As far as I know (IANAD or AC)all of our bones are pretty much solidly in place thanks to muscle, ligaments and other stuff. I suspect that if a bone became "out of place" you'd be writhing around in the back of an ambulance, not trekking to mall to find a chiropractor.

      Now if you can tell me that a trained medical professional (aka "real" doctor) using diagnostic imaging equipment made that diagnosis I may be convinced. Otherwise I'll assume you had nothing more than a strained muscle.

      --
      Three Squirrels
  4. Re:what? by tecnico.hitos · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Insightful, seriously? Some modders here seriously disappoint me.

    It's a matter of preference. Disliking them doesn't make you more rational than the article writer.

    --
    The good, the evil and the vacuum tubes.
  5. Re:Ouch by Francis · · Score: 4, Informative

    I found a "replacement nib" pack for Lenovo Thinkpads for a dollar. There's actually 3 different shapes that you can get, maybe one's more comfortable for you?

    I have no opinion on these sellers, but they have a picture of the 3 different types:
    http://www.6store.net/other-accessories/328/
    http://www.machinaelectronics.com/store/buypart/Lenovo_Thinkpad_R61_E/91P8421

    (PS. What the heck are you doing that you give yourself a blister on your trackpoint? I personally have never had a problem, nor has anyone I know who uses a Thinkpad. They're standard issue at work, so I actually do know quite a few people who use them.)

    --

    --
    #include <malloc.h>
    free(your.mind);
  6. Anyone else have this problem? by raddan · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've been a ThinkPad user for over 10 years (I tried a Sony and a Panasonic-- both were lousy machines), and the best feature in my mind is the pointing stick. Touchpads give me terrible wrist/forearm pain, especially when I'm on an airplane or train, because the seating tends to force me into an uncomfortable position. But in these spaces, I can use the pointing stick without a problem.

    Sadly, over time, my pointers start to drift to one side. At first, if I take my finger off of it, it will recenter itself. Over time, though, it eventually loses this ability. Is there some kind of calibration tool I need to run, or is this usual wear and tear? It's happened on every ThinkPad I've ever owned, including my first 365CD and my current X61.

  7. First Summary Line? by DeadboltX · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Blogger pettijohn went on the search for the best USB external keyboard with a pointing stick."

    Is there such a thing as a USB internal keyboard?

    and did anyone else envision him poking at various keyboards with a stick?