All articles tagged with #trackpoint
The Ploopy Bean is a TrackPoint-inspired standalone mouse that uses a red nub to control the cursor and requires a USB-A to USB-C cable (not wireless). It’s 3D-printed, features four side buttons, a 11 mm travel nub, and 1,000 Hz polling with firmware that supports updates and mods. Preorders began May 6, 2026, with two shipping tiers and a price around $51 before adding the cable.
Ploopy launches the Bean, a USB pointing-stick mouse with four programmable buttons and a 3D-printed case. It uses a Raspberry Pi RP2040 MCU, a TMAG5273 sensor for precise movement, and runs open-source QMK firmware (configurable via VIA) with all design files on GitHub; Early Access orders are shipping, but units sold out with Tier A/B timelines. The device is CAD 70 (~$52) and targets users who want a Lenovo TrackPoint-style input with customizable controls.
David Hill, a key designer behind ThinkPad's iconic features like the butterfly keyboard, TrackPoint, and ThinkLight, shares insights into the laptop's history, design decisions, and his unrealized ideas, emphasizing purposeful evolution and the enduring legacy of the black, rectangular design.