Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#1

Post by jibcage » Tue, May 12, 2026, 8:39 PM UTC

Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer
ploopy.co

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#2

Post by tybstar » Tue, May 12, 2026, 8:47 PM UTC

This is made for me.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#3

Post by kristianp » Tue, May 12, 2026, 11:41 PM UTC

This gives me an idea, does anyone sell these?:

    HEU   N
    DIN    U
     ^      M
       0.,E

With all full-sized keys? i.e. Numpad, arrows and home-end-insert-delete-pgup-pgdn? i.e. all the keys that Apple's laptops fucked plus numpad.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#4

Post by arcanemachiner » Sat, May 16, 2026, 2:31 AM UTC

kristianp wrote: post #3

This gives me an idea, does anyone sell these?: HEU N DIN U ^ M 0.,E With all full-sized keys? i.e. Numpad, arrows and home-end-insert-delete-pgup-pgdn? i.e. all the keys that Apple's laptops fucked plus numpad.

You can all kinds of keypads on AliExpress that are programmable. Some of them even use QMK.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#5

Post by jrgd » Sat, May 16, 2026, 2:51 AM UTC

kristianp wrote: post #3

This gives me an idea, does anyone sell these?: HEU N DIN U ^ M 0.,E With all full-sized keys? i.e. Numpad, arrows and home-end-insert-delete-pgup-pgdn? i.e. all the keys that Apple's laptops fucked plus numpad.

I’m using the caps unlocked CU7 every day; that’s how i discovered it : same frustration as yours!

( then i jumped onto otholinear keeb and now I’m not even bothered by apple anymore and run omarchy on a second hand thinkpad. Same excitement as when i got my first powerbook in the early 2000s…)

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#6

Post by landgenoot » Sat, May 16, 2026, 3:06 AM UTC

Isn't the point that it's integrated in the keyboard, so that you don't have to move your hands away to use it?

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#7

Post by mattas » Sat, May 16, 2026, 3:23 AM UTC

I'm on the lookout for a wireless ball mouse. I want to relive the glory days of cleaning out the little cylinders on the inside of the mouse without being constrained by wires.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#8

Post by tejohnso » Sat, May 16, 2026, 3:36 AM UTC

landgenoot wrote: post #6

Isn't the point that it's integrated in the keyboard, so that you don't have to move your hands away to use it?

I'm typing this on a Thinkpad Trackpoint II keyboard and have no idea why I'd want an off keyboard pointing stick. If you want to use a pointing stick why not have it right next to your index finger while you're on the home row? If you want your mouse cursor control to be off of the keyboard, why not use a regular mouse?

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#9

Post by pdrayton » Sat, May 16, 2026, 3:46 AM UTC

landgenoot wrote: post #6

Isn't the point that it's integrated in the keyboard, so that you don't have to move your hands away to use it?

It fills the niche of "pointing device that uses a constant amount of deskspace" in the same way that a trackball does, but differently. Different strokes, different folks.

NGL I was always a fan of TrackPoints for how compact the pointing device was. Also liked the Logitech Trackman Marble for similar reasons. It's kind of cool, though unnecessary, to have a way to get a TrackPoint on a desktop now without being locked to one discontinued Lenovo keyboard.

Re: Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

#10

Post by soupspaces » Sat, May 16, 2026, 4:15 AM UTC

Might be possible to embed one of these blackberry cellphone OEM trackpad inside a keycap https://www.ebay.com/itm/132886140650