IBM's pioneering TrackPoint pointing device was created to minimize time and cognitive load for users. A recent accessory appears to pay tribute to that compact sensor, yet it overlooks the fundamental goal behind the innovation.

Although I haven't tested the Ploopy Bean firsthand, its name stands out as one of the more unusual in gadget history. This $70 CAD device, equivalent to about $51 USD at the time of reporting, fundamentally contradicts the principles that guided IBM's initial creation.

The Ploopy Bean functions as a wired external mouse featuring a TrackPoint-style sensor positioned amid four distinct buttons. The company plans to release it in three versions, starting with early access and followed by production batches. It combines the sensor with four Omron D2LS-21 mechanical switches, customizable through QMK firmware—widely used in keyboards—and the accompanying VIA tool for adjustments. This setup allows it to serve as a standard mouse or to trigger custom actions and shortcuts, potentially redeeming its design from simply replicating an external pointing stick.

During my early career in tech journalism, I frequently traveled along California's Highway 101 and preferred routes like 280, commuting from my San Mateo office to Silicon Valley locations, including IBM's Almaden Research Center, the birthplace of the TrackPoint. I once held an extensive discussion with Ted Selker, the device's inventor, about its development—as detailed in the accompanying video. Unfortunately, past employers have discarded old records, and my personal notes from the era are gone.

Today, the computer mouse is a standard tool, but it has a drawback: the delay involved in shifting hands from keyboard to mouse, adjusting position, clicking, and returning. Selker recognized that this back-and-forth costs roughly 0.75 seconds per instance, per available sources. The TrackPoint enables users to maintain finger placement on the keyboard's home row. Additionally, it removes the requirement for an extra mouse, a benefit especially valued by students in tight spaces like lecture halls.

The Ploopy Bean undermines Selker's concept of a seamless integrated pointer. Due to its larger form, a traditional mouse is simple to locate and handle, even accidentally. In contrast, searching for this 3.3 by 2.5 by 0.6-inch slim plastic unit and precisely positioning a finger on its sensor seems inefficient, much like the chance of accidentally pressing its buttons. That said, Ploopy has invested thoughtfully in its build; the device operates at a 1,000Hz polling rate for fluid cursor movement, and full schematics are available for user modifications.

Interestingly, the Ploopy Bean could find a role in a specific scenario: controlling a laptop during presentations. At conferences I've attended lately, speakers often rely on an assistant for slide navigation or manually advance through decks on their own. While direct interaction with content is rare, and laptops can sit on podiums for easy access, a wireless variant of this device might appeal to a small audience.

I support exploring varied input options. Touchscreens have appealed to me for years, despite my limited personal applications. Voice input in Windows suits particular users and contexts well. My experience spans mice, trackballs, and extensive use of ThinkPad TrackPoints, though I've been underwhelmed by standalone touchpads. Overall, the Ploopy Bean feels like it might not fully succeed.

Mark has contributed to PCWorld for the past ten years, drawing on three decades in technology coverage. He has produced more than 3,500 pieces for PCWorld, focusing on areas like PC processors, accessories, and Windows software. His work has appeared in outlets such as PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Popular Science, and Electronic Buyers' News, earning a Jesse H. Neal Award for news reporting. Recently, he cleared out a stockpile of Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs due to limited office space.