Pointing stick add in?

Is there any way to get an aftermarket keyboard for a notebook that has a pointing stick? I hate touchpads so much the words I would use would get me thrown off any civilized forum.

In these days of Build to Order and Whitebooks, is there any way to get around the awful pointing technology that seems to be in most choices? I'm going to get a new notebook soon, and it depresses me that to get what I want, I might have to get a touchpad.

When the notebook is not mobile, I add a USB keyboard which has a pointing stick. But on the go, (I use the notebook a couple hours a day on trains), this isn't feasible.

 

I just use a mouse.
I don't think you can add pointing sticks to a laptop that doesn't originally have one, but then again.. I've never tried it.

 

wats a pointing stick

 

Very unlikely since you'd have to get a KB w/ the pointer and a palmrest w/ the buttons and the notebook's motherboard would would have to be ready to accept this type of device.

If you're getting a new noteook, look into the Thinkpads, the Dell Latitudes and Precisions and some of the Toshiba Tecras as they all have them. I'm sure there are others out there that have themas well, but thiose ae the only ones that come to mind right now.

@bijanv: THIS should explain more than you ever wanted to know about itl.

 

A mouse is even worse than a touchpad. I want my fingers to stay in the home position.

 

Type with one hand.... I almost got that down once.

 

http://www-131.ibm.com/webapp/wcs/s...=1000073&categoryId=2581898&productId=8717673

 

Proficiency at one handed typing is not something I'd admit to in public...

I know several people who also swear by Accupoints. Problem is, since most keyboards are custom built for the notebook(s) from one manufacturer, if the manufacturer doesn't offer one the chances of finding one aftermarket are slim to none.

If an Accupoint is a must have, you're probably going to have to look at the models g00nter mentioned above.

 

That old thing you used to see on IBM notebooks

 

It's not a must have, but if I get to meet whoever decided to cut down on the models that offer them, I will clock that guy with a right hook he will remember for all eight minutes of the rest of his life. Not like I'm emotionally invested or anything. Just a friendly constructive criticism.

I can't find a Thinkpad or Toshiba or Dell that has the options I want. (The big ones are: need widescreen less than 15 inches, need Turion X2, or Merom, want 802.11n-ish and want pointing stick) I suspect some of those will get easier in time so I'll just keep waiting. I figured if I could retrofit the pointing stick I'd have a ton more choices.

I really think this is an opening for the build to order / whitebook world. There is undoubtedly a significant minority of users who really want the pointing stick, but it looks like not enough to make it a feature in the big runs of the badged notebooks. So if a build to order notebook line was out there which had the option, they would clean up from the people who can't stand touchpads.

 

Toshiba, Dell & IBM use intel processors (at leat in their laptops) so they won't have the Tyurion X2 and there are no Merom's yet. Merom's scheduled to be released july/august so don't expect to see them in any notebooks until at least then (probably closer to later august).

Take a look at the Dell Latitude 620 series. It's a 14" widescreen w/ Core Duo and has a pointing stick. Supposedly Merom will be drop in replacable w/ Core Duo (assuming it's supported in the Bios). You might also want to take a look at HP's buisness class notebooks. They do have some Turions and might have one with the X2 and a pointing stick.

 

I used to have on of those on my old toshiba labtop. It was really old, but it was fun to play with and it was easy for me to move around!
~Arman

 

Dell had some old models with point sticks I like the accuracy but they make my hands hurt but it'd certainly be nice to have both.

 

What's wrong with a z61t?

 

Being a former IBM spoiled brat, I loved my track point and always despised touch pads (though with little experience with them.)

As you know, I bought 2 laptops this winter, the ASUS z70va and the HP Pavilion dv1000t.

They both came with touchpads, and each functioned differently to boot. I started with the ASUS and boy did I hate my touch pad. I accidentally deleted a ton of work, sometimes lost 2 hours of writing, I constantly caused the cursor to do all kinds of stuff. I HATED it... (you can find some old posts of mine in the ASUS forum about it.)

Well, these youngsters here told me to be patient, that I would get use to it... taught me some pit falls to avoid (the most important being to train myself not to let my hand brush near the touch pad (or even hover over close to it) when typing.

With time I got use to it.. the accidents happened less frequently... and now I have to confess.... I LOVE it! The touch pads are so much more efficient, speedier, involve less hand movement, etc... I went back to my IBM a few months after using the ASUS and HP for some stuff I needed there and I had to use it. Boy... did I hate that track point. I felt so anchored to that little knob...

I am just saying this to let you know that, with some effort (and perhaps some posts as to the kinds of problems you are running into to get feed back), that even we old dogs can learn new tricks... even stuff we despise initially, and keep up with these young'uns

Plus, remember... there is a reason the market place went to the touch pad... the touch-pad-pointer market is quite competitive... no market dominance issue here...