Ploopy Bean: a trackpoint for every computer

Ploopy has opened preorders for the Bean Pointing Stick, a tiny finger-controlled cursor nub meant to work with any computer, and the community reaction was basically: finally, my weird little dream has arrived. One commenter declared, "This is made for me," which set the tone for a thread full of people acting like this gadget had personally answered their prayers. The company says some buyers get it right away, while others may wait up to 20 weeks, but it leaned hard on its track record of actually delivering. It also arrives fully assembled, which is great news for anyone who loves niche gadgets but hates turning their desk into a screw-and-spring crime scene.

But the real fun was in the comment section, where the device triggered a full-on keyboard philosophy debate. One camp loved the idea of bringing old-school laptop-style pointing sticks to every machine. Another immediately asked the obvious question: if the whole point is to keep your hands on the keyboard, why is this a separate gadget at all? That tiny challenge gave the thread its drama. Suddenly this wasn’t just a product launch — it was a referendum on how much effort people will spend avoiding a mouse.

Then came the glorious side quests. One commenter spiraled into a wish list for a perfect full-size keyboard that fixes everything they hate about Apple laptops. Another went full retro goblin, saying they wanted a wireless ball mouse just to relive the joy of scraping grime off the rollers. And in peak internet fashion, someone suggested stuffing a BlackBerry-style mini trackpad inside a keycap. In other words: Ploopy launched one tiny cursor nub, and the crowd responded with nostalgia, gadget lust, and beautifully unserious chaos.