Ploopy turned the iconic TrackPoint from the ThinkPad into a portable mouse by “detaching” it from the laptop.

Canadian company Ploopy has unveiled a new travel mouse

Ploopy announced the launch of another product from its open‑source lineup that sharply diverges from conventional touchpads and trackballs. The new model, Ploopy Bean, looks like a miniature “travel mouse,” yet it doesn’t need to be moved across a surface.

Design and dimensions – Appearance: a compact rectangle printed on a 3D printer.

- Buttons: four switches surrounded by a small red joystick reminiscent of IBM’s TrackPoint (first used in ThinkPad laptops).

- Dimensions: 8.4 × 6.4 × 1.6 cm.

- Weight: just 52 g.

Technical specifications – Inside is a highly sensitive magnetic sensor from Texas Instruments capable of detecting movements as small as 3 microns.

- The joystick offers a wider range of motion than typical keyboard TrackPoints.

Buttons and programmability – Omron D2LS‑21 switches (also found in Logitech mice).

- Fully customizable via Ploopy’s QMK firmware.

- Through the online VIA tool, macros or key combinations can be quickly assigned to the buttons.

Limitations – No support for wireless protocols; a USB Type‑C cable is required to connect to a laptop or tablet.

Price and availability – The Ploopy Bean is already available for pre‑orders on the official website.

- Price: 69.99 Canadian dollars (≈ 51 USD).