Ploopy turns the TrackPoint idea into a tiny open-source desk device

Ploopy Bean

Ploopy has opened preorders for the Bean, a small wired pointing-stick controller with four buttons, a 1,000Hz polling rate, and fully open-source design files aimed at TrackPoint fans who want a portable desktop accessory.

# Ploopy turns the TrackPoint idea into a tiny open-source desk device

## Opening summary

Ploopy has announced the Bean, a compact standalone pointing-stick device that borrows the core idea behind the ThinkPad TrackPoint and turns it into a tiny desk accessory. What makes it notable is not just the form factor, but the fact that Ploopy is shipping it as a fully open-source product with customizable firmware and repair-friendly hardware.

## Main article

On its product page, Ploopy says the Bean is a high-performance pointing stick with four buttons, 1,000Hz polling, drag scrolling, and open-source electrical, mechanical, and firmware files. The company also says the sensor can detect touches as small as 3 microns, reinforcing that the product is being pitched to enthusiasts who care about precision and tweakability.

The Verge confirms the Bean is available for preorder at CAD $69.99 and notes that it is a wired USB-C accessory rather than a wireless mouse. It also highlights details like the Texas Instruments magnetic sensor and customizable button setup through VIA, which help the product feel more complete than a novelty input experiment.

This is a niche device, but it is a clean example of the kind of hardware that still finds room online: specialized, repairable, and proudly weird. Instead of chasing broad-market simplicity, Ploopy is targeting people who already know exactly why they miss a pointing stick and want one back in a portable form.

## Why it matters

This matters because the PC accessory market keeps rewarding sharply opinionated hardware that large brands would never bother making. The Bean will not be a mass-market mouse, but it shows how small companies can turn legacy interaction ideas into modern, open-source products for a dedicated audience.

## Source notes

- Verified against Ploopy’s official Bean page, which lists the open-source design files, four-button layout, and 1,000Hz polling rate. - Verified against The Verge, which confirms preorder availability, wired USB-C operation, and Canadian launch pricing. - The article avoids treating the Bean as a mainstream mouse launch and keeps the scope to enthusiast hardware.