Revisiting better mouse pointer control

[eekee]

898 days ago (the forum tells me,) there was a feature request for a better pointing device. Trackball and IBM/Lenovo style Trackpoint devices were mentioned. I've used a few older Lenovo Thinkpads with trackpoints (X61, R400). I'm okay with them, much preferring them to the 8-way switch, and I know a few other users who swear by them. One of them has repeatedly told me IBM's solution to the problem stated here:

We also tested the Austria Microsystems EasyPoint and found it to be very smooth. When stationary, it provided the most "mouse-like" control of all the input devices we tested. When moving though, it was difficult to get the pointer to where you needed it to be; constantly overshooting.

Thinkpad trackpoints have a feature called "negative inertia" which pulls the pointer back when you stop, fixing the overshoot issue. It's not quite as good as a mouse, but a Thinkpad trackpoint is far easier to use and quicker to get used to than the 8-way switch. (Incidentally, I overshoot all the time with the 8-way switch itself.) I have certainly got a lot of productive use out of those old Thinkpads. Perhaps you at Tekgear could try implementing negative inertia with an EasyPoint or whatever. I remember hearing something about patents though, so I guess you might need to license the idea from Lenovo.

I've got another idea for controlling overshoot: logarithmic speed response. As a loose example, changing from 80% to 90% pressure would make a far bigger difference than from 10% to 20%. I think a lot of the human body's senses are logarithmic. Sound volume and brightness certainly are, so perhaps touch is too. (My Samsung TV and phones have linear backlight brightness; ridiculous in practice! For sound volume, do I even have to mention any evidence? If I do, "deciBells" )

[dkburrows]

The GPD Pocket 2 is a new product that uses a tiny touch sensor that can also be clicked as a mouse button. It was a last minute addition to the product, added only because people wanted a pointing device other than just their fingers.

I mention this as another future possibility. It would have the benefit of not requiring a cap, being easier on the thumb, and from reviews it moves the cursor well. It presumably has no expensive patents.

Downsides would be that it would be easier to move the cursor accidentally. I had a second downside but it seems to have fled my mind.

[leviathan3k]

i do think this is an idea worth exploring, but as far as second downsides..
it may be harder to move infinitely. You would have to lift up your thumb and repeatedly rub in a certain direction in order to keep moving.

I do like the idea though.

[eekee]

So it's a tiny trackpad? Trackpads generally send spurious motion when you lift your finger, which might be a bigger problem with a tiny one, but perhaps it wouldn't be a problem with the Twiddler's physical buttons.

I'm getting on well with a tiny trackball in the form of a "ring mouse" held in my other hand. It's not the most accurate thing in the world because the trackball is so small, but it's good for most work. It's good enough that I'm not thinking about trackpoints or other devices any more.

[eliza]

I got my twiddler 3 today and I'm kinda shocked by how much of a downgrade the pointing device feels in comparison to the nub on my old twiddler 2. I feel like I have no fine control and if I put the pointer speed down low enough to control it better than it takes ages to move to the other side of the screen. I really wish there was a better option.

[SuperGrover]

I have mentioned it in the past, but I really wish they would use this:

https://www.cirque.com/glidepoint-circle-trackpads

These are the types of pads used in the Steam Controllers and HTC VIVE wands. They are perfect for emulating a trackball (as well as other functions), they are comfortable, and they do not drift.

[ellisguerra]

Is there anyone who can justify it that using changing mouse pointer will not affect the performance? I have found something related to this in this article here please check it.