We all have been using pointing devices that come built-in with our laptops. That section of the touchpad on the keyboard enables users to move the cursor on the screen with their fingers. The touchpad is also known as a trackball or trackpad if it comes with buttons.
Hence, this post will emphasize standard pointing devices that you all use. Besides that, we have listed some of the pointing devices that are usually used in laptops.
So, before we get into different types of pointing devices, here is a reminder of what is a pointing device.You can also visit our website laptop repair dubai.
What is a Pointing Device?
A pointing device is often known as a Pick device. It is technically a hardware element that allows the users to input spatial data to the laptop or system with software assistance. Users can easily control the device’s screen by dragging, pointing, or clicking the pointing devices. It is a digital device that helps navigate the laptop or PC screen.
The pointing devices capture the hand gestures that are rightly interpreted with the help of Graphical User Interface (GUI) and Computer-Aided Design (CAD). By now, you must have realized what can be the most common pointing device used in laptops. Without any doubt, it is obviously the mouse and touchpad.
Thanks to technological advancement, besides the mouse, the list of pointing devices is now extended. Devices like a trackpad, joystick, touchscreen, light-pen, etc., are of different needs to the users.
Different types of Pointing Devices
Having said that, some of the commonly used Pick Devices are as below:
- Mouse
- Web camera
- Joystick
- Stylus pen
- Touch screen
- Track point
- Trackpad or Touchpad
- Leap Motion
Mouse
If you look at it, the mouse is the most used pointing device on PCs and laptops. The only reason is that it is compatible, handy, and compact, perfect for external use. Its scroll wheels make it easier to use and navigate across the screen, shifting from programs to windows.
The mouse does not restrict the movement area on the screen. If you are using a laptop, you most likely won’t need to use a mouse as laptops have a touchpad and keyboard. But if the touchpad is not working, a mouse is helpful. You can select vast data with a single click on a mouse. It significantly makes the job easier.
The mouse structure has two buttons (left and right) and a scroll wheel for easy navigation and movement. You can use gestures with a mouse: click, point, right-click, left-click, double-click, and drag.
Nowadays, the market has lots of different mouse types from other brands. There is a gaming mouse with various software features and programmable buttons. There is an optical mouse for use on glass surfaces. Then there is an ergonomic mouse made to comfort the user’s wrists while using it.
Bluetooth connectible mouses do not have cables, unlike traditional mice.
Web camera
It is now easy to download and install a web camera app. So, you might be thinking about how a web camera can be a pointing device? Well, it is for laptop users with specific impairments. Specially abled people can use the webcam as a mouse to control the cursor on the device’s screen.
Joystick
A joystick is another pointing device that is technically a tiny controller used chiefly by gamers. Users move the controller with their thumb to control the cursor on the screen. A joystick is commonly called a gamepad or an analog stick.
Unlike other pointing devices, a joystick is typically used when playing games on a laptop or PC. But, it can also be used as a mouse at times. Finger-operated joysticks, hand-operated joysticks, and displacement joysticks are some varieties of joysticks.
Structure-wise, the joystick’s end comes with spherical balls. The user controls the outer ball while the inner ball moves along the socket movement. It rotates in all directions.
Stylus pen
Stylus pen works just like any other standard pen or pencil. It draws, writes, and drags on a touch-sensitive screen. There are not many laptops that calibrate with stylus pens. However, most touchscreen devices would.
As a pointer device, depending on the type and functionality of the stylus pen, it can be used on tablets, computer displays, mobile phones, etc. Stylus pens provide a better and more precise result than using a finger.
Touch screen
Have you ever thought a touchscreen could be a pointing device or a hardware component? No, right!
However, a touchscreen is considered a pointing device as it enables the users to interact with the device. Users can instantly navigate the device’s screen using their fingers or a connected stylus pen. They use an infrared beam to sense the finger movement. Touchscreen features can be found in two-in-one laptops, smart TVs, and tablets.
Touchscreens can be the resistive, capacitive, and surface acoustic wave depending on the device and usage. Different types of touchscreen offer varied user experiences. Any issue related to macbook visit our website macbook repair dubai.
Track point
Have you seen laptops that come with small mounted knobs on the keyboard? That small mounted knob is the Trackpoint. It is a compact isometric joystick that helps users control the cursor. You should apply pressure on the knob to direct the cursor.
Trackpoint is not a substitute for a trackpad. It works just as how a trackpad on a laptop works. You can quickly identify if the keyboard has a Trackpoint or not by looking at the keys or knob. It will resemble a tiny, differently colored pointer.
Trackpad or Touchpad
The plain smooth space or pad on the keyboard, right below the keys, is the trackpad or the touchpad. It serves the same purpose as the mouse. You can select items, move the cursor on the screen, etc. Every laptop comes with a touchpad on its keyboard.
Most touchpads have distinguishable left and right buttons. They improve the efficiency of the touchpad when working. With multiple functionalities, that is why people love using laptop rather than PCs. Most touchpads respond to finger movements unless a stylus pen is designed.
Leap Motion
The most uncommon yet advanced pointing device nowadays is the Leap Motion. It is a device that combines both software and hardware aspects to give the user an ultimate experience.
As a device, it has a spatial tracker that reads the user’s hand gestures and movements to stimulate the digital objects on the screen. It is technically a look into virtual reality through touch augmentation.
As a futuristic pointing device, it is also known to have a sub-millimeter accuracy. That enables the device to see and mirror the user’s hand movements accurately on the screen.
Closure
The applicability of pointing devices depends on the user’s requirements and the target devices. Every object listed here has different flexibility of usage and responsiveness. Nonetheless, there is no best pointing device to list. All are useful in their respective places and purposes.
