Ploopy’s Bean is making a simple but unusual promise: a mouse that brings the old ThinkPad pointing-stick experience out of the keyboard and onto the desk. Instead of relying on a traditional glide-and-click layout, it centers the entire device around a small red nub and a compact set of buttons.
That design immediately sets Bean apart from most mice on the market. While many products compete through ergonomics or gaming features, Ploopy has taken a far more specific route by turning a familiar IBM ThinkPad idea into a standalone pointing device.
A ThinkPad-style control, reworked as a mouse
Bean uses pressure on the red pad in the middle to move the cursor. Around it, four buttons handle clicking and dragging, keeping the layout intentionally minimal.
Ploopy calls the device a Bean Pointing Stick, and the concept is clearly rooted in the TrackPoint II found in IBM ThinkPad keyboards. The key difference is that Bean no longer sits between keys on a laptop keyboard; it exists as its own separate peripheral.
Wired by design, not by accident
Despite its modern appearance, Bean does not offer wireless connectivity. It relies on a USB-A to USB-C cable, so the experience is tied to a physical connection from the start.
That choice may seem at odds with how the device is presented in photos, since some official images show Bean without a cable attached. In practice, though, the unit still needs that wired link to function.
What stands out in the specs
Ploopy has given Bean a set of details that go beyond the novelty of the nub itself. The device supports sensing as small as 3 microns, and it includes high-resolution drag scrolling.
It also uses four Omron D2LS-21 switches and a 1,000Hz polling rate. The red nub has an 11 mm range in every direction, and Ploopy uses silicone for that control surface.
Built for users who want to modify it
Bean is also designed with customization in mind. Its body is 3D printed, which leaves more room for users who want to adapt the device to their own preferences.
Ploopy also offers official modifications that can be downloaded for free. The firmware includes electrical and mechanical updates, and users can redesign, configure, and reprogram Bean freely online.
Early interest is already building
Bean is already available for preorder on Ploopy’s site, and the reaction has been strong enough to spark discussion on Reddit and the official Ploopy subreddit. Some users see the nub-centered control scheme as a clever idea, while others think it may be more practical than a keyboard-mounted pointing stick because the hand does not need to leave the mouse.
Price and patience are both part of the package. Bean is listed at $51.06, not including the USB cable, and Ploopy is offering two shipping windows: up to eight weeks or up to 20 weeks.
