Josh Hendrickson
Seven years ago, Lenovo announced the ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard, and now it’s finally ready to release the sequel. For a good idea of what you’re in for, imagine a Thinkpad laptop. Now lop off the screen and the touchpad. That’s the $100 ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II in a nutshell.
If you place the original ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard and the ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II side by side, you’d be hardpressed to spot the difference. Lenovo kept the layout the same, and for anyone that loves the company’s keyboards, that’s a good thing.
But the new keyboard ditches all the wires (the original had a wired option) and relies solely on Bluetooth and a 2.4 GHz wireless adapter. It also picks up USB-C charging, and that’s great for anyone on the go. Lenovo says the battery will last for two months on a full charge, but just 15 minutes of charging will net you one week’s worth of use.
As the name suggests, rather than a trackpad, you’ll get the iconic Trackpoint nub (the little red dot mouse only a fanatic can love), along with two mouse buttons situated just beneath the keys.
The ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II works with PC and Android and is available to purchase on the company’s site today. Lenovo says it can take 5-7 days to arrive, though, so don’t get too excited for immediate keyboard goodness.
