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Level 1

30 points

Using Thinkpad Trackpoint USB Keyboard with MacBook Pro, Air, Retina (with pictures)

The purpose of this discussion thread is to:

(1) Get community thoughts around using alternative and complimentary mousing approaches with MacBooks

(2) To share a current and searchable set of resources for those interested in leveraging a best-of-both-worlds approach for using a non-Apple Trackpoint Keyboard with an Apple MacBook.

(3) To level-set the fact that a Thinkpad Trackpoint USB Keyboard works with MacBooks automatically and instantly out-of-the-box.

Note: I created this discussion because I found that all the other discussion threads related to using a Thinkpad Trackpoint Keyboard with MacBooks were archived and therefore I could not post my thoughts there.

I have been using MacBooks for 3+ years now. Airs, Pros, Retinas etc. I LOVE the built-in MacBook Apple Trackpad. It is wonderful. Apple has no equal as far as Trackpads go.

In addition, I have been using the Thinkpad Trackpoint USB Keyboard with my MacBooks for ~2 years, and below is why I have found BOTH the Apple Trackpad and Thinkpad Trackpoint to be great.

The Trackpoint and Trackpad both have their sweet spots. Personally I use the built-in Apple Trackpad on my MacBooks when I'm using my MacBook for less than 1 hour, loosely speaking. If I am going to be heads-down for more than 1 hr writing, reading, surfing, graphic designing, programming, workshop facilitating, teaching, mindmapping, presenting, demoing, etc. then I pull out my "Lenovo Thinkpad USB Keyboard with Trackpoint (55Y9003) > https://www.google.com/search?&q=lenovo+thinkpad+trackpoint+usb+keyboard

I know many will laugh at me for using a Thinkpad Trackpoint Keyboard with a MacBook... Keeping an open mind, let's just agree that there is historical precedence for alternative mousing devices. If I could only choose one, I would use the Apple MacBook built-in Trackpad exclusively, however with alternatives come potential benefits. Keep in mind that Apple, Microsoft, Logitech and many other companies make millions of dollars each year providing alternative peripheral devices for computers, and mousing is no exception. Regardless, I just want to share my positive experiences using both. :-)

Why should you care? For *some* people the following is true and meaningful. The Trackpoint (the little red eraser head stick thingy) in the midle of the keyboard enables useful and unique dynamics/use-cases, including:

You don't have to take your hand(s) off the keyboard to mouse
You can independantly click without accidentally moving the mouse (Yes I know some people don't have issues with this)
You don't run out of finger-gesture runway when you're moving your mouse across the screen (I know this is a gray area for some people)
For mouse-movement-heavy applications (e.g. Graphics, drawing, etc.) the Trackpoint *is at times* more exacting

Below I share some pictures (which I know *look* ridiculous to some people, but none-the-less help demystify what this looks like. And, while ridiculous looking, it is actually quite thin and elegant once you get over the initial shock of seeing these two diverse technologies combined in this way.

Rest assured, the keyboard shown below (google "55Y9003") is VERY light, thin and fits in almost any laptop case/backpack easily so it is not a big deal to carry it, if you work on-the-go. In addition:

It is UNCANNY how well it fits on top of the keyboard space of all MacBooks.
It fits perfectly around the corners of the MacBook Pro/Air/Retina keyboard
Note: I took one of the 5 rubber feet/pads off the bottom of my keyboard, the one in the middle
Lastly, you can actually use the built-in Apple Trackpad at the SAME TIME as the Trackpoint Keyboard.

It is quite a nice best-of-both-worlds approach for people that like the benefits of the "Why should you care?" use cases above.

Please reply and comment with your thoughts and please let's keep it positive, constructive and friendly :-)

Pictures Below:

My two Retina MBPs, one with and one without the keyboard, so you can easily see the difference. (As if you wouldn't)
A slightly closer-up shot of just the RMBP with the Trackpoint Keyboard on top

Please reply and comment with your thoughts and please let's keep it positive, constructive and friendly :-)

MacBook Pro with Retina display, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jan 10, 2013 9:26 AM

26 replies

r82913

Level 1

0 points

Nov 15, 2014 5:53 AM in response to BillHahn

Bill, my wife just gave me her huge fast gorgeous i mac running OS X, but i am addicted to my lenovo trackpoint. will these keyboards work on an imac? using a mouse feels just so 1990s! Thanks!

BillHahn Author

Level 1

30 points

Nov 26, 2014 9:20 AM in response to r82913

Yes. This is a bluetooth keyboard so it will work with any computer, Mac or Windows, as well as mobile devices like phones, tablets, etc. I have tried it with many. Hope that helps.

z3r

Level 1

0 points

Dec 23, 2014 9:10 AM in response to BillHahn

Hi Bill,

I also like to use a Thinkpad USB-keyboard-with-Trackpoint with my MacBook Pro. But I've been having one highly specific problem with it: though all the keys individually work, and so do nearly all key combinations, one very specific combination never works: Windows-logo + left-shift + right-arrow. Details ad nauseam are below. I wondered if this was also the case for you, or if you understood why this might be?

best regards, --jez

--------------------------------------

More details:

On the back, the keyboard says "Model No: SK-8855 ... MFG: SIL12-W20 ... PRINT: SIL12-W20 ... REV: R01 ... FRU P/N: 55Y9053" and then a serial number beginning 0211.

I use System Preferences to map the keys painted with "Alt" (closest to the spacebar) to "command", and the next one out (windows-logo key) to "option" so that the layout is just like a mac keyboard. The problem comes while I'm editing text, in any Mac application. As a programmer you'll know option + shift + right-arrow means "highlight the word to the right of the cursor"—a very useful shortcut, so its loss can be disruptive when I'm in full flow. What's odd is that:

windows-logo + right-shift + right-arrow works OK (therefore, I know it's not a problem at the end-user-software keyboard-shortcut-configuration level),
windows-logo + left-shift + left-arrow also works OK, as do simpler combos like left-shift + right-arrow, or windows-logo + right-arrow (so it's not a purely mechanical problem ).
windows-logo + left-shift + right-arrow works OK on another generic Windows keyboard (a Logitech K120) if I plug it into the same Mac.

(I suppose I would simply switch to using option+right-shift+right-arrow if only my hand could get accustomed to it.)

The problem seems to be tied to the physical Windows-logo key rather than to its logical role as "option" (i.e. if I use System Preferences to map Windows-logo to "Command" and the keys marked "Alt" to "Option", now it's command+left-shift+right-arrow that doesn't work). I've tried Karabiner but the problem seems to be lower-level than that (the windows-logo + left-shift + right-arrow combo simply generates fewer keyboard events than any of its sibling combos). To me it sounds like it might be a problem at the driver level. I've just tried installing USB Overdrive and rebooting, and USB Overdrive claims to be controlling the Thinkpad keyboard, but it doesn't seem to make a difference to any of the above behaviour.

I've also posted my debugging attempts here:

http://superuser.com/questions/851941/very-specific-key-combo-failure-with-usb-k eyboard-under-osx

http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/161599/swap-mapping-of-left-and-right-s hift-keys

Feb 13, 2015 7:13 AM in response to z3r

Hi, I think using the Thinkpad USB keyboard with a MacBook keyboard is an excellent idea! It really seems like it can be the best of both worlds.

I got the 55Y9003 Thinkpad USB keyboard model this week. By the way, supplies for this older model are running low, btw, in favor of the newer one, the 0B47190). I am attempting to use the Thinkpad USB keyboard over a MacBook Air and am running into a couple of issues.

--The ThinkPad keyboard, when placed over the MacBook Air, activates the MacBook keyboard's buttons, including the Power button. Does an application like USB Overdrive allow you to disable the main MacBook keyboard in a way that enables you to use the MacBook keyboard when the Thinkpad USB keyboard is unplugged from it?

--Also, I am currently experiencing some strange characters (such as the section symbol, , §, when typing. I assume the proper keyboard mappings will help me to eliminate them. The Thinkpad keyboard is excellent, with great keys, though it has an extra key, a forward slash key, to the right of the left shift key and this is hard to get accustomed to.

I welcome any suggestions on the above.

Thanks!
Ben

Emonect

Level 1

0 points

Mar 31, 2015 6:57 AM in response to Community User

Hi maxmalynowsky,

i am using Autohotkey for my Thinkpad to customize the middle button to allow scrolling and other commands (like middle button + L = Alt-Tab).

Is there a way to do this with Karabiner aswell?Could you show me the xml needed to use the middle button for scrolling and other commands at the same time?

Thanks a lot!

Btw i have a really great Autohotkey script that allows for working with one hand only - even the arrow keys are replaced by J,K,L,I in my script (using the right Alt key). Ask me if interested.

nikinzrh

Level 1

0 points

May 22, 2015 1:20 AM in response to BillHahn

I'm using the bluetooth Thinkpad keyboard with a MBP and an external monitor and love the experience. The only complaint I have is with the middle-click scroll. I use this constantly but I can't avoid sending a middle click and launching various web actions (most of my time is spent in a Chrome browser window) depending on the location of the cursor at the time I being scrolling. I don't remember having this problem with the USB version of the trackpoint keyboard. Has anyone found a way to delay the middle click just enough so it's ignored as soon as scrolling begins? At the moment I have to slightly move the mouse to vacant area of the screen to begin middle-click scrolling to avoid making erroneous selections or launching new tabs in the background.

sebdel

Level 1

0 points

Sep 30, 2015 7:32 PM in response to BillHahn

I know this is an old post and maybe you'll never read this, I stumble with this site looking for some trackpoint information and I had no idea the thinkpad trackpoint usb keyboards existed. You have extended the range of laptops I can buy from two (thinkpad and elitebook) to thousands!!

Now I can actually consider getting a mac, I love that retina display.

I'm so happy!

Jun 9, 2016 11:31 PM in response to BillHahn

I love this. I've got an odd thumb joint that locks up so I can't use touchpads very well, and have hoped for years that Apple would wake up and add a trackpoint to their keyboards.

Do you do anything to hold the keyboard down, or just rely on friction?

Sep 16, 2016 10:11 AM in response to BillHahn

Bill -- I'm just trying this. Any tool to speed up the acceleration of the trackpoint?

Thanks!

-- Jim

hjas1982

Level 1

9 points

Oct 24, 2016 11:28 PM in response to BillHahn

Hi Bill,

Is that the only con you found? I'm also using a bluetooth lenovo keyboard. Not sure about the model but it's slightly bigger than yours (see picture).

For me, it is actually a lot more comfortable than using the built-in keyboard + trackpad in my mac. Even the con that you mention (slightly different layout) doesn't bother me that much, and I already got used to it.

However, the one and really annoying thing, is that the bluetooth connection gets lost quite often. It is annoying when Im typing and Im in the middle of something, and all of a sudden the connection gets lost (a gray image with a keyboard and a legend saying "connection lost" appears in the middle of the screen). I really dont know why this happens, but it's annoying. This would be the only disadvantage I have found with this set up. Maybe a newer model won't have this issues, I dont know...

Cheers

vzaliva

Level 1

4 points

Nov 29, 2017 8:49 PM in response to BillHahn

Have you been able to lock FN so I can adjust volume without pressing FN key? There is such option for original Apple keyboard but it dissapears from the Settings when Lenovo keyboard is plugged in.

Using Thinkpad Trackpoint USB Keyboard with MacBook Pro, Air, Retina (with pictures)