Analyses of in-Keyboard Pointing Devices in the Context of Preferred Device and Dual versus Single Device Designs

Abstract

Pointing sticks and touch pads remain the leading integrated pointing devices incorporated into notebook computers. Manufacturers have implemented dual point designs that include a pointing stick and touch pad on the same system to accommodate polarized preferences for pointing devices among users. Study of dual point designs analyzed the individual devices and identified strengths and weaknesses of combined designs. Findings indicate that with certain system attributes held constant, advanced technologies for pointing stick and touch pad produce near equal performance results and confirm hypotheses from previous research that user device preference and prior learning are key-contributing variables. Different types of pointing stick and touch pad technologies also lead to varying performance and preference results. in addition, users' abilities to transition to an alternate device depend on the device used during prior learning. Data suggests that unless device design is optimized for use of both devices, dual point designs may degrade performance and satisfaction of at least one component device when compared to similar metrics of the same device from single point designs.