Author Topic: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?  (Read 11108 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Vanilla

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 140
  • Location: SF living
  • 110% Snuggable
Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« on: Fri, 19 August 2016, 13:31:10 »
Today I just got issued a new thinkpad T460s from work and to my surprise there weren't any extra trackpoint caps included in the box.

I received my previous thinkpad through IT so I thought they had knicked them before it came to me. But this new one was shipped directly to me by lenovo with me breaking the seal to the box.

Having bought a set of trackpoint caps off ebay previously for my old thinkpad, the packaging with them made me assume they were an accessory in the box for every thinkpad with a trackpointer this entire time.

Offline mike52787

  • Posts: 1030
  • Location: South-West Florida
  • Alps Aficionado
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 19 August 2016, 13:38:14 »
I cant really help you with that, as I bought my thinkpad used. I did however buy some of those replacement trackpoint caps from ebay.

Offline duynguyenle

  • Posts: 1388
  • Location: UK - Midlands
  • Personal text? What personal text???
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 19 August 2016, 13:54:39 »
I've never had a Thinkpad that comes with them in the box. (X201T, X121e, T440, used to have a T61 but that was a hand-me-down from a relative so can't say for sure for that one)
| QFR            | Leeku 1800    | Raptor K1      | Dolch Pac

Offline Tactile

  • Posts: 1431
  • Location: Portland, OR
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 19 August 2016, 14:12:12 »
I bought mine quite a few years ago & it didn't include any spares. I had to pick some up off of Ebay when I knocked mine off brushing the keyboard & the dog ate it.  :p
REΛLFORCE

Offline chuckdee

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 1308
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 19 August 2016, 14:13:04 »
They stopped doing that a while ago, unfortunately.  The last time I got a laptop from them with extra trackpoints was when they were IBM.

Offline Leslieann

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 4513
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 19 August 2016, 19:03:19 »
Last time I heard about or saw extras was like Chuckdee said, back when IBM still made them.
Novelkeys NK65AE w/62g Zilents/39g springs
More
62g Zilents/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, pic
| Filco MJ2 L.E. Vortex Case, Jailhouse Blues, heavily customized
More
Vortex case squared up/blasted finish removed/custom feet/paint/winkey blockoff plate, HID Liberator, stainless steel universal plate, 3d printed adapters, Type C, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, foam sound dampened, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps (o-ringed), Cherry Jailhouse Blues w/lubed/clipped Cherry light springs, 40g actuation
| GMMK TKL
More
w/ Kailh Purple Pros/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 Magnetic cable
| PF65 3d printed 65% w/LCD and hot swap
More
Box Jades, Interchangeable trim, mini lcd, QMK, underglow, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, O-rings, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, in progress link
| Magicforce 68
More
MF68 pcb, Outemu Blues, in progress
| YMDK75 Jail Housed Gateron Blues
More
J-spacers, YMDK Thick PBT, O-rings, SIP sockets
| KBT Race S L.E.
More
Ergo Clears, custom WASD caps
| Das Pro
More
Costar model with browns
| GH60
More
Cherry Blacks, custom 3d printed case
| Logitech Illumininated | IBM Model M (x2)
Definitive Omron Guide. | 3d printed Keyboard FAQ/Discussion

Offline tp4tissue

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 13551
  • Location: Official Geekhack Public Defender..
  • OmniExpert of: Rice, Top-Ramen, Ergodox, n Females
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #6 on: Sun, 21 August 2016, 15:07:14 »
If ur company lease them,  they usually include a big bag

Offline pmck

  • Posts: 39
  • Location: Dublin Ireland
  • Software Engineer
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #7 on: Mon, 22 August 2016, 08:10:11 »
Today I just got issued a new thinkpad T460s from work and to my surprise there weren't any extra trackpoint caps included in the box.

I received my previous thinkpad through IT so I thought they had knicked them before it came to me. But this new one was shipped directly to me by lenovo with me breaking the seal to the box.

Having bought a set of trackpoint caps off ebay previously for my old thinkpad, the packaging with them made me assume they were an accessory in the box for every thinkpad with a trackpointer this entire time.


I've gotten three think pads through work all sealed. Never had extras in the box :(
   
|        IBM M         |      Wasd V1      |   GH60    | KBC Poker | GHPAD |

WANTED:Nada have all I want for now!

Offline tp4tissue

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 13551
  • Location: Official Geekhack Public Defender..
  • OmniExpert of: Rice, Top-Ramen, Ergodox, n Females
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #8 on: Mon, 22 August 2016, 09:18:29 »
I think they should offer the x series think pads in Different colors..

Offline Vanilla

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 140
  • Location: SF living
  • 110% Snuggable
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #9 on: Mon, 22 August 2016, 16:37:36 »
Yeah, I always thought they included them in a bag like this, as commonly seen and received from ebay.



Which makes me wonder, where do the sellers get them like this in such a plentiful way that they're able to sell them to the less fortunate?

Offline tp4tissue

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 13551
  • Location: Official Geekhack Public Defender..
  • OmniExpert of: Rice, Top-Ramen, Ergodox, n Females
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #10 on: Mon, 22 August 2016, 16:52:56 »
Yeah, I always thought they included them in a bag like this, as commonly seen and received from ebay.

Show Image


Which makes me wonder, where do the sellers get them like this in such a plentiful way that they're able to sell them to the less fortunate?

It's not exactly high tech.. Anyone can make them.. slap a Japan sticker on it.. and make money because of the big margin.


Offline davkol

  •  Post Editing Timeout
  • Posts: 4994
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 23 August 2016, 06:39:01 »
The Chinese non-original replacements are much worse quality; they get stiff really fast.

Offline tp4tissue

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 13551
  • Location: Official Geekhack Public Defender..
  • OmniExpert of: Rice, Top-Ramen, Ergodox, n Females
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 23 August 2016, 07:39:08 »
The Chinese non-original replacements are much worse quality; they get stiff really fast.

Some do...  Most don't though..

Offline duynguyenle

  • Posts: 1388
  • Location: UK - Midlands
  • Personal text? What personal text???
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #13 on: Tue, 23 August 2016, 14:10:23 »
Yeah, I always thought they included them in a bag like this, as commonly seen and received from ebay.

Show Image


Which makes me wonder, where do the sellers get them like this in such a plentiful way that they're able to sell them to the less fortunate?

They are pretty common replacement parts, check Lenovo parts store, I think these replacement nubs along with batteries are some of the most common spare parts for Thinkpads.

Edit: found it on Lenovo UK parts store: http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/itemdetails/73P2698/460/46F05D50885846638F1DA21700B9A17D

Where do sellers get these? If they're authorised distributors, then most likely from Lenovo themselves.
| QFR            | Leeku 1800    | Raptor K1      | Dolch Pac

Offline ideus

  • * Exalted Elder
  • Posts: 8123
  • Location: In the middle of nowhere.
  • Björkö.
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #14 on: Tue, 23 August 2016, 14:49:48 »
They do not come with them; but, why that would be an issue?, if the cap becomes dirty you can always wash it, it you lost it, that it is very unlikely, unless you pull it off, you can always get some over ebay for cheap. You should better focus in the CPU, display, SSD and RAM that are key for the performance of the machine.

Offline Leslieann

  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 4513
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #15 on: Tue, 23 August 2016, 15:56:05 »
Which makes me wonder, where do the sellers get them like this in such a plentiful way that they're able to sell them to the less fortunate?
They get them from inventory closeouts.
A store closes and you buy their inventory (a company i worked for did this with clothing), or the company or company who made them, made/ordered too many, and the company is over-stocked...  Other times you get ones that were blemished this way and rejected by the company, even though it's fine for you, maybe the color is slightly different.

Also, sometimes when buying in bulk, because of how the markdowns occur, it's cheaper to buy more than you need. In my companies case, we needed 500 motors, but because of a discount that kicked in at 600, and a bulk rate on shipping, it was cheaper to actually buy 600 than it was to buy 500.

And of course there is flat out knockoffs and ripoffs.
Novelkeys NK65AE w/62g Zilents/39g springs
More
62g Zilents/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, pic
| Filco MJ2 L.E. Vortex Case, Jailhouse Blues, heavily customized
More
Vortex case squared up/blasted finish removed/custom feet/paint/winkey blockoff plate, HID Liberator, stainless steel universal plate, 3d printed adapters, Type C, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, foam sound dampened, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps (o-ringed), Cherry Jailhouse Blues w/lubed/clipped Cherry light springs, 40g actuation
| GMMK TKL
More
w/ Kailh Purple Pros/lubed/Novelkeys 39g springs, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, Netdot Gen10 Magnetic cable
| PF65 3d printed 65% w/LCD and hot swap
More
Box Jades, Interchangeable trim, mini lcd, QMK, underglow, HK Gaming Thick PBT caps, O-rings, Netdot Gen10 magnetic cable, in progress link
| Magicforce 68
More
MF68 pcb, Outemu Blues, in progress
| YMDK75 Jail Housed Gateron Blues
More
J-spacers, YMDK Thick PBT, O-rings, SIP sockets
| KBT Race S L.E.
More
Ergo Clears, custom WASD caps
| Das Pro
More
Costar model with browns
| GH60
More
Cherry Blacks, custom 3d printed case
| Logitech Illumininated | IBM Model M (x2)
Definitive Omron Guide. | 3d printed Keyboard FAQ/Discussion

Offline tp4tissue

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 13551
  • Location: Official Geekhack Public Defender..
  • OmniExpert of: Rice, Top-Ramen, Ergodox, n Females
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #16 on: Tue, 23 August 2016, 18:49:09 »
I think there's a LINE as to what you'd call a knock off.

It's a rubber nub thingie..   It's like if one tried to knock off a regular piece of paper..  Generic is just as good in most cases..



Offline xtrafrood

  • formerly csmertx
  • * Elevated Elder
  • Posts: 2715
  • Location: Gainesville, FL
  • wildling
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #17 on: Tue, 23 August 2016, 22:41:37 »
Another thing to add to the things Lenovo hate list: Nubs, and blue enter keys. What's next?

Offline Findecanor

  • Posts: 5035
  • Location: Koriko
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #18 on: Wed, 24 August 2016, 00:51:46 »
Back in 2008, I was issued a Lenovo Thinkpad at work which did come with three different style nubs. So the purpose of including them seemed to be not as replacements but so that you could choose the style that you preferred.

I would guess that Lenovo changed to having only one style when they changed to the chiclet keyboard.
« Last Edit: Wed, 24 August 2016, 10:13:37 by Findecanor »

Offline tp4tissue

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 13551
  • Location: Official Geekhack Public Defender..
  • OmniExpert of: Rice, Top-Ramen, Ergodox, n Females
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #19 on: Wed, 24 August 2016, 04:32:29 »
Back in 2008, I was issued a Lenovo Thinkpad at work which did come with three different style nubs. So the purpose of including them not replacement but of what style you preferred.

I would guess that Lenovo changed to having only one style when they changed to the chiclet keyboard.


No they sell all the styles.. You can request the different ones..


I prefer the Dish shape myself,  better contact traction.

Offline tp4tissue

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 13551
  • Location: Official Geekhack Public Defender..
  • OmniExpert of: Rice, Top-Ramen, Ergodox, n Females
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #20 on: Wed, 24 August 2016, 04:38:37 »
TBH,  Trackpoint is only a tiny bit more convenient than a touchpad..  and only in circumstances of text editing..

It's still way better to carry one of those pocket mini mouse.  works way better than trackpoint / touchpad

Offline davkol

  •  Post Editing Timeout
  • Posts: 4994
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #21 on: Wed, 24 August 2016, 09:03:44 »
It's a rubber nub thingie..   It's like if one tried to knock off a regular piece of paper..  Generic is just as good in most cases..
Nah, not every kind of paper is equally useful for specific purposes. Alternatively, it's like saying that keycap material doesn't matter around here; of course it does! Some people find caps worn from sweat gross.

Same thing about trackpoint caps: they shouldn't be stiff out of the box or stiffen really fast; it affects the required force.

Offline ideus

  • * Exalted Elder
  • Posts: 8123
  • Location: In the middle of nowhere.
  • Björkö.
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #22 on: Wed, 24 August 2016, 09:10:39 »
It's a rubber nub thingie..   It's like if one tried to knock off a regular piece of paper..  Generic is just as good in most cases..
Nah, not every kind of paper is equally useful for specific purposes. Alternatively, it's like saying that keycap material doesn't matter around here; of course it does! Some people find caps worn from sweat gross.

Same thing about trackpoint caps: they shouldn't be stiff out of the box or stiffen really fast; it affects the required force.

Being a Thinkpad user as long as I can remember, my experience with the track-point led me to use it only as a secondary pointing device, that I use in those cases I do not have access to a regular mouse, or the place does not allow it. I really want to like it, but is just not the best thing to use, for example for ACad work, where even a mouse is a marginal solution. Thus, I'd say that I am not really preoccupied for its caps, my last Thinkpad came with a bag with the three different versions available and I found the hat style to be the more sensitive of the three designs; but, again, I'd use my wireless mouse any day.

Offline tp4tissue

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 13551
  • Location: Official Geekhack Public Defender..
  • OmniExpert of: Rice, Top-Ramen, Ergodox, n Females
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #23 on: Wed, 24 August 2016, 10:39:19 »
It's a rubber nub thingie..   It's like if one tried to knock off a regular piece of paper..  Generic is just as good in most cases..
Nah, not every kind of paper is equally useful for specific purposes. Alternatively, it's like saying that keycap material doesn't matter around here; of course it does! Some people find caps worn from sweat gross.

Same thing about trackpoint caps: they shouldn't be stiff out of the box or stiffen really fast; it affects the required force.

Being a Thinkpad user as long as I can remember, my experience with the track-point led me to use it only as a secondary pointing device, that I use in those cases I do not have access to a regular mouse, or the place does not allow it. I really want to like it, but is just not the best thing to use, for example for ACad work, where even a mouse is a marginal solution. Thus, I'd say that I am not really preoccupied for its caps, my last Thinkpad came with a bag with the three different versions available and I found the hat style to be the more sensitive of the three designs; but, again, I'd use my wireless mouse any day.


Wireless ?

LAGGGG.. LAGGG .. LAGGG

Offline Vanilla

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 140
  • Location: SF living
  • 110% Snuggable
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #24 on: Sat, 27 August 2016, 12:28:51 »
They do not come with them; but, why that would be an issue?, if the cap becomes dirty you can always wash it, it you lost it, that it is very unlikely, unless you pull it off, you can always get some over ebay for cheap. You should better focus in the CPU, display, SSD and RAM that are key for the performance of the machine.



Apologies for the slow reply but I personally prefer the soft rim trackpoint cap over the soft dome cap which lenovo packs with every thinkpad these days.
It might be negligible change for some but this small difference makes quite the impact on me, whose touchpad is seldom only touched by a coworker who doesnt use trackpoint.

IT was actually surprised at how mint the condition of the touchpad was when I returned it, it wasnt even shiny.

Offline ideus

  • * Exalted Elder
  • Posts: 8123
  • Location: In the middle of nowhere.
  • Björkö.
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #25 on: Sat, 27 August 2016, 12:37:33 »
They do not come with them; but, why that would be an issue?, if the cap becomes dirty you can always wash it, it you lost it, that it is very unlikely, unless you pull it off, you can always get some over ebay for cheap. You should better focus in the CPU, display, SSD and RAM that are key for the performance of the machine.

Show Image


Apologies for the slow reply but I personally prefer the soft rim trackpoint cap over the soft dome cap which lenovo packs with every thinkpad these days.
It might be negligible change for some but this small difference makes quite the impact on me, whose touchpad is seldom only touched by a coworker who doesnt use trackpoint.

IT was actually surprised at how mint the condition of the touchpad was when I returned it, it wasnt even shiny.

It is the same cap design I prefer myself, it is the most accurate for my personal feeling, as well. Again, you can always get a set over ebay for cheap. The link bellow is for a set of them for 1 dollar os so.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1X-CAP2-New-Track-Point-TrackPoint-Red-Cap-IBM-Thinkpad-Laptop-R500-T400-W500-/280855065254?hash=item41644432a6:m:m1DsUh1J2dygmHNptg2bH7w

Offline tp4tissue

  • * Destiny Supporter
  • Posts: 13551
  • Location: Official Geekhack Public Defender..
  • OmniExpert of: Rice, Top-Ramen, Ergodox, n Females
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #26 on: Sat, 27 August 2016, 14:05:01 »
They do not come with them; but, why that would be an issue?, if the cap becomes dirty you can always wash it, it you lost it, that it is very unlikely, unless you pull it off, you can always get some over ebay for cheap. You should better focus in the CPU, display, SSD and RAM that are key for the performance of the machine.

Show Image


Apologies for the slow reply but I personally prefer the soft rim trackpoint cap over the soft dome cap which lenovo packs with every thinkpad these days.
It might be negligible change for some but this small difference makes quite the impact on me, whose touchpad is seldom only touched by a coworker who doesnt use trackpoint.

IT was actually surprised at how mint the condition of the touchpad was when I returned it, it wasnt even shiny.

The softdome one is pretty good when it's new /clean and / grippy...  but over a while, once the little bumps smooth a bit, and the rubber hardens, it's no longer good..

The rim one is grippy for longer because of the surface area.

Offline YoshiCaps

  • Posts: 163
  • Location: earth
  • yes, oh god no.
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #27 on: Sat, 22 October 2016, 13:11:05 »
I have a crappy chromebook thinkapad andit has no trackpoint.
hi.

Offline MJL

  • Posts: 44
  • Location: Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Re: Thinkpads no longer come with extra trackpoint caps?
« Reply #28 on: Sun, 23 October 2016, 18:32:52 »
FWIW If I remember correctly - the last few Thinkpads I bought did not have them anymore (Z60M, T61P). Cannot remember about the R60 that I bought for one of my children but the A31's (multiple) (and all the earlier ones ) that I had came with them.

It may also depend on country - some countries have different warranties / accessories.