Pointing stick
Provided by the ASK Keyboard Dictionary
Aka/also known as: nub
A pointing stick is an integrated pointing device near or within a keyboard assembly intended as an alternative or supplement to a trackball or trackpad. Typically, they're isometric (stationary) but some may act as a small joystick. When located within a keyboard, they're typically placed in between the "G", "H" and "B" keys - a location chosen for quick and ergonomic access as per IBM. Other advantages to pointing sticks include their inherent compactness, their resistance to dirt, and sweat, and their operability when wearing gloves. Their main drawback is that they can get in the way of typing depending on the user's typing style. The most famous pointing stick is the IBM/Lenovo TrackPoint series.
