Pointing Devices

These are also called Cursor Control Devices. Cursor Control Devices are used to place the cursor (a highlighted screen location indicating where the next action will occur), select menu items, and control the computer by ‘clicking buttons’ on the screen. If these are built into the computer they are called Integrated Pointing Devices. A few such devices available are:

• Mouse: A standard device of GUI (Graphical User Interface). New versions are optic and have no moving parts. An LED (Light Emitted Diode) records a reflected light which senses motion over a flat surface.
• Trackballs:  Like an ‘upside-down mouse’: it has the advantage of being stationary.
• Joysticks: A hand-held stick that pivots about one end indicating 360 degree directions.
• Track point or pointing stick:  A miniature joystick that responds to the touch of a single finger.
• Track pads: A touch sensitive surface that translates finger motion into cursor motion