A pointing device including ; a ball comprising an electrically conductive material and a non-electrically conductive outer layer wherein physical movement of the ball translates to physical movement of a cursor on an interface; a capacitive proximity sensor arranged to measure a value of capacitance, representative of the proximity of a sensed object to the ball, the value of capacitance comprising a capacitance between the sensed object and the electrically conductive material of the ball, and a capacitance between the electrically conductive material of the ball and the capacitive proximity sensor; a switch actuable in response to the proximity of the sensed object to the ball, such that the switch is in an activated state when the sensed object is in contact with or is in close proximity to the ball, and the switch is in a deactivated state when the sensed object is not in contact with or in close proximity to the ball subject to an exception; and a controller for communicating data representative of physical movement of the ball to the said interface, said controller further detecting the speed of rotation of the ball; wherein, when the switch is in an activated state, the controller communicates the data representative of physical movement of the ball to the said interface, and when the switch is in a deactivated state, the controller does not communicate the data representative of physical movement of the ball to the said interface; and wherein the exception to the switch being in a deactivated state when the sensed object is not in contact with or in close proximity to the ball is that, after the sensed object is no longer in contact with or in close proximity to the ball, the switch remains in an activated state until the speed of rotation of the ball falls below a predetermined threshold. a ball comprising an electrically conductive material and a non-electrically conductive outer layer wherein physical movement of the ball translates to physical movement of a cursor on an interface; a capacitive proximity sensor arranged to measure a value of capacitance, representative of the proximity of a sensed object to the ball, the value of capacitance comprising a capacitance between the sensed object and the electrically conductive material of the ball, and a capacitance between the electrically conductive material of the ball and the capacitive proximity sensor; a switch actuable in response to the proximity of the sensed object to the ball, such that the switch is in an activated state when the sensed object is in contact with or is in close proximity to the ball, and the switch is in a deactivated state when the sensed object is not in contact with or in close proximity to the ball subject to an exception; and a controller for communicating data representative of physical movement of the ball to the said interface, said controller further detecting the speed of rotation of the ball; wherein, when the switch is in an activated state, the controller communicates the data representative of physical movement of the ball to the said interface, and when the switch is in a deactivated state, the controller does not communicate the data representative of physical movement of the ball to the said interface; and wherein the exception to the switch being in a deactivated state when the sensed object is not in contact with or in close proximity to the ball is that, after the sensed object is no longer in contact with or in close proximity to the ball, the switch remains in an activated state until the speed of rotation of the ball falls below a predetermined threshold. <EOS>