Trackpad for iPhone?

[xanadome]

Anyone who experienced both BB and iPhone ever thought of using a trackpad for iPhone?
I am not particularly a fan of physical keypad but the trackpad is a useful tool. Two advantage I can think of.

1). Precise placement of cursor on touchscreen

2). Selecting/clicking something on touch screen from one place.

I guess Torch is doing just that.
Re cursor placement, sometimes place on screen is tiny and I have to use pinch and zoom to enlarge it first on iPhone, then place finger tip. This is easily done by a trackpad, perhaps even zooming first by clicking it.

Re selecting, this is a huge advantage. If the bottom button in iPhone also works as a trackpad, it would be ideal. iPhone is wasting the whole bottom space. I heard that coming IP5 has a wider button. Does that imply a function as a trackpad too? That bottom area is useful for one-hand operation, but currently much wasted.

I believe the Apple's philosophy is to minimize mechanical buttons and switches, substituting them with software ones, thereby reducing chances of assembly and service problems. They even went further to eliminate user accessible battery and memory card.
But making the bottom round button for a double as a trackpad would not hurt their philosophy.
I may experiment how the Torch manages this in a store.
One problem with BB's trackpad is it's so tiny, often creating assembly/service problems. iPhone has an ample space for that, and a larger trackpad should work better.
Just a thought...

[jebulls]

I think trackpads will be a thing of the past even on bb. No need anymore....

[elementunkn]

From using both a 9700 and an iPhone, I can honestly say I am way more precise with text selection on the iPhone than with a trackpad.

[Rockdog97]

I would NOT buy an iPhone if it had a track pad on it.. If you want a trackpad go buy a different phone..

an iPhone with a trackpad would be Fugly!!!

[NursingNinja]

They could work the functionality into the home button actually, that would be great. Personally what I would like to see would be BB OS7 on an iphone. The lack of the convenience key and micro usb port would bite but it would be an improvement none the less.

[TheScionicMan]

I often find myself trying to scroll with the Home button when working with an iPhone. Between that and swiping other tablets to try to wake them, it cracks me up how easy it is to get used to something so natural as many of the BB/PB gestures are.

[xanadome]

Originally Posted by NursingNinja

They could work the functionality into the home button actually, that would be great.

That's what I was trying to say.
BB's trackpad is too small, too difficult to manufacture and assemble, but iPhones home button is large enough.
As to implementing BBOS7 into iPhone, an interesting idea. I kinda like a hierarchical menu system.

I do not think Apple would ever consider implementing a micro SD card slot. Any additional hardware opening or switch etc would be a no-no for them. Also, perhaps Apple might be making more money by selling (forcing ?:-) built-in memories. But it might be cheaper for end users than buying an individual card.
User replaceable battery makes sense but they would not allow it. Perhaps it's their philosophy not to allow any user accessible parts, whereby reducing the frequency of hardware failure.

I wonder what that horizontally enlarged home button that is rumoured to be for the iPhone 5.

[zyiro]

Originally Posted by xanadome

That's what I was trying to say.
BB's trackpad is too small, too difficult to manufacture and assemble, but iPhones home button is large enough.
As to implementing BBOS7 into iPhone, an interesting idea. I kinda like a hierarchical menu system.

I do not think Apple would ever consider implementing a micro SD card slot. Any additional hardware opening or switch etc would be a no-no for them. Also, perhaps Apple might be making more money by selling (forcing ?:-) built-in memories. But it might be cheaper for end users than buying an individual card.
User replaceable battery makes sense but they would not allow it. Perhaps it's their philosophy not to allow any user accessible parts, whereby reducing the frequency of hardware failure.

I wonder what that horizontally enlarged home button that is rumoured to be for the iPhone 5.

no offense intended but this whole post makes me scratch my head..

having a trackpad with a touchscreen is about as useful as having two sets of headphones on at the same time with two different sources playing. Nothing will ever make sense.

SD Card's are only for phones with sub par storage to begin with,

Replaceable batteries are only for inferior phones that the manufacturer knows they will have issues with battery life or that is their solution to horrid memory management like a blackberry requiring battery pulls multiple times a day to get a half way functional device.

[tedzone]

I think the Apple vision is to eventually get the iphone to be one solid slab (which is pretty sexy) and get rid of what few buttons it has. So that's a big no no on the trackpad. That being said-- I love the trackpad on my 9900.

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