[sicobiso]

my friend has a 9900 and hes been noticing for the past few days that his trackpad goes crazy when in direct sunlight.. not just skipping a movement or two. but completely scrolling up and down non stop. i held 2 9900's today side by side, his and another one. the other one was completely normal, his however was going crazy as usual, to the point where you actually struggle to correctly choose something in the menu.

i just want to know could this be a problem that could be solved with a software update or is it a hardware issue and i will need to send it to the warranty to be replaced??

he's currently on OS 7.0.0.296

thanks.

[Blackberry_boffin]

How about cleaning it, dropping swipe sensitivity all the way down and rebooting?

[sicobiso]

How about cleaning it, dropping swipe sensitivity all the way down and rebooting?

It moves alone without even his finger being near it, I doubt it has anything to do with the sensitivity setting...

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[10-Dee-Q]

thats know issues for this 9900/9930
i'm still not sure whether its a hardware defects or OS defects.
there's nothin you can do except return it and get an exchange.

[kbz1960]

I thought the trackpads were wonky in direct sunlight? I still have a ball. If you shade it how does it work?

[calicocat2010]

It's a ghost lol. But, seriously that's weird.

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[rrrebo]

All BB trackpads are subject to interference from direct exposure to the infrared spectrum. Direct sunlight will make it struggle. For me, I lose movement almost completely until I turn my back the sun and shade the trackpad. Happened on my 9700, no different on Agent 99.

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[mssca]

Please read number four in here: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...utions-648306/

This is normal and nothing to worry about.

[pblakk]

This is known to happen, commonly... But in dark settings usually. Weird....

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[Nashstruck]

Had this prob on my torch. Only fix was exchanging it. It is ABNORMAL, definitely!

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[ragz_mln]

Even I face this problem many time while Im on the move... today though i tried a trick, I was in the lawn wen it started moving up on its own. To check my intution, I went in my house, and found it was fixed! So, it is Sunlight! for sure. And im not going to get it exchanged- I've seen much worse trackpads than mine, and in the indoors mine works perfect. So, I'll just live with it. I feel these electronics can never be perfect- there will remain some tiny problems in whatever piece I buy- n this problem is I can live with.

[GG1]

Please read number four in here: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...utions-648306/

This is normal and nothing to worry about.

That is not normal and that #4 " This is NOT a problem because RIM never said that you can use your phone in direct sunlight" is the most ridiculous excuse. I had that problem on my 9700 and Rim couldn't fix it so I got rid of it. I can't imagine spending so much money on a flagship unit and have to deal with those so called "normal" issues .

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[rrrebo]

While it is certainly possible that the tint on a given batch of trackpads may be lighter, thus allowing more sunlight in to interfere with the photoreceptor, this is a quirk of the technology involved. It's physics. If yours is too wonky, exchange it. The alternative for RIM is to darken the tint, risking the possibility of trackpads becoming UNDERsensitive.

Tech isn't perfect. Don't expect it to be. Is it functional within a reasonable envelope of operating parameters? Yes. Is it 100% reliable in all conditions? No. No device is. May I remind you that there is already a redundant backup functionality built-in to your flagship device? It's called a touchscreen, and it works perfectly in direct sunlight, for those brief moments when you might need it to. (I'm on WAP, so I can't see what device you have, GG1, so I'll go with the devices to which this forum is dedicated.)

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[GG1]

While it is certainly possible that the tint on a given batch of trackpads may be lighter, thus allowing more sunlight in to interfere with the photoreceptor, this is a quirk of the technology involved. It's physics. If yours is too wonky, exchange it. The alternative for RIM is to darken the tint, risking the possibility of trackpads becoming UNDERsensitive.

Tech isn't perfect. Don't expect it to be. Is it functional within a reasonable envelope of operating parameters? Yes. Is it 100% reliable in all conditions? No. No device is. May I remind you that there is already a redundant backup functionality built-in to your flagship device? It's called a touchscreen, and it works perfectly in direct sunlight, for those brief moments when you might need it to. (I'm on WAP, so I can't see what device you have, GG1, so I'll go with the devices to which this forum is dedicated.)

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I agree with you that tech isn't perfect and I don't expect it to be but saying that it's normal BECAUSE rim didn't say you can use it direct sunlight is nonsense to me. Having a trackpad that moves around and is unusable at times, I consider it an issue unless you spend all your time indoors. I'm not saying this against mss-ca, she just posted the link, but I don't agree with #4 in the link.

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[claykin]

I have seen this issue on several 97xx and 99xx units. Seems to happen in areas where intense sunlight is more prevalent. i.e. Florida (me) and Egypt (OP).

I have also found that affected units were temporarily remedied by wiping the trackpad clean. Oils, and other debris will adhere to the trackpad face and can counteract the coating RIM uses on the inside of the trackpad.

Kind of dumb that RIM has not been able to work around this issue. Better optical/light sensor, add a pressure sensor, add a capacitive sensor, better software algorithms, something!

[rrrebo]

I have seen this issue on several 97xx and 99xx units. Seems to happen in areas where intense sunlight is more prevalent. i.e. Florida (me) and Egypt (OP).

I have also found that affected units were temporarily remedied by wiping the trackpad clean. Oils, and other debris will adhere to the trackpad face and can counteract the coating RIM uses on the inside of the trackpad.

Kind of dumb that RIM has not been able to work around this issue. Better optical/light sensor, add a pressure sensor, add a capacitive sensor, better software algorithms, something!

...all of which most likely add cost and/or additional points of failure. It's a balancing game. Cost and complexity vs functionality and reliability.

[Nashstruck]

Alternatively, you can buy one of those cocktail umbrellas and attach it to the phone.
So not only would you have a usable trackpad, but you'd look pretty too.

[lnichols]

I have this problem with my 9900 outside in sunlight. It is almost unusable. I have to put my finger over the trackpad to use it or go into shade. Maybe I should exchange it because "RIM never said that you can use your phone in direct sunlight" is total BS excuse. I think a phone is expected to work outside. I'll have to check my boys 9360's to see if they do same thing.

[lnichols]

Just checked the 9360s and they do not act the same in direct sunlight, so I guess a trip to the T-Mobile store or Costco is in order.

[classact]

To call this normal or within spec is ridiculous in my opinion.

I agree that for RIM's flagship product to be virtually unusable in bright sunlight is absurd. I live in Florida and to ask me not to use it outside is unacceptable. And to say the touchscreen is an alternative is really overly simplistic since we're talking about a cursor that moves around on its own and can be anywhere you don't want it to be when you finally "click" the trackpad to do something.

I have had a 9930 since they first came out on Verizon. I've replaced it a few times (loss, damage, malfunction) and received refurbs each time, and only today did my most recent replacement refurb start exhibiting this behavior. I've never experienced it before.

I suggest anyone with this problem exchange the phone. Which is what I’m about to do myself.

[rrrebo]

To call this normal or within spec is ridiculous in my opinion.

I agree that for RIM's flagship product to be virtually unusable in bright sunlight is absurd. I live in Florida and to ask me not to use it outside is unacceptable. And to say the touchscreen is an alternative is really overly simplistic since we're talking about a cursor that moves around on its own and can be anywhere you don't want it to be when you finally "click" the trackpad to do something.

I have had a 9930 since they first came out on Verizon. I've replaced it a few times (loss, damage, malfunction) and received refurbs each time, and only today did my most recent replacement refurb start exhibiting this behavior. I've never experienced it before.

I suggest anyone with this problem exchange the phone. Which is what I�m about to do myself.

You are within your rights to have this opinion. It doesn't change the fact that many types of technology are susceptible to interference from natural causes. I also live in Florida, and I use my BB outside all the time. It's quite far from "virtually unusable". I experience this problem only on the brightest of days, and a touch of shade does the trick every time, even if it's just shifting my thumb position or holding it flatter on the trackpad.

Perhaps there is a difference in part suppliers or batches that makes this problem worse for some. No easy way to tell, really. I'm sure RIM could also have found a way to use laser mouse technology or something other than what they currently use, at a significant cost in both price and battery life. I'd much rather just hold my BB in my own shadow than go through the hassle of returning it, but that's MY opinion.