[JP Yow]

I'd love to see BlackBerry add a mouse pointer to our glorious new phone for navigating home screens and to a lesser extent, web pages. We already have a defacto trackpad thanks to the capacitive keyboard. As someone who uses the physical keyboard a lot, the screen is "further away" and not always in easy reach. The haptics can be debated and perfected but I propose:

On home screen(s):

Light double tap on pkb: activates/deactivates Mouse Mode, pointer appears/disappears.

Use capacitive keypad to control pointer.

Can scroll to other home screens by pushing pointer off left or right edges of screen, or navigate a webpage by scrolling up and down (we have this already but we don't have 'select').

Light single tap on pkb: Select whatever is under the pointer.

That's it. Simple, but awesome. I think it would be perfect. Yes, we had this on BBOS when we relied on the tool belt, and it was more necessary when we didn't have touchscreens. But the existence of touchscreens doesn't mean it can't still be complementary and convenient. It's nice to have options. Which is why, of course, it could be switched off by people who don't want it. But it seems to me it could be another great, unique thing about the Priv, and would require very little development time.

Sorry if this is a duplicate thread, I searched for a while and didn't find anything, though I think someone did ask for this on the Passport a while back.

What do people think?

Posted on my Android M Priv Silver Edition

[JP Yow]

This could also be used to pull down the settings menu from the top and select options there. It would turn this phone into a one-handed marvel of efficiency.

Posted on my Android M Priv Silver Edition

[mithrazor]

Yes! This would be great!

Definitely want something like this.

The capacitive touch keyboard can be used for so much more. I really hope they develop this more.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[ToniCipriani]

Always thought something like this would be useful, in particular with the large screen and run it in Citrix.

Wished something like this worked on the Classic in Citrix as well (not that Citrix works fine for me, however...)

[Mark Sb]

I was just talking about this in the Vienna forum....I'll post the screenshots here too.

I can live without a touchscreen if it comes with a trackpad where I can use my thumb like a mouse. I actually find it kind of annoying that I have to leave the trackpad to copy text in the browser, and to hit the copy and paste buttons on the screen. I would prefer being able to do it all from the trackpad.

The trackpad would need scrolling, pointing, & cursor capabilities...perhaps at default it scrolls the page...tap twice on it to get the pointer, which disables the scrolling so you can move around using the trackpad like a mouse pad, and tap again to get the cursor which functions as it does now for copy and pasting. It could work.

The more I think about this and test it in theory the more I like it.

[00stryder]

Doesn't connecting a Bluetooth/USB mouse to the Priv activate a mouse mode? (I don't know first-hand, but it is possible on BB10.) I'm assuming it wouldn't be too hard to extend this functionality to the PKB, since you can already activate the selector mode.

Posted via CB10

[fattyacid]

Im waiting for the trackpad development for the Passport but sadly it's been dePrived from it. I hope their android device will get the full attention from the app developers.

Posted via CB10

[owczi]

@00stryder: this is exactly how a mouse works on Android / PRIV. I tested my Bluetooth mouse and I got a cursor. A pointer mode is something that would really make the trackpad usable. I also have the Classic and I love the trackpad. My main gripe with the PRIV PKB scrolling is that you can only scroll, not move a marker / selection (as in the Hub - I should be able to select a message).

[JP Yow]

Even if it wasn't a full pointer, I'd be satisfied with the ability to scroll around between apps and hotlinks, like how the old thumbwheel and current trackpad moves to the next selectable thing and hilights it for possible selection.

Posted on my Android M Priv Silver Edition

[owczi]

OK, so I recently got a USB OTG / host cable, and I finally tried a USB keyboard with the Priv to see what it can do. This is what I found - I'm assuming that this is basically how an actual PKB works on a generic Android (not specifically tuned for a tablet):

- Arrow keys actually move selection between apps on the home screen, but there is no visible marker. When I press Enter or Space on an app icon, a highlight appears, but I can't open the app. When you reach the screen edge, it moves to the next screen.
- The meta key (Windows key) brings up Google search (anywhere)
- The menu key (right mouse button key, whatever) does nothing
- Alt-tab brings up the recent app list - but no way to move between them using arrow keys or further alt-tab. Maybe a different launcher would support this.
- Escape can be used for cancelling / closing things like dialogs or app widgets
- Pressing letter keys while on the home screen triggers the shortcuts you defined
- Tab key works for moving around things in Chrome, also some F-keys and CTRL+* work in Chrome
- Print Screen takes a screenshot
- You gain nothing in the Hub - still can't move between or select e-mails, you can only scroll with arrow keys.
- Text editing works as usual - arrows, selection with shift+arrows, CTRL-cxv etc.
- Tab / Shift-Tab does not let you move the focus to an UI widget such as OK or Cancel button, but lets you move between input fields
- Pressing Tab when at the end of a word where correction suggestions are being offered, takes you through different suggestion options

That's about it for a quick look. A physical USB keyboard does not do more than the built-in PKB (in terms of selection, etc), other than what it can do because of the extra keys it has. There is still no way to control the phone using KB only.

I'm sure some of the better alternative launchers out there allow to do more with the PKB.

I would love it if they let you double-tap the keyboard to switch between scrolling and moving the selection.

[steffcip]

the mouse pointer would be great, I love it on the Classic using the trackpad and I will miss it once moved over to Priv (which is waiting the apps updates)

[senectus]

add my vote to this as well!

[nonamenomore]

Any news regarding this feature? It would be really great if it got implemented.

Does BlackBerry provide a Priv-specific API to the Android SDK to allow for development for the Priv's trackpad on the physical keyboard?

[johnsliderbb]

add my vote on this one as well

Try to hit the cross marking on an advert screen with a finger. 9 out of 10 I open the advert instead of clicking it away (have skinny fingers though). With the mouse pointer as on legacy BB you can click spot on.

Other advantage is to have full one finger control on webpages.

Anyway. As the sensitive pkb is there, and as the mouse function exists. Please bring it on.

To me biggest disappointment after switching from Classic to Priv. The Classic pkb types better as Priv pkb bottom row doesn't give proper click resistance. Priv doesn't not have the track pad. Missed oppertunity. Detail. Put them next to each other and it shows the Classic pkb including track pad would easily fit into the Priv pkb space.

[thurask]

Any news regarding this feature? It would be really great if it got implemented.

Does BlackBerry provide a Priv-specific API to the Android SDK to allow for development for the Priv's trackpad on the physical keyboard?

There are developer docs for the Priv keyboard/sliding mechanism:

https://supportforums.blackberry.com...d/ta-p/3138951

https://supportforums.blackberry.com...d/ta-p/3138952

As far as I can tell (disclaimer: complete stranger to Android dev), the Priv keyboard is identified as a touchpad rather than a mouse.

[jberb1984]

I assumed the Priv would have had this feature... until I bought it
Big disappointment.

Curve8300 - Curve9220 - Torch9850 - Z10 - Priv

[nonamenomore]

Please BlackBerry, bring this feature to the Priv! Even if it is not 100% perfect, it would greatly improve the usability. And also add the 'Tab' button function for the keyboard, just as you recently did with the implementation of the optional 'Ctrl' button! Thanks

[johnsliderbb]

Just to see the mouse in action. Playing around with browsers to find one that plays Dutch national TV well (Firefox doesn't) I stumbled upon Puffin browser. It has a mouse controlled by a virtual mouse pad. Obviously it only exists within this browser only. Bad: as the pad is virtual it takes space on the screen. And there is no speed to configure etc. Good: mouse pointer definitely works on a Priv.

Please team, get it on on the PKB.