[lparsons42]

Based on the pictures I've seen of the 9100 so far, it seems unlikely but I thought I'd pose the question. I love my 8120 but I hate the trackball in it - I would love to franken-berry it and put the optical from the 9100 into it (as opposed to putting up the money for a new 9100).

I don't suppose anyone has seen any information on how the opticals connect? Doesn't the new Bold have an optical trackbal? (has anyone taken one out)?

If I could just find an OEM source for the optical trackball ... maybe I could take a stab at it

[E_Brown]

No there is no way to do that.
Sorry

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[dancing-bass]

Trackball to trackpad swap has already been discussed in another thread.... Basically it boils down to 3 things
1) you would have to mod the portion just below the screen from a round hole to a square hold
2) the trackpad is taller then the trackball, so again there would have to be modifications needed to make it work
3) software (unknown how to resolve) - this is an unknown at this point but I would think that there is an input/output difference between the trackball and the trackpad... therefore the software would have to be tweaked to accomodate this.

So while its not impossible...... it would take far more time and effort to make it work then its actually worth. Unless of course you already have the 9100, and feel like ordering the parts to mod your pearl just for the heck of it

[BergerKing]

More than the trackball area would have to be modified, the trackpad hardware is fairly large and isn't attached the same place as the current circuitry.

Here's what the assembly looks like.

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[joeldf]

There's also the circuit board under that location that would require major modifications including all the relevant support chips - something that couldn't be done without your own manufacturing facility to account for all the layers in the board.

[jaimbot]

no way to do that

[lparsons42]

Trackball to trackpad swap has already been discussed in another thread....

I guess my search-fu wasn't very good then; I'll have to look again to see if i can find it.

Basically it boils down to 3 things
1) you would have to mod the portion just below the screen from a round hole to a square hold

That part I expected. I have seen the Curve trackpads. I figured the square peg - round hole problem was probably one of the lesser problems in the swap.

However, I just might have access to tools that could do the job...

2) the trackpad is taller then the trackball, so again there would have to be modifications needed to make it work

That might not be impossible to overcome, either. there is certainly some dead space under the trackball on my 8120, once the rollers are out.

3) software (unknown how to resolve) - this is an unknown at this point but I would think that there is an input/output difference between the trackball and the trackpad... therefore the software would have to be tweaked to accomodate this.

That is an interesting point; although whether or not RIM would have written different software for the trackpad at all is an open question AFAIK.

So while its not impossible...... it would take far more time and effort to make it work then its actually worth. Unless of course you already have the 9100, and feel like ordering the parts to mod your pearl just for the heck of it

You may have read my original post backwards; I would like to put the trackpad into a 81xx Pearl. I already have an 8120 that is about to get its third replacement trackball. If I could find a source for the trackpad instead, I could order it up and dissect my 8120 to see if there is a way to hack it in.

Hence I would not need to have a 9100 (if I already did then I wouldn't have this trackball problem) - I mostly just need a source for the 9100 trackpad.

I wonder if the 9100 trackpad will be the same as the one in the new Curve? I suspect those wouldn't be as hard to find a supplier for...

[lparsons42]

More than the trackball area would have to be modified, the trackpad hardware is fairly large and isn't attached the same place as the current circuitry.

Here's what the assembly looks like.

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Thanks for the picture, that was more information than I had before! Is that a Curve trackpad by chance (do we know if they will be interchangeable with the 9100?) - AFAIK the trackballs are not interchangeable between the Pearl and the Curve or Bold (correct me if I'm wrong on that one), so I don't know if the trackpads would be similarly divided across lines.

[BergerKing]

Trackballs are cross-device compatible.
You can use the trackballs interchangeably.
This is the image of the one for the 9700 Bold.

The one above was for the Curve 2, I believe.

You're not just dealing with the general hardware issue, the trackball is an electro-mechanical unit, using magnetic fields to actuate the four diode boxes situated around the trackball mounting location. I fairly sure that the circuitry problem is going to be an absolute nightmare. Then the code gets into even more complexity.

The trackball circuit path is attached at the central location on the main board. The trackpads attach at more remote locations. Gonna be a unique bit of engineering.

Oh, one other note, the Pearl, being a substantially narrower device, might not even accept the current dimensions of either trackpad. If you really wanna find out, consider waiting until you see what the assembly looks like on the Striker.
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[DKatri]

Not worth the time or effort.

[jaimbot]

Not worth the time or effort.

+1

10 char

[lparsons42]

Not worth the time or effort.

You are entitled to your own opinion.

I however have a different view of the matter. I see the Pearl (such as my 8120) as an excellent phone with a terrible, terrible, terrible, did I mention terrible trackball. I have had mine just over a year and am about to replace the trackball for the third time. I keep it in the RIM blackberry case religiously to try to keep dust and other detritus out of it, but I still end up replacing the trackball regularly (don't get me started on the various "cleaning" methods).

And as none of us have had the opportunity yet to dissect a 9100, we cannot really say for sure how the optical trackball in it will interface. We can speculate off of the opticals in the new Curve / Bold berries, but that is it.

If they even just came out with an improved trackball to swap in, that would be great. I for one don't have a ton of money to throw at a new phone and would prefer to keep my current Pearl going a bit longer rather than throwing money to my carrier for the 9100.

[sourkevin]

i dont see a lot of people trying this either... i have the 9000 (ball) and played with a 9700 (pad) that i gave to my dad... ive had issues with my ball and his old curve ball getting stuck here and again... but i dont think id attempt to transplant a 9700 trackpad into my 9k....

I mean, u can do the transplate... but i really dont think the bb will even know what to do with it... i think ur sol....

have u replace the ball on ur computer mouse with a laser yet? or see anyone do that? Thats essentially what your trying to pull off... i just think there is too much that is unforeseeable when it comes to this sort of change...

i think ur first priority is to try it on an old ball mouse.... and give it some new eyes(laser)....

<snob>
I do not see a lot of people trying this either. I have the Blackberry Bold (9000) with a trackball and played with the Blackberry Bold 2 (9700) with a trackpad. I ended up giving the 9700 to my dad as a Christmas present to replace a water-logged Blackberry Curve. My dad and I have each had issues with the Blackberry trackballs getting jammed and some clever ways to quickly getting them working again. I know that I will not be attempting to transplant a Blackberry Trackpad into my Blackberry Bold 9000.

The install would not be the problem. Open the hole a bit larger and clear some more room inside where the old Blackberry Trackball was. That sounds easy enough. I do not see any issues there. The other posters in this very forum are right, the Blackberry Trackpad could use a digital system to translate direction rather then just using a binary system that is used in the older computer mouses with the balls. I think your "Sh!t Out of Luck"

My first goal would to replace an older ball in a computer mouse with a new laser. That will give you some idea into what is going on in the world of technology and the world in evolving. I have fixed old ball mouses successfully and have yet to fix a laser one. I feel that when I look inside of a new Laser mouse, I probably look like a deer caught in some headlights of a very large truck made by Ford or Chevy.

</snob>

[lparsons42]

Would it really kill you to use real words, capitalization, and punctuation?

[sourkevin]

yes....

(10 characters)

[sourkevin]

...If they even just came out with an improved trackball to swap in, that would be great. I for one don't have a ton of money to throw at a new phone and would prefer to keep my current Pearl going a bit longer rather than throwing money to my carrier for the 9100.

The time alone needed to successfully change a trackball (and then troubleshoot, and reprogram the phone) into a trackpad would far exceed the cost of simply upgrading and selling your old pearl.

[BergerKing]

The time alone needed to successfully change a trackball (and then troubleshoot, and reprogram the phone) into a trackpad would far exceed the cost of simply upgrading and selling your old pearl.

I concur, this would be a project destined for failure. It is far easier to rehab and replace a trackball than even think about a major modification.

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[lparsons42]

...If they even just came out with an improved trackball to swap in, that would be great. I for one don't have a ton of money to throw at a new phone and would prefer to keep my current Pearl going a bit longer rather than throwing money to my carrier for the 9100.

The time alone needed to successfully change a trackball (and then troubleshoot, and reprogram the phone) into a trackpad would far exceed the cost of simply upgrading and selling your old pearl.

You can call me what you want in regards to my dislike of messages that are written in disregard for the English language.

However, this time you have written a reply that is not sensible in regards to the message that it was written in reply to. While indeed I opened this thread by posing a question about placing an optical trackpad into a Pearl 81xx, that was not what I was writing about - or even in the message of mine that you quoted.

My message - which you quoted - included particularly the phrase

If they even just came out with an improved trackball to swap in, that would be great

Which, while being related to my original thread topic, is not the same. Indeed the chances of RIM (or anyone else) releasing a non-crappy trackball for the Pearl 81xx is likely very slim. However I was just suggesting that the room for improvement in that arena is immense.

Now get off my lawn, kid.

[lparsons42]

I concur, this would be a project destined for failure. It is far easier to rehab and replace a trackball than even think about a major modification.

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I'm quite sure I use less energy - and do less to alter the usability of my phone - by thinking about the modification than removing and throwing away yet another lousy trackball.

Your negativity is noted nonetheless.

[sourkevin]

You can call me what you want in regards to my dislike of messages that are written in disregard for the English language.

However, this time you have written a reply that is not sensible in regards to the message that it was written in reply to. While indeed I opened this thread by posing a question about placing an optical trackpad into a Pearl 81xx, that was not what I was writing about - or even in the message of mine that you quoted.

My message - which you quoted - included particularly the phrase
Which, while being related to my original thread topic, is not the same. Indeed the chances of RIM (or anyone else) releasing a non-crappy trackball for the Pearl 81xx is likely very slim. However I was just suggesting that the room for improvement in that arena is immense.

Now get off my lawn, kid.

You can try the G1 ball or the Tour ball.

[sourkevin]

Based on the pictures I've seen of the 9100 so far, it seems unlikely but I thought I'd pose the question. I love my 8120 but I hate the trackball in it - I would love to franken-berry it and put the optical from the 9100 into it (as opposed to putting up the money for a new 9100).

I don't suppose anyone has seen any information on how the opticals connect? Doesn't the new Bold have an optical trackbal? (has anyone taken one out)?

If I could just find an OEM source for the optical trackball ... maybe I could take a stab at it

and BTW, the OP (original post) shows NOTHING of your intentions of finding an upgraded trackball. And regardless, if it did... would not your post be in the 81xx forums and not the 9100?

EPIC FAIL!

[sourkevin]

I'm quite sure I use less energy - and do less to alter the usability of my phone - by thinking about the modification than removing and throwing away yet another lousy trackball.

Your negativity is noted nonetheless.

and do not forget, as your working on the trackball/pad.. you have NO means of looking around on your phone... unless u already installed a touch-screen on it as well

[ipodtouch1234]

You are entitled to your own opinion.

His was the factual opinion though.

[lparsons42]

and BTW, the OP (original post) shows NOTHING of your intentions of finding an upgraded trackball.

However your post that I was replying to was in reply to the post where I asked about an upgraded trackball. You even quoted me remarking that it would be nice if there was one available.

Go back and read your post, you will see that I am right.


[quote[ And regardless, if it did... would not your post be in the 81xx forums and not the 9100?[/quote]
It was related to the discussion that I started in this thread.

EPIC FAIL!

Agreed, you did commit an epic fail by not reading the post that you were replying to. The fact that you quoted the post you did not read, and then replied in a manner completely oblivious to the message you were replying to, just adds to your failure.

[lparsons42]

His was the factual opinion though.

It is a fact that the opinion stated was his. However that does not make it the only opinion or necessarily "factual". Being as we don't have a 9100 to dissect - or a source for parts for the 9100 - we cannot be completely sure how it will connect at this time.