[wardk2]

Problem #1
Since Day 1, I've noticed my SureType feature acts up. When I get a list of words to choose from (during a txt or gmail chat), it takes me 3 or 4 scrolls to get it to jump one word down! I find I'm scrolling like crazy just to get the word i want, and by the time I get to it, I could've typed it already. **The rollerball seems to behave as expected in all other areas of the Pearl.**


Problem #2
I've noticed differences in the BBs' rollerballs and nothing seems consistent. Mine has a "gritty" feel to it. A friend of mine has a Curve, and his is super smooth when rolling. At first I thought it was a quality factor (the curve being more expensive gets a better rollerball) but then I tested other PEARLs in the store, and some feel gritty like mine, and others are smooth. What is you experience with this?

I went to the Verizon store yesterday to get a replacement to see if either problem would improve, but they didnt have any in stock. Now im hesitant to trade for another, because I know I'll be getting a refurb.

Hmmm.

[blackops]

Mine's smooth. If you don't want a replacement, try cleaning your roller ball. There's a post on it here some where.

[wardk2]

Mine has been this way since I bought it new. :/ Grr. Thanks though! I'll search for it.

[BMF]

1. the sure type isnt that bad once you get used to it. But i find that i usually type out the word. Unless its like a swear word or something. But typing it out is, imo, faster.

2. My tracking ball is gritty too... I just thought it was normal. but thanks for getting me to think about it...

[wardk2]

I know...I wish I wasn't obsessing over this, but I am. I liked the feel of the smooth ball, and just think it's the luck of the draw!

[detman101]

Wow, I thought that I was the only one going through this frustration with my pearl.

I stopped trying with the suretype selection because the trackball would never seem to cooperate. I thought that it was disabled during that particular function...like someone didn't code that module right or something.


Dm

[BMF]

so i just check my friends pearl and his trackingball rolls smooth... and so does my friends curve... what the deuce!!!!

[Paxx#CB]

My track ball is gritty and I like it!

I'm not sure why but I just don't think i'd enjoy a smooth ball as much. It's odd though that some come smooth while others gritty.

[jenaywins]

try cleaning your trackball. put a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a q-tip. just a tiny bit. then roll your track ball around on the q-tip. this should help.

[wardk2]

so i just check my friends pearl and his trackingball rolls smooth... and so does my friends curve... what the deuce!!!!

I know! It's been "gritty" since out of the box, so I hesitate to think it's a cleaning issue. I know it wasn't a refurb when I bought it.

A smooth ball sometimes gives the feeling that you're not really rolling it, but that your finger is just sliding over the still ball. But I still would prefer a smooth roll.

Picky me!

[antiandy]

I got a refurb black pearl 8100 almost a year ago and my trackball rolls smooth as silk to this day.
One of my converts got a brand new pearl 8120 and his trackball has that "gritty" feel to it. I think it really is just luck of the draw. There's no way I could use one of the "gritty" ones.
I have never had those suretype issues at all. My pearl seems to know exactly what I want to say, even if I only type half the word, but honestly, most of the time I type it anyway, out of habit.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[wardk2]

I can just imagine me going to Verizon and having the techs open every box until I find a smoothie-ball.

I'm that crazy.

[ywbyun]

My pearl had a gritty trackball but I purchased a replacement trackball from Amazon and this one is smooth as silk.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[BHarvey202]

Out of curiosity and off subject, how hard is it to replace the trackball (mine ocasionally fails to scroll down and I know its only a matter of time). O and mine's gritty too.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[wardk2]

Yeah Im curious about that too.

[BB7290grl74]

I've had 3 different Pearls now and all three have been gritty. I assumed it was the norm. As for Sure Type its a pain until you get used to it.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[wardk2]

I love SureType. I just don't like that the scroll feature is stuck most of the time when trying to choose the words I want. Work fine everywhere else, so I doubt it's a matter of needing to clean it. It's pretty new.

[Shooperman]

For problem 1, you can turn off predictive text by going to options -> language -> input options (button at bottom) -> unselect predictive text. Doing this will no longer bring up a vertical list of what words start with the letters you have typed. However, it will bring up a horizontal list (which for some reason scrolls just fine) of words that can be made with the letters you have already typed. I think this method is much better because I always type out he full word, and just pick out the one I want (if not already chosen). Give this a try and see if you like it.

Problem 2, I have a gritty trackball. I have only played around with 2 or 3 others, but they were all gritty as well.

Hope this helps!

[wardk2]

Shooperman...thank you! I did try it, and while the scrolling works fine, I still have to type the entire word. Cripes! I just want it to do what it's supposed to do.

As far as the gritty/smooth mystery, you got me. I'm tempted to do a poll out of curiosity!

[ywbyun]

changing out the trackball isn't too difficult. You need to use a very small screw driver and pop out the silver ring around the trackball and then the trackball unit pops out.

There are tutorials out there that illustrate how to take the trackball unit apart and clean it but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who's not good with small objects. The first time I did it, it took me 2 hours to put the thing back together and in the process I made my trackball a little worse that's why I bought a replacement from Amazon.

If you purchase from Amazon, the unit comes assembled so it's as simple as popping out the ring, taking out the old unit, putting in the new trackball unit and replacing the silver ring. Very simple.

One final note...the trackball package comes with the trackball unit and a spare metal ring. I noticed that the new metal ring that came with it doesn't fit too well on my 8130 and protruded a little too high. Therefore, I used my original metal ring.

[wardk2]

I think I want to buy one. I hope I'm not sorry! :P

Update:

K, I got one on eBay. Fingers crossed!

[mz831]

Mines smooth sometimes I think its too smooth u should maybe look up how to clean it it might work

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[ywbyun]

I think I want to buy one. I hope I'm not sorry! :P

Update:

K, I got one on eBay. Fingers crossed!

If you want a smooth trackball stay away from OEM. I didn't get mine on eBay so I'm not sure what type of trackball those are but the one I got from Amazon was through a company called WirelessFinest.

[Lillieperl]

I also found that my trackball wasn't very sensitive, although I wouldn't describe it as gritty. Have you gone to options>screen/keyboard then to "trackball" and adjusted the sensitivity to a higher number? That really helped for me.

[pashan]

There was a thread a while back about smooth vs. gritty trackballs. I am of the camp that prefers the gritty feel. Someone on the other thread called it "tactile feedback". The smooth trackballs trick me into thinking I'm not doing it right!

As for your poll, I've had 3 Pearls (all 8130, one new and 2 refurbs) all of them have been gritty!

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com