[justintoom]

I'm assuming this is the place for random thoughts/questions like this, but I noticed that some people still prefer the wheel over the trackball for certain reasons. Now I'm a storm user, but I like the trackball alot, but also understand why some like the wheel better. So I was wondering, what would people think about having a trackball on the sides of Blackberrys? Would it be more comfortable and practical to some?

[TheSultan]

A trackball on the side? That would confuse the **** out of me! If I was looking at the device, I would have to the pull ball toward me to move the cursor left? And then down to bring it right? (This is if it were on the right of course where the wheels were).

I burn your idea Sir!

[ItsCassie]

I never even knew there was a side trackball/wheel thing..
I'd have to use it to know if I'd like it.

[BergerKing]

The older devices navigated screens with a scrolling wheel on the side. When you clicked it, it selected like the TB does.

There may be a few diehards that liked it, but I'll take the TB any day, more flexibility.

Don't take this the wrong way, but to quote the inimitable Ron White, the next random thought that crosses your mind, let it pass. Lol

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[jaredthegeek]

The scroll wheel was nice for vertical scrolling, and I bet it wasn't quite as sensitive to dirt as the trackball...BUT (there's always one!) A lot of newer BB apps scroll left to right (I'm specifically thinking map apps here) and that doesn't translate so well to the wheel.

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[johnmorganjr1]

I liked the wheel on my old 7100 and 8700 but I prefer the trackball.

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[jamessk]

I have never owned a Blackberry with the wheel but I do think the trackball is brilliant... very stylish and easy to use.

Maybe if blackberry's had both a trackball (for navigating around the phone) and a wheel (to scroll down long emails easily) but I definitely wouldn't suggest a trackball on the side of blackberry's for the same reason TheSultan mentioned. I think it would be a lot harder to navigate around.

[thinkamp]

Never have used a bb with the wheel, but i'll take my trackball on the front of my phone any day.

[big_time2]

I actually kept my 8700g, from work, because of the track wheel, just so I could use it every once in a while...but the track ball is a whole lot easier to use though.

[bosox1304]

I'd definitely take the trackball on the front. The scroll wheel is too archaic for BBs now.
Now, if the Storm had a slide qwerty keyboard (like HTC phones) that would be my perfect BB.

[intoflatlines]

I like the trackball way better. On my 8900 scrolling up and down is very fast and couldn't be better.

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[lulugirl896]

Coming from Windows Mobile which still uses the scroll wheel on some devices I could see how having it in conjuction with a trackball could be good. It would probably be really good on the Storm so that you could comfortable read an ebook or web page one-handed.

[sdmcwilliams]

I had a 7290 and 8700 before my Bold. I loved the wheel for games like Brickbreaker but for everything else the trackball is a huge improvement. I upgraded from the 7290 when the wheel stopped working correctly. It would push in but it did not click, which meant that it would start just randomly selecting things.

[Rob Tuli]

Didn't have a BB when the side wheels were in place but I can't imagine it was that great compared w/ the trackball.

[cellison1460]

I wish the volume buttons could be used to scroll like the wheel but still keep the track ball.

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[necr0tic]

the reason i prefer the trackball is because it's basically ambidextrous. as a lefty, i found the trackwheel on the right side of the device very awkward.

[Username00089]

If the trackball was on the side I'd seriously would get an iPhone.

[BergerKing]

the reason i prefer the trackball is because it's basically ambidextrous. as a lefty, i found the trackwheel on the right side of the device very awkward.

That's a great point, my BB is about the only device I use either hand to operate.

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[mitchknowsbest]

I currently use the 8700c and I really don't mind the trackball. I always thought it was such an iconic blackberry hardware that even though I've used almost every berry out there, I still have the 8700 as my main and only device. Yes the trackball is great and so too will be the optical trackpad on the niagra, but the classic wheel will never die to true Berryists lol

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[MagicFingers]

The trackball is amazing and can be used in so many ways.

[toomuchgame441]

The trackball is amazing on my curve (just bought a black trackball). But what in the trackwheel was on the storm alone, can anyone see that actually working somewhat?

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[anon(19759)]

I think everyone missed the point. This wasn't a "which is better" question, but would you like a trackball on the side where the wheel used to be.

No. I like it on the face, so I don't have to shift my hand around to type, scroll, click, type, click, etc.

[Fiasco]

The scroll wheel was nice for vertical scrolling, and I bet it wasn't quite as sensitive to dirt as the trackball...BUT (there's always one!) A lot of newer BB apps scroll left to right (I'm specifically thinking map apps here) and that doesn't translate so well to the wheel.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

If you held down a button (alt or shift, can't remember) you could scroll left & right with the wheel.

[TheScionicMan]

If you held down a button (alt or shift, can't remember) you could scroll left & right with the wheel.

It's ALT.

Although some people say the RIM OS is old, I say that's part of its beauty. The transitions through device generations is quite easy. It will take a trackwheel user a few weeks to rid themselves of the muscle memory, but they will eventually stop thumbing the volume controls at first reaction. Other than where to reach, the rest is very much the same. No steep learning curve. I probably upgraded 20-30 users in the last few months, many of them older and not tech savvy, and all of them caught onto the Curve very easily. I even moved one guy from an 8700 to a Storm and he was off and flying on the thing very quickly.

After I used a Storm for about two weeks, I keep finding myself trying to touch the screen on my Curve, especially when a big blue OK box is there. Can't wait for a hybrid device...