Trackball problem solved!!

[hollawood24]

8/4/09 i got my 3rd tour replacement within a week.. 8/5/09 i brought the phone to a sprint corporate store because of yet another trackball issue.. Waited forever for them to tell me they DIDNT have a tour trackball so would i mind taking a white trackball (curve trackball, etc..) They made the swap and it fixed any trackball problems i have been having (sticking, moving left/right, slow response).. After the swap the trackball is also no longer deep in the phone but sits the same as it does in previous BB's, so scrolling and clicking are no problem.. So if you are continuing to have trackball problems go to a Sprint Corporate store and ask them not to exchange the phone but just to switch the trackball to white ball or previous BB's ball.. This should set a new tone for a BB Tour's and Sprint/Verizon might finally get the message that they have a serious issue with the Tour trackball.. Enjoy!!! Hope this helps!!!

Leave your comments or questions and i will gladly answer them!

[DC-WiFi.com]

A few things here:

1) Congrats... if someone else wants to try this and confirm, it would be interesting. Thanks for the fix.

2) Unfortunately it seems that the fix on the Tour is more involved than any other BlackBerry with a trackball. You can't just pop it out like on the 8830.

3) Does anyone know if the reason they picked this version of trackball is because eventually we should be able to swap this ball out for the "touch pad" that will be coming out soon?

[audiofx]

i got my tour tuesday was about to bring it back becuase left / right is crazy! I mean horrible response, worst blackberry ball I have used. I thought it has to be just the one i got! I just came to search this morning to see if others have this issue and i guess they do! So the only fix is a new trackball?

[MidnightDraven]

3) Does anyone know if the reason they picked this version of trackball is because eventually we should be able to swap this ball out for the "touch pad" that will be coming out soon?

I dont think you will be able to swap out the trackball for a trackpad.
Having seen a better image of the gemini, the plate where the buttons and trackpad is, is not a seperate plate; its actually part of the screen.
I don't think there will be a plate to swap out with a trackpad.

[audiofx]

I wonder if i should try to exchange my tour as its is very annoying to use the phone. Left and Right is a nightmare :(. I switched from iphone back to blackbery for a real keyboard but the tour is the only verizon blackberry i like and i already ported and am happy with my signal so i would like to stay but its hard to function with the trackball the way it is. I had a bold before also that was great!

[DC-WiFi.com]

I dont think you will be able to swap out the trackball for a trackpad.
Having seen a better image of the gemini, the plate where the buttons and trackpad is, is not a seperate plate; its actually part of the screen.
I don't think there will be a plate to swap out with a trackpad.

Interesting... the pics I saw looked like it could be a seamless swap, which would include the bar containing the BlackBerry button and Back button. We shall see...

[hollawood24]

I wonder if i should try to exchange my tour as its is very annoying to use the phone. Left and Right is a nightmare :(. I switched from iphone back to blackbery for a real keyboard but the tour is the only verizon blackberry i like and i already ported and am happy with my signal so i would like to stay but its hard to function with the trackball the way it is. I had a bold before also that was great!

the bold was the phone that originally made me want a blackberry and since sprint didnt release it the next best thing was the tour.. yea the phone is very annoying for its issues but overall its a great phone and once the kinks all will be good. My last trackball was sticking when i scrolled down and going to the right took forever to respond. i guess just take it to them and have a tech look at it, and ask if the trackball can just be replaced with the curve,bold or w/e ball they have that is white. Trust me your phone will be good then and youll be happy you did

[hollawood24]

i got my tour tuesday was about to bring it back becuase left / right is crazy! I mean horrible response, worst blackberry ball I have used. I thought it has to be just the one i got! I just came to search this morning to see if others have this issue and i guess they do! So the only fix is a new trackball?

yea a trackball replacement is the only fix.. its a simple mechanical flaw with ONLY THE TOUR TRACKBALL.. I think it has more to do with how sensitive to touch the tour trackball is and how far down it goes, so swapping the trackball for a curve,bold white trackball fixes that problem and it takes absolutely nothing away from the phone actually it makes navigating soooooo much easier.. Take it and ask to have a tech replace the ball..

[9duc]

There are a couple different threads on this, wonder if they can be merged?

Anyway, I just replied on the other thread, but I just swapped my tour for a new one and it works perfectly (old device had the horizontal scroll issue out of the box).

So, maybe just the older Tours have a defective trackball? Or I may have just gotten lucky with the new device...

[opus300zx]

I received a Tour this morning and had the same issue with terrible trackball response going left and right. I discovered that if I don't apply too much pressure downwards and just roll the ball left and right, it responds just fine. Can anyone else check and see if lightly rolling left and right "cures" this issue?

[LobsterBoxed]

I received a Tour this morning and had the same issue with terrible trackball response going left and right. I discovered that if I don't apply too much pressure downwards and just roll the ball left and right, it responds just fine. Can anyone else check and see if lightly rolling left and right "cures" this issue?

I bought two Tour's from Sprint over the phone. One worked perfectly, the other had the horizontal trackball issue. I tried every adjustment and solution that was offered. I called and spoke to Blackberry tech support tier 2 and they sent out a complete brand new phone. It works perfectly out of the box. I return the first phone complete and received credit for the second within days. They sent by email a return shipping label. Luckily I had backed up all of my info so setting up the new phone was a breeze. I have read many different threads regarding this issue and have tried many of them. It seems that this is a manufacturing issue and the only fix is to replace the phone. I hope they will revise the trackball in future versions of this phone. The Tour is absolutely one of the best phones I have owned.:smile:

[tduffy]

I couldnt be happier with the way the Tour's trackball works. I had a pearl before that I wen thru many trackballs. I'm thinking this trackball is going to outlast the old style

[bmarie]

We also had a problem with the horizontal trackball. I would suggest anyone thinking about taking one of these home test it in the store to save the hassle of a return. I returned the first one and the replacement works just fine.

[ffejie]

I received a Tour this morning and had the same issue with terrible trackball response going left and right. I discovered that if I don't apply too much pressure downwards and just roll the ball left and right, it responds just fine. Can anyone else check and see if lightly rolling left and right "cures" this issue?

I haven't had any problems with my trackball. When I read your post though, I gave it a try. I put some pressure on the ball and it did not respond left-right very well. Sometimes it would work, other times nothing. However, I'm usually pretty light with the trackball, so I had never seen this problem. It only requires a light touch to move it, you don't have to push down at all.

[MidnightDraven]

Interesting... the pics I saw looked like it could be a seamless swap, which would include the bar containing the BlackBerry button and Back button. We shall see...

BlackBerry - Curve 8520 Features - Trackpad Navigation - Media Keys (http://uk.blackberry.com/devices/blackberrycurve8500/curve_features.jsp)
not the pic i saw i dont think, but can see the whole screen buttons part.

hers a better pic:
http://www.freshphonenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/blackberry-curve-8520-1.png

[9duc]

I haven't had any problems with my trackball. When I read your post though, I gave it a try. I put some pressure on the ball and it did not respond left-right very well. Sometimes it would work, other times nothing. However, I'm usually pretty light with the trackball, so I had never seen this problem. It only requires a light touch to move it, you don't have to push down at all.

On my first Tour (which had a glitchy trackball), it was slightly better with very very light pressure on the trackball, but still unacceptable. My replacement works like it should- light touch, firm touch, doesn't matter.

I guess my point is, you shouldn't HAVE to consciously think about using light pressure on the trackball. If so, in my opinion exchange it for a new one, its defective.

[Sydman]

I am on my second tour and this one was better than the first for awhile but it is starting to hang a bit from time to time. Guys at Verizon store said they have replacement balls in but are not allowed to switch them out. They are just giving new phones.

[Sydman]

Also replacing your trackball voids your warranty since they actually have to open the phone instead of previous versions you could get to it right from the front.

[Sydman]

So trackball was really bad today so I called Verizon to find store that had/did trackball replacements and the one he led me to and even called them before hand. When I got there they said they can't do it. So left cause I was heading to work and called tech support back and they told me they usually just swap the phone since it is a problem with the manufacturer. He said some stores have techs that are familiar with it but don't count on it. Especially since you have to take the phone apart now. So tour number three is on its way to me now. Will see how this one does. ...heavy sigh....

[stricni]

the track ball is bad. the worst ive ever had. and although i love the phone im considering going back to my curve 8330. Verizon is going to release a software supposedly in the next 30 days that will fix the issue. but i have a hard time believing any software can fix this ball issue.

[Sydman]

Yeah I don't see software fixing a hardware issue. Just don't match up.

[ffejie]

Ever since I commented that the left-right was working fine on mine, it's been a mess. Between this, the battery life and the battery door, this device is going back. If they can't get me a working model, I don't know what I'll do - back to my 8830? Ugh.

[kurichan]

Ever since I commented that the left-right was working fine on mine, it's been a mess.
Ha! Same for me! I was trying to convince myself it was OK, but it wasn't. I exchanged mine - different world now - works how you'd expect. A real pleasure. I don't want to start a run on Tour exchanges, but if the horizontal on your ball feels funny, I'd get a new one.

I've got my sensitively back down to 70 on the new one too, no more spaz cursor! All around way way better! Wahoo!

[jimn367]

Glad and sad to see that I am not crazy.

I tried adjusting sensitivity and everything I could think of. My trackball will also literally stick with left/right movement. It seems to get stuck and eventually it will work it's way free, but the performance is really bad.

Looks like I need to back up my phone and get a new one... :(

[MizLiz]

My trackball stuck yesterday. It would scroll vertical...but horizontal? it would only move to the right- not the left. In desperation, I tried mom's Universal Solvent (spit) rubbed the trackball briskly with a cleaning cloth---voila! problem solved. Works great.

Moral: Do not use trackball with sticky fingers from eating a maple bar.

[kurichan]

Better to use rubbing alcohol next time.

[Sydman]

So got my third one in just now. And even though the guy in the store said it would be a new one it is not. At the top of the screen there are seven little markings under the screen. (Very Annoying). But the trackball is better, still not very pleased with Verizon's customer service. I was still in my 30 days and should have gotten a new one, but now since I had to wait to ship I am outside my thirty days. This had definitely been the most frustrating Blackberry I have even owned.

[sterls18]

I dont know what to do all these trackball problems and other problems is makign me stick to my curve 8830 verizon. Help me all what to do get the tour have all these problems or stick with my Curve untill all these issues get solve?

[Sydman]

I dont know what to do all these trackball problems and other problems is makign me stick to my curve 8830 verizon. Help me all what to do get the tour have all these problems or stick with my Curve untill all these issues get solve?

That is a tough one man. I never had any problems with my curve. Maybe they will find a fix for the trackball issue though. If they do that its a no brainer to switch to the Tour.

[Sydman]

Well just got back from store. They at least made right and got me a brand new Tour. So this will be number four. Will see how it goes and how long the trackball lasts.

[babryan]

Increasing the trackball horizontal sensitivity from 70 to 90 completely resolved the issue for me.

[Sydman]

I know we have beaten this issue to death. But I am curious. Those having problems with their trackballs. Do you keep you phone in your pocket? I have noticed since I am using the swivel case that came with it I have not had issues. I think the small little particles in our pockets/purses whatever is getting behind the tracball and causing the issue. Mine was bad one day on a previous one and I blew some compressed air into it and seemed to fix it for awhile.

[hollawood24]

Although the trackball swap seemed to solve my problem, i ultimately swapped my device for another, because it just felt incomplete without having the tour in all its glory (tour trackball and all)... The new one seems to work flawlessly and hope it stays that way.. The post about the new tour having a better build just might hold to be true, even though its kind of obvious.. I still recommend swapping your trackball at the store if the trackball is your only issue and especially if your 30 days is up.. Sydman i too always have used the case for the tour, never once put it in my pocket but that didnt stop it from acting up.. with my new one i plan to always use the case too so i can further prevent that problem from happening.. people have given this post some great consideration and i appreciate all input and output.. Keep it up people! One Tour at a Time!

[rambo47]

I know we have beaten this issue to death. But I am curious. Those having problems with their trackballs. Do you keep you phone in your pocket? I have noticed since I am using the swivel case that came with it I have not had issues. I think the small little particles in our pockets/purses whatever is getting behind the tracball and causing the issue. Mine was bad one day on a previous one and I blew some compressed air into it and seemed to fix it for awhile.

I have the trackball issue and I've kept it in the case whenever I have carried it.

[rambo47]

I just ordered two new trackballs from cnn.cn, a white one for the Bold (folks say it does the job nicely) and an orange one specifically for the Tour. I'll first install the funky orange one as I LOVE orange, and would ideally like to have the lower profile trackball. Should any strange trackball behavior continue with the OEM part, then I'll try the white one designed for the Bold. I'm way past the 30-day return period, and frankly, after setting my Tour up just the way I want I do not relish the prospect of starting again. Yeah, a backup/restore will get *most* stuff transferred, but not everything.

[jorizkallah]

That's weird i just got my tour yesterday and the trackball is working great!

[rambo47]

Looks like it was the first batch we early adopters got that have the trackball issues. That's one of the hidden costs of living on the bleeding edge - sometimes it hurts! :-)

[motionguy]

Returned my Tour to Verizon this last weekend for a new one. I was unit #2 from Verizon the day they started selling the Tour. Track Ball was not working right in horizontal direction after about 1-2 weeks.

Sales Guy's were talking amoungst themselves and I asked what the commotion was about with my phone. The Sales Guy said there was a batch of early phones with Trackball defects. Mine was one of the serial numbers on the list.

It was after 30 day period, but they swapped my phone for a new one without any issues.

Hope this helps folks with trackball issues who are earlier adopters

[bigdaadio]

Looks like it was the first batch we early adopters got that have the trackball issues. That's one of the hidden costs of living on the bleeding edge - sometimes it hurts! :-)

Yesterday I swapped out a Tour , at the local Corp. store that I received new from Sprint last Friday.
The trackball is working better, BUT not the way it should.
SO i think the problem still exists.
This store had 50 people waiting and appears to be one of the busier places I have seen yet ( central Long Island), so the chance of them having "OLD STOCK" is slim.
I too am gettin tired of switchin devices, and this is my last Straw with the Tour.
I have had 8 different models in 7 years, and this is the quirkiest yet.

Back to the Curve? ugh

[tj13]

Returned my Tour to Verizon this last weekend for a new one. I was unit #2 from Verizon the day they started selling the Tour. Track Ball was not working right in horizontal direction after about 1-2 weeks.

Sales Guy's were talking amoungst themselves and I asked what the commotion was about with my phone. The Sales Guy said there was a batch of early phones with Trackball defects. Mine was one of the serial numbers on the list.

It was after 30 day period, but they swapped my phone for a new one without any issues.

Hope this helps folks with trackball issues who are earlier adopters

any way to find out what those serial numbers are? its difficult to get to a vzw store for me due to work for the next 15 days, then my 30 would be up.

[Kevlar000]

After recieving my tour I had a problem with the trakball moving horizontally left to right, vertical worked fine. I discovered an easy fix right there on the phone!!! Simply go into options and scroll down to screen/keyboard. In there lies a trackball sensitivity opion and it has both vertical and horizontal sensitivity boxes. I increased the horizontal sensitivity to 90 and problem solved!

[Sydman]

I am on my fourth one. And think I got a later gen one like others, it seems to be working good. I keep it in the plastic hard case and then put that in my leather holster. Trackball has been great, hung once but blew it out with compressed air and seems to be ok. I am waiting for a screen protector from Seidio though till then will have to be careful not to scratch.

[motionguy]

Not a clue what the serial numbers are. I was happy to get out of the store by the time everything was reviewed and a new phone was given to me.

This is my first BB and all in all it has been a good experience. I bought my wife the same phone at the same time and her track ball is working fine without the quirks.

Sorry I could help more. If you call the Verizon store and tell them about the problem I think they might log you in so when you do get back to them and your over 30 days at least there is a record of your problem early on.

[asylumdigital]

ok... I took mine back to sprint & exchanged in store. I had the same horizontal issue. The other problem was the battery life of about 3 hours (we'll soon see how that works out). The new phones trackball is absolutely fine. BTW, there is no "green-dot' on the box...

[ofelas]

My trackball stuck yesterday. It would scroll vertical...but horizontal? it would only move to the right- not the left. In desperation, I tried mom's Universal Solvent (spit) rubbed the trackball briskly with a cleaning cloth---voila! problem solved. Works great.

Moral: Do not use trackball with sticky fingers from eating a maple bar.

Exactly what I was experiencing on my Tour (y)

[bbaddikt]

8/4/09 i got my 3rd tour replacement within a week.. 8/5/09 i brought the phone to a sprint corporate store because of yet another trackball issue.. Waited forever for them to tell me they DIDNT have a tour trackball so would i mind taking a white trackball (curve trackball, etc..) They made the swap and it fixed any trackball problems i have been having (sticking, moving left/right, slow response).. After the swap the trackball is also no longer deep in the phone but sits the same as it does in previous BB's, so scrolling and clicking are no problem.. So if you are continuing to have trackball problems go to a Sprint Corporate store and ask them not to exchange the phone but just to switch the trackball to white ball or previous BB's ball.. This should set a new tone for a BB Tour's and Sprint/Verizon might finally get the message that they have a serious issue with the Tour trackball.. Enjoy!!! Hope this helps!!!

Leave your comments or questions and i will gladly answer them!
I had the same exact issue with the trackball on the Tour. The Verizon customer care idiots told me to take it into a store. The VZW stores are manned by some contract company Flextronics who are a bunch of retards. They accused that I had "water damage" on the phone, when all there was a 2 spots of perspiration on the outside of the back cover (not inside the device) due to it being a hot day (95 degree F) that day. So the Flextronics bozos refused to exchange the phone. I asked for the manager. He called me next day and I showed him how the trackball was defective and also how the back cover of the unit was loose which lets moisture and elements get through. I had print outs of forums from the internet that has reports of both these issues from various BB tour owners. The manager reviewed everything and was kind enough to exchange the device for me. I got lucky with this particular manager. Verizon should be ashamed to sell an expensive device like the BB Tour with so many defects in the device (bad trackball, loose battery cover etc.) They have absolutely no quality control. Same goes for RIM - this is what happens when they manufacture these devices in China, where you get cheap or no quality control ! I doubt that I will buy another BB ever again, unless their quality control improves !

[hollawood24]

I had the same exact issue with the trackball on the Tour. The Verizon customer care idiots told me to take it into a store. The VZW stores are manned by some contract company Flextronics who are a bunch of retards. They accused that I had "water damage" on the phone, when all there was a 2 spots of perspiration on the outside of the back cover (not inside the device) due to it being a hot day (95 degree F) that day. So the Flextronics bozos refused to exchange the phone. I asked for the manager. He called me next day and I showed him how the trackball was defective and also how the back cover of the unit was loose which lets moisture and elements get through. I had print outs of forums from the internet that has reports of both these issues from various BB tour owners. The manager reviewed everything and was kind enough to exchange the device for me. I got lucky with this particular manager. Verizon should be ashamed to sell an expensive device like the BB Tour with so many defects in the device (bad trackball, loose battery cover etc.) They have absolutely no quality control. Same goes for RIM - this is what happens when they manufacture these devices in China, where you get cheap or no quality control ! I doubt that I will buy another BB ever again, unless their quality control improves !


i know and i completely get what you are saying.. How can people continue to purchase $300 devices and the simplest thing doesnt work properly.. there honestly is no excuse for it and i have voiced that fact to sprint.. I tried one last time exchanging my Tour for a new one and it was a good thing i did, because it works perfectly.. I do suggest exchanging for another one because it is a great device and once your not having that problem you will be satisfied, trust me! I too was tired of exchanging devices but was determined to get one that WORKED.. I suggest the same.. EVEN IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE YOUR 30 DAYS I SUGGEST YOU CALL YOUR CARRIER TO GET AN EXCHANGE IF YOU ARE STILL HAVING PROBLEMS! i am a witness that they will exchange after 30 days if you just tell them how many replacements you have gotten and that i get a $300 phone that doesnt work!

[hollawood24]

oh yea one more thing.. if they tell you just bring it to the store and let a tech take a look at it, tell them that you have done that already multiple times and that doesnt solve anything, because the device is still having that problem, which is true!!

[FrankDaTank]

Ha! Same for me! I was trying to convince myself it was OK, but it wasn't. I exchanged mine - different world now - works how you'd expect. A real pleasure. I don't want to start a run on Tour exchanges, but if the horizontal on your ball feels funny, I'd get a new one.

I've got my sensitively back down to 70 on the new one too, no more spaz cursor! All around way way better! Wahoo!

My first Tour had horrible left/right trackball repsonse. I replaced it within 2 days and got on that was ok. Now a month later this 2nd Tour has even worse left/right response then the 1st. This is my first ever BB phone and although i love the phone, the trackball is useless. I just dont see how I can keep replacing the phone every couple of months for the damn trackball.

[rajones19]

Finally exchanged my very early Tour yesterday. Trackball was fine north and south; east and west not so good. It moved like a bucking bronco with sensitivity at 90; at 80 it jumped; at 70 it froze almost completely. I set it to 80, went to VZW. The guy played with it for about 10 seconds, it got stuck right off and it would NOT move. He just brought out a new box. This one is perfect so far @<hidden>

[npaulseth]

Putting a curve trackball is the solution for this problems. Odds are that exchanging the device is just delaying the problem from happening again. The only problem with putting a curve trackball in is that RIM has not given the phone companies the authorization (at least Sprint for sure) to open up the phones, so any technician that follows orders won't swap them out.

[gschoelles]

Prolly a rebuilt and by someone with dirty work habits

[rkrause60]

My Tour Trackball is Horid and I was about to return it. I will take your advice to my store! Thank you
:smile:
8/4/09 i got my 3rd tour replacement within a week.. 8/5/09 i brought the phone to a sprint corporate store because of yet another trackball issue.. Waited forever for them to tell me they DIDNT have a tour trackball so would i mind taking a white trackball (curve trackball, etc..) They made the swap and it fixed any trackball problems i have been having (sticking, moving left/right, slow response).. After the swap the trackball is also no longer deep in the phone but sits the same as it does in previous BB's, so scrolling and clicking are no problem.. So if you are continuing to have trackball problems go to a Sprint Corporate store and ask them not to exchange the phone but just to switch the trackball to white ball or previous BB's ball.. This should set a new tone for a BB Tour's and Sprint/Verizon might finally get the message that they have a serious issue with the Tour trackball.. Enjoy!!! Hope this helps!!!

Leave your comments or questions and i will gladly answer them!

[netahole]

I just got back from the VZ store and was told it IS a software problem with a fix due in the next couple of weeks. I was still given the option of a replacement, which I took. Had to be shipped though.

[rambo47]

I just got back from the VZ store and was told it IS a software problem with a fix due in the next couple of weeks. I was still given the option of a replacement, which I took. Had to be shipped though.

I would be THRILLED if this problem turns out to be software-related. A firmware fix is preferable to a hardware fix any day! (y)

[kurichan]

I just got back from the VZ store and was told it IS a software problem with a fix due in the next couple of weeks. I was still given the option of a replacement, which I took. Had to be shipped though.I count this one as very unlikely. There've been no software updates for the Tour, but people who have exchanged their devices seem to have had much better experience with the trackball... It doesn't add up.

[criffus]

Swapped trackballs with an old Pearl and all seems fine now. I set my horizontal sensitivity back to 70 and see no issues yet. :smile:
I did it myself with a T7 torx-driver and a credit card. Be CAREFUL if you try this! I almost broke the little tabs off of the top earpiece cover.
Yeah, I guess my warranty is in the toilet...

-BTW: The black Tour trackball seems to work just fine in the Pearl... :-o

I'm still not totally sold on the Tour I guess. I miss the size and convenience of my Pearl.
?? Why couldn't they just make a Pearl with more memory??!! ;-)

(you'd think I've never seen smilies before eh?!!)

[fongaroos]

Swapped trackballs with an old Pearl and all seems fine now. I set my horizontal sensitivity back to 70 and see no issues yet. :smile:
I did it myself with a T7 torx-driver and a credit card. Be CAREFUL if you try this! I almost broke the little tabs off of the top earpiece cover.
Yeah, I guess my warranty is in the toilet...

-BTW: The black Tour trackball seems to work just fine in the Pearl... :-o

I'm still not totally sold on the Tour I guess. I miss the size and convenience of my Pearl.
?? Why couldn't they just make a Pearl with more memory??!! ;-)

(you'd think I've never seen smilies before eh?!!)


ive heard about swapping the trackballs. do you happen to have a DIY or some info about how to do this? i have an old curve can i can just take the trackball out of that phone and put it in my tour.

i wonder if itll work. its an old AT&T bb curve and i am trying to swap it into my verizon bb tour.

[criffus]

ive heard about swapping the trackballs. do you happen to have a DIY or some info about how to do this? i have an old curve can i can just take the trackball out of that phone and put it in my tour.

Have a look at this: BlackBerry Tour 9630 disassembly tutorial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpyJtZ__JXI)
There are numerous youtube vids for "blackberry tour disassembly" also...
You can get a torx T-7 driver at radio shack- Or a better electronics store (if you don't live in cow-town like I do!)
Again- Be careful with that top earpiece cover! The tabs are very tiny. And pay attention to how to fit the main-board back into the top half of the shell... you kind of pull back the top edge of the shell so that the main-board drops straight in. (as opposed to "angling" it in...)


i wonder if itll work. its an old AT&T bb curve and i am trying to swap it into my verizon bb tour.

I am guessing that it will work. I'm no expert, but after cleaning and replacing the trackball on my old pearl(s) numerous times, and then seeing the trackball assembly on this Tour, I'm betting that they are all the same.
You can find new trackballs for as little as $6.95 at different suppliers online...

[michael12005]

I got one of the first Tours at 8.00 AM the day it was launched and my track ball SUCKS. I Just changed the sensitivty to 90 and it seems to help! Thanks for the tip!

[rvinny]

my trackball is so responsive I had to bump it down to 60!

[rambo47]

I got my Tour early on day 2 of the original release for Sprint. The trackball was bad but I soldiered on and tried to adapt, get used to it. Finally I couldn't stand it, especially with my old Bold sitting on the shelf next to me, inactive since I ported to Sprint, silently mocking me for putting up with this poor trackball.

I received my replacement(s) today from cnn.cn and did the install tonight. I got an orange one (designed for the Tour), which I installed, and a black one (for the Bold) in case the orange looked hideous or didn't work any better than the original. I love the color orange in general, but in dim light this one looks more like a white trackball that's gotten dirty. In brighter ambient light it looks great. The real great thing is that it has completely fixed my trackball issue. The install took maybe 10 minutes total, a real piece of cake. Very straight forward, no special tricks or techniques. Now my Tour is the way it should have been from the factory! :-) :-D

[mriff]

rambo, sorry if this is posted elsewhere, but is there an instruction guide on installing the new trackball somewhere? Sure was easy on the ol' 8830. Maybe not as easy on the Tour?

[rambo47]

I watched a video on YouTube posted by CNN.CN, the company that sold me the replacement trackballs: YouTube - BlackBerry Tour 9630 disassembly tutorial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpyJtZ__JXI)

I've done a bit of BlackBerry disassembly/upgrading/maintenance in the past so it was nothing new to me.

[mriff]

Thanks. I changed the housing on my 8830 to a black shell. Which pretty much meant taking the phone apart. So maybe I can handle this as well. I'll stick with my black trackball for now as it seems to be functioning flawlessly. But with all the problems being reported, be ready to take to plunge.

[bell30012]

My tour experienced the same problem. Luckily for me it was still within my 30 days and I swapped it out with the Sprint Store that I got it through. However, I discovered that the Sprint - Nextel Repair Shops here in Georgia no longer even repair the parts to replace the Tour's trackball. they just send you back to the store.

[Socialblackberry]

verizon is now replacing defective tours with new ones they will have a green dot on the Box

[plumcrazy]

replaced mine last week after the trackball (that had some issue already with left/right) stopped going down. it would only go UP.

replaced it with a box that i noticed had the green dot.

[lostman72]

I would be THRILLED if this problem turns out to be software-related. A firmware fix is preferable to a hardware fix any day! (y)

Well it looks like it's a software problem. I am running test software now and the ball works great. Also has more memory. I can't tell you what ver. it is. But if it keeps going good you will see it soon on Verizon. I am sure that some one will leak the ver out soon. (4.7.1.**) I can't be the one to leak it out. I have done a search on the net and don't see it any were yet?

[bruced]

I agree with lostman72. The trackball issue is definitely a software problem. I exchanged my Tour three times and still had a problem. The last time was pretty good but there still was a trackball ag. Over the weekend I installed OS Beta 5.0.0.191 and suddenly the trackball issue is gone. The lag is definately gone. I even had to lower the sensitivity to 50/50. Besides fixing the trackball issue, this OS upgrade runs much faster than the OS that came with the Tour (4.7.0.0.40).

[acole10000]

For those of you who have concluded that the issues is with software, pat yourself on the back.

5.0.0.191 fixed my trackball issue....

[ssignature]

I installed a trackball from my old Pearl before the 5.0.0.191 leak and it alone made a world of difference. The OS upgrade DID allow me to drop my sensitivity back down to 70. The Pearl trackball just FEELS so much better.

[lostman72]

Wirelessly posted

The ver. I am testing is not 191. Glad to hear 191 is working good.

[Tragic]

The Tour trackball not scrolling side ways is a mechanical defect, and a very common one. I have successfully swaped out a Sprint Tour trackball with Sprint Pearl trackball. Actually, the Sprint 8830, Pearl & Curve all use the same trackball.

Its no where nearly as easy to remove the Tour trackball as previous blackberries. You have to be particularly careful when removing the plastic cover over the earpeice to not break the two plastic clips to expose screws below it.

[lostman72]

Wirelessly posted

Yes some are hardware but most are software.

[gaguardtech]

how do I get 5.0.0.191? Is it a BB update or something I gotta download and plug up?

[ssignature]

the .191 leak is linked on most BB forums. When I took mine apart, i discovered that while the different trackballs have the same physical dimensions and connections, my Pearl trackball was manufactured with metal components where the Tour ball assy. used plastic. My pearl ball assy also has gold contacts. The ball itself is much rougher in texture than the Tour ball. I think RIM scrimped in manufacturing on the Tour trackball and it backfired.

[gaguardtech]

I took the advice of changing the horizontal settings on the trackball. Now it works great. Horizontal is at 90 and Vertical is at 70.

[ffejie]

There is another solution for the trackball problem - the Essex. I just saw a picture of the Essex (Tour with WiFi) and apparently the trackball is gone and the Optical Touchpad has replaced it.

[rvinny]

Well it looks like it's a software problem. I am running test software now and the ball works great. Also has more memory. I can't tell you what ver. it is. But if it keeps going good you will see it soon on Verizon. I am sure that some one will leak the ver out soon. (4.7.1.**) I can't be the one to leak it out. I have done a search on the net and don't see it any were yet?

Does this mystery firmware also fix the muted sound through the mic?? (no BT) If so I will wait it out instead of asking for a swap.

[rvinny]

For those of you who have concluded that the issues is with software, pat yourself on the back.

5.0.0.191 fixed my trackball issue....

how about the muffled sound and mic - will that clear up with .191?

[rambo47]

Two days after replacing my trackball with an orange one from cnn.cn the problem is still fixed, and everything is working like it should have originally. In my case it was a simple hardware fix.

I generally carry my Tour in my pocket, but in a case. Fingers crossed that the fix holds!

[rambo47]

There is another solution for the trackball problem - the Essex. I just saw a picture of the Essex (Tour with WiFi) and apparently the trackball is gone and the Optical Touchpad has replaced it.

We'll see.....

I think the odds of optical trackpad problems are quite high. New features on new models have proven to be troublesome for RIM in recent years. Just the lower profile trackball on the Tour has/had issues, and now they're going to an entirely new (for RIM) technology? Oh boy.
---------------

The Zen Master (source unknown).

In a small village, a young boy got a pony for his 14th birthday. The entire village said, "How wonderful! He got a pony."

The Zen Master said, "We'll see."

A year later the boy fell off his pony and broke his leg. The entire village said, "How terrible! He can't ride now and his leg is in a cast."

The Zen Master said, "We'll see."

A short time after that, a war broke out and all the young men had to go off to fight. Most of the young boys who went to fight were killed, but not the boy with the pony. He was still in a cast and unable to fight. The villagers all said "How lucky that boy is! His broken leg likely saved his life."

The Zen Master said, "We'll see."

---------------------

RIM: "Lets replace these archaic thumb wheels with new trackballs. It's the future, man!"
ME: "We'll see."
RIM: Damn, these trackballs collect dirt, look horrible when dirty, and stick. There's lots of frustrated users clamoring for exchanges. This is awful!"
ME: "We'll see."
RIM: "We've got it! We'll get rid of these trackballs with something even cooler - optical mini trackpads! Oh, man! This is going to ROCK!"

[ffejie]

You didn't say it, but I agree with you. I miss my trackwheel.

[lostman72]

Does this mystery firmware also fix the muted sound through the mic?? (no BT) If so I will wait it out instead of asking for a swap.

The phone I have was one of the first and I never had audio problems. I think you should swap your phone in that case. I have not seen from RIM as to what the software I got fixes. The main thing I have seen is a lot better response with the track ball and better memory use sage.

[sommacero]

the problem with tours is how the trackball sits on a tiny board that moves around inside of the phone. shimming this board pushes it up far enough to read the horizontal trackball movements how it should, thats why adjusting the sensitivity will work in some cases....will post link to my tutorial on how to fix it yourself

[sommacero]

http://cero.yolasite.com/how-to-open-phones.php for step by step with pics. although you don't have to click on any ads, it would really help me out with my server (it's free for you and makes them think my site is useful)

[kurichan]

My 2nd Tour is having East/West trackball problems again. Mentioned it to service guy at the store. Told me flat out it's a component problem. Gave me a number to call. Phone dude apologized and cheerfully sent me a new Tour. According to phone dude, Tours with a build date through 8/19/09 have this bad component. Sort of a PITA at this point but at least it's being handled.

[wrestletim]

My previous experience with Canadian based firms reinforces that they have limited ability to succeed on the world stage with their consumer products.

I predict RIM will end up being absorbed by one of the US giants.

Anyone own shares in Nortel Networks?

LOL

Tim
New York City

[kurichan]

For those of you who have concluded that the issues is with software, pat yourself on the back.

5.0.0.191 fixed my trackball issue....Incompatible with reality.

[MonkeyGrass]

For those of you who have concluded that the issues is with software, pat yourself on the back.

5.0.0.191 fixed my trackball issue....

For those of you who think software is gong to fix a badly manufactured trackball assembly, put down the crack pipe. RIM realized there was a major issue and hence the re-issued "green dot" Tours. You think they would do that, issue no-questions-asked returns for the new ones, for a software issue with a fix coming down the pipeline? :oops: Really? You think Verizon would be giving out new $2-300 BB's for no reason if RIM wasn't making it right on their end? Don't think so folks....

.40, .42, .191, .53 - all 4 versions I've tried on my original Tour, with no trackball improvement on any of them. The newer software (.191 and .42) actually made it worse/unusable.

I went to VZW, they gave me a brand new tour on the spot, and all 4 versions of the software work flawlessly now. I'm currently running .53 and THIS is what the Tour was supposed to be.

Software? I think not...

[ffejie]

Just got my new (green dot) Tour (#3) and the trackball is much improved. Instead of doing this yourself, I recommend letting VZW (or Sprint) take care of it as they are easy to deal with and know the first set of phones were garbage.

Of interesting note is that the new trackball is slightly more protruding and a different color. It's only noticeable if they're right next to each other, but it does make a big difference in usability.

[rambo47]

Just got my new (green dot) Tour (#3) and the trackball is much improved. Instead of doing this yourself, I recommend letting VZW (or Sprint) take care of it as they are easy to deal with and know the first set of phones were garbage.

Of interesting note is that the new trackball is slightly more protruding and a different color. It's only noticeable if they're right next to each other, but it does make a big difference in usability.

The replacements my local Sprint store got (an whole ziplock bag full) were white instead of the original black. The higher profile design suggest they decided to use ones from the Bold.

I got an orange one designed for the Tour (original low profile), but it really looks like a dirty white one unless I'm in bright sunlight.

[B4NFTR]

I can summarize this thread for everyone...

The consensus is you cannot remove a Tour Trackball on your own and that yes, some have problems scrolling left/right and up/down. Verizon doesn't replace trackballs on the Tour, they will only swap out the unit for a warranty exchange. It seems that Sprint will swap the trackball. You want to get a "green dot" exchange if possible which includes a re-designed/replacement trackball mechanism.

I have found that setting the horizontal/vertical sensitivity to 80 for both and then periodically cleaning the trackball with a little rubbing alcohol on a Q-Tip works wonders. It doesn't solve the problem, but makes it workable.

Anyone that thinks they can replace a trackball with a trackpad is just looney. It cannot be done, so let's just drop it.

[nem0]

My trackball developed horizontal scrolling issues about a month after I got it. I could have had the whole handset swapped out -- my company's Verizon rep is awesome about making sure we're happy -- but decided to replace the trackball with one from a broken Pearl I had on my bench. The process was easier than I expected, and the trackball works great now.

It looks a little odd, however, because the ball is off-white and has a white ring instead of the original's metal ring, and when the keypad lights up it kind of flickers but isn't truly backlit like on the 8xxx phones. I may order a different colored ball from CNN.cn, but for now I'm just happy that horizontal scrolling works.

Your mileage may vary, and I'd strongly recommend calling up your carrier and getting a replacement unless you're comfortable with mucking about inside small electronic things and voiding your warranty :)

[tj13]

my green dot replacement came in and it does make a big difference, now if i can get .53 back ....

[sjt79]

I got my Tour the day it came out (in store, not over the phone) 7/12/09. My brother and I had the same trackball problems. After reading this forum, I called Tech Support and went to the store armed with some of this info (you guys rock!) and they gave us each a BRAND NEW phone - and we're WELL outside of our 30 days. It's because of how many issues they've had with the trackball. The trackball works even BETTER than when I first got it. It had the green dot on the box and was OPEN, which they said was because it was updated with new software (I asked for a new box and he brought me all the ones they had and they were opened). Now if only DM would backup my custom profiles!!!!!!!

[shokilla]

When I got my Tour the track ball did not work from side to side. I noticed the silver washer that holds the track ball in place was not flush but partially sitting up on one side. I snapped the washer piece down (you definitely feel the washer seat) and it has worked fine. I did the same to my buddy's Balckberry and it worked fine for a while but now it is not moving to the right as it should. His is Sprint and mine is Verizon and he got his a month before mine. Those are the only real differences between the two.

[vinnyel]

I Read In This Blog About The Ongoing Trackball Problems With The Tour. I Went To My Local Cell Phone Shop And Had Them Replace The Black Trackball With The A "curve/bold" White One And It Works Perfectly!! I Have Not Had Any Problems Since. Total Cost 30.00

[JJM0926]

I too was having problems with my trackball - went to a corporate store and they sent me to an authorized repair center. Not sure if this is true or not cause I haven't taken one a part yet - but the tech said they couldn't just replace the trackball with another one - he said they latest models of the the tour that are out right now has an all in one piece with the trackball, BB button, and return button. That got me thinking - when I started having problems with the track ball I scoured the internet and there have been plenty of people who were able to get just their trackball replaced instead of the entire phone. But when I got my new one I noticed a few things the entire over look of the phone was more glossier then my old one especially the back of the battery cover - it was a much crispier black then my old one. Which leads me to question has there been a revision on the tour already? Is there a way to find out? Maybe these trackball issues are tied to the original or first "batch" of the phones made?

[F5fstop]

When did the green dot on the box start? I have a Tour with a mfgr date of 10.02 but no green dot.
Also, after a week, no problems with the trackball, and the battery cover fits tight, in fact, a bit hard to remove.

[joshtb86]

theyve been exchanging them for months with newer ones that work

[island-guy]

I wonder if they will be able to retrofit to trackpads? How about a concerted effort to get them to do this?http://www.blackberryforums.com/images/smilies/icon_eek.gif

[CubanoLibre]

I use Verizon and got my Tour via Wirefly. I returned the 1st phone b/o trackball tracking problem. 2nd phone worked "ok" for several wks then started having significant problems with trackball, especially when going horizontally. Now have sensitivity for horizontal set to 90 and that helps but trackball is very "jumpy" and not easy to use :-(. I hope that Wirefly will replace trackball or Verizon, but when I took phone to Verizon, they said I would have to deal with Wirefly where I purchased phone. Bummer. I think that Blackberry needs to deal with this very COMMON problem :x and fix the problem for all of US!!!!

[IamRalho]

So am I reading this right, I bought my Tour the day it came out and am having a major track ball issue...if I go to a Verizon store, they will exchange my phone? Can I do this over the phone? I am on the verge of calling insurance and getting a new Tour the ball is so bad.

[Bronko]

I also got the tour the day it came out. I called Verizon yesterday about my trackball and they said there will be a new phone at my door on Wednesday. No questions asked. Great customer service

[IamRalho]

Wow, that was easy. They said it will be sent out tonight

[chinatti]

Wow, that was easy. They said it will be sent out tonight

Does anyone who received a replacement from Verizon recently know whether or not they are replacing with new, or refurbished units? Mine was an early purchase also, and recently the trackball is getting pretty bad. I'm always skeptical about getting refurb units though, you never know whether you're trading one problem for another.

Thanks in advance...

[chinatti]

Does anyone who received a replacement from Verizon recently know whether or not they are replacing with new, or refurbished units? Mine was an early purchase also, and recently the trackball is getting pretty bad. I'm always skeptical about getting refurb units though, you never know whether you're trading one problem for another.

Thanks in advance...

And a related question - would I have better luck over the phone, or going into a store in person (as far as getting a new unit)?