Actually uninformed new member, if you researched or did the minimum of
looking around before getting on your soapbox you would have noticed that I
created this thread back when coloring the trackball was a new concept. In
other words, there were no programs to color the trackball.

In fact, with the worldwide attention this thread received [including links to
it on websites throughout the world; also notice the number of hits this
thread received] one could argue that your so called "brother-in-arms"
detected coloring the trackball was a hit, that there was a market for it, and
only then did they develop programs to do it.

And that was the point of the thread. Do your research before criticizing
my work.

Cheers to knowing what you are talking about before talking about it.

No need for the 2 day late flaming of the newbie. His error was pointed out already.

Want to share my success story -- I just finished using a metallic silver Sharpie to effectively black-out the white LED, allowing programs such as ColorPearl to have finer control over the tint. I'm able to specify "00 05 00" (yes, only 5!) as a custom RGB level to get a nice dark green. "00 00 55" makes for a wonderful vibrant blue that's not washed out when the keyboard backlighting kicks in.

I had to dab it on slowly, allowing it to dry. Had a tendency to remove itself if not careful. I only covered the top surface; you can still see plenty of white light coming out the sides, but this is very dim once the trackball is back in place (might as well be faint leakage from the keypad lights).

Thanks much for the photos - it helped for putting it all back together without needing to mark the six-o-clock position. And it really did only take about 10 minutes! I can sure see, though, that the plastic ring wouldn't last for more than a couple removals/replacements. I'm hoping the "metallic" ink will be less prone to baking/fading? I'll let you know if it isn't! Next step: electrical tape.

Cheers,

- Ryan

Some of you have correctly pointed out that the white LED remains lit when
the LED color changing programs do their magic. The white LED ends up
washing out [or fading] the selected color of the trackball.

The two program developers have said there is no way yet to "turn off" the
white LED. So it will always be on even if you choose to have the trackball
light up in some other color.

So this Sharpie color changing method is still a good option to "take out" the
white LED.

I colored my white LED with a blue Sharpie. So now the other colors all look
great and the blue is a deep, rich blue.

The technique of placing a piece of tape over the LED and coloring that remains
the best way to do it. This is because the LED emits heat and will eventually
"fry off" the Sharpie ink. In fact, for extra resilience I applied one tape, colored
it, then placed a piece of tape over that and colored it too.

some people have too much time on their hands

but sittin in my truck today i got bored and started taking apart my trackball. i dug my tumbnail between the ring and the keys and dug in hard. it popped right out, and my index fingernail was able to snag out the metal retaining ring. looked dirty as hell in there (work construction). blew it out with my breath and put the ball and retainer back on pretty easily. then i noticed the bottom pins on the plastic trim ring were broke off. i also couldnt remember which way it went in so i broke off the top pins too, for no apparent reason really it just seemed i could get it in easier that way.

funny thing is, i put the plastic ring on upside down and its 10x better now then it was new. that ring is made to bring a level surface on the ball, but when upside down it allows the ball to stick up more on the bottom, making it much much easier to roll with your thumb. i didnt even put glue in there to hold where the broken pins are, it stays no problem. went from fine to broken to even better then fine in about 20min.

Thanks for the post. It will be instructive on how NOT to take apart the trackball.

You do not need to take apart your BB or use MARKERS!!! Follow this link for a tiny software download that allows you to change the color to any RGB color combination.

Digg the article while you're at it.

Digg - Turn your BlackBerry Pearl (8100 only right now) a different COLOR!

holy cow!!!! SF that was sweeeet i did it the first time and also used red and turned pink but i put some alcohol on a napkin and dabbed a q-tip on it and took the red off and replaced it with a blue color and it's good looking thanks for the tutorial

Wrong Search the Forum before posting.

Both the free and the $5 trackball color changing programs do NOT turn off the white LED. Members have reported that the white LED washes out the color of whatever color they choose with either color changing program.

So, this thread is still relevant to changing the color of the white LED with a Sharpie marker. Members have reported good results when covering the white LED with a red or blue colored Sharpie. The color changes, made with the program, are more vibrant and do not have a faded look.

You are better off using the ColorPearl app and just placing a small piece of electrical tape over the white LED. Works great.

Is the while LED good for anything except lighting up the trackball white? What I'm asking is if you tape it and turn off Color Ball does it just not light up at all?

That might work, but doesn't coloring the white LED cause the other colors to be brighter because, for example, if the white LED is changed to blue, then the blue color is deeper?

Seems I recall some member reporting that he changed his white LED to red with a Sharpie and that the red trackball color was then super bright when he chose red in the color changing program.

If you tape it and then turn off ColorPearl, then yes you won't have a trackball light. However, you can set ColorPearl to white and it will still work with the other three colored LED's.

That just gives you two Reds or Two blues, depending on what color sharpie you use. But if you color it blue, then set the ColorPearl to Red, you'll have purple. Also, according to your post above the sharpie marker burns off after a while unless you use clear tape first. Then if you want to change the color you have to take apart the trackball each time. If you cover it with black tape you get a nice deep color with any change of the ColorPearl app. I've done it to three Pearls now.

I noticed that it isnt just the white LED under the trackball that washes out the colors but the keyboard LED's that wash out the colored LED's...

That's right, see posts that discuss this.

Also, see posts where some Members have BRAVELY disassembled the Pearl to color the keypad LEDs with a Sharpie. I don't recommend that such be done. Too delicate an operation for most people to do. Many parts can easily be broken.

Why don't you just use the colorpearl program instead of going through all this?

If I knew how to embed. I would embed the program for you all.
Just search the internet for colorpearl.

I like the idea of changing the color but why would you risk your Pearl to this hack when you can simply intstall this and have RGB color of your choice.

ColorPearl
geek and proud - BlackBerry Software

What is it with all you noobs who come online and act like you are saying something profound.

If you don't want to search the forum, at least look at the entire thread.

If you would have, you would realize that this "hack," as you call it, was posted BEFORE those color programs came out.

Got it? Now go back to school.

ouch ^

anybody know where I can get the top ring at thats the only thing that got goofy. I just put tape over the white light and got black marker and colored it black and used the program. Don't have a blue marker.

i was thinking of doing this with my 8830 since there is no program available for it right? my concern is that if anything goes wrong with the phone and i have to return it, will i be able to clean it up enough so as not to have the warranty voided?

I'm not sure, but I think the 8830 either does not have the multi-colored LEDS or the developers cannot access the code, I forgot which. So that is why there is no program for it.

If you read my instructions you will see that I mention that you can clean off the sharpie marks with denatured alcohol. So if you make a warranty claim you should be able to erase any evidence of the mod.

Bonus Comment: Be real careful removing the chrome plastic ring. Don't force it. And when putting it back, be careful too. Make the mark with a sharpie at 6:00 o'clock on the chrome ring so you can see which way it goes back in.

yay...lol

i opened it, but broke the top pin on the silver thing that covers the trackball :p
luckily it doesnt wall out :D

I assume you broke the pin in the front.

If you have all the pieces... that cheap, little, and flimsy plastic pin can be glued back into place.

Not all that difficult to do.

well it is difficult, because i dont have that little piece, i dont know how it broke or where it is now.

Pics are down?

Whenever the OP gets "upset" he leaves and takes all his pictures down from his website.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8100/4.2.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/164)

What are the step to get trackball colors?

Hmm I wonder why I cannot see the pictures I got it apart lol I am having problems putting it back together lol the amount of Lint I found in there was disturbing!

nice

Pictures in the original post are broken, can someone repost them?

Thanks

i actually can't see any of the pics you guys are displaying...is there another way i can go about getting them?

http://www.blackberryforums.com/gene...tml#post652599


I posted this just a few posts up from here. There are no pictures anymore. The OP pulled them off.

That kinda sucks. With all of those posts you would think he would be a bit my mature about the post. Got milk? lol

I dropped my phone and have destroyed the trackball and the components surrounding it!!! I don't know where to go or how to find a replacement, so I am starting here!!! You can email me directly at . I would appreciate any help anyone has!!!!

http://www.heartinsanfrancisco.com/0...ckballled4.jpg

for some reason only one of my LED's works. How do you get it so that all four of them work? I'm loving this thread too.