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!

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?

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?

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.

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!

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...

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

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..

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...

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.

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

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.

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.

BlackBerry - Curve 8520 Features - Trackpad Navigation - Media Keys
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-con...rve-8520-1.png

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.

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.

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.

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....

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.

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

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.

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!

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... :(

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.

Better to use rubbing alcohol next time.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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.

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

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!

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

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

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.