Trackwheel or No?
 

As you can tell, I don't post that often, but this issue bothers me a bit. I've read a lot of opinion on how good the trackball on the 8100 is, and really, it's a step forward. The 8800 can only improve on this concept. On the other hand, the trackwheel is a BlackBerry institution. Like many others I've used it since the 850, and still find it superior to most other phone controls (especially one handed).

Here's where most people break off and say, "It's not hard to get used to it. You'll adjust. Change is good." My thing is, can we not just have both?? This would act as a bridge to the new method, and provide an alternate control that is preferable in certain situations.

I play a lot of videogames, so I'm going to use an analogy from my game experience here. The Nintendo 64 controller included the first commercially sucessful and accepted analog joystick. Although it was a great improvement for gameplay, the traditional digital directional-pad (over 10 yrs old at the time) was still included in the design. Fast forward 10 years later, and controllers now have dual analog sticks and pressure sensitive buttons...with a small d-pad hiding in a corner. There are just some things that a d-pad can do better.

I hope it's not too late to change the design of the 8800, or maybe to possibly reincorporate it back into a future design. Hey, Tempest, Defender, and Doom ports would all benefit too! Just my thoughts. Thanks for reading.

Great thought and totally understand your points, however the scroll wheel was the only thing that prevented RIM from making their BlackBerry's Slimmer. Scroll wheels are large, and require alot of room, room.. thats definately not there to spare, because of this, the trackball was the final step towards creating a 15mm or less thick device.

What about the Motorola Q?

Edit: I suppose the 8800's thinner

The ball is a good idea but it has not tactile feel. The wheel had clicks that told you how far to turn it. The ball has less consistancy and demands you be looking at the screen when using it.

I know, I know, I will get used to it!

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8700/4.1.0 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/107)

I read that the track wheel (ie the physical components of it) were preventing the designers from producing a slimmer device, hence the new track ball. Beyond that, I'm not bothered by the change, being left handed I like the idea of the ball.

I will be keeping my 8700 as long as humanly possible because of this. Played with the track ball, not a fan. Especially with all of the problems it's caused for 8100 users.

The Q is a perfect example of how a trackwheel does not work in a very thin device. The Q's trackwheel, to put it bluntly, sucks. There's no comparison with a BB trackwheel.

unfortunately, i dont think i care for a thin device as much as i care for a trackwheel that works well, and i think most business consumers would feel the same way.

I think everyone has their own opinion, and to make a generalization about any group liking or dislink a trackwheel versus a trackball would be a mistake.

Trac-Ball
Trac-Star
Star-Tac
Trac-Wheel

I love the track weel, but I rmember a day when I had to learn to like it coming from a Palm Vx. Now I hate stylus devices, go figure. Change takes time.

If Moto can make a device thin with a trackwheel, so can Rim. This is not what made them switch to a trackball. A trackball on a phone as narrow as the 8100 is fine. On a wider qwerty device it will be horrible because your thumb cannot reach over to the trackball as easily as it could on a narrower device. It doesn't have to reach as far with a trackwheel. The ball will be a nightmare on a wider qwerty device. You will need to use both hands way more often. If they try to make the 8800 more narrow to compensate then the keyboard will be smaller and suckier to type on. Bottom line is RIM needs the 8100 for people that need to have a super small slim device with good functionality and they need to have a device no smaller than the 8700 in width because it gets harder to type on. One of the things that makes the BB better than the treo's is it is a bit wider so it's easier to type on. If the 8800 comes in the size of a treo, we all may as well go with the 8100 because it won't be any worse for typing. RIM, don't shut out your market trying to make the 8800 too small, you have an 8100 for that. Right now there is no reason to downgrade from my 8700. Is the 8800 going to have the low volume and soft vibration of the 8100 no thanks. I'd rather not trade my workhorse for some downgrade. Don't take away what makes you existing flagship so good.

Agreed. There are benefits to both. Keep in mind that not everyone wants a slimmer BB. Some of us have big hands...and you know what big hands mean! :wink:

big gloves! :razz:

How about a trackball placed at the same place where the trackwheel is? It might satisfy most. :)

I cant imagine how that would work well in the middle of the device.

Of corse you can imagine it...a Geckos brain isnt big enough to imagine anyhting...

After using the 8100's trackball, I have to say I don't really like it. It has no tactile feedback to it; the speed sensitivity seems to have an point at which it will start working. Scrolling too slowly it doesn't move, then all the sudden it's scrolling three lines. :-/ We'll see.

Samsung 607
 

What about the new Samsung phone?

That thing is super slim & sports a track wheel!

What do you think? Maybe a new hardware design/technology that allows thinner trackwheel devices.

The Samsung trackwheel is real similar to the Blackberry.

Yeah I have been hearing around that it's actually better than the BB trackwheel. It looks nice but Windows Mobile 5 freightens me. As far as the trackball, if they put it in the center of the device I don't think it would be a problem. I can reach the center of my 8700c just fine with my thumb. However if the device is wider than the 8700 series then yeah there could be a problem.

I just say NO when it comes to anything Windoz. Not enough time in the day for that garbage. I gave Palm the wave off because of that. Thought Palm was smarter than that.