[simarjeet.sahni]

i really dont like the pearl, and I just want a bb that has a clickwheel and wifi. Oh, and on that topic, better page rendering or atleast a 640x480 screen.

[d_fisher]

Rumor has it that the track wheel is going the way of the dodo bird. The track wheel was limiting how thin the device could be.

[Krissy]

I don't know about you guys, but from a support standpoint the trackwheel has always been a pain in my ar$e anyway. I've sent more devices back for repair because the wheel has worn down than I have for anything else. I'm happy to see them disappearing.

[d_fisher]

Originally Posted by Krissy

I've sent more devices back for repair because the wheel has worn down than I have for anything else.

I don't expect this to change much with the track ball. Something that gets used that much is bound to fail from time to time.

[Krissy]

True enough - now if only my "power users" were actually using email instead of playing brickbreaker during meetings.

[kmccarthy]

Originally Posted by Krissy

True enough - now if only my "power users" were actually using email instead of playing brickbreaker during meetings.

lol

[hcheun]

Originally Posted by Krissy

True enough - now if only my "power users" were actually using email instead of playing brickbreaker during meetings.

hahah just wait till the Crimson comes out, then i think they'll have more than brickbreaker to ahem, relieve some times during their meetings (i.e. video's and pictures)

[Liv]

Wifi would be awesome...

I figured BB's would never get Wifi because of security, but since the introduction of the camera...I guess anything is possible.

[BB_God]

BlackBerry 7270

BlackBerry

[qc_metal]

Interestingly enough, the BES Policy set includes a set of settings for WiFi, including LEAP support. Not sure how this works in the real world, but there it is.

By the way, the trackballs are IMHO worse than the trackwheel. I suppose this partially depends on the way the ball actually 'tracks' - whether via small rollers (old school), optically, or via a laser...

On the wheeled devices, I could navigate quite easily since I didn't have to contort my hand between two positions (on the Pearl, one would be holding the phone with the thumb away from the buttons to prevent accidental pressing, the other with my thumb on the trackball). Also, trackballs collect dirt, finger oil, and everything else gooey that you may have had your hands on. Remember when laptops had trackballs?

While trackballs are a novelty (and I admit, pretty cool looking) on a pda/phone, they are filling niche in the interface market.

Now, would a touchpad-esque mechanism work on a BB? The only other alternative is a stylus...and now we are getting too close to the Palm!

I must say, I don't know how happy I would be without my trackwheel, and out of 320 users and two and a half years, I probably had less than 12 overall where the wheel control mechanism stopped working.

Come to think of it, I had more problems with the keypads going out than anything else...

[qc_metal]

Originally Posted by Liv

Wifi would be awesome...

I figured BB's would never get Wifi because of security, but since the introduction of the camera...I guess anything is possible.

BES IT Policies would handle this - - I've not seen the new set, but I would expect they can lock out the camera and external storage capability. Probably will see more of that publicized when the 8800 comes out.

[tbdiscovery]

The stylus makes me feel like I am using an etch-a-sketch and the trackball just feels like it will break - I keep thinking of a mouse and how frustrating they can be when it wears out.

I like my trackwheel. When riding shotgun, I thumb like I'm driving. I even wear a scarf for the wind.