As many trackball bearing users know, especially BlackBerry Tour 9630 users, the BlackBerry trackball is a magnet for lent and dust and tends to get gummed up from time to time preventing you from scrolling in all directions freely. This video shows you the quickest and easiest way to fix your BlackBerry Trackball, that from what I’ve heard, works most of the time.
If this doesn’t work, you can always replace your BlackBerry trackball, however, I would give this shot first as it may definitely save you time and ten bucks.
Thanks to William for sending this in…
[Via unsharpTech]
Slow news day? This method and/or rubbing alcohol have been posted all over for some time now.
It’s been a slow BlackBerry News week…
Even though this procedure is fairly well known, its the first time I remember seeing it on video, and worth the post…
Understood completely. All that’s new is the 9300 really, so far, and vague info on Storm 3. Maybe more apps info?
I’ve opened the Tours and the issue isn’t with the trackball but with the mechanism below it. The trackballs sit above a “floating” board with a membrane button on it. The board has a short ribbon cable that extends from it and then plugs into the motherboard. The “floating” board floats on little spongy shims or bumpers which absorb some of the impact of the trackball when it’s pressed. The problem is that there is too much tolerance allowed with these shims and the floating board is given to much room to move. This is a problem because the trackball’s movements are tracked by 4 magnetic sensors on the “floating” board. The trackball module contains four magnetic spindles which rotate L,R, U, and D via the trackball. The sensors on the board can’t sense these magnetic spindles past a certain distance. Too much tolerance with the “floating” board, the sensors loose contact with what they are supposed to be tracking. I had 3 Tours before I was dropped down into a 8530. I’ll be going Android in early July and I am sad. Can’t wait till RIM brings a 6.0 device to my carrier.
PS. Love the SMR podcast. I think the iphone experiment with one of the wives (can’t remember which) is over. I read they brought Farmville to the iphone.
I also recommend a bit of Goo Gone on a paper towel of soft cloth.
Thanks for this (even if it is somewhat well known by other users)! I’ve been a BlackBerry user/addict for years and only recently experienced the problem with lint in the trackball so I had never bothered to read about any solutions.
I just noticed issues on my trackball the other day and this video was perfect timing to help fix it so again, thanks!