Several BlackBerry models have trackball issues.
BlackBerry introduced the trackball as a way to interface with their devices' graphical user interface. While initially the trackball seemed like an improvement over the navigational pads of other phones, or the old scroll wheels on earlier BlackBerrys, over time a variety of problems with the trackballs showed that they were significantly flawed.
BlackBerry Trackball Issues
The BlackBerry trackball works by having two cylindrical magnets attached to each axis of the trackball. When you spin the ball, the cylinders also spin and magnetic sensors inside the BlackBerry record the movement. Over time, dirt can build up either on the trackball or around the sensors, which can cause the trackball to stop working. Additionally, the magnetic cylinders can stop rotating, causing the BlackBerry to not recognize the trackball moving along one of the axises. Eventually, RIM decided to discontinue the trackball and replace it with a trackpad that reads finger movement.
Minor Fixes
There are few simple fixes that can help trackballs that are starting to stick. You can coat a small brush with isopropyl alcohol and brush it onto the trackball; spin the trackball as you apply it to work the alcohol into the trackball cavity. Be sure the device is off when you do this. The alcohol will evaporate in a minute or two, allowing you to turn the device back on. Compressed air will also work in jarring loose any dirt near the trackball. Even spinning the trackball vigorously has been known to get a stuck trackball working again. If these methods don't work, there is a trackball sensitivity setting in the "Screen/Keyboard" area of the device settings. Set both the horizontal and vertical to "100" and sometimes the trackball will start working again.
Replacing the Trackball
When the minor fixes don't work, it is time to take the trackball out of the device. The trackball on the Curve, Pearl and 88xx versions are all the same and will pop right out if you pry up the silver ring around the trackball. Once the trackball is out, clean out the cavity with compressed air and isopropyl alcohol. The magnetic rollers also sometimes get bent out of place, so you can take a pair of tweezers and pull each roller slightly away from the trackball. Be careful with this, as pulling too hard can damage the rollers. If these fixes don't work, your last step is to replace the trackball with a new one.
The BlackBerry Tour, Bold and 8350i Trackball
After the trackball issues with the Curve, Pearl and 88xx series of devices, RIM decided to make the next round of BlackBerry trackballs non-removable, figuring that the opening around the silver ring is where the dirt was getting in.
Unfortunately, the Tour, Bold and 8350i versions had even more trackball issues than the earlier models, with fewer options for the average user to troubleshoot the problem. While the minor fixes on these BlackBerrys will sometimes work, more often than not you will have to open up the phone's case to exchange the trackball, or just send the device in for repair.
Tags: Bold 8350i, Curve Pearl, Curve Pearl 88xx, fixes work, isopropyl alcohol