“In a research note, Hallaren writes that RIMM is ‘having a big trackball problem,’ especially with the Tour,” Savitz reports. “He reports that RIMM ‘needs customers to clean the track ball frequently, and preferably with compressed air.’ He adds that, ‘not surprisingly, most customers prefer not to.'”
MacDailyNews Take: “Especially” with the Tour; not “exclusively.” Not good for RIM.
“TownHall reports that return rates on the Tour at Sprint ‘have been climbing toward 50%.’ He adds that Sprint perceives RIMM overall quality control is a huge problem,” Savitz reports. “The firm also says Verizon is ‘experiencing serious problems’ with the Tour.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Sounds like there’s another Storm a brewing! Research In Motion should get their two half-CEOs to put their heads together on this RIM job and get to work on those balls. Surely, Bono would be glad to lend a helping hand, too.
@Arnold Ziffel
I was cleaning the MM every day at one point. Now I use a wacom mouse. AFAIK these balls just don’t work anywhere – MM and BlackBerrys both need to be replaced with better products currently available.
I murdered my Mighty Mouse one drunken night, but felt guilty for it the next morning. It really wasn’t that hard to clean, just needed too often and always when I didn’t want to deal with it.
Personally, I’d love to have Apple release a trackpad keyboard with gestures. I’m really surprised they haven’t already. This may seem bad, but I’ve been known to Remote Access my iMac from my MacBook Pro even when I’m sitting in front of it because I don’t want to deal with mouse, or my desk is too cluttered, or I want to lean back in my chair with my MacBook Pro in my lap (which I could otherwise do with a trackpad and keyboard).
Well my balls work fine. When it gets a little dirty and rough, I just swipe it with some Windex cloth. Up, down, around, left, right until it feels smooth and clean. It’s been two or more years now and its still works great following that routine. No matter how you cut it, your ball will get dirty, just like your mind if your thinking of something else besides the Mighty Mouse.
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Why do people keep leaving this part out of the “research” note?
“Nearly 50 percent of Tours that Sprint sells are being returned, analyst David Eller at TownHall Investment Research wrote in the report. While the trackball problem is the primary reason for the returns, some customers are complaining about the sensitivity of the touch screen, he said.”
Now I know you are iPhone users but surely you know that the Tour does not have a touchscreen. Perhaps you should be questioning the validity of this report instead of just running with the story?
Relax people, this is just a prelude for the new RIMM/Microsoft partnership that will be announced.
Note the clue. “He reports that RIMM ‘needs customers to clean the track ball frequently, and preferably with compressed air.’
This will be perfect for the latest Microsoft innovation (can’t tell you the name yet)…are you ready? A miniature vacuum cleaner…yes that doesn’t suck.
I can just see the headlines now: Give your RIMM a Microsoftie.
There may be an industrial designer looking for work after this. You’d think they’d have tested the thing in the field before releasing it.
I like trackballs and use a Kensington Expert Mouse, but the teensy weensy ones are awful. The MightyMouse track pea, especially. My girlfriend calls it a clit. Seriously.
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@Mr. Reeee
Ahh.. I never saw it that way. Gives a new meaning when I say my finger is on it, and I like how it feels.
Is here:
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-10355520-17.html?tag=mncol
Yet another bogus story that MDN runs with in the name of slandering everything non-apple. Zero credibility is MDN’s new theme.