[Ween]

Who here finds themselves missing some sort of hardware scroll very very often. I know I do. In fact, if the storm had the pearl like the .. uh pearl, it would probably be perfect. I think they could remap the volume buttons on the side to provide some of this functionality and only use the volume keys in apps that need it ... phone calls, mp3/video playback.

[Ween]

As I think about this, it wouldnt be that hard to have a virtual pearl option. In fact, a virtual pearl option would be awesome. You could choose to have it display all the time, or just when the keyboard is displayed.

[viet2100]

..You guys mean the trackball? Having one would totally defeat the purpose of a touch screen device. I've always wondered why Palm made a directional pad with touch screen, useless.

[Ween]

Well, the storm interface is still heavily tied to its roots... ie: a scroll/track wheel. Having one would ease the transition from all scroll to all touch. The only way around this would have been to entirely rethink the blackberry OS.. which it appears is not what happened. They tried to add on touch functionality to years of scroll functionality and it shows.

[BBChristopher]

Simple answer: No

[mundyb]

No. Hated the trackball, only tolerated it.

[rachamphetamine]

Wirelessly posted (T-Mobile 8320)

Originally Posted by Ween

As I think about this, it wouldnt be that hard to have a virtual pearl option. In fact, a virtual pearl option would be awesome. You could choose to have it display all the time, or just when the keyboard is displayed.

I don't quite understand the point of this - it seems like it'd totally defeat the purpose of the touchscreen.

[rambo47]

Not the trackball. He's asking about the old thumb wheel on the upper right corner like the old school Blackberrys. It allowed you to scroll from icon to icon and click it to select whatever you were highlighting. It would also make navigating through a document for copy and paste a lot easier. It might be the perfect compliment and offer another way to work with the touch screen.

[RandomEsq]

I don't think it is an absurd suggestion, really. But I think the desire or inclination to use a trackball, directional device or scroll wheel is probably because of past use with a different device. I like having a touch screen but I also really liked the directional pad on my old Treo. It sometimes just meant I didn't have to reposition my hands to do something and that saved some time or was just easier. Having said that, I'm not sure where it would make sense to put such a thing on this phone so I've just accepted that it was a matter of time before this feeling passed and I didn't miss the ability to switch quickly from one option to another via another method other than the touch screen.

Of course, I'd probably have less issue with the touch screen if it did a little bit better job of recognizing touches. :P Having said that - I'll cross my fingers for a good update!

-R.