As much as I love the Blackberry’s and how far they’ve come in just a few years time, they just can’t seem to get it right! The latest buzz is revolving around the Tour and the redesigned trackball. The redesign has been out for some time in the new Curve 8900 (from T-Mobile) and the Bold 9000 (from AT&T). However, the latest model to use the phone (from Verizon and Sprint) is the Tour 9630. The trackball looks and works the same, so that begs the question, is it really the trackball or something else? I posted previously that changing the theme seemed to have helped the issue, but time will tell what the real problem is.
Jump over to this CNET article to read the latest.
For years now, more and more retail stores are offering wireless Internet access to their customers. Companies such as Optimum provide larger Wi-Fi outdoor access at places such as train stations, supermarket locations, etc. With all of these various places to get a wireless signal on your mobile device, why do we still refer to finding such locations as “going to Starbucks for wireless”? It’s funny to think back to them being one of the first retail chain stores to provide such a service, and probably because of so, we still refer to that type of commodity as “going to Starbucks”!
Some Blackberry users at my work were recently upgraded to the new Blackberry Tour 9630 from Verizon Wireless. This phone is a great addition to the Verizon Wireless family because it includes 3G support, which was previously found only in the Storm. However, it lacks Wi-Fi, so if you can’t get Verizon Wireless service (or the appropriate abroad carrier), you’re out of luck. That shouldn’t be a big problem because Verizon Wireless has a huge coverage area in the lower 48 states and their affiliates around the world.
After configuring two of these phones today, one right after the other, I noticed some considerable “trackball lag”, as it’s being referred to on the Web. Basically it appears as if the phone is locked up for a few seconds, then responds to trackball movements and keyboard input. Forums talk about utilizing the Memory Scrubbing feature, or having the phone replaced all together. One option that I found was to change the theme, which so far seems to be working well. The phone comes with two themes – VZW and Precision Zen. If you’re experiencing this “trackball lag”, try changing the theme. The layout is basically the same, except for a different background (of a cool looking arched bridge).
The phone seems to be a winner in other aspects though. It’s slim, feels solid in your hand, and takes cues of all the new Blackberry case designs. Comes with a 2GB microSD memory card, a global SIM card, international charging adapters, and a belt-clip style holster. It’s very close in size to the new Curve 8900, with a similar keyboard to that of the 8800 models – just “refreshed” for the new Blackberry designs, and of course the latest trackball design.
If you’re looking for a new Verizon Wireless Blackberry with international and 3G features, but can live without Wi-Fi, get your hands on the Tour. And if you’re eligible, VZW is offering a “Buy 1, Get 1 Free” of any Blackberry!