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Much hoopla was made this week about one tech writer’s frustration with the BlackBerry trackball, as we mentioned in this week’s News From The Wire. So I figured today was as good as any to throw up a quick tip on how to clean your BlackBerry trackball. Yes, it’s a quick tip because it’s rather simple. After the jump, we’ll guide you through with some pictures. For now, get yourself a dry rag and a small screwdriver.
First, you’ll have to use the screwdriver to remove the ring from the outside of the trackball. I’d recommend doing this from the top, since it’s the only part of the wheel that doesn’t have a prong (you’ll see what I mean when you pull it out). Once that is loose, you’ll be able to take the trackball unit out as well. The set should look like this:
Now we want to concern ourselves with the trackball unit. First, wet your finger and run it across the trackball to pick up any residue which might be sticking to it. Next, you’ll notice there are four black wheels on each corner of the unit. Remove them one by one, removing any dust or buildup with your fingertips. I’d recommend not using water here. Just something about water and BlackBerry that makes me uneasy.
Finally, we’ll look back to the unit, where you’ll see a copper sensor where the trackball used to be. Wipe this gently with the rag. This is a very fragile and very sensitive part. If you treat it roughly, it will break and you’ll have a worse problem than a dirty and clogged trackball.
Finally, drop the trackball unit back into the crevice, and pop the ring back on, prongs facing left, right, and down. Voila! Should be good as new. And now you don’t have to send your BlackBerry to IT, or out for repair. Imagine that.
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9 Comments ↓
[...] If you are new here, you may want to subscribe to my feed or subscribe to us on Twitter!Today we dedicate most of the show to TheStreet.com writer Gary Krakow, who was vocal in his displeasure with the BlackBerry trackball. It appears that his doesn’t work after six months of use, and the same is true for many of his colleagues. That’s fine — no gadget is perfect. Yet he claimed to find little or no support on the Web. As I proved on the blog this morning, it’s quite easy to find information on cleaning your BlackBerry trackball. [...]
thanks for the tip. my trackball has been seeming a little sluggish lately. there is probably a lot of lint in there since I carry mine in my pocket
great tip! i did not even need a screwdriver…just used my fingernail and it popped right out…
oh, and the ring breaks VERY easily, by the way if you don’t line the prongs up like the instructions say. : (
I run http://www.bbtrackball.com and in my experience cleaning the trackball is quite easy. There’s some good steps here but if you check out my link, I’ve got some good cleaning instructions for both basic and more advanced cleaning. I also sell replacements for $12.99 Free shipping if you’d rather not deal with the hassle of taking it apart to clean it well.
Hope this helps!
- Zach
This was simple to do and made a world of difference in the trackball. I did find a more slender nail file worked better at getting under the ring though.
Great advice guys, I’m sure the trackball gets a bit grimey for everyone after a while. Cleaning is pretty easy but you can break the ring if you aren’t careful. Keep the tips coming!
[...] How to clean your BlackBerry trackball. Inspired by Gary Krakow, writer for TheStreet.com, who posted a video complaining about a faulty trackball rather than tracking down some easy-to-find information. [...]
I was having trackball issues and I ordered a new one from http://www.blackberrytrackballs.com last week. It arrived the next day and I was back in business. I don’t know if anyone else has had an issue, but my friend followed cleaning instructions that used rubbing alcohol, and he totally broke his blackberry. I would suggest being careful!!
Thanks for the advice!
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