BlackBerry Tour Return Rates High Due to Trackball Malfunction
By Simon Sage on Thursday, September 17th, 2009 at 7:25 AM PST In BlackBerry, Research, Sprint
Ruh-roh. Sprint (NYSE: S)’s BlackBerry (NSDQ: RIMM) Tour return rates “have been climbing toward 50%” due to trackball difficulties, according to an analyst note from TownHall Investment Research. As CDMA carriers’ flagship BlackBerry device, this is bad news. Mounting anecdotal evidence supports the seriousness of the problem, although I personally didn’t have any issues during my two weeks with the device. The Tour will be getting a fix to the problem in the upcoming Essex by way of a new trackpad, but could the damage caused by the original malfunctions have been prevented? Sprint said that quality control totalling an extra 2%-3% in manufacturing costs would have made sure only working trackballs made it out, and even that cost would be offset by preventing returns. Has anyone here had to return their Tour because of trackball issues?
My track ball on my tour totally malfunctioned and I had to send it back for a replacement. I could scroll around with the track ball but trying to depress it to select an item did not work anymore. Since the track ball cannot be taken out and serviced, the whole phone has to be sent back for a replacement. Definitely a bummer for these carriers. Have to say though, there were no problems, inconveniences, or hang-ups with the new replacement device.
I haven’t had many problems with the ball as much as it freezing up on me… I’ll be in the middle of something such as a text or going through my pictures and it will just freeze… Has anyone else heard of this happening with the Tours?
yeah i have similar problems with mine im thinking of scrapping the 8900 for either the new 9000 bold or the 9700 bold simply because of the software issues i have been having with the 8900