I recently ordered five EVQWJN007 trackballs, and none of them worked out of the box. It’s clear that modern production and materials are a far cry from the original BlackBerry-era standards.
I’ve been researching how to rescue these units and improve their feel. For a deep dive into the technical specs, check out this resource: EVQWJN007 Trackball.
Key Fixes & Mods
Fixing Mechanical Failure: Most “dead” units just have poor tolerances. Increases contact pressure between the ball and the internal rollers, which usually restores tracking instantly.
The Glass Ball Mod: I’ve replaced the stock rubber ball with a glass ball. The added mass provides much better inertia and smoother tracking than the lightweight plastic versions found today.
TL;DR: Don’t toss “broken” units. Simple steps fixes the tracking, and swapping to other type of balls makes the experience feel premium.
Today I’ve fitted them to both of my uConsoles. They do indeed operate more precisely than the ones supplied with the uConsoles. Although I was already satisfied with the supplied jog balls – in conjunction with the QMK firmware – I still notice an improvement. In my opinion, the movement of the ball is detected more accurately, which sometimes also results in a higher cursor speed. I have reduced the speed accordingly in the control centre.
The surface of the balls also appears to be more grippy and has a more pronounced matt finish than that of the balls on the supplied jog balls. I suspect that the magnetic axes are stronger and/or more precise, which, combined with the rougher surface, results in greater accuracy.
So if you’re looking for a new jog ball anyway, you might want to give Panasonic’s a go.
