BlackBerry Gemini aka Curve 8520 to have optical mouse

The Blackberry Gemini, also known as the BlackBerry Curve 8520, is ready for launch. BlackBerry aficionado sites have started carrying leaked pictures and photos of the new BlackBerry Gemini.

Photo: Blackberry Curve 8520/ a.k.a Gemini; photo courtesy Crackberry

The Blackberry Gemini / Curve 8250 smartphone is expected to be launched in the US and Canadian markets this month. It is just a matter of time before the Gemini makes its entry to the Indian markets.

The Blackberry Gemini’s notable feature is the absence of a trackball, a distinguishing feature of the Blackberry series of phones. Except the early Blackberry models, and the latest touchscreen Storm, all the Blackberrys on the market come with a trackball. In the BlackBerry Gemini, the trackball is replaced by an optical mouse.

Is this good? Well, as a user of BlackBerry for the last three years — my first Blackberry was a Blackberry Pearl — I have not exactly been happy with the trackball, though I would add that it is a very user-friendly feature. However, like all moving pieces, the trackball tends to get sticky occasionally, and I gave up my BlackBerry Pearl for a BlackBerry 8820 precise because the trackball got spoiled.

Instead of the trackball, the BlackBerry Gemini will have an optical mouse, which will do away with the moving part. I havent used an optical mouse on a mobile phone so far, but those who have tell me that it’s as good as a trackball once you get used to it. Remember the trackballs in the laptops of early days and how we found the switch to a touch sensitive panel difficult in the beginning? I guess getting used to the optical mouse on the BlackBerry Gemini is only a matter of time.

What Im not so happy about is that the Blackberry Gemini will come in 2G. Excuse me, how many advanced countries (forget India) use 2G these days? Even in India, 3G spectrum and 3G gadgets will hopefully make their debut by the year-end, when the spectrum auction is completed. So we want to be saddled with a 2G device when the networks support high-speed data downloads and uploads?

The BlackBerry Gemini does not come with a camera flash either. I would have loved it more if it actually had a flashm but that is not a reason why I would give up on the Gemini either.

According to Crackberry, the new BlackBerry Gemini has a rubbery coating, which gives it easy grip and prevents damage. Quite a thoughtful move. We are also told that the Blackberry Gemini is more sleek, stylish and swanky than the earlier range of BlackBerry Curve handhelds, which is the parent of the BlackBerry Gemini.