After using my BlackBerry Z10 in public for almost a month, I can’t help but think about how far BlackBerry smartphones have come. It’s the little things I remember about my old smartphones. In fact, I like to think of them now as “wise” phones. Wise phones paved the way, making it possible to put devices like the BlackBerry 10 smartphones in the hands of loyal users.

I wax nostalgic thinking of how BlackBerry smartphones perfected the track wheel navigation mechanic prior to developing the scroll/track ball. Alas, with touch interfaces and the new UI and design paradigm in BlackBerry 10 the need for this type of navigation is reduced. Even things like selecting text or moving the curser are all handled nicely on the touch based BlackBerry 10 smartphones.

While I’m reminiscing about the track wheel, tell us: what was your favorite pointer interface? Are you a fan of the track wheel like I am? How about the scroll ball? Or are you a fan of the optical trackpad, or touchscreen features of today’s models? Also, if you could develop your own retro app for the BlackBerry World storefront that simulated an old-school way of navigating on your new BlackBerry 10 device, what would you choose?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!