[mavsguy842]

Looking at buying an STA100-3 Verizon developer phone (w/qi charging). I just want to know if I should be aware of any drawbacks or differences between this and the retail model.

[bunky1971]

Meaning it is engraved with NOT FOR SALE on the bottom or something else?
or does it have a pre-release PIN 2ffxxxxx?
AFAIK, All Verizon Z30's have wireless QI charging, at least my last five did...

[mavsguy842]

My title got cut off - sorry about that. The serial # and "not for sale" are engraved on the front of the phone, on the silver area beneath the screen. I've already confirmed it has qi charging like the retail model.

[bunky1971]

I haven't seen it in a while, but, BlackBerry may blacklist the PIN of the device rendering BBM useless. I've never had one with the NFS etchings, but have read, on these forums, others have had prerelease devices shut down.
There are many more people on here with a much broader knowledge than I have though...

[Damian Montero]

So everyone's giving you their opinion.

But remember. All of us that have developer devices have NEVER been "blacklisted" or "shut down"

YOU won't get into trouble for BUYING any "developer" device. it's US that get it trouble for SELLING it. (That's why it says "NOT FOR SALE" not "NOT FOR YOU TO BUY IT"

and except for the Dev Alpha A and B all the others are actually full production devices (even the Dev Alpha C was a full Q10 in a different case)

So you'll be fine.

Just get a good deal. Remember the Z10 and Z30 are cheap in the market (and a great deal for those prizes!, FRY's had the verizon Z10 for $100 a couple of months back)

[gduggan]

Buyer beware.
What you're eyeing to by is an old RIM internal device, pre-release prototype. Unlike the Dev Alpha A/B/C these are properly BB property. While it's unlikely that it could be or would be blacklisted, it's could be a ****ty hardware build. There were a number of hardware revisions to address different changes during the development. Get the seller to send you a pic of the back with the cover off and I can give you a thumbs up or down. ...I used to work there and was involved in HW validations for the VZW Z30.

...Ha, just realized this was a pretty old post.