Blackberry Bold 9650...any testimonials?

**troshs** · 06-15-2012, 10:47 PM

Well folks, the company is issuing his BB this Monday. Finally! Awesome to see everyone stepping up to show their BB pride. And geoffsdad, sorry to hear that you're struggling with the BB. I hope something definitely works out for you

**geoffsdad** · 06-16-2012, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by Tõnis

Wow. How does a phone get that messed up in two years? Are you an especially demanding user with extremes in temperature and weather exposure?

I think it is something in the hardware. I have tried Wiping and reinstalling the OS and starting over with Apps so I know that isn't the problem. Any Data transfer triggers a freeze and random reboot and the battery will be completely drained after reboot. This is a problem with the battery. I don't know what if frying them and what makes the whole phone operate hot. Again, I have seen more than one posting on this issue in the 9650 forums and I saw a Torch user complaining about the exact same thing last week.

**southlander** · 06-16-2012, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by chrisy520

The touch makes navigation even more efficient!

Something that helps as well is the fact that the screen is still compact enough to be able to one hand the device. When I got mine within days I had already developed a new technique of combining the touchscreen and trackpad motions.

I also have a Torch and although it has a trackpad, the same technique does not work well due to its placement and the larger screen.

I am hoping the 9930 is not the last device RIM makes with its form factor. It is extremely practical.

Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9930 using Tapatalk

**Blackfeet** · 06-18-2012, 11:23 AM

Well, for what it is worth, my employer decided to drop all BB and Android devices (we had a pretty good mix of phones provided to employes) to go to a single platform and, of course, they decided the iPhone was the way to go. I was forced to trade in my 9650 for an iPhone 4s in January.

Since day one with the 4s, I have searched for apps and/or hidden features that will cause my 4s to behave more like my 9650. I just miss the way the 9650 worked. I miss the physical keyboard, I miss the ability to create custom sound profiles, I miss BBM, I miss the size of the 9650, I miss the battery life, I miss the ability to change batteries in the middle of the day if I am draining one rapidly, I miss the ability to add a microSD card for added storage space, I miss the ability to edit Word and Excel documanets. I miss a lot.

In closing, while I acknowledge that the browser is not the best, I did not use the device for browsing much. And for how I use a smart phone - email, calendaring, messaging, document management in a pinch - I'd return the 4s today to go back to a 9650 or 9930.

One more note: if the device is not locked down by an IT policy, there are quite a few very good hybrid OS releases that will take your stock 9650 to a different level of operation. I preferred OSBB releases such as THIS one. Very reliable and easy to install.

**blackberry-unlocking710** · 06-19-2012, 08:12 AM

The Blackberry Bold 9650 is great, reliable and the keyboard is very comfortable.

**mikeplus1** · 06-19-2012, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by troshs

Hey guys, my boyfriend just got a job with a company that uses these phones for company use. Just out of curiosity, what do you guys think of the phone? Any problems? (It's on Sprint of course, but you knew that.) Thanks

LOL, well no, didn't know it was on Sprint, but probably makes no difference anyway.

I had a Bold 9650 on Verizon that served me well until I switched to the Bold 9930 on VZW. The 9930 beats the 9650 in every way except for maybe a slight edge with the camera and slightly better battery life on the 9950.

**mikeberry22** · 06-20-2012, 05:42 PM

I have been wanting a Blackberry for years. So in April got one. I wanted an older BB so I got the Bold 9650 on Verizon. With was the BB I want back in 2010. I can say there are key BB features that I have come to love. I didn't want an Android again and I thought about IOS. But I am a massage bloke. And that's where the Qwerty hardware keyboard shines. It is so easy the respond to email queries, twitter, Facebook and SMS. The battery life is not the best but have have surely had worst (a Samsung with only 3 hrs of talk time and you dare not use the mobile internet). Yes the boot time is long but I like being able to reboot the phone where as other platform only reset. And I am having fun learning all the BB short. It like being a computer "hacker". And as far as the style the phone it my not be much but I like it. And finally, I like the reaction I get from poeple when they see me pull out my Berry.

**mikeberry22** · 06-20-2012, 06:24 PM

I have been wanting a Blackberry for years. So in April got one. I wanted an older BB so I got the Bold 9650 on Verizon. With was the BB I want back in 2010. I can say there are key BB features that I have come to love. I didn't want an Android again and I thought about IOS. But I am a massage bloke. And that's where the Qwerty hardware keyboard shines. It is so easy the respond to email queries, twitter, Facebook and SMS. The battery life is not the best but have have surely had worst (a Samsung with only 3 hrs of talk time and you dare not use the mobile internet). Yes the boot time is long but I like being able to reboot the phone where as other platform only reset. And I am having fun learning all the BB short. It like being a computer "hacker". And as far as the style the phone it my not be much but I like it. And finally, I like the reaction I get from poeple when they see me pull out my Berry.

**mikeplus1** · 06-20-2012, 10:27 PM

You would really love the 9930 then mikeberry22 with even better keyboard and shorter boot times, although I rarely ever need to reboot my 9930.

**mikeberry22** · 06-21-2012, 03:27 PM

Well mikeplus1 I thought about the 9930. But I already knew BB 10 was coming.

**louzer** · 06-27-2012, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by geoffsdad

After 2 years plus using my 9650, I am really struggling to keep it going until a BB10 Qwerty comes out. My battery continually overheats and I have to suffer through random reboots until I buy a new battery. I have gone through 3 batteries in 4 months. The charging port won't charge even tho I get the charging icons on screen. The browser is pathetic IMHO. I am not a huge fan of Opera mini, but it sooooo much better than native. I have seen others on CB have the exact same battery issue. To be fair, I have seen a couple of postings from Torch users that have the same issue with the Torch phones released around the same time. Still love BB, no way I am jumping ship, but keeping this phone going until BB10 is out is killing me. No way I am getting a 9930 with BB10 coming out within the next 6 months

Since you are on Sprint, you can sign up for the Assurion insurance for about $8.00 per month. After the first 30 days, your phone will be covered whether it's bought from Sprint, a 3rd party, or used. Then you can bring it in to a Sprint store where they'll determine that the problem is a malfunction as opposed to accidental damage and they'll order you a new one (usually a refurb).

**louzer** · 06-27-2012, 03:36 PM

As far as a testimonial goes, I love my 9650. It is such a reliable phone (especially with the latest 6.0 from Sprint) that I've found it impossible to justify a new BB7 phone. Aside from everything Blackberry that keeps me on the platform, the battery life, camera, keyboard, wifi, bluetooth, international GSM, call quality, etc are great.

My only issues are:
1. Browsing
Browsing does not need to be discussed since it's been covered ad infinitum in these forums.

2. Slugishness with multiple apps open
Slugishness is something I have learned to deal with since it's trying to do so much on meager hardware (by today's standards).

3. Memory
I have all of my media set to store on the SD card, but it seems that email/MMS attachments are stored in local memory until saved to the memory card and the messages are deleted. Cleaning up your inbox can certainly help this, but I have 6 email accounts on my phone and regularly receive emails and MMS messages with attachments. The reason this is an issue is that I found that Blackberry Protect chokes doing an OTA backup with less than 55mb free memory. I thought, for the longest time, that there was a bug in BB Protect. But when I cleaned up some messages and freed up some memory, the backup worked. I think that BB Protect packages a backup file locally and then tries to send it to the BB servers. This, alone could be reason to change to a 9930 or 9850 because they have 256mb more memory.

Despite these limitations, I haven't made the switch to an OS7 phone because I rely on my camera, especially for close up shots of products, documentation, or business cards, which unfortunately eliminates the 9930. I'm too attached to the keyboard and all of the additional functionality that it adds to the Blackberry experience to switch to the Torch 9850. And I'm leary of the drop in battery life that I'd expect going from the 9650 to these other devices with lower capacity batteries.

I probably would have made the jump if Sprint had either the Torch 9810 or the Bold 9790. Given how I feel about my 9650, the 9790 would have been a no-brainer for me. All the goodness of the 9650 with the additional bump in processing speed, memory, all with an autofocus camera and better battery.

But given all this, I'm very happy with my 9650.

**troshs** · 06-29-2012, 11:16 AM

Oh jeez guys, after all this we went through, they gave him a 9930. Everyone else in the company including the higher bosses have the 9650, so I was pretty sure they were going to give him one...I guess not...he got his 9930 and a few days later he tried it out and the mic didn't work on it. He called the boss to ask if he could just use a bluetooth with it and she freaked out and told him to send it back.

Then a week later he got a replacement and when they tested it at the office it suddenly decided to unregister from the Sprint network. So now he is currently waiting on his third phone. But thanks all for stepping up and giving me some good info. Maybe if the third 9930 messes up they will give him a 9650.

**youknwwho** · 07-05-2012, 08:14 PM

9650, Good, solid phone. Heck I might even get another housing ordered ( the second one from the day I got my 9650 which is in may 2011) and a new battery to sustain it till BB10 drop. Then it'll be Blackforest+ Nevada.

**PondHockey** · 07-05-2012, 09:08 PM

Solid device but not even close to 9930.

**blackberry-unlocking710** · 07-15-2012, 11:14 AM

Like other I agree, the Bold 9650 is a solid and reliable Blackberry phone... but the things you can get / do with those new Blackberry devices.. it's just something different. i hope he will get a working 9930 this time.

**geoffsdad** · 07-17-2012, 06:20 PM

Woooohooooo! Finally got a Playbook so it doesn't really matter how old my 9650 gets as long as it can keep on bridgin!

**moegumby** · 07-17-2012, 06:46 PM

my 9650 was great, but my 9930 makes it obsolete, the touch screen and Best keyboard ever are what makes the 9930 better, not to mention the CPU speed advantage. no more spining clock!

Sent from my BlackBerry 9930 using Tapatalk

**ejsmith01** · 07-17-2012, 07:21 PM

I have had my 9650 for two years and am in no hurry to update to. 7.0+ phone. I will wait for BB10 models to come out. My 9650 is compact, yet powerful. I have fat fingers and can still use the physical keyboard with relative ease. Not sure if your BF's company phone will be a BES or BIS phone. BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Service) will have some network constraints (company security needs), but overall very powerful and more secure than other phones. Even if BES, a user can have multiple email accounts loaded without bogging down operating speed. The nice feature is browser speed and multi-tasking capabilities.