[Rahul1234]

****, we are losing

Posted via CB10

[Trini-34]

I am looking at my 9900 (T-Mobile) and my Z30. Just looking at it- I do not think I can do it for a month. There is nothing wrong with the 9900, but the size- everything else is great. Apps on the 9900 is fine for me- I love using bank of America on that bad-boy. I control my apps permissions. But I have to reboot for everything (I got an update- reboot device, I downloaded an app- reboot required- and so on and so on). Good Luck- I hope you find what you are looking for!

[SmellWhole]

... But I have to reboot for everything (I got an update- reboot device, I downloaded an app- reboot required- and so on and so on) ...

You don't have to do this each time, you might choose to. You can do all kinds of updates during the day and restart once later at the end of the day/night or you can download all, install all, and reload once: at the end of the day/night.

[BroncoVAL]

Well good luck with that!
Don't forget to bring a ball on your trip, cast away from modern smart devices you'll need a friend to talk to



Posted via CB10

[elliott436]

The bold 9900 series are great devices I still have a bold 9900 that I revert back to every now and then but I just got a q10 so I think once I get it set up it won't get touched much at all! But we'll see!!!

Posted via CB10

[Legal Eagle]

Interesting to see how the browser will compare after being used to BB10. Looking forward to this

Drop a BL Ultimate Hybrid OS onto a 9900/9930 to get the fastest OS7.1 Browser experience out there.

[ciabo]

I wanna know how it goes, interested in buying a 9900

[ewthompson585]

I must admit, I would probably be hard pressed to give up the Z30 if I actually had one. I still am rocking the 9930, while I wait on the lonely island called Sprint for a suitable BlackBerry upgrade. I am close to eating my hands due to starvation. But I feel the 9930 is the next best choice, especially for those who heavily rely on PIM functions. Looking forward to your thoughts over the next 30 days.

On March 28th, 2014, numerous tech news websites reported that BlackBerry would continue producing and supporting its Bold 9900 series line of smartphones.

Whether this is a good move on the part of BlackBerry remains to be seen. But when I heard this, I was intrigued. The Bold 9900 series came to the market in August of 2011 - nearly 3 years ago!

Despite having outdated hardware and running BB OS 7, an older mobile OS that was abandoned in favor of BB10 - a completely new OS for new devices, there obviously must still be enough of a demand for these Bold 9900 series handsets that BlackBerry feels the need to continue their production and support.

What on earth is so good about this phone that indviduals and businesses have used it as their go-to smartphone for so long? What could possibly keep them from switching to a newer BlackBerry device, or a device of a different brand?

In my quest for answers, I have decided to do the unthinkable: ditch my BlackBerry Z30 and use a BlackBerry Bold 9930 as my primary smartphone for 30 days.

What better way to see what all the fuss is about than to ditch my beloved BlackBerry Z30 (the best smartphone I have ever owned) and give the Bold 9930 my time and attention for a month?

I managed to acquire a used Bold 9930 in good condition for a fair price, thanks to the CrackBerry.com Marketplace. I then contacted Verizon and had them deactivate my Z30 and activate the 9930 in its place, as the SIM and data plan for my Z30 is NOT compatible or interchangeable with the Bold.

And now the Bold Experiment begins!

Here are some things I anticipate missing about my Z30:

• The large, beautiful screen
• App selection, including the ability to run Android apps
• Battery life
• Nice camera
• Amazing external speakers
• Hub
• More distractions (Netflix, games, etc.)

Here are some things I anticipate liking about my Bold 9930:

• Physical keyboard
• Toolbelt with buttons and trackpad
• Touch screen interface
• Smaller form factor
• Full BlackBerry Bridge functionality with my BlackBerry PlayBook tablet
• Less distractions = more productivity
• User-replaceable battery

I plan to blog my thoughts and observations throughout the next 30 days, so be on the look-out for more posts!

[chosen1_88]

Certainly sounds like a fun experiment, although I still see a lot of 9900s being used right now, so I don't think it's that far out of date. Still, I'll be following this thread.

If you want to see a real blast from the past, my dad is still rocking a 9000 (not a typo). I offered to give him my Q5 and he refused, saying he might consider a Q10, but isn't interested in changing. Phone is actually locked to 2G because he needs to squeeze out as much battery life as possible.

[cleveland216]

I recently activated my 9930 after endless ROM updates and toying around in the OS for the HTC One. That's how much I missed REAL buttons to call and hangup calls. I'm apparently not a touchscreen guy, and don't like toying around with endless customizations.

However, the browser experience was a pain, and what the heck happened to my free Telenav on Sprint on the 9930?, and I wish there was a better Shoutcast experience than "Radio for Blackberry", and Dropbox kinda sucks, and I'm addicted to Mobisle Notes for Android, and I keep getting popups for security certificates, and no 4G (Sprint is finally putting 4G all over Ceveland)

This past week I tried going back to it for 1 day, I tried the Q10 for 2 days, and then I went back to the HTC One. In other words... the Q20 is what I'm waiting for.

Oh, and I miss my Tomato!!

[stlabrat]

Think I'll try and build a PC with OS2/Warp on it just to see how that feels...NOT! What a massive waste of 30 days. Do what you like, it's your time. As for me, I'll keep moving forward.

Posted using my Peerless BlackBerry Z30

Os2? Won't work on 64 bit processor. Sorry. By default, it is not valid comparison. :-)

Posted via CB10

[Houshinto]

I'm sure you'll be fine OP. You look like you already know what you're getting into.

Who knows, maybe you'll find a a slew of things you miss from OS7 that you weren't implemented in BB10.

[Bbnivende]

I have a 9900 . Except for the lack of needed apps and the lag in the browser it functions reasonably well. Great for e-mails and texting.

I can understand why a business person might use this device but at the same time you might need to replace the Keyboard after two years. Most businesses do not repair though they just replace the phone.

[Tatwi]

Because they and their data plans are cheap. No other reason.

Q5 is just as cheap.

I gave up my Z10 to back to my 9900. Right tool for the job; I don't need one device that does everything.

[rellyrellz]

I like the idea. Thought about doing it myself. Love the look and feel of the 9900. Just that and an ipod. Nice and simple

[OceanBerry]

Looking forward to reading your experiences & conclusions. Love your antique phone icon/avatar!

[jonduran86]

Loved my Bold 9900 but don't think I can do it.

Stay safe OP...

[anon(6038817)]

A Bold Experiment: Day 1 - Setup



Activation

First, I needed to contact Verizon to have them activate my Bold 9930 on my current line. I did so via the chat feature on Verizon's website. I found this method to be surprisingly efficient and fast. The Verizon rep was prompt, answered all my questions, and completed the process quickly.

Once my 9930 was activated with Verizon's service, I had to call a *XXX number and select option one so my phone could be reprogramed. This took about a minute. Once I got confirmation that activation was successful, I immediately had reception and data service.

I also noticed that I had several new app icons that I didn't have before. A few of them were Verizon bloatware, which I deleted or hid, but one of them is going to be indispensible: the Maps app with GPS navigation.

Apps

I downloaded more apps that I feel will be useful:

• Opera Mini
• CrackBerry
• Pandora
• Linkedin (Facebook and Twitter were already loaded, I just had to update them)
• BlackBerry Bridge
• AccuWeather
• Google Talk
• Skype
• Dropbox
• Amazon MP3
• Fancy SpeedTest
• BlackBerry Traffic
• BlackBerry Mobile Conferencing
• Gospel Library
• LDS Tools
• Mormon Channel

Another gem that I found was Capture It, a free screen cap utility for BB OS which can be downloaded free here: CaptureIt OTA.

All of these apps seem to run well and do what they advertise. I'll provide more details about some of them in future posts.

I did try the MapQuest app, and it is broken. It does not find any addresses or locations I request. Deleted!

I wasn't sure what to expect with BBM, but was surprised to find that it does support channels and voice calls. I did a quick voice call with my brother, who uses BBM on his iPhone. The quality wasn't as good as on my Z30, but I could hear him fine.

BlackBerry Bridge functionality with my PlayBook is AMAZING. I never used it with my Z30 because it was limited and buggy (SMS messages would never load on the PB for some reason - I tried everything, including wipes of both devices to no avail). I will definitely be using Bridge regularly with my 9930. I have a feeling that Bridge will greatly enhance the usefulness and functionality of both my 9930 and PlayBook.

Other First Day Impressions

Battery life just can't compare to the Z30 (but few devices can in that regard). I'll have to keep it on the charger at work, but no worries - I had an iPhone before I got my Z30, so I'm used to being a "wall hugger". I may see if I can procure a charging dock (something I really wish I had for my Z30).

It'll take me a little while to get used to the physical keyboard, but I absolutely love the satisfying clickety-clack of the keys. Once my muscle memory is built up, typing should be pretty quick.

This device looks amazing. Really, it does. The build quality, look, feel - it just exudes premium quality and professionalism. It looks like it means business. No disrespect to my Z30, as I am also quite impressed with its fit and finish. But let's be honest: from across the room, the Z30 looks like any other Android phone. Same thing with the Z10. Actually, the Z10 is sometimes mistaken for an iPhone! The average person - unless they saw the trademark BlackBerry logos - wouldn't know it was a BlackBerry at first glance. One look at the Bold 9930 from any distance and you KNOW it's a BlackBerry whether you can make out the logos or not. I imagine the Q10 is similarly identifiable as a BlackBerry because of its form factor and physical keyboard. For overall look and feel, size, build quality, and polish, the 9930 is edging out the Z30 for me right now. I think it's a better fit to my own style and personality.

[flyingsolid]

Just a heads up, "Skype mobile� for Verizon" is being retired 24th April.

[anon(6038817)]

What "fuss" do you think there is over the 9900/9930? There isn't one. People aren't rushing out to buy legacy devices.

The "fuss" of BlackBerry going to the trouble of continuing production and support for the foreseeable future.

The "fuss" of people/businesses preferring to use them over newer devices. Obviously, enough people/businesses are buying legacy devices that BB has to produce more to keep up with demand. I don't think they'd keep making them if nobody wanted them, especially since BB10 is their focus now.

[anon(6038817)]

I applaud you, OP! I still love my 9900 and go back and forth on whether I should go back to it entirely or not. The trackpad and toolbelt are features I really miss. I still am dumbfounded why it was left out of the Q10 design. Subscribed to the thread.

Posted via CB10

Thanks! I wanted to see first-hand how much of a difference the toolbelt makes. First impressions are that, for me, the difference is huge. The Q10 looks like a great phone - and by most accounts it is - but when I look at it I feel like something is missing.

[anon(6038817)]

I find that the Messages of BBOS works out just the same as the Hub, if not better. I am currently between my 9650 and Q10. Keep us apprised of the progress.

Yes, I've set it up so my text messages appear in the unified Messages inbox along with everything else, and so far it seems to be working quite well. I'm also really liking the notifications area.

[donnation]

The "fuss" of BlackBerry going to the trouble of continuing production and support for the foreseeable future.

The "fuss" of people/businesses preferring to use them over newer devices. Obviously, enough people/businesses are buying legacy devices that BB has to produce more to keep up with demand. I don't think they'd keep making them if nobody wanted them, especially since BB10 is their focus now.

I don't doubt that there are some that are buying them, I just don't see the purpose of it.

The 9900 had terrible battery life, BBOS handles email attachments terribly, forget about video conferences, forget about getting on the web at what I would call barely being able to browse it, just to name a few things. Group texts are even a pain because sometimes it keeps you in the group and sometimes it just sends an individual message out to each person in the group. To me it's more of refusing to move forward and being stuck in the past. That and the cheap data plans that you can get with it.

[anon(6038817)]

I see a troll.

Great idea for an experiment, OP! I was a Bold 9900 user for 3 years, and I would have continued using it to this day if some of the keys hadn't started conking out (from overuse, haha).

My 9900 is the phone I love the most, out of all the phones I've had. I'm even thinking of buying another 9900 from the coming new production run to use as my work phone.

Posted via CB10

Thanks! I must admit, after my first full day of use, it's growing on me.

[anon(6038817)]

I don't think you'll find using the 9930 too much of a hardship. Many of us have flitted between using their Bold and their BB10 (in my case a Z10) as we recognise the qualities of both. For me the Bold 9900 is a design classic and is a delight to use regardless of any advantages that the Z10 offers.
My prediction is that at the end of your month's trial you'll find you can't give either one up and you'll buy another SIM card and starting using both phones permanently

I agree about the design aesthetic. It's unparalleled, IMO. We'll see if your prediction holds true! 29 more days to go!