[AlexBC]

I am a *relatively* proud owner of 9900 for like the last month. I was up for renewal at work and I had the option of iPhone, 9810, or 9900... I almost got the iPhone, but literally after seeing the 9900 and touching the REAL device, I fell in love with it (which is a shame as fake phones in stores doesn't do it justice)!

The form factor, materials, weight, keyboard, design ALL oozes quality and professionalism. Also, by trying a colleagues, I loved how quick it ran and basically it looked like it had everything I wanted.

Now, after a month, I wonder WHY THE **** RIM skipped just a few things to do this phone RIGHT and missed the HUGE opportunity to gain A LOT MORE marketshare, or at least STOP THE BLEEDING! I am not gonna talk about OS, lack of apps, etc... those things are just facts of life until BBX, and OS 7.0 is pretty great for majority of users.

Top three things RIM missed on BB900 BIG TIME:

1. BATTERY - This is NOT a surprise obviously, come one, it's 2011 and ALL long-term BB users are used to great battery life and I NEVER EVER had to worry about my phone running out of juice during a day. I understand that *might have* added a bit of thickness, but WHO CARES. Even within the same case they must probably be able to come up with a higher capacity battery.
2. CAMERA - Again, not a surprise. WHY not include a freaking auto-focus? Not that 9780 camera was anything special, but to go backwards in quality is not acceptable in this day and age (not counting 720P video)
3. SCREEN SIZE - This is something not too many have mentioned, BUT there is SO MUCH ROOM to make the screen 3" and even 3.2". Get rid of the Blackbery logo on top, remove the black plastic frame on the bottom, and just freaking extend the height of the screen.

That's it! Come on! I am not asking 1 milion apps, music/movie downloads, new OS, etc... just the SAME freaking phone could have been a PERFECT messaging, web device, with GREAT phone capabilities, good for 90% of the typical users of BB AND casual non-professional users. All most ppl care about is a phone that doesn't die half-way through a day, can take good picture, and has a decent size screen for web browsing, messaging, pictures.

The above 3 items are NOT engineering feats, or crazy technologies not available easily to RIM or difficult to implement... While they did some amazing stuff on 9900, for the LIFE OF ME, I do NOT GET IT why they missed such obvious items?!

[melb_me]

My battery life is actually insanely good on my 9900. I have to totally agree with you on the camera though. That was a hugh miss and as you can see all the APPLE commercials are focusing on what? Yup...the camera.

Sent from my blazing BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

[nuangel2]

i agree battery life could be better,i wish it had autofocus but for what i use it for its sufficient .i use my kodak for important events and pictures not my phone.screen is fine for me.i am really happy with my 9930.

[adicktuz]

Battery: I'm used to it now, I have a charger everywhere. Desk at home, office and in my bedroom. No worries for me.

Camera: Should've kept AF, but it's not a big deal.

Screen: It's great.

Also, can you imagine what's beneath the BlackBerry logo on top and the plastic piece at the bottom? You said they should've get rid of those and made the screen bigger.

[waukeshaberry]

The screen is fine, I mean .2" gives you how much more?. You should've gotten the new Torch, it's a full touchscreen if screen real state was a concern, similar specs.

Unless you are using the BB more for multimedia media, such as video, pictures, YouTube, music, games and Internet surfing, then you should have taken the iPhone.

The camera, I do agree with there are Android phones out there with similar thickness with better cameras granted I do not use the camera feature very often.
I use my Bold for its intended purpose: making calls, messaging. Anything else is secondary. YouTube, games etc. there are better "smartphones" for that like the iPhone.

I continue to use BB because of its security, messaging and of course phone quality and build quality.

I find it amusing how people are upset with their purchases after using it for a bit. That's why I always test drive cars, research, research, research. Most importantly know why you need certain features of a phone ask yourself why I want them, then ask yourself do I NEED them? Sometimes what we want isn't always what we need.

Multimedia devices and "apps" then go for Android or iPhone.

Can RIM improve their products, certainly. Everyone wants BB to be like iPhone or Android. Then I suggest they purchase those devices.

[adicktuz]

AlexBC you should've gone for the Torch models instead

[BBThemes]

lol and there was me thinking i was gonna read

1) B
2) B
3) X

haha, i must admit the battery is fine for me, and while edof camera isnt better than af versions, iv not had any major issues, that said alot of it is software as nokia proved recently.

Nokia's latest EDoF camera demonstrates improvement with macro shots - Engadget



as for the screen size, im not sure how durable putting it closer to the edge would make the device, also its the aspect ratio that really matters, so they wouldnt need to move the logo as you couldnt expand the width enough to reduce that much room.

jus my 2 cents

[guerllamo7]

The larger screen on the Torch 9810 would have met the screen requirements and it has a nice keyboard as well. The camera is auto focus and the battery is fine.

The issue is valid. I don't really feel any need for a better camera than what the Bold has but many people have said they would rather have AF. So, that is a good point.

The keyboard is just too good to pass up. Also, the Bold has NFC and I really like using it.
I guess it is just me but the landscape mode works way better for me than portrait on the screen. Also, the I phone has less usable screen size than the Bold when the virtual keyboard cuts the viewable area by 50%.

I hope the put an AF camera on for those that want it though. I'm pretty happy with mine.

[anon(4086547)]

I was thinking the same thing! Bigger screen, AF camera and bigger battery ... Even if the device will be a little bigger and thicker ... Then you don't need to have iPhone for better media experience or a separate camera for better shots ... all in one ... but I have to agree - it's not bad as it is now... Actually I'm perfectly fine with the camera on 9900 ... wouldn't even know it's not AF if I didn't read it here ...

[Betmen]

ALEXBC

Absolutly...DEAD ON. Mind boggling.. RIM lookjng DIM

[ardew]

i have to agree about the battery and cam.
with the battery ill get a full day and sometimes half by mid day.

[AlexBC]

AlexBC you should've gone for the Torch models instead

No! Torch is built like crap, has the worst Blackberry keyboard, and just looks aweful.

I LOVE 9900 form factor, feel, overall size, keyboard and material. They could have EASILY made it PERFECT by better battery, camera, slightly larger screen. "2 of an inch DOES make a difference. you get one more row of apps, and don't have to scroll as much viewing web pages. The thing is there WAS Room within the same frame.

[snowindec9]

top 3 things missing:
1.contacts
2.contacts
3.contacts
1=no emails received/send
2=no phone calls received/send
3=no texts received/send

[slowrvr]

Everyone harping on about the battery and how they should have got a different phone seem to be missing the important point that the battery is only poor if you compare it to previous lower power Blackberrys. Compared to the competition the battery is great!!

My old little Nokia used to go for days on a charge, but that doesn't mean I am going to go back to a 10 year old phone.

[Capitan Totti]

I wonder if the rumored BB Nevada will have these added feats...

[tedzone]

My battery life is actually insanely good on my 9900. I have to totally agree with you on the camera though. That was a hugh miss and as you can see all the APPLE commercials are focusing on what? Yup...the camera.

Sent from my blazing BlackBerry 9900 using Tapatalk

7.0.0.503. I Can't kill my batt on a normal day's use even if I try. :-)

[LuVJuGGs]

I am a *relatively* proud owner of 9900 for like the last month. I was up for renewal at work and I had the option of iPhone, 9810, or 9900... I almost got the iPhone, but literally after seeing the 9900 and touching the REAL device, I fell in love with it (which is a shame as fake phones in stores doesn't do it justice)!

The form factor, materials, weight, keyboard, design ALL oozes quality and professionalism. Also, by trying a colleagues, I loved how quick it ran and basically it looked like it had everything I wanted.

Now, after a month, I wonder WHY THE **** RIM skipped just a few things to do this phone RIGHT and missed the HUGE opportunity to gain A LOT MORE marketshare, or at least STOP THE BLEEDING! I am not gonna talk about OS, lack of apps, etc... those things are just facts of life until BBX, and OS 7.0 is pretty great for majority of users.

Top three things RIM missed on BB900 BIG TIME:

1. BATTERY - This is NOT a surprise obviously, come one, it's 2011 and ALL long-term BB users are used to great battery life and I NEVER EVER had to worry about my phone running out of juice during a day. I understand that *might have* added a bit of thickness, but WHO CARES. Even within the same case they must probably be able to come up with a higher capacity battery.
2. CAMERA - Again, not a surprise. WHY not include a freaking auto-focus? Not that 9780 camera was anything special, but to go backwards in quality is not acceptable in this day and age (not counting 720P video)
3. SCREEN SIZE - This is something not too many have mentioned, BUT there is SO MUCH ROOM to make the screen 3" and even 3.2". Get rid of the Blackbery logo on top, remove the black plastic frame on the bottom, and just freaking extend the height of the screen.

That's it! Come on! I am not asking 1 milion apps, music/movie downloads, new OS, etc... just the SAME freaking phone could have been a PERFECT messaging, web device, with GREAT phone capabilities, good for 90% of the typical users of BB AND casual non-professional users. All most ppl care about is a phone that doesn't die half-way through a day, can take good picture, and has a decent size screen for web browsing, messaging, pictures.

The above 3 items are NOT engineering feats, or crazy technologies not available easily to RIM or difficult to implement... While they did some amazing stuff on 9900, for the LIFE OF ME, I do NOT GET IT why they missed such obvious items?!

Agree on the camera issue, but you should try the newer updates on the forum, your battery life should be nothing to complain about.

And the last but not least the scrren isnt as easy to maximise as you think it is, there are internals in the area...its just not that simple. It feels smaller than it is because its landscape not portrait

Enjoyr ur bb!!

[AlexBC]

Agree on the camera issue, but you should try the newer updates on the forum, your battery life should be nothing to complain about.

And the last but not least the scrren isnt as easy to maximise as you think it is, there are internals in the area...its just not that simple. It feels smaller than it is because its landscape not portrait

Enjoyr ur bb!!

I am on .540 firmware, and yes, the battery life was improved slightly, and it WILL last one full day when used very lightly, BUT, medium use only gets me to early evening, and high usage takes me to only afternoon.

[poseidon5]

The battery is a joke. Did they really think reducing the power of the battery (compared to the 9700) would go down well with blackberry users who adore the battery?

I hope they release a 1800mAH battery of the SAME size for the 9900. this is absolutely ridiculous. I am an intensive user and I have to charge my phone 3 times a day. Sometimes this battery issue makes me feel like i'm using an Android but with less features and a lousier camera.

[belfastdispatcher]

7.0.0.503. I Can't kill my batt on a normal day's use even if I try. :-)

Yes, just came back frrom 540 and 503 lasts sooo much longer, even with social feeds constantly pulling.

[Lei.la]

it seems that almost everyone is agreeing with the battery issue. But isn't it that RIM admittedly mentioned that Bold 9900 has lesser battery life because it (battery) is slimmer than the previous versions which by the way is one of the device's highlight? So since RIM was able to set proper expectations, then we should have considered that before purchasing.. that's why I have 1 charger in the office and I at home
But we can always minimize our power usage by adjusting some settings.. LED related apps are the number 1 (atleast for me) battery drainer. Backlight level, leaving apps open and forgetting to close it since BB is best known for it's ability to multitask.

But just like what waukeshaberry mentioned:

Unless you are using the BB more for multimedia media, such as video, pictures, YouTube, music, games and Internet surfing, then you should have taken the iPhone.
.

I LOVE DOWNLOADING GAMES that's why I "want" the iPhone but my "needs" were met by RIM. I can't have both since it's redundant so I chose Blackberry and purchased an iPod for more game apps and other multi media apps. (it also saves my BB battery life )

[bbzak]

+1 to the first post.

I need 3 things added to my 9900.
1. 1800mAh Battery.
2. Camera with AutoFocus
3. Leather back cover without NFC

Ok, I am a bit old school with my last one.

[chunt69]

I think its quite obvious that the Camera and batery are below par for most BB users tbh.
The other point is OS 7 apps, how a new flagship device can have less available to it than older cheaper models is beyond me.- RIM need to get on top of simple things like this, i mean its not like the phone and o/s weren't announced long enough ago!

[EvilmasterMMA]

1: The battery is actually incredibly good. Probably the best battery life of any smart phone on the market. In my environment, guys with androids only last about 6 hours and they are looking for a charge. Guys with iPhones last about 10 hours and they are plugging in. I can go 2 full 12 hour days on my 9900 and still have juice left. It's best in class.

2: For me the camera is good enough, I rarely use it anyways. I guess having a slightly better camera wouldn't hurt. But I wouldn't want the device to be any thicker because of it.

3: The screen size is perfect. The resolution is perfect. The brightness is perfect. Colors are perfect and clarity is perfect. The only reason you might want a bigger screen would be for playing games and stuff.

If you want to play games and goof off because you are a kid. Buy an android.

If you want to play games and mp3 files because you are a young adult without any real responsibly or are a student. But an iPhone.

If you want incredible battery life, rock solid reception, fault free operation, email and txt communications and internet connectivity because you are an adult and have real work to do...BUT A BLACKBERRY!

[EvilmasterMMA]

Hmmm....We have GPS, Bluetooth, Wifi, 4G, Awesome download speeds, incredibly fast 1.2ghz processor, mountains of memory, perfect touch screen with 24-bit high-res color, a perfect keyboard, incredible battery life, wifi hotspot, perfect reception, call clarity is in a league of it's own, NFC, hi def video recording, excellent camera flash, an amazing OS, awesome sounding MP3 playback, cosmetically perfect and sexy as heck with a brushed stainless steel bezel, playbook bridging that is amazing, updates coming at a mind boggling rate, great apps available, amazing web browsing, awesome email and txt messaging, BBM messaging etc etc etc...

The only thing needed to make this the best portable communications device ever made, would be a 10 megapixel camera with some crazy zoom and features. That's really the only thing I can think of to upgrade. It's pretty much already the best cellphone ever made, it doesn't have much room for improvement.

imo.