[1TIME]

Hey everyone,

Long time Blackberry user and huge fan of the Bold 9900 but ended up jumping ship to the I Phone 6s last year because I wanted to experiment with a slab phone and the internet/lack of apps was frustrating.

However as much as I wanted to like the I phone there's just too many things wrong with it like;

Poo call quality
Poor speaker phone volume
Can't stand writing on a slab screen
I phone shuts down when the weather gets a bit cold.

I don't hate it, it's a good phone in certain ways but I must really miss the Bold 9900 format, call quality and durability. There's something simple and beautiful about the Classic 9900 that in today's information over load, app crazed world gets lost in translation.

I'm thinking of jumping ship to a Classic, however I never had one and have a few questions.

1. Is there a decent GPS map program similar to Google maps?
2. Can I port over certain Apps from Apple/Google play store?
3. How is the internet browser compared to the 9900? I know this isn't the strong point of BB but I'm hoping it's got a bit of a speed/quality upgrade since the 9900.
4. How do you guys like the hub? And what's the best way to make it efficient.
5. How is battery life on the Classic?
6. Should I wait for the Mercury or is the Classic still worth it?
7. Do the following apps exist on the Classic (Google maps, Kindle, Itunes podcasts, whatsapp, we chat, ever note, zenfie(meditation app) facebook messenger)

Thanks for the help guys!

[ma678]

Yes if you can get a better price.

Posted via CB10

[conbrio29]

The Classic is definitely still worth it (typing on it now). It all depends on what you'll be using it for. I can't answer all of your questions for you, but for a basic no-frills phone that does messaging, emails, and calls very well, the Classic does the job like no ever device out there. I plan on using my Classic and Passport combination for as long as I can. The Mercury will be worth a look I think as long as Android is something you can live with.

Posted via CB10

[undefinederror]

Hey everyone,

Long time Blackberry user and huge fan of the Bold 9900 but ended up jumping ship to the I Phone 6s last year because I wanted to experiment with a slab phone and the internet/lack of apps was frustrating.

However as much as I wanted to like the I phone there's just too many things wrong with it like;

Poo call quality
Poor speaker phone volume
Can't stand writing on a slab screen
I phone shuts down when the weather gets a bit cold.

I don't hate it, it's a good phone in certain ways but I must really miss the Bold 9900 format, call quality and durability. There's something simple and beautiful about the Classic 9900 that in today's information over load, app crazed world gets lost in translation.

I'm thinking of jumping ship to a Classic, however I never had one and have a few questions.

1. Is there a decent GPS map program similar to Google maps?
2. Can I port over certain Apps from Apple/Google play store?
3. How is the internet browser compared to the 9900? I know this isn't the strong point of BB but I'm hoping it's got a bit of a speed/quality upgrade since the 9900.
4. How do you guys like the hub? And what's the best way to make it efficient.
5. How is battery life on the Classic?
6. Should I wait for the Mercury or is the Classic still worth it?
7. Do the following apps exist on the Classic (Google maps, Kindle, Itunes podcasts, whatsapp, we chat, ever note, zenfie(meditation app) facebook messenger)

Thanks for the help guys!

1: yes, I have google maps running on my Classic.
There is android 4.3 built into BB10, so you can run some android applications on your BlackBerry

2: no need to port, just take the original android APK and try it. If it works, great! If not, then you may have to do some tinkering.
For tinkering instructions about getting modified copies of google play store, and things See: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...g-page-965257/

3: BB10 is much quicker. And since the Classic has the trackpad mouse to click on little links, Desktop Mode is quite useful in the browser. Or you can keep it in mobile mode if you're a fan of the mobile versions of websites.
There are a couple of other browsers for BB10 too, like browsie browser, or evolution browser.

4: I love the Hub. All my messages are always one gesture away. For organization:
-I flag important messages and use the 'pinch to filter' function to see important emails.
-i have all my accounts colour coded, so I know what email came from which inbox.
-if you wish to view only one specific account(text, email1, email2, BBM etc), there is a menu on the left side that will allow you to show only items associated from that one account.
-if you are looking for a specific email attachment but can't remember which email it was sent to, you can view a list of all recently received attachments.
-the keyboard shortcuts work within the Hub. N is next day. P is previous day. Space bar is scroll one page down. Shift+Space bar is scroll one page up. T is scroll to top. B is scroll to bottom. F is find. W is flag an email. R is reply etc etc. You had a Bold, you get it.

5: battery life: if you are conscious about your battery life, and you have the screen brightness down and turn things like radios off when they aren't in use, you can easily get 30+ hours off a charge. When my phone was new I would get 24-27 hours per charge.
After using the phone for 2 years, I have ~21 hours per charge.
I don't take care of the battery I frequently listen to music at work, the bluetooth is always on and connecting to the truck, i'm constantly emailing the office and viewing PDFs, the phone is always searching for cell phone networks when I dip in and out of reception, I use 8 android applications (android applications seem to drain the battery quicker than BB10 applications.)

6: I'm going to go to a phone store and test a live demo of the Mercury when it comes out. My contract was is up at the beginning of January, so I could get the Mercury for cheap, if not free.
If the Mercury really doesn't do it for me, i'll stick with the Classic.
Some reasons for wanting to switch to the Mercury: -sometimes there is a typing lag on my Classic. If I stick with the Classic, I will re-install the OS and start from fresh to see if that helps. It's basically been storing junk over the last 2 years. It could probably use a tune up
-I would be able to read more of an email/PDF/text conversation with a taller screen.
-I could type even faster with flick-to-type on a touch-enabled physical keyboard
-the Mercury may have louder speakers for my music.

7: sorry, I can't help with that. I've never used any of those applications(other than Google maps).
Your best bet is to search Google for: "kindle site:forums.crackberry.com" then it will list all kindle related discussions on CB. Then try searching: "itunes podcasts site:forums.crackberry.com" and "whatsapp site:forums.crackberry.com" etc

Best of luck!

Posted via CB10

[Avenzuno]

I suggest that if the OP has no immediate need, that he wait for Mercury, and look to the future. I need a new Verizon device ASAP, and will likely buy a Samsung Galaxy J3 V just to experiment with my beloved webOS font Prelude while I patiently wait for Mercury. I think the PKB and app experience the OP is looking for can be found in Mercury without ever having to deal with the workarounds appwise the Classic has. For me, I want a device that I expect will be stable the next couple of years.

[1TIME]

1: yes, I have google maps running on my Classic.
There is android 4.3 built into BB10, so you can run some android applications on your BlackBerry

2: no need to port, just take the original android APK and try it. If it works, great! If not, then you may have to do some tinkering.
For tinkering instructions about getting modified copies of google play store, and things See: http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...g-page-965257/

3: BB10 is much quicker. And since the Classic has the trackpad mouse to click on little links, Desktop Mode is quite useful in the browser. Or you can keep it in mobile mode if you're a fan of the mobile versions of websites.
There are a couple of other browsers for BB10 too, like browsie browser, or evolution browser.

4: I love the Hub. All my messages are always one gesture away. For organization:
-I flag important messages and use the 'pinch to filter' function to see important emails.
-i have all my accounts colour coded, so I know what email came from which inbox.
-if you wish to view only one specific account(text, email1, email2, BBM etc), there is a menu on the left side that will allow you to show only items associated from that one account.
-if you are looking for a specific email attachment but can't remember which email it was sent to, you can view a list of all recently received attachments.
-the keyboard shortcuts work within the Hub. N is next day. P is previous day. Space bar is scroll one page down. Shift+Space bar is scroll one page up. T is scroll to top. B is scroll to bottom. F is find. W is flag an email. R is reply etc etc. You had a Bold, you get it.

5: battery life: if you are conscious about your battery life, and you have the screen brightness down and turn things like radios off when they aren't in use, you can easily get 30+ hours off a charge. When my phone was new I would get 24-27 hours per charge.
After using the phone for 2 years, I have ~21 hours per charge.
I don't take care of the battery I frequently listen to music at work, the bluetooth is always on and connecting to the truck, i'm constantly emailing the office and viewing PDFs, the phone is always searching for cell phone networks when I dip in and out of reception, I use 8 android applications (android applications seem to drain the battery quicker than BB10 applications.)

6: I'm going to go to a phone store and test a live demo of the Mercury when it comes out. My contract was is up at the beginning of January, so I could get the Mercury for cheap, if not free.
If the Mercury really doesn't do it for me, i'll stick with the Classic.
Some reasons for wanting to switch to the Mercury: -sometimes there is a typing lag on my Classic. If I stick with the Classic, I will re-install the OS and start from fresh to see if that helps. It's basically been storing junk over the last 2 years. It could probably use a tune up
-I would be able to read more of an email/PDF/text conversation with a taller screen.
-I could type even faster with flick-to-type on a touch-enabled physical keyboard
-the Mercury may have louder speakers for my music.

7: sorry, I can't help with that. I've never used any of those applications(other than Google maps).
Your best bet is to search Google for: "kindle site:forums.crackberry.com" then it will list all kindle related discussions on CB. Then try searching: "itunes podcasts site:forums.crackberry.com" and "whatsapp site:forums.crackberry.com" etc

Best of luck!

Posted via CB10

Awesome info, thanks for sharing!

[Robin_Pearson]

Any BB10 device is good if you need to check email and to make phone call. If you need apps - stay with iphone.

Posted via CB10

[davareen]

I suggest you just get the classic and you will be asking yourself why you waited so long to get it! Its the best BB phone so far!

[defnow]

My classic was delivered a few days ago. Some how my total was about $50 bucks for a brand new device. I had a $50 xmas giftcard and at checkout an additional $50 was taken off for "promotional" pricing. Gotta love amazon.

Posted via CB10

[anon(9697770)]

If you will have a new BlackBerry like a Bold 9900 - your new Classic will be the right BlackBerry for long time.

Posted via CB10

[Invictus0]

Given your app needs (especially WhatsApp and Messenger), you should wait for the Mercury or look into the Priv.

[sidtek50]

Having bought a 2nd classic in the past week or so (I sold my first one ages ago because I took a strong dislike to it), my current thoughts are: very well built handset, good call quality, great battery life, I average 1.5 days with wifi on all the time, whatsapp messages etc.

However, I will say this: the app gap is worse than ever. It's worse than Windows 10 Mobile. You have to find old APKs to run whatsapp and viber. Blackberry might not put out 10.3.4 and even if they do, is it likely to bring anything significant? BB10 is used by 0.2% of the market. It hardly seems worth developing for anymore - most devs have abandoned ship long, long ago.

Bottom line: if you want a phone for calls, texts and fancy messing around getting an old version of whatsapp/viber or google maps - then do it. If you want regular updates, app support and better hardware, you need a newer android or iOS device.

BB10 would be fantastic with some significant development but Blackberry left it far, far too late and we're left with what we've got. Which isn't bad, but leaves an awful lot to be desired. I'm using my BB Classic as my daily driver and it's just about getting the job done - but only just. I'm missing native apps for the likes of Facebook. You can't get a fully functioning whatsapp on 10.3.3 you have to download WAA via a chrome extension in developer mode. Snapchat doesn't work at all - so if you use social media, this isn't the device for you.

I like the Classic, I just think the OS is showing serious signs of abandonment now. And it's a shame. Because having used BB10 again recently, they could have quite easily made it a real competitor to Google and iOS.

[mike kootnikoff]

Hey everyone,

Long time Blackberry user and huge fan of the Bold 9900 but ended up jumping ship to the I Phone 6s last year because I wanted to experiment with a slab phone and the internet/lack of apps was frustrating.

However as much as I wanted to like the I phone there's just too many things wrong with it like;

Poo call quality
Poor speaker phone volume
Can't stand writing on a slab screen
I phone shuts down when the weather gets a bit cold.

I don't hate it, it's a good phone in certain ways but I must really miss the Bold 9900 format, call quality and durability. There's something simple and beautiful about the Classic 9900 that in today's information over load, app crazed world gets lost in translation.

I'm thinking of jumping ship to a Classic, however I never had one and have a few questions.

1. Is there a decent GPS map program similar to Google maps?
2. Can I port over certain Apps from Apple/Google play store?
3. How is the internet browser compared to the 9900? I know this isn't the strong point of BB but I'm hoping it's got a bit of a speed/quality upgrade since the 9900.
4. How do you guys like the hub? And what's the best way to make it efficient.
5. How is battery life on the Classic?
6. Should I wait for the Mercury or is the Classic still worth it?
7. Do the following apps exist on the Classic (Google maps, Kindle, Itunes podcasts, whatsapp, we chat, ever note, zenfie(meditation app) facebook messenger)

Thanks for the help guys!

just make sure u have good warranty. had 3 replacements. it got stuck in a bootloop of death as well. I was in Mexico and had to buy a new phone :s get something more current or something more reliable like a passport

[brushaway]

No, outdated and plain Slow nowadays

[to boldly go]

To me it is worth it, switched back to Classic for awhile when my Q10 froze and I just removed its battery and switched the sim to the Classic. It's fast, it browses, it's loud and has decent battery life, it's super-cool looking. Will eventually go back to Q10 bc I love its tiny-ness.

BlackBerry has great 'slab' phones, too, browsing on Leap today.

I don't know or care much about android apps or social media, though.

[Icardi101]

I still use the classic in 2017 and I really like it and enjoy it. It gets the job done! will continue using my classic in the foreseeable future.

Many apps won't work but all the apps that I use regularly they work normally in the classic. Such as Whatsapp, twitter, instagram, Google maps and my bank app.

The hub is really useful one of the best features with the keyboard. With just a swipe you can see all your notifications ( emails, sms, tweets, likes comments DM's on instagram, facebook msgs,)



Posted via CB10

[Couver81]

As a long time 9900 user you will likely feel at home on the Classic. They function much the same except that BB10 is faster in most respects (especially the browser). The Classic is my daily driver still and serves me just fine. With that said my phone needs are primarily calling/texting/emailing so the Classic is perfect for that. If you rely on apps I would advise against it at this stage unless you can find one for cheap.

It may be worth checking the Mercury out when it is released. It won't be BB10 but it should bring together the PKB and the app availability a lot of people want.

Posted via CB10

[keyboardsrock]

Hi,

I've had the Classic for over a year. Prior (and now back up) phone is Q10. Before that I had the 9900, the Tour (9630), and the 7130e.

Screen- Great. Auto-brightness works well. I can use it on the beach and in pitch black with no problem. Text is super sharp. You can also manually adjust the warmth/cool of the colors to suit your preferences.
Battery- 12-15 hours of heavy usage to go from full to half. Important for my usage patterns are:
1. Location off unless I need it.
2. Turn off location, update, sync, 'run in background', and EVERYthing else that even hints the app might do something without you actively using it. You must do this within app permissions for each individual app... one by one. Android apps seem to drain the battery especially quickly.
3. WiFi off unless you're in an area that has a good signal. OS10 seems to use a lot of juice trying to keep a wifi network ready for you.
- The keyboard is awesome! Def the best BB keyboard ever for two-handed typing, IMO.
- The Hub... Love it. It's one giant inbox for everything, including notifications. It makes life so much easier. There's no chasing anything down or missing something by accident. You have the option of excluding from the Hub any one particular thing you don't want in your giant inbox.
- E-mail & texting... Thanks to the Hub and keyboard both are a breeze. There's no more "My response is too long to type on a phone. I'll answer it when I get to a real keyboard."
- Browser: Most of the web sites I go to are text-based. Opera Mini is really fast with OS10 and handles 90% of them with no problem. The stock browser usually handles the other 10% fairly well. The stock browser is not great, but is leagues better than what you had on your 9900.
- Signal and Call Quality: Typical BBerry awesome. The only weak point I've noticed is one most people might not encounter. On my commute most subway stations and many tunnel sections have wifi, cell signal, or both. What's available changes rapidly. OS10 is a bit slow to realize when one is not available and must switch to the other.

- Apps: This is the big issue. Everything I've downloaded from BBWorld and Amazon has worked fine out of the box. Google Play Store is another issue. I downloaded the packages from Cobalt's Landing Page (he deserves the caps) and was able to follow those instructions without much difficulty. Some, such as Scruff and Signal, work flawlessly. Others require varying amounts of tweaking. Some (Grindr, MeetUp, & Transit) won't work at all. As I understand it, the major issue is that BBerry now produces phones with the AndroidOS, therefore BBerry is no longer permitted to develop/update the components of OS10 necessary to maintain compatibility with Android apps that require AndroidOS above 4.3.3. There ARE successful workarounds for many apps. I use very few apps other than the ones just mentioned so I really can't help you with the ones you've asked about.

However, I'm not a 'techie'. Despite my ability to follow complicated instructions step-by-step, it's exhausting and time-consuming to implement these workarounds. I just don't have the mind-set and Real Life prevents me from spending much time on this. This 'App Gap' will be what'll eventually drive me to Android, much as I prefer OS10.

To sum up, I think you'll be thrilled with the Classic except for the app issue. If you can't identify workarounds, it might be better to wait for the Mercury. Then you'll have the best of both worlds.

Hope this tome helps.

[1TIME]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

I've tried to join the bandwagon and I ended up with an iphone that I browse too much, 20+ pointless apps that drain battery and decrease my attention spam and really low call quality.

Judging from peoples responses here I think the classic would be a good fit and it's a phone I'm longing for. Just another quick app question...

Does BB 10 work with the following apps;

Whats App
Wechat
Facebook Messenger
Google Drive
Evernote
Uber

My other biggest concern is will these apps be working 2-3 years down the line?

That essentially covers 99% of my app usage so if those are a go looks like I might be going classic very soon!

[sidtek50]

From your post, only evernote should work fine without issues. There's absolutely no chance these apps will work in 2-3 years time - they barely work now. I don't use uber so I can't speak for that app but whatsapp requires a bit of fiddling to get it to work, and even when it's "working", you can't take a photo and send it from the app, you have to exit the app, take a photo, go back into the app and send as an attachment.

I'm not sure what iPhone you're using but the call quality should not be bad unless you have a duff device. I've owned almost every iPhone and I've never had a single issue with them. Edit: I read your original post and you're using a 6S. Battery issues are expected to be resolved in the update at the end of Jan. Of all iPhones you could have purchased you've just been unlucky and picked one with a very well known battery glitch - Apple are aware and working on a fix.

Posted via CB10

[mbirth]

Does BB 10 work with the following apps;

Whats App
Wechat
Facebook Messenger
Google Drive
Evernote
Uber

• WhatsApp: Until mid-2017, but the Android-version might work after that
• WeChat: Android-version will probably work
• Facebook Messenger: Android-version or 3rd party BB10 (if you're lucky)
• Google Drive: probably via Playcloud (which was last updated in October 2015), until Google changes something
• Evernote: Yes
• Uber: via browser / m.uber.com or patched Android APK (needs Cobalt's Google Play Services)

[Ray III]

I use BeMaps 10. It is similar to the official Google Maps app for OS7.

The browser is a major improvement in speed and page rendering, though I think the lack of 4G is what really handicaps the 9930.

The Hub is another improvement. Everything shows up in one place and if that becomes too cluttered you can sort it out by text messages, e-mail, Facebook, etc. But I don't like how BB10 does not display notifications on the home screen to remind me that I still have unread messages.

Battery life seems to be about the same as a brand-new 9930. In reality all the Bold batteries are old and will seem like a major upgrade.

Overall, I slightly prefer the Classic to the Bold for its taller screen, 4G and better browser, and camera that can take up-close pictures. The main thing I don't like is that it lags when you are trying to do something very simple like change notification profile or open text messages, which is ridiculous for a business-class device, but I'll deal with it before I frustrate myself with a glass slab.

[conbrio29]

I love my Classic! I use it alongside my Passport (but the SIM card stays in the Classic).

Posted via CB10

[LucklessRoll]

I switched from my Samsung S7 edge to my old Bold 9930 to see if I still liked my BlackBerry more. I just got my Classic today. I downloaded Spotify and Google maps using the Google play store. I also got facebook messenger and instagram from the Blackberry world, both made by Nemory. I love it!!!!!!


Posted via CB10

[JDayEnt1]

I'm rocking a Classic and an iPhone 6s Plus. SIMs in both and I let them play to their strengths. My BlackBerry for calls, email (basic triage and responding), text, and BBM. iPhone is for everything the BlackBerry is not! Especially iMessage since it got dope in iOS 10. The flexibility of third-party apps on iOS for mail has me on the fence about taking email away from the Classic. I love my keyboard and it's shortcuts the most. Hard to give that up.

Posted via my BlackBerry Classic