Niagara VZW Release Date!!!

[ausch]

Originally Posted by sooks

I wouldnt say that no one knows.... i mean all companies have there "target release date" which has been confirmed to be August(ish) so if the target is August , then the have the phones now and alot of time to work out what they need to work out to hit the release date.. as a trend we have seen though.... it might even take 2 or 3 months longer to launch who knows... but some people do know the "target date"

I think the "target date" will change, from what it is. I'm gonna say Q4.

[Extirpate]

I really don't think it'd be wise on RIM's part to launch so far after the new iPhone. All the people that have contracts ending soon and have upgrade available this summer are going to want to get the new iPhone. It'd be in the best interest of VZW and RIM to realease this device prior to the launch of the new iPhone. It's unknown due to previous factors and RIM as stated earlier in this forum is not very good with release dates. If the phone is in testing now, it would be released at the latest 3Q.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Originally Posted by reo

So I have been reading many of the post's regarding the imminent release of the 9630. It's interesting to see how there are so many people claiming different dates.

If you will bear with me, I am just thinking out loud.

Why would the H/W be released so soon for a device that's not launching for another 5 or 6 months? Does someone have a source high up, and simply lucked out? Plus considering that RIM has not even made a public statement about the 9630!

Well, what happens is RIM issues EU's (Engineering Units) to it's Partners(Carriers & ISV's) that are going to be carrying the device. Sometimes these units make it out the back door at these companies and that's how you see them on Craigslist, Ebay, etc. There is a town called Kitchener which is next to Waterloo, and all kinds of pre-release devices can be found in this town for sale.
In regards to testing. It's not a simple process. Many many things must be certified before the device itself is clear for Cert. The device has to work on the Network well. It must work well in general which requires tons of software revisions. Which takes time to build and time to test. And other things. So having a device in testing/QA for a few months is definitely normal especially considering how complicated the mobile devices are these days. With the 9630, they're in a tough spot. It's almost time for the release of BES 5.0 and the release of device software 5.0. But when the 9630 was originally made, the software was/is 4.7.1. So the carriers have two versions of software to test which adds to the complexity of the situation.

[eeeemartin]

Well, we all know VZW has been SO slow to release handsets, and the Storm release was a fiasco... so it isn't hard to imagine a release date being pushed back. That said, I JUST returned from VZW store where I was discussing issues with my current phone. The CSR suggested I wait until NEXT MONTH when the new "QWERTY Blackberry" will be out...I said, "Do you mean the Niagra?" She smiled, said yes, and suggested I wait a "few weeks" to change out my Omnia... Yeah, I know... no substantiation, CSRs don't know much, etc. Still, how DID a CSR 1) know the device 2) know (and offer) the approximate release date and 3) take the risk of pissing off a high-dollar business and personal user with MANY accounts? This time around, i am betting on being surprised with an on-schedule (May) release.

[maverick96]

Originally Posted by Crucial_Xtreme

Well, what happens is RIM issues EU's (Engineering Units) to it's Partners(Carriers & ISV's) that are going to be carrying the device. Sometimes these units make it out the back door at these companies and that's how you see them on Craigslist, Ebay, etc. There is a town called Kitchener which is next to Waterloo, and all kinds of pre-release devices can be found in this town for sale.
In regards to testing. It's not a simple process. Many many things must be certified before the device itself is clear for Cert. The device has to work on the Network well. It must work well in general which requires tons of software revisions. Which takes time to build and time to test. And other things. So having a device in testing/QA for a few months is definitely normal especially considering how complicated the mobile devices are these days. With the 9630, they're in a tough spot. It's almost time for the release of BES 5.0 and the release of device software 5.0. But when the 9630 was originally made, the software was/is 4.7.1. So the carriers have two versions of software to test which adds to the complexity of the situation.

So then isnt it possible we see a release in late may maybe early june with this device?I would think VZW wants to offer something at or around the same time of the new iphone launch... I think waiting until august would be a mistake...

[Darthkuriboh]

Originally Posted by blackmannx

*reads dude trying to show up CX, Checks my Business card, Prepares to post*

To correct some mis-information before it gets out of hand let me be the first to tell you that VZW does in fact have test units.

The device cerf group has had units for a while now and we are in fact testing both 4.7 builds as well as 5.0 builds and have been testing BES 5.0 in house for months. The guy that claims to work for VZW is more then likely a tech support agent and they wouldn't be part of this phase of device testing with the product team.. Tech support doesn't get information on a unit till near device release when training starts.

CX has always brought the facts and although we dont brag about it.. there are several people in this forum rocking VZW branded 9630 units on VZW... so before you all get in a tizzy remember VZW is made of over 50k employees and not everyone is privy to information... some of us just would like to remain employees.....

*goes back to rocking vcast on tour*

You think anything I'm saying is an attempt to "show someone up"? You're badly mistaken. I spend 95% of my time on here trying to debunk rumors. Attempting to offer what technical assistance I can, even offering to call people back while I'm at work to work on their issues. It has NOTHING to do with "showing anyone up", I could care less about that and am more than a little insulted that you'd suggest such a thing.

I've also never hidden that I'm a tech support agent, it WAS in my signature until a former employee let me know that corp security jumped on him for him having it in his. I therefore removed it. I don't care what your business card says. I could print out 700 tomorrow that say I'm the CEO of sun microsystems, but I'm not.

If you two are members of the Dev team, great. If not, don't work to ruin the hard work we tech reps that post here put in trying to debunk rumors and keep peoples hopes realistic, because, I think we all agree, the last thing any of us want is ticked off customers since they're the reason we're in business.

[ausch]

Originally Posted by maverick96

So then isnt it possible we see a release in late may maybe early june with this device?I would think VZW wants to offer something at or around the same time of the new iphone launch... I think waiting until august would be a mistake...

Like CX said, they had them a little over two weeks (I believe) so having a device for just over a month and releasing it isn't a smart idea. So they won't. Plus they wouldn't delay the "target date" then pull it back to an earlier date. You'll see it in either August or later. Trust me.

[kygator13]

do get caught up in the hoopla like the bold...i love my bold but all the release date rumors were crazy. hopefully it doesnt get pushed back as much as the bold did

[drchipinski]

Originally Posted by blueberry15

Like CX said, they had them a little over two weeks (I believe) so having a device for just over a month and releasing it isn't a smart idea. So they won't. Plus they wouldn't delay the "target date" then pull it back to an earlier date. You'll see it in either August or later. Trust me.

How did "we" go from May to October? I think this will end up being a costy (loss of customers) move by both RIM and VZW. If October is true, VZW will have already witnessed an exodus of customers leaving for the Pre and the New Iphone.

I will more than likely be one of them.....VZW launched the Curve last May/June and it will not be updated for over 18 months? The Storm is the best VZW will offer for almost a year?

VZW has gotten too big and is proving over and over that they do not care about what half-*** LG product they force down our throat....

Horrible move...as a company you want to be the first to market, not the third or fourth...

Oh well....

[ausch]

Originally Posted by drchipinski

How did "we" go from May to October? I think this will end up being a costy (loss of customers) move by both RIM and VZW. If October is true, VZW will have already witnessed an exodus of customers leaving for the Pre and the New Iphone.

I will more than likely be one of them.....VZW launched the Curve last May/June and it will not be updated for over 18 months? The Storm is the best VZW will offer for almost a year?

VZW has gotten too big and is proving over and over that they do not care about what half-*** LG product they force down our throat....

Horrible move...as a company you want to be the first to market, not the third or fourth...

Oh well....

October is not the "target date" it's before that, and May isn't the date either.

[blackmannx]

Originally Posted by Darthkuriboh

You think anything I'm saying is an attempt to "show someone up"? You're badly mistaken. I spend 95% of my time on here trying to debunk rumors. Attempting to offer what technical assistance I can, even offering to call people back while I'm at work to work on their issues. It has NOTHING to do with "showing anyone up", I could care less about that and am more than a little insulted that you'd suggest such a thing.

I've also never hidden that I'm a tech support agent, it WAS in my signature until a former employee let me know that corp security jumped on him for him having it in his. I therefore removed it. I don't care what your business card says. I could print out 700 tomorrow that say I'm the CEO of sun microsystems, but I'm not.

If you two are members of the Dev team, great. If not, don't work to ruin the hard work we tech reps that post here put in trying to debunk rumors and keep peoples hopes realistic, because, I think we all agree, the last thing any of us want is ticked off customers since they're the reason we're in business.

Whoa... calm down Cowboy.. first of all I will apologize for any insult as that is not what I intended at all..I wasn't starting anything with you.. I simply saw how some people were starting to ganging up on you.. You are right Tech Support doesn't get the credit they deserve for dealing with the Grandma's and others who cant tell a BIS from a Biscuit.. and I believe that you do go the extra mile to assist customers here and on the job because I know we all have better things to do then post on a forum..


Keep doing the great job your doing and like you said, myself, Radio , CX and all the people that take the time to answer that "how do I get my gmail to stop sending copies to myself" post at 1am are the reason that BB and Cb continue to grow...

[Darthkuriboh]

Originally Posted by blackmannx

Whoa... calm down Cowboy.. first of all I will apologize for any insult as that is not what I intended at all..I wasn't starting anything with you.. I simply saw how some people were starting to ganging up on you.. You are right Tech Support doesn't get the credit they deserve for dealing with the Grandma's and others who cant tell a BIS from a Biscuit.. and I believe that you do go the extra mile to assist customers here and on the job because I know we all have better things to do then post on a forum..

Apology accepted. I didn't think you were trying to "start anything" with me or whatever, but it was more the idea that I feel a need to "show someone up" when I'm very confident in my level of knowledge in my field and love to share what knowledge I have is why I do this.


BIS from a biscuit.. LMAO I'll have to use that one some time.. although there is a thread in the vzw forum about a storming grandma....

Keep doing the great job your doing and like you said, myself, Radio , CX and all the people that take the time to answer that "how do I get my gmail to stop sending copies to myself" post at 1am are the reason that BB and Cb continue to grow...

I don't really post at 1 am, usually sleeping by then cuz I work tons of overtime to go along with my straight time *laughs* but I do like to post here between calls, and actually really enjoy it most of the time, especially being able to actually assist with people's tech issues when they're NOT calling me every name in the book!

[Braceface602]

Originally Posted by Crackberry206

Today I was able to schmooze the ladies at the VZW counter for the unofficially official Niagra release date: May 9th. They told me they had gotten that little bit of information handed down from corporate in some sort of pre-release information sheet they can access as an employee of Verizon.

This is a direct quote from the lady at the kiosk, "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but May 9th."

Enjoy Crackberry nation!

If this was true, the blackberry 9630 would have already been up at Blackberry.com
the bold and blackberry curve 8900 went on that website aroub 3-4 weeks before the phone was released
awaiting first blackberry

[blackmannx]

Till the device is announced by RIM it will not appear on the RIM homepage. No one has even said this device exists.. so no "coming soon" stats or splash page..

[sooks]

Originally Posted by blackmannx

Till the device is announced by RIM it will not appear on the RIM homepage. No one has even said this device exists.. so no "coming soon" stats or splash page..

Hopefully that changes in a few weeks once WES is over