[sahil123]

I'm an average BlackBerry user and frankly, I fail to understand why people are waiting for QNX. For me, OSs aren't that important in choosing which phone to purchase. I think the only difference between OS6 and OS7 was the colorful icons :P It might seem a little ignorant but believe me that's what an average consumer thinks! The only reason I bought the OS 7 devices was for the hardware. Before purchasing the device all I knew was 9900 is faster (than a 9700) and has colorful icons. And that was good enough :P Sure that's stupid on my part but take some time out and think about it! Half of America has already decided that they are going to buy the iPhone 5 even though there is no official word on the specs/form etc. That is exactly how an average consumer thinks. Which brings me to my point. What's so special about QNX? Why would I want to choose a QNX phone and drop the awesome form factor of 9900? Is QNX really worth it? Should I blindly believe that I WILL prefer the form factor of the QNX phone? or is it because it's dual-core? PlayBook was powered by QNX, I don't see anything that's WOW about it... I mean the OS only. What do you guys think?

[rrrebo]

QNX offers a fresh new life for BlackBerry (or a swift and painful death, if it tanks). The modular OS should make BlackBerry far more flexible, open the app dev environment, and provide a robust, stable platform for powerful mobile computing. Some people are sick of the incremental changes in BBOS and want something new, something more competitive with iOS and Android. The waiting has more to do with money, as people have to decide if they are willing to blow their upgrade on an OS7 device or save it for QNX next year. Contracts have chaokehold on most users' upgrade designs.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[greggebhardt]

Is it worth the wait?

I returned my Playbook with in 24 hours and had enough of QNX. If QNX is surposed to save RIM, they ARE doomed.

[the_sleuth]

I empathize with you. I had a Storm 9530. Even if QNX phone arrives by March 2012, there will be another 6 to 12 month wait for developers to deliver apps. Also since it is being rushed to market, no one knows how it will perform.

So I have my new Torch for the next 18 months until the new QNX platform matures. No point being an early adopter, ask the PB owners about their experience.

Nevertheless, RIM is moving in the right direction. QNX will deliver the right tools and APIs for feature rich apps that customers expect.

I'm an average BlackBerry user and frankly, I fail to understand why people are waiting for QNX. For me, OSs aren't that important in choosing which phone to purchase. I think the only difference between OS6 and OS7 was the colorful icons :P It might seem a little ignorant but believe me that's what an average consumer thinks! The only reason I bought the OS 7 devices was for the hardware. Before purchasing the device all I knew was 9900 is faster (than a 9700) and has colorful icons. And that was good enough :P Sure that's stupid on my part but take some time out and think about it! Half of America has already decided that they are going to buy the iPhone 5 even though there is no official word on the specs/form etc. That is exactly how an average consumer thinks. Which brings me to my point. What's so special about QNX? Why would I want to choose a QNX phone and drop the awesome form factor of 9900? Is QNX really worth it? Should I blindly believe that I WILL prefer the form factor of the QNX phone? or is it because it's dual-core? PlayBook was powered by QNX, I don't see anything that's WOW about it... I mean the OS only. What do you guys think?

[kbz1960]

Is it worth the wait?

I returned my Playbook with in 24 hours and had enough of QNX. If QNX is surposed to save RIM, they ARE doomed.

Good for you greg now you can enjoy that ipad even more. There is an app for that or not?

[Chrisy]

I guess we won't know if it was worth the wait until we finally get a QNX BlackBerry.

I definitely did not wait. I went Android. I'll look at the QNX Blackberry devices when they come out for sure. I wouldn't get one right away though either. I dont want to be a beta tester, with no apps.

I hope QNX devices offer better browsing experiences, flash included.

Hopefully they are good devices, don't yet know if they're worth the wait, and I wouldn't literally wait for them. Get a good device now, OS, Android or iPhone and enjoy it until QNX BlackBerry devices are released. Then decide.

[Wretch 12]

BB OS 7 apps are to be backward compatible with QNX according to Developer Blogs, for the mobile phone QNX OS.

Android App Player will certainly make up for the lack of apps if we don't have backward compatible OS 7 apps.

QNX will be worth the wait, and if you don't think OS' really have an impact in phones, then you should your research the old BlackBerry OS updates (OS 5, OS 6, OS 7), as it's the operating systems which introduce the most features, as opposed to the different handheld models.

[mnhockeycoach99]

I empathize with you. I had a Storm 9530. Even if QNX phone arrives by March 2012, there will be another 6 to 12 month wait for developers to deliver apps. Also since it is being rushed to market, one knows how it will perform.

So I have my new Torch for the next 18 months until the new QNX platform matures. No point being an early adopter, ask the PB owners about their experience.

Nevertheless, RIM is moving in the right direction. QNX will deliver the right tools and APIs for feature rich apps that customers expect.

Personally, I think RIM's PlayBook experiment was a smart strategic move. Why not get QNX out to die hard BB users (which is why I believe they released it half-baked) and developers early? Personally, I love my PlayBook and see only nothing but potential as RIM refines the QNX experience even further...and as developers continue creating more great apps.

[mnhockeycoach99]

Is it worth the wait?

I returned my Playbook with in 24 hours and had enough of QNX. If QNX is surposed to save RIM, they ARE doomed.

I'm curious as to why you returned your PlayBook? Was it due to the lack of native apps?

[jd914]

Is it worth the wait?

I returned my Playbook with in 24 hours and had enough of QNX. If QNX is surposed to save RIM, they ARE doomed.

The PB's QNX OS is not user friendly and unintuitive. Probably the reason why PB sales tanked. When I first picked up a PB I constantly found myself looking for a home button, it was pretty frustrating. I don't blame you for returning it.

[Rickroller]

Personally, I think RIM's PlayBook experiment was a smart strategic move. Why not get QNX out to die hard BB users (which is why I believe they released it half-baked) and developers early? Personally, I love my PlayBook and see only nothing but potential as RIM refines the QNX experience even further...and as developers continue creating more great apps.

So THAT would account for the reported 200,000 units sold then..to the die hards. Gotcha.

Granted I don't own a Playbook (nor any tablet)..but I've played with them numerous times..and QNX didn't impress me really tbh. Let's not forget..bezel gestures won't be incorporated into phones..so for those that think that is awesome..that's not QNX. IMO..the browser still sucked (checkerboarding and lag..perhaps it's better with current updates /shrug) and the "showcase" mode or whatever seemed meh for actual usefulness.

If RIM is ONLY banking on this OS to save them..they might as well board up the windows and doors now..because no OS should have to save a company. If ICS or iOS 5.0 was supposed to save Android or Apple..I think everyone would agree that those companies were going to be DOA anyways..

[Rickroller]

The PB's QNX OS is not user friendly and unintuitive. Probably the reason why PB sales tanked. When I first picked up a PB I constantly found myself looking for a home button, it was pretty frustrating. I don't blame you for returning it.

Agreed. My friend who was a longtime BB user couldn't even figure out how to get out of Need for Speed (or whichever race game it was)..and I've seen sales reps have trouble figuring it out as well. You shouldn't need to read a manual to get it to work imo.

[anon(4018671)]

Is it worth the wait?

I returned my Playbook with in 24 hours and had enough of QNX. If QNX is surposed to save RIM, they ARE doomed.

That's understandable, you have to be able to open a box to use it.

[sf49ers]

Agreed. My friend who was a longtime BB user couldn't even figure out how to get out of Need for Speed (or whichever race game it was)..and I've seen sales reps have trouble figuring it out as well. You shouldn't need to read a manual to get it to work imo.

Playbook is a not a Blackberry and it has a completely different DNA right from the build to the OS, no wonder your friend couldn't figure it out.

[sf49ers]

The PB's QNX OS is not user friendly and unintuitive. Probably the reason why PB sales tanked. When I first picked up a PB I constantly found myself looking for a home button, it was pretty frustrating. I don't blame you for returning it.

Avg consumer may be confused initially but seriously single button thing sucks and if you get accustomed to gestures you will hate the button concept to death. Bezel gestures is a brilliant concept. Of all the OSes BB tablet OS has simplicity of IOS and complexity of a Android OS and in IMO it has the most intuitive and fulfilling experience.

[dkingsf]

QNX itself is not going to save RIM, either in tablets or phones. They need to deliver more than just a new OS.

They need to engineer to higher specs and standards.

Remember the old days when Bill Gates assured everyone that computers would NEVER need more than 640K RAM? No individual would EVER need more than 20MB hard drive?

Peoples phones these days are their lifeline to people, information, entertainment. Give it the horsepower and functionality that users need and demand regardless of the OS.

[Rickroller]

Playbook is a not a Blackberry and it has a completely different DNA right from the build to the OS, no wonder your friend couldn't figure it out.

Hmm..pretty sure it says Blackberry on it?

Agreed that it's a completely different OS..but the point was people seem to have issues figuring it out..which in turn could turn them off buying one (and judging from sales..well..no need to go there). This is why (imo) iOS is so popular. Most of the population are handi-capped when it comes to tech..and iOS makes things handi-CAPABLE.

[kbz1960]

Yes the playbook is sooooo difficult to figure out.................. takes about 1 minute or 1 minute to show someone. If someone can't figure it out after a 1 minute tutorial or being shown then they could never tie their own shoes.

Just like when ms went from dos to windows. What the heck is this thing with buttons and just how do you use it? Sure stopped sales of windows computers didn't it. I suppose if everything ran the same and gave the same user experience there is no need for anything but a monopoly because no one would ever want anything different.

[Rickroller]

Yes the playbook is sooooo difficult to figure out.................. takes about 1 minute or 1 minute to show someone. If someone can't figure it out after a 1 minute tutorial or being shown then they could never tie their own shoes.

Should people NEED a 1 min tutorial to work something? Despite whether or not people can tie their own shoes..they are hardly flocking to the Playbook. Why is that? Cuz all people are dumb and sheeple? Or because there is something about the device they don't like? My guess is the latter..

[Snipperdo17]

Is it worth the wait?

I returned my Playbook with in 24 hours and had enough of QNX. If QNX is surposed to save RIM, they ARE doomed.

What is it that you didn't like about QNX? It is fast, smooth, and from the feel of it you can tell it will easily compete with iOS and Android. Sure there are missing features, but I think half the reason it is out is to test things for their bigger phone market. You probably don't like it because its not an iPad. I have both, and they are both great for many things, but I prefer the UI of the playbook any day.

I empathize with you. I had a Storm 9530. Even if QNX phone arrives by March 2012, there will be another 6 to 12 month wait for developers to deliver apps. Also since it is being rushed to market, no one knows how it will perform.

So I have my new Torch for the next 18 months until the new QNX platform matures. No point being an early adopter, ask the PB owners about their experience.

Because you read it on BGR that its being rushed means they are being rushed? No way. They have been testing QNX for awhile on phones, and even longer because of the PlayBook. I don't understand how everyone thinks it is being rushed.

The PB's QNX OS is not user friendly and unintuitive. Probably the reason why PB sales tanked. When I first picked up a PB I constantly found myself looking for a home button, it was pretty frustrating. I don't blame you for returning it.

Not user friendly? Most people love the swiping and if everyone wasn't so fixated (like you) on the home button because of Apple, people wouldn't be so confused on how to use other products. The PlayBook UI is so incredibly easy to use and it is very enjoyable than just tapping on icons. Ask anyone that has a PlayBook. They will tell you the swiping gestures feel natural and while there is room for improvement with the gestures, they are on the right track.

[rrrebo]

I found the PB gestures to be incredibly intuitive. Much more so than the iPad. JMO.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[kbz1960]

Should people NEED a 1 min tutorial to work something? Despite whether or not people can tie their own shoes..they are hardly flocking to the Playbook. Why is that? Cuz all people are dumb and sheeple? Or because there is something about the device they don't like? My guess is the latter..

Well I guess everyone knows exactly how everything works and there is no need to show anyone how to use anything new then because everything works the same. All vcr's used the same menu system. All cameras use the same menu system and options. All software uses the same........

I guess ms office shouldn't have made it with the ribbon change since it's so much different from the menu system it use to have. I'm still trying to figure out where to find things in that damn ribbon.

My guess is people are not shown so they go with what they are shown and pushed toward. But that happens in all things unless you really know what you want.

[the_sleuth]

I agree. Gestures is great once accustomed to it. But no one reads the manual while testing the demo at the store. I have seen many confused potential buyers at the store. Also the salespeople are of no help. When it first came out, RIM had hired a product demonstration company from Chicago to educate the customers at the local Best Buy in North Toronto.

Too bad BB Tablet OS 2.0 will be more iOS like.

I found the PB gestures to be incredibly intuitive. Much more so than the iPad. JMO.

Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com

[Blackberry_boffin]

When you say worth the wait do you mean sit by with NO phone or make it your next device?
Now you see how ridiculous the question is?
A QNX smartphone will be previewed at Devcon and will be the FIRST smartphone on that platform. Your question will be more or less reasonable then. But until then there isn't even a credible 'leak' on looks, specs etc so NOONE can know if it will be worth the wait or not. Your can draw inferences from what you've seen on the playbook but remember that too is due for a bump up to V2.0
In other words QNX as everyone knows it may well be very different after Devcon so until then this thread is irrelevant. It is about 2-3 weeks away now so we'll see.

[Rickroller]

Not user friendly? Most people love the swiping and if everyone wasn't so fixated (like you) on the home button because of Apple, people wouldn't be so confused on how to use other products. The PlayBook UI is so incredibly easy to use and it is very enjoyable than just tapping on icons. Ask anyone that has a PlayBook. They will tell you the swiping gestures feel natural and while there is room for improvement with the gestures, they are on the right track.

I would if I actually knew anyone with one. In all my travels..I've seen 1 in the wild. And that was at an airport.