[anon(6038817)]

I was intrigued by the recent announcement that BlackBerry would continue to produce and support its Bold 9900 series phones.

This has made me so curious about the lasting appeal of these handsets that I actually bought a used 9930 from a fellow CrackBerry member in the marketplace and should receive it in a few days.

Before I get it, I wanted to ask all you current 9900/9930 owners: why have you remained so fiercely loyal to your phone? What does it do for you that no other device can do?

I'm looking forward to getting my own Bold (and enjoying FULL Bridge functionality with my PlayBook)!

Posted from my Z30 via CB10.

[Sean CueTen]

I currently have a q10 and have previously owned bolds and tours. I personally miss the trackpad (of course) and the simplicity of the UI and OS. My q10 is a fantastic phone and I have almost zero qualms about it but I want that classic BB feel and touch to it. I have since purchased the Bold 9930 (Sprint user) and it should be arriving tomorrow by the end of the day. I'm so excited and can't wait! I, too, will be looking forward to full bridge functionality with the 'ol playbook.

[Dunmanway Emar]

I bought a Z10 back in Feb 2013 and consigned my Bold 9900 to the drawer. But after a while I realised how much I missed the real keys and the trackpad and so bought a sim only contract from a different network for the Bold and started rotating the phones depending on where I would be (network coverage) or what I what be doing (consuming data - use the Z10 or sending data - use the 9900) on particular days.
But it's my experience over the last few weeks that's convinced me that the 9900 has major advantages: I took both phones with me when I went trekking in the Himalayas/Nepal where wi-fi or even phone signal can be patchy even in populated areas. What I found was that where the signal was weak I could not connect to the internet or send emails from the Z10 but the 9900 never failed as long as there was a signal of any kind. Secondly the BIS service on the Bold did not incur any extra charges but if I was able to connect with the Z10 then i was charged ridiculous roaming fees. OK where there was a wi-fi service the Z10 was quicker and easier but the 9900 was still quick enough for me. When i go back to the Himalayas (and anyone who's been there will always want to go back) I will only take the 9900 and consign the Z10 to the drawer

[BitPusher2600]

I have a Q10 but ended up switching back to my 9930. I just all around find BBOS more familiar and comfortable, the apps I need everyday are here and I've been using them for awhile. I like the hardware build a little better too, just adore the keyboard and mostly am stubborn. BB10 is excellent and fast, it's not a miserable experience or anything for me, but I guess I just prefer the Bold a little more for now. Been using BlackBerry for a long time now and I'm not in a position where I feel I have to walk away from BBOS if I don't want to. There's some degree of emotional attachment to the user experience and OS in general too, but I'm not a "it's just a phone" kind of guy to say the least but that's another subject.

Fast (as per my habits), reliable, comfortable and familiar. There be my two cents

[blueyestm]

What's missing in the Q10 from my 9900 (which I still use everyday just on wifi only) that relate to MY issues with the Q10

Trackpad
Keyboard shortcuts
Certain apps that aren't available for the Q10 (ie Quicklaunch, FightinWords)
Separate email boxes

Now this doesn't matter for me since I have unlimited data but the BIS compressed it all.

[JCE77]

I love these threads when they come up abou the 9900/9930 series. Fun to hear the love that I too share for the device. Phones are a very Individual experience. What works for some does not for others. With that said I've owned my 9930 since release date. I can say without any doubt that the darn thing is as solid as the day I got it.

For me no other device (you name it I've tried it) does what the 9930 does with the fluidity and ease tat it does it. I've been in sales and sales management my entire career and rely on my BB's for everything. I just do not and can not stay connected to everything professionally without my 9930. The OS does and has everything I need at the snap of my fingers without even thinking about it.

Simply put for me it is the best communication and organization TOOL I have ever used.

[dlrogers81]

I just can't get rid of my 9900�it just screams BlackBerry. I switch back often from my 9900 to my Q10. I sometimes just don't fill as fulfilled as I did with my 9900. Glad they are keeping around BBOS 7 for awhile now.

Sent from my Q10 using Tapatalk

[hilife845]

I just got my bold 9900 swapped to an all white housing so there goes my reason..

[rubyslipperss]

Work email and messaging is so fast. Couldn't do that with the iphone. Too many typing errors.

[barbarianthemadserb]

I have a lot of android phones that I play with and install roms etc . I also have my BB9900 and BB9930. I have the Q10
,Z10,Z30. My Android phones (including the Nexus 4) are just toys to me. My BB10 are great phones. But, I keep coming back to my BB9900 and mostly rely on the "get it done" BB9900! The reasons are the same as the previous posters. The satisfying click of the keys, the tool belt, BIS, awesome native app integration, a pseudo "hub" (that is all important stuff can be accessed from the top of the device by just clicking on it). I am really totally hooked on my BB9900. And believe me that I have used my BB10 device quite a bit but somehow they do not measure up. Maybe the upcoming Q20 will take my heart? lol

[ivak110]

9900 is somehow special phone! I'm coming back to 9900 from Z10!

[goodayeh]

Looks very good - even before turning it on !

[bigdogweigand]

The Belt (send/bb/trackpad/back/end), the stability of BB7, and BlackBerry Protect's ability to Backup & Restore.

I don't want a toy, I don't want an iOS or Android rival, I want a business device...I want a BlackBerry.

- Scott

[Minhaaj Rehman]

I bought a Z10 back in Feb 2013 and consigned my Bold 9900 to the drawer. But after a while I realised how much I missed the real keys and the trackpad and so bought a sim only contract from a different network for the Bold and started rotating the phones depending on where I would be (network coverage) or what I what be doing (consuming data - use the Z10 or sending data - use the 9900) on particular days.
But it's my experience over the last few weeks that's convinced me that the 9900 has major advantages: I took both phones with me when I went trekking in the Himalayas/Nepal where wi-fi or even phone signal can be patchy even in populated areas. What I found was that where the signal was weak I could not connect to the internet or send emails from the Z10 but the 9900 never failed as long as there was a signal of any kind. Secondly the BIS service on the Bold did not incur any extra charges but if I was able to connect with the Z10 then i was charged ridiculous roaming fees. OK where there was a wi-fi service the Z10 was quicker and easier but the 9900 was still quick enough for me. When i go back to the Himalayas (and anyone who's been there will always want to go back) I will only take the 9900 and consign the Z10 to the drawer

I live in Himalayas and with my BIS it works like a charm (Well not exactly Himalayas, but i'll have to drive a couple hours to get to it). From the first look at Z series i could tell its just a desperate attempt to get to iPhone and IMHO Blackberry has nothing to catch up-to when it comes to design and user-interface. It does what its famous for and that's all that matters. Bold 9900 keyboard is the smartest keyboard ever on a smartphone. Communication is solid, battery is decent, what else do you need from a phone? If you need day-long video filming, gaming apps and touchscreen buy something else, but when it gets to getting work done, Blackberry has never had a competitor!

[idssteve]

I tried a z10 then a q10 For over a year. Just dusted off my old 9930, last month, and re-activated and productivity has finally returned to pre-z10 levels. The 9930's trackpad is simply more efficient than "gestures", etc. The 9900 has the best keyboard that ever fit onto a single hand. I can do EVERYTHING needed with ONE thumb all day long... freeing my right hand for writing, drinking coffee, etc...

The 9930's physical form factor is nearly perfect and if BB would stop insisting that THEY know what is best for MY business long enough to fit BB10 into the 9900 form factor i'd jump back into 10 in a heartbeat. For now, i have a BUSINESS to run. NOthing does that better than the 9930.

The only "improvement" ALL of us in my office would like to see is a "check box" to turn that freaking touchscreen off unless needed! Three of my colleagues still use their non-touch 9650's because of experience with touchscreen "buttdials", etc... We joke about buttdialing each other but when customers get buttdialed AND listen to "in house" conversations, it's NO joke! We've lost customers because of that!

SO, the only thing more perfect than a OS10 9930 would be one with a provision to disable the touchscreen. But that is true of virtually ALL touch devices.

[anon(6038817)]

I just received my 9930 today and have been tinkering with it. I think I need to get Verizon to enable BIS or something on my account so I can use the SIM from my Z30 in it, but my first impression is: wow, this device looks and feels great.

Much more comfortable in the hand than my Z30, of course. Screen is crisp and vibrant. I'm already zipping around with the trackpad, not even using the touchscreen.

And DAT KEYBOARD!

I can already see why Bold 9900/9930 owners love this phone.

[nolovecraft]

I came from a Nokia e62 (one of the few owners I think ;-) ) to the bold, one of the best difference is the trackpad. As it has a small screen I love the ability NOT to have my thumb covering half of the screen whilst surfing etc. .

Sent from my Nexus 7 using CB Forums mobile app

[goodayeh]

I was using the Storm2 prior to the 9900 .
I found it really annoying having the screen full of smudges and fingerprints.
( was constantly cleaning it )

Then with Bold, at first was using it with touch screen only .
Was not used to having the touch pad .
Now , however I find it to be quite useful and hardly use the touch screen .

[willtothewong]

I had a Z10 for a year and just purchased the Q10 for the physical keyboard. Before, I had the 9930 for a year.

To answer your question, I would imagine the reason why 9930 owners keep their devices is due to the speed and efficiency of the OS.

While BB10 has many large advantages over the Bold, the Bold was built on a mature platform, which meant it was good at what phones should be, productive machines.

I can not wait for the Q20 or whatever for the same reason everyone wants it to drop soon, the track pad. That little square made life so much better and the BBOS made the best use out of it.

Posted via CB10

[rellyrellz]

I just received my 9930 today and have been tinkering with it. I think I need to get Verizon to enable BIS or something on my account so I can use the SIM from my Z30 in it, but my first impression is: wow, this device looks and feels great.

Much more comfortable in the hand than my Z30, of course. Screen is crisp and vibrant. I'm already zipping around with the trackpad, not even using the touchscreen.

And DAT KEYBOARD!

I can already see why Bold 9900/9930 owners love this phone.

I don't know about Verizon but you have to switch to a blackberry plan. Can't just swap sims back and fourth between bb10 and bbo7

[anon(6038817)]

I don't know about Verizon but you have to switch to a blackberry plan. Can't just swap sims back and fourth between bb10 and bbo7

Yes, I found out today that the SIMs are not interchangeable. I either have to deactivate the Z30 and activate the Bold if I want to keep the same number, or I have to set up the Bold as an additional device under my plan.

The agent I spoke with made it sound like I'm not the only one asking about this, and that it would be relatively easy to activate/deactivate each device as desired. I just have to decide if I want to try out the Bold badly enough to stop using my Z30 for a time, lol.

Maybe I'll see if I can find a cheap Q10. That way, I could easily swap the SIM between devices.

Or maybe I'll just wait for the Q20...

I'll keep tinkering with my Bold for the next few days and see if it grows on me.

[idssteve]

Yes, I found out today that the SIMs are not interchangeable. I either have to deactivate the Z30 and activate the Bold if I want to keep the same number, or I have to set up the Bold as an additional device under my plan.

The agent I spoke with made it sound like I'm not the only one asking about this, and that it would be relatively easy to activate/deactivate each device as desired. I just have to decide if I want to try out the Bold badly enough to stop using my Z30 for a time, lol.

Maybe I'll see if I can find a cheap Q10. That way, I could easily swap the SIM between devices.

Or maybe I'll just wait for the Q20...

I'll keep tinkering with my Bold for the next few days and see if it grows on me.

Yeah, if you ever let the trackpad grow on you, you might just find it as indispensable as some of us have. It really is a VERY efficient way to get the job done. The Q10 drove me crazy. I'm very anxious to see the Q20.

[goodayeh]

If I am not mistaken , with an active BIS plan you can change Sims with BB10 and it will work. ( it will work with other phones as well , Android or Apple ) It will not work the other way with a regular Data plan , BBOS needs BIS only.

[anon(6038817)]

If I am not mistaken , with an active BIS plan you can change Sims with BB10 and it will work. ( it will work with other phones as well , Android or Apple ) It will not work the other way with a regular Data plan , BBOS needs BIS only.

Yeah, that sounds like it would work. My only question is: does Verizon allow you to program a SIM with a BIS data plan?

If I can get them to activate my Bold and have it use a SIM programmed with BIS enabled, that might just be what I'm looking for.

[Dunmanway Emar]

I tried a z10 then a q10 For over a year. Just dusted off my old 9930, last month, and re-activated and productivity has finally returned to pre-z10 levels. The 9930's trackpad is simply more efficient than "gestures", etc. The 9900 has the best keyboard that ever fit onto a single hand. I can do EVERYTHING needed with ONE thumb all day long... freeing my right hand for writing, drinking coffee, etc...

The 9930's physical form factor is nearly perfect and if BB would stop insisting that THEY know what is best for MY business long enough to fit BB10 into the 9900 form factor i'd jump back into 10 in a heartbeat. For now, i have a BUSINESS to run. NOthing does that better than the 9930.

The only "improvement" ALL of us in my office would like to see is a "check box" to turn that freaking touchscreen off unless needed! Three of my colleagues still use their non-touch 9650's because of experience with touchscreen "buttdials", etc... We joke about buttdialing each other but when customers get buttdialed AND listen to "in house" conversations, it's NO joke! We've lost customers because of that!

SO, the only thing more perfect than a OS10 9930 would be one with a provision to disable the touchscreen. But that is true of virtually ALL touch devices.

I recommend you buy the Call Confirm app for the Bold - it stops all the **** calls. The app is not available for the BBos10 and that's another reason why I prefer my Bold