[Skeevecr]

Would you buy the 9900 then?

I'll gladly pay for a 9900, it will be the ideal phone for me because of what it will do in the form factor it has and not for any future upgrades that it may or may not receive in the future.

[Masahiro]

It's probably because the trackball devices had a hardware limitation..mainly RAM. That's why RIM replaced most of the trackball devices with a touchpad version and gave it more ram.

Not really. The 8900 has the same amount of RAM as the 9700 (256MB), but that one never got OS6. The Tour also has 256MB of RAM, but that never got OS6 either.

[phonegeek#AC]

And to the OP, I would highly doubt Rim would release QNX for blackberry devices. If what phonegeek keeps posting is true, then the 9900 is coming out in Aug. Do you really think Rim would release 7.0 or any device for only 9 months just to have QNX come out? I think not. It would be too fast for Rim (maybe not for android phones, bleh).

Remember, Rim is very very slow. Snail slow. They just implemented a webkit browser less than a year ago when everyone else had one. Devices like the monaco and curve touch have all been delayed. Those 7.0 phones have to debut first before QNX for blackberry does. lol, it will definitely be a long time. I would expect another refresh on the 9900 before QNX hits blackberries. This is all speculation, but knowing Rim and using common sense, there is no way they are unveiling QNX for blackberry on 2012. There are no spy pics of BBs running QNX (at least that I know of). Forget QNX, carriers are just starting to test 7.0. Thus, QNX must hit blackberries after the 2012 world convention, and they will just delay it to at least the 2013 world convention so that they can host a huge event and create press.

So, if you like the 9900, get it. Don't hold your breath.

Agreed!

The reality is, the 9900 will have (in terms of just numbers alone, nevermind the specifics) sufficient hardware to run Windows 7 (I'm talking the full pc version, not phone version), QNX will be a breeze (not sure how many of you remember the old QNX 1.44mb demo).

The hardware is there... will it be supported? Hard to say, obviously I cannot predict any revolutionary hardware changes between now and whenever in the future, otherwise I'd be far richer than I am... but I'd be really surprised if phones from the 9900 on were not able to run QNX at some point.

Not sure what is meant by "QNX comes with dual cores" it's an OS that supports a single CPU as well as multiple.

Everyone seems to forget though that at this moment Playbook doesn't run QNX with 3G/4G radios. It runs on bluetooth and wifi. When you add radios for GSM/HSPA and/or CDMA/HSPA the battery life and performance will take a hit. Look at current laptops with with wifi & broadband they don't run nearly as efficient as what we're expecting from Playbook and the 9900.

I don't believe that the hardware in that small of form is ready for QNX...

What everyone is failing to mention here is that the architecture for the playbook processor and the 9900 are IDENTICAL.

Yes, the playbook is dual core, but that doesn't mean the QNX OS will compile differently for it than the 9900.

Oh and those pesky 2G/3G/4G radios in a footprint 25% the size...



PG

[lewdvig]

I think that this time next year RIM's entire assortment will be QNX.

IMO the new devices coming this fall will all run QNX.

RIM has too good a track record of supporting old stuff. Plus they don't want to force people to wait for QNX hw.

[lnichols]

Just keep your expectations low and assume that it won't. Then if RIM does release it for the OS7 devices it will be a bonus. Unfortunately my Tour is old so I really don't think I want to wait till the QNX sets get here to upgrade.

[greggebhardt]

From what I have seen of QNX on the PlayBook, we hope that the 9900 does NOT have QNX.

No way any RIM phone will have QNX this year, they are still a long way from working out the bugs on the PlayBook!

Maybe late 2012 we will see QNX on a phone.

Lets all just hope we see the 9900 in the 4th quarter!

[Broly]

I don't think it will be released by RIM officially this year, but it's going to be within a year for sure.

QNX may have "bugs" and whatnot, but trust me RIM is just getting its feet wet with providing updates/etc.

Give them time. I am by no means a RIM fanboy, in fact I've been very critical of them if you look at my posts. I will say that QNX will be more efficient with the same hardware than current BB JVM-based OS's.

EDIT: Yes I am getting a 9900. My bold 9700 is often left with only 5 MB memory because i keep my messages/texts so the 9900 will allow me to restore my 9000/9700 SMSes and still have memory to spare..

[Pearl9100]

I've plagiarized the Porsche "evolutionary vs revolutionary" phrasing too, including only a few minutes ago in another thread within this Forum!

Playing devil's advocate, RIM has stated they want to close the gap. Before the new devices even dropped in late 2010, RIM had already said to be on the lookout for major improvements with 2011 models.
I hugely was relieved when I read the screen res and processor specs of the new BBs coming. (Just like I was hugely disappointed to read the confirmed screen res of the Torch the year before, in comparison.)

I think you're right that RIM will likely make use of this processor for more than one release year. However, we could always see this year's high-end processor become the processor for low-end BBs come 2012/2013.

There's no reason that a 9900 "refresh" in late 2012 couldn't include QNX integration. Look at the Torch "refresh" coming. Completely different screen (same physical size but almost 80% greater screen res) and a different processor.

And yes RIM moves slow, but they're trying to accelerate cautiously. (More car metaphors... *groan*)
That's what their Project Highlander is all about. The catchphrase of the Highlander movies & TV series was "There can only be one." Highlander is RIM's project to merge the classic BBOS with the badass QNX OS. It has already been simultaneously developing while separate teams were developing OS6.1, now known as OS7.

RIM wants the same overall OS on both smartphones and tablets. As a brand, they want a homogenized experience for users, albeit a greatly improved one. Maybe even that revolution we've all been waiting for...

I have been MIA recently until now.

I really like the porsche metaphor because it accurately explains what Rim is doing. Plus, I cannot wait to get the new 991s, which debuts in Sept. Just FYI .

While it is a possibility that Rim can use the new processors in lower end models, it is very unlikely since it would mean Rim would have to spend a lot of money to buy new processors. Rim is a business; so saving money and maximizing profits is the utmost important task. Buying dual core processors at this point in time is just not cost effective. Thus, we will be enjoying these processors for years to come. Just look at the Bold 1 processor. It was introduced in 2009 and it is still being used 3 years later.

And the reason why there is such a huge jump between the current torch and the torch 2 is because we are moving to next generation phones. This makes the torch an exception as it doesn't happen very often. I would not expect a huge upgrade for the torch 3 because I don't see Rim releasing another revolutionary product line up after the 9900. Rim is slow and I would not hold my breath for QNX Blackberries since dual cores are not "up to blackberry standards" (per Liz), meaning the cost of dual cores is too high.

[Pearl9100]

Well... here's my take on it

I previously owned the Bold 1 9900. It ran OS 4.5 and it was OS5 upgradeable.

I also previously owned a Bold 2 9700 aftewards, running OS5 and RIM gave it OS6.

So... a Bold 3 9900... with such cutting edge hardware.... I can't help myself but think their top-end flagship Bold would be upgradeable to BB8 QNX (assuming BB8 is QNX).

Afterall, they rename OS6.1 to OS7 was probably to push sales as well as give them time to write OS8. OS6 has been around for awhile so if this was 6.1 and QNX won't be fully cooked for another year... people would blame their platform is "behind" or "Research in Slow Motion".

Also, if existing phone can't upgrade to OS7, maybe they are doing lots of background migration already to QNX. Making BB OS7 phones able to upgrade to OS8.

But... since OS7 is probably a Windows Vista... I can only "hope" that it will have the ability to upgrade to OS8 once it comes out...

What I have bolded is a very big assumption. Knowing Rim and how fast they move, I wouldn't think that they would announce QNX for blackberries next year since OS 7 would be current for only 9 months (assuming Aug release and May QNX BB debut). To me, that is too fast for Rim.

[Maiev]

What I have bolded is a very big assumption. Knowing Rim and how fast they move, I wouldn't think that they would announce QNX for blackberries next year since OS 7 would be current for only 9 months (assuming Aug release and May QNX BB debut). To me, that is too fast for Rim.

Actually... playing with the 9900 today :x I have a different story.

Yes, big assumption. Here's another way to look at it.

QNX on PB is on dual-core. 1GHz.

The 9900 is a single core.

So... if OS7 makes people think its ground breaking OS (which...... isn't really, just 6.1 renamed), then they can sell a ton. 9-12 mths later, put a phone out with QNX on it. Now all us BlackBerry addicts will be just banging our heads on the wall... since the hardware (despite its really good), isn't compatible with the dual-core stuff :3 They could... but they need to sell hardware :P

Afterall, they need to sell hardware. It's hard to think RIM will do this to you, leave you high and dry.. but they did it to the Torch, and the Storm lol.

Though, I could say the keyboard is 9900 > 9000 > 9700 (yes, I enjoy the 9000 kb more, but definitely the 9900 more).

For those that played with the 9900. What do you think about the KB? I personally like the feedback on the 9900. It feels more solid, it feels like the spring is more "metal" than just a plastic feedback.

[dooodads]

I personally don't think QNX is anywhere remotely NEARRRRRR ready to come to phones. Isn't the memory footprint of the OS pretty big? It's gonna take a lot of work to streamline the QNX experience onto mobile devices, combine that with RIM's patented slowness and we have ourselves quite a wait. I say Q4 2012 at the earliest, Q3 2013 at the latest. That's just me though.

[Maiev]

I personally don't think QNX is anywhere remotely NEARRRRRR ready to come to phones. Isn't the memory footprint of the OS pretty big? It's gonna take a lot of work to streamline the QNX experience onto mobile devices, combine that with RIM's patented slowness and we have ourselves quite a wait. I say Q4 2012 at the earliest, Q3 2013 at the latest. That's just me though.

I'd probably say you are pretty dead on. 9900 isn't even announced, but gotta keep the hardware sales up until QNX kicks in. Unlike the Tablet where you can say "it's their first tablet", you can't say that to a phone. Plus so many people will use it, they better have everything ironed out :3

[Skeevecr]

Though, I could say the keyboard is 9900 > 9000 > 9700 (yes, I enjoy the 9000 kb more, but definitely the 9900 more).

For those that played with the 9900. What do you think about the KB? I personally like the feedback on the 9900. It feels more solid, it feels like the spring is more "metal" than just a plastic feedback.

I definitely agree with you about liking the 9900 kb better, but I am not sure if I would describe the feedback in the same way, to me it felt more fluid and lighter than on my old 9000 that I went and dug out after trying a 9900.

[Skeevecr]

I personally don't think QNX is anywhere remotely NEARRRRRR ready to come to phones. Isn't the memory footprint of the OS pretty big? It's gonna take a lot of work to streamline the QNX experience onto mobile devices, combine that with RIM's patented slowness and we have ourselves quite a wait. I say Q4 2012 at the earliest, Q3 2013 at the latest. That's just me though.

The thing to bear in mind with the qnx stuff is that much of the work for the phones will be done by the various flavours of playbook due out this year and once those are done the main task left will be optimising it for the smaller device so the task isn't such a large one as it would seem to get qnx on phones and I think we'll see them q2/q3 of 2012.

[LOVEtheXIV]

As of now no. But it would be a FANTASTIC decision.