[yokogeri374]

I have had my q10 for a couple of days now, I think the keyboard on the 9900 is actually better.

Posted via CB10

[RWB3325]

The 99XX is a highly trained combat warrior that low crawls through the trenches w/ a bayonet in its mouth taking no prisoners. Many 99XX's are currently deployed in parts of the world fighting battles that you won't read about in the papers and they refuse to return to base.

This is all to say that I love my Z and Q. But the 99XX in my dresses is ready to deploy at a moments notice should the need arise. And if that day comes I'm confident it will perform as I required.

BleedBlk-

[PonyCrazyKid]

Wow - great analogy. I just bought my first BB - the 9900 on ebay. I bought my first tablet last week - the Playbook. The landlord's wifi works for my macbook, but won't let my PB on. I am so glad to hear other people liking the 9900. I have the iPhone 4s - first smartphone and was fine with it until forced to upgrade to iOS 7 when battery croaked 1.5 years into use, which necessitated replacement (had used the 4s even with non-functional power/sleep button - widespread problem...). BUT the problem is getting a carrier so I can use the BB - not ready to drop Sprint - because the GSM providers in US are few and far between - don't like high prices of AT&T - T-Mobile is supposed to be good with GSM, but will wait for the unit and take it to store (only at Wal-Mart? OMG!) - called the local one and they weren't it - it was nearly noon on a weekday, but I'm hoping they were just busy (wishful thinking). I'm terrifically excited to hear you consider the 9900 line warriors. All the best - stay safe.

[Alattin Simsek]

I don't know, but I just saw one of my friend have the 9900.. I really think that it has more Style than Q10.. miss that phone.

Posted via CB10

[idssteve]

My entire office of 26 JUMPED from our 9930's into the Z10 in it's first month, a year and half ago. All of us, IT and management expected a learning curve but that learning curve flattened much earlier than anyone had expected. In addition to the usual smartphone things, we use our devices for data entry. An application well beyond anything BB ever intended, i'm sure. Without divulging too much, a large part of that data entry role includes validating thousands of electrical connections by manipulating alpha-numeric conductor and terminal designations into excel. A role once filled by notebook PCs just a few years ago. We started using BlackBerry 9650s and then 9930s for this and our productivity exploded, reducing equipment delivery times significantly.

Typically, the device is operated with a single hand while climbing over equipment and reaching to trace, and turn conductor labels for viewing, with the other hand. That data entry role has provided clearly quantified performance comparison. Not that our performance would be representative of "normal" use, but we've found it informative, NTL. Unfortunately, releasing the actual numbers would upset management and coworkers, fearful that our very capable competitors might learn something useful. So i'll just provide what i can of generalized results. I know, that kind of "subjective data" drives me crazy too.

In short, we took about a 30% hit in productivity during our 9 months with the Z. Compared with the same period in 2012, using the 99's. Discounting the first two months as "learning curve" handicap still showed a solid 20+% hit. Nine months into the transition we provided Q10s for anyone wanting to voluntarily try it. About half of the office migrated immediately and the other half about a month later. Productivity improved for the Q10 users but still lagged a good 15-20%, compared with 99s, during the first month. It improved to only about a 10-15% lag during the following two months. Naturally, as in all situations, there were a few that adapted quickly and excelled with just about any device you handed them. Others, naturally and expectedly, grew to proficiency slower. That's why i didn't just provide the average numbers but also a range to reflect best and worst. If that makes sense.

About 3 months into the Q, a mostly unrelated issue cost us one of our largest customers. We'd been experiencing infrequent failure to disconnect calls with both Z and Q and had mostly just laughed them off. Some were truly humorous, even. One customer, justifiably, didn't see the humor. One of our best workers had failed to "hang up" her Q and that customer stayed on the line and listened to his order being processed and compared with an order made by his competitor, also our customer. He listened for several minutes before calling me explaining his concerns. Confidentiality concerns that, before that event, we just hadn't considered. I don't believe the potential confidentiality issues of the "soft hangup" used on most glass oriented devices has been adequately considered or addressed, IMO. Confidentiality issues that might have implications for legal and medical as well as engineering professions.

Long story short, we lost that customer to our very capable competitor. A former employee of mine that boasts his company's exclusive use of 9650, interestingly. I was tasked with identifying the problem and fixing it. Obviously, user error was root cause. Device configuration was the single predominant contributing factor. We transitioned back to "hard key hangup" 9930s and have experienced NO hang up failures in the 6+ months since. Also, our data entry productivity is now back to pre-Z levels and even a little better!

Relevance to typical consumer use? Probably slight. How many would even notice a 10% hit in texting or emailing? IDK. I DO know the 9900 is a true workhorse and will tag along as backup for many months once we transition to Q20.

[anon(19759)]

Biggest features of the 9930 I miss are the endless profile customization options where you could create any number of sound/notification profiles. Want it to ring for calls and just vibrate for texts? Easy on the 9930. Can't on bb10. Also miss the dedicated phone/end keys (the toolbelt). Hate having to wake the phone, swiping to get back to phone app, then hanging up on Q10. Also liked being to able to see more messages on the 9930 since you can change to single line per message.

On the other hand, loading apps from BlackBerry world on 9930 is absolutely painful and slow. Bb10 apps load quick and easy. The browser on OS7 is also horrible compared to bb10.

Posted via the CrackBerry App for Android

[Dewwey]

BL Hybrid = Berrylicious Hybrid OS, a mix of latest & old modules with an aim to provide a better BBOS. More info can be found in the hybrid section of the forum.

Macroed out = To use macros to program certain system and app functons and tasks, e.g. To open & start a section of the options just by using a few programmed key presses.

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Thank you sir. I did a little looking around after I had asked that question and discovered some of those forums you mentioned. Fascinating! Got me inspired to replace the keyboard on my old 9900 for starters and will see what happens after that..

Posted via CB10

[Nine54]

My entire office of 26 JUMPED from our 9930's into the Z10 in it's first month, a year and half ago. All of us, IT and management expected a learning curve but that learning curve flattened much earlier than anyone had expected. In addition to the usual smartphone things, we use our devices for data entry. An application well beyond anything BB ever intended, i'm sure. Without divulging too much, a large part of that data entry role includes validating thousands of electrical connections by manipulating alpha-numeric conductor and terminal designations into excel. A role once filled by notebook PCs just a few years ago. We started using BlackBerry 9650s and then 9930s for this and our productivity exploded, reducing equipment delivery times significantly.

Typically, the device is operated with a single hand while climbing over equipment and reaching to trace, and turn conductor labels for viewing, with the other hand. That data entry role has provided clearly quantified performance comparison. Not that our performance would be representative of "normal" use, but we've found it informative, NTL. Unfortunately, releasing the actual numbers would upset management and coworkers, fearful that our very capable competitors might learn something useful. So i'll just provide what i can of generalized results. I know, that kind of "subjective data" drives me crazy too.

In short, we took about a 30% hit in productivity during our 9 months with the Z. Compared with the same period in 2012, using the 99's. Discounting the first two months as "learning curve" handicap still showed a solid 20+% hit. Nine months into the transition we provided Q10s for anyone wanting to voluntarily try it. About half of the office migrated immediately and the other half about a month later. Productivity improved for the Q10 users but still lagged a good 15-20%, compared with 99s, during the first month. It improved to only about a 10-15% lag during the following two months. Naturally, as in all situations, there were a few that adapted quickly and excelled with just about any device you handed them. Others, naturally and expectedly, grew to proficiency slower. That's why i didn't just provide the average numbers but also a range to reflect best and worst. If that makes sense.

About 3 months into the Q, a mostly unrelated issue cost us one of our largest customers. We'd been experiencing infrequent failure to disconnect calls with both Z and Q and had mostly just laughed them off. Some were truly humorous, even. One customer, justifiably, didn't see the humor. One of our best workers had failed to "hang up" her Q and that customer stayed on the line and listened to his order being processed and compared with an order made by his competitor, also our customer. He listened for several minutes before calling me explaining his concerns. Confidentiality concerns that, before that event, we just hadn't considered. I don't believe the potential confidentiality issues of the "soft hangup" used on most glass oriented devices has been adequately considered or addressed, IMO. Confidentiality issues that might have implications for legal and medical as well as engineering professions.

Long story short, we lost that customer to our very capable competitor. A former employee of mine that boasts his company's exclusive use of 9650, interestingly. I was tasked with identifying the problem and fixing it. Obviously, user error was root cause. Device configuration was the single predominant contributing factor. We transitioned back to "hard key hangup" 9930s and have experienced NO hang up failures in the 6+ months since. Also, our data entry productivity is now back to pre-Z levels and even a little better!

Relevance to typical consumer use? Probably slight. How many would even notice a 10% hit in texting or emailing? IDK. I DO know the 9900 is a true workhorse and will tag along as backup for many months once we transition to Q20.

Interesting read, thanks for sharing! Seems like it's just a case of the right tool for the right job. Is the data entry being done directly into a spreadsheet application on the phones or is your org using a proprietary app?

[Nine54]

Is there a definitive list of features and functionality from BBOS that is still missing in BB 10? Every so often in threads like this, someone mentions a BBOS feature that I was unaware of and wish I had known about when using my 9900. Although things like the browser and app experience left much to be desired, it was the sum of all the little things that made BBOS + the 9900 feel like such an asset for corporate professionals.

[idssteve]

Interesting read, thanks for sharing! Seems like it's just a case of the right tool for the right job. Is the data entry being done directly into a spreadsheet application on the phones or is your org using a proprietary app?

Both. More than half are done in ordinary DocToGo, though. Spreadsheets themselves were originally set up on a PC. The devices are just data entry. We also have some custom handheld devices but they're two handed affairs that haven't been touched in years. 9900 is a natural for single handed use. Some of us just save the spreadsheets to dropbox while out on the floor to have it ready for manipulation when we get to a PC. Each connection is validated by three individuals and their spreadsheets are compared via PC. Any discrepancy is physically scrutinized and corrected.

For purposes of calculating productivity results i'd presented earlier, entry errors are subtracted directly from the daily count. The time spent correcting entry errors wasn't directly included in that data. FWIW.

[Nine54]

Both. More than half are done in ordinary DocToGo, though. Spreadsheets themselves were originally set up on a PC. The devices are just data entry. We also have some custom handheld devices but they're two handed affairs that haven't been touched in years. 9900 is a natural for single handed use. Some of us just save the spreadsheets to dropbox while out on the floor to have it ready for manipulation when we get to a PC. Each connection is validated by three individuals and their spreadsheets are compared via PC. Any discrepancy is physically scrutinized and corrected.

For purposes of calculating productivity results i'd presented earlier, entry errors are subtracted directly from the daily count. The time spent correcting entry errors wasn't directly included in that data. FWIW.

Interesting. So, they literally are editing the same spreadsheet that they would have on their PC--that's a pretty good testament to the 9900 as a productivity tool. Given that spreadsheet editing seems to the use case trumped up most by marketing, are you and your team interested in the Passport?

[idssteve]

Interesting. So, they literally are editing the same spreadsheet that they would have on their PC--that's a pretty good testament to the 9900 as a productivity tool. Given that spreadsheet editing seems to the use case trumped up most by marketing, are you and your team interested in the Passport?

I plan to get one for personal use, once Verizon gets them. Single handed use is essential for many of the missions we task our devices for. We're hoping the Classic works ok in single hand. For the data entry role discussed, I typically hold and operate the device in left hand while reaching to turn and move the wire label into view with right hand. Usually while climbing and crawling over and into equipment and cabinets. Single handed use is essential.

Interesting to note the Z was about twice as bad for getting dropped and damaged on the plant floor than the Q. I've only heard of one 9900 getting dropped on the plant floor in the past six months. 9900 is very easy to hold securely in a single hand. I dropped my 99 a few months ago due to texting while running down stair cases. Distracted stair case running?? LOL. Battery and cover popped off but it survived with a new battle scar.

The spreadsheets originate on a PC and old fashioned DocsToGo on 9900 opens, edits, and saves to dropbox, for example. No problems what so ever. Of course we did similar with our Zs and Qs, also.

[PonyCrazyKid]

okay, but what I would love to know is how is the speakerphone on 9900 for recording interviews by phone? I have no doubt that my lovely gently used 9900 will out-perform my 4s on POS ios7 - but nobody is talking about call quality. The early reviews when 9900 was newly released mentioned waterfall sound in the background and other unpleasant sound effects. What about the 9900 as a device to call people? Thanks!
PS this baby-berry intends to get a Passport - awesome!

[idssteve]

okay, but what I would love to know is how is the speakerphone on 9900 for recording interviews by phone? I have no doubt that my lovely gently used 9900 will out-perform my 4s on POS ios7 - but nobody is talking about call quality. The early reviews when 9900 was newly released mentioned waterfall sound in the background and other unpleasant sound effects. What about the 9900 as a device to call people? Thanks!
PS this baby-berry intends to get a Passport - awesome!

Q10 gets the edge in voice quality, IMO. Not that the 9900 is substandard by any means. We use voice a LOT, many times from noisy plant floors, and certainly don't feel the 9930 (cdma) has any particular handicap in voice quality but the Q10 really is better on that score. IMO. FWIW.

[PonyCrazyKid]

Thank you, isdsteve - I get the 9900 tomorrow (it's at the PO, but couldn't get there today) and see how it performs - does 9900 do calls on wifi? - so much to learn... Must put it on ATT (not strong signal here, but perhaps enough for calls on BB) - TMO no signal at all, total whiteout), but if ATT proves too weak for calls, then I guess I will keep Sprint and get the Q10. I don't want another iPhone - 4s was great with iOS6 but it's pos with 7 - at home it's phone calls that count. I stopped using a landline years ago, better uses for that money.
Yeah, we'll see. But you never know - I might really really really like the 9900. I'm thinking in that direction - it's been described as a warrior of a phone. I hope it is my next workhorse!!! cheers

[yohannrjm]

Having had my 9900 for a few weeks now, I can say that I have no regrets about buying it.

Does it have all the apps that I use? no. Do I need those apps all the time? no.

It does a great job at the stuff I do day in and day out - phone calls, emails, texts, etc. Strangely, even though I've had the Q10 for longer (and used it more), the keyboard on the 9900 is much easier for me to use - it doesn't make much difference when I'm writing short texts, but it is significantly better when I'm writing emails.

Really, the only app I could really use is the one I use to share shopping lists with my wife. Since we both help with the household shopping, it's pretty much necessary to have an easy way to share lists.

Given that I paid $40 for mine....it was a good deal.

[PonyCrazyKid]

Thanks for that testimonial re 9900 - I'm getting it today, but up to my ears in deadline which I really must get done before midnight and then move on to the next set, sigh, but if I don't go into ATT today, I will do it tomorrow (the sooner the better!).

Re sharing shopping lists with your wife - an app for that? omg, what about text? or email?

I really don't care about apps. I have three I put on the 4s - Skype (rarely use, and it's on macbk), turboscan (handy to have, but rarely use); watch ABC (for Grey's anatomy - prefer to watch on macbook). I can live without them on my 9900.
Really appreciate the positive words re 9900. I'm chuffed - looking forward to using it!

[yohannrjm]

Yes, we're pretty entitled when it comes to convenience.

Practically, the reason a list sharing app works better than texting is that we can add stuff to the list whenever we think of something, and when it has been bought, it's removed from the list. We find that these lists are more dynamic than emails/texting.

Anyway, I found a workaround: an app called OurGroceries. It has an android app that works well on my Q10 and my wife's Z10 and I can access the web version on my 9900.

No Skype, but it decimates smartphone batteries anyway.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9900 using CB10

[anon(6038817)]

Like most, I miss the toolbelt. I also miss being able to use a charging stand, bedside mode scheduling, and that keyboard has no equal.

Typed with dazzling speed and accuracy on my Q10

[barbarianthemadserb]

okay, but what I would love to know is how is the speakerphone on 9900 for recording interviews by phone? I have no doubt that my lovely gently used 9900 will out-perform my 4s on POS ios7 - but nobody is talking about call quality. The early reviews when 9900 was newly released mentioned waterfall sound in the background and other unpleasant sound effects. What about the 9900 as a device to call people? Thanks!
PS this baby-berry intends to get a Passport - awesome!

The "waterfall" sound you are referring to is with wifi calling. Regular OTA calls are great. But, on TMO (which is the only provider that offers wifi calling on the Blackberry devices), wifi calling has been compromised. This problem happened right about the time TMO and Blackberry got divorced (a co-incidence?). I have several tickets into TMO on the wifi calling problem with the BB9900 and they said it was a known issue that they are working on. (Z10/Q10 wifi calling has been fixed and it works but again they have not yet fixed the wifi calling on TMO with the BB9900).

[PonyCrazyKid]

Like most, I miss the toolbelt. I also miss being able to use a charging stand, bedside mode scheduling, and that keyboard has no equal.

Typed with dazzling speed and accuracy on my Q10

Uh, beg to differ, but the person who sold me this 9900 on ebay included a charging stand and it works great! very cute - keeps getting lost in story notes and various cables and gizmos, but that's just messy dis-organization! If I had time I would take a photo of it and post it, but I gotta run off to work-related do (otherwise, would stay and take a photo and post it, blah blah blah).

Love the 9900 - it actually made a call where there is no signal whatsoever today! At a farm in a hollow, between some pretty substantial ridges in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mts - great place, owned by friends - they were intensely impressed! So was I, but I have been prepared for experiencing many "OH WOW!" moments with this 9900 since I signed it up with ATT - but this one was a virtual "holy wow!" moment - in a beautiful but total dead zone! yay, BB!!!

[l_jack]

I would trade the Q10 for a 9900 if I could. I have had the Q10 for a week now and like it a lot over the iphone 5s that I was using prior. But being a long time blackberry user I feel like there are still some things that the legacy OS does better than any other OS even today.

The major things that I miss:

Homescreen shortcuts (m for messages, c for compose, ect). I prefer this over over the just type quick actions.

Text editing -- I find it hard to place the cursor on the q10.

Compressed data

BIS security

I would have gotten the 9900 if I could have gotten it from shop BlackBerry for the same price or even slightly more than the Q. For $199 I couldn't pass up the deal on the Q.



Posted via CB10

[PonyCrazyKid]

Update on my BB 9900 on ATT - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this phone! It's a phone, it has muscle for a phone. It does great on speakerphone with my little digital recorder for interviews. It gets signal where other phones get nothing at all. I'm absolutely thrilled with it.

Is it challenging for my astigmatic eyes in terms of browsing, yes, but still have the 4s and will keep the 4s until it croaks until I learn if all the trees out here in the countryside during summer will dampen the signal from the nearest ATT tower, five miles from my home office.

But hey, I LOVE my 9900 - Great phone! texts, no worries. It WORKS!!!